Mom, Dad & I at our wedding 9/13/08Mom's cancer has come back for the 3rd time so we're banding together to beat it away again with prayers, love, and sheer obstinance. Her oncologist is optimistic that the treatment can shrink & hopefully eradicate the mass in her lung. She had two mastectomies in the past fourteen years so we really didn't think the breast cancer could reoccur, but it has so we'll conquer it again...
The hardest part for all of us is that Mom has always been a dynamo, even at almost 72. She is an amazing woman who is still running a reading and remedial studies lab at the school she has worked at for over 35 years. She finally gave up driving the school bus 3 years ago at my sister & I's insistence. Since she has to use oxygen now with this latest development, it has really slowed her down and has been "cramping her style" as she says. It is an adjustment for us all to have to rethink things that we have always taken for granted, such as watering the garden or feeding the barn cats. Such simple daily things really drain her energy and have to be done in increments or turned over to one of us to do for now.
Slam Number 2 was when I asked for time off to assist my mom with all of her doctor visits and treatments (it is the slow time anyway at work), my boss decided to just lay me off instead (aka terminate, but we won't get into that here - I'm a bit bitter & ticked still..)
Then to add insult to injury, we find out we have 30 days to get ourselves and everything moved out of the house and off the property due to change of ownership. Haven't figured out where we're going yet, but moving 2 dogs and (now) 9 cats plus almost an acre of herbs and plants that I refuse to leave behind is going to be interesting!
There are always windows left open when God closes a door (or two or three) so I'm looking at this as the prod in the rear we needed to make some major life changes whether we think we're ready or not. It is hard to be totally upbeat all the time, but wallowing in our woes isn't gonna cut it or get things packed up (ugh). It would be nice to go wallow in the tub with some of my lavender/chamomile bath salts, but I'm out of them at the moment, waaaaaaahhh! Will it never end?? (just kidding, I guess I'll have to do a regular old boring bubble bath instead...options, folks, options - keep your options, your hearts, and your minds open...)
You know, it's a shame that I didn't just make myself sit down and post this before now. I have missed the interaction with so many of you and am realizing just how cathartic this is to be able to share what is going on in our lives, the good and the not so much.. I feel so much better just getting this out there. Thank you near and dear ones.
Jules, my heart and prayers go out to you and your family. I'm so glad you are upbeat about all of this and I know you are in good hands. As you say when God closes one door, he opens another.
ReplyDeleteYou are in our thoughts and prayers also Jules!
ReplyDeleteHang in there Carol. A way will always be made to do what is necessary. Often what we feel is negative turns out to be what is intended to be.
ReplyDeleteIn the middle of summer last year I moved an entire vegetable garden. It took two days to dig it all up and three days to get it all planted again. Almost everything survived.
I used the type of buckets we use to feed or water horses in to hold each larger plant and flat horse feeders to hold small ones. That way I could keep the soil moist until I planted them again.
Dear Jules, in reading your post, my heart goes out to you and your family. Knowing nothing more to do, your name will be added to my prayer list and I'll ask my prayer warrior friends to pray. Will ask the Holy Spirit to life you, hold you and for Christ to intercede on your behalf.
ReplyDeleteThank you all so much for the positive thoughts and prayers. It means so much to my family & I.
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to know that we all have reinforcements out there rooting for us.