Christmas Change of Plans

Merry Christmas! My parents send you all their best wishes for a Joyous Christmas and a Blessed New Year. A few of you may have received a Christmas letter from Mom sharing her joy that she would be home for Christmas. Well, God had different plans. Mom is currently in the hospital at Stanford. Stasi and Dad are going to be with her at the hospital on Christmas day to her celebrate.

Mom has internal bleeding that is being monitored. It is not her nose this time that revealed the problem, it is her bowels. Ugh! Mom said that she will now be thankful for when it is her nose in the future. She is not having fun but is optimist as usual. If you would like to call Mom, you can reach her at 650-498-3051. She would love to hear from you even if it is only a quick call to say, "hello." As always, your prayers would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Hanging In There

Mom continues to enjoy life away from the hospital and is at the ranch most of the time. She has been "hanging in there" with a variety of health challenges. If you talk with her, Mom is her positive and joyful self. She has recently been having trouble with her eyesight. She first thought it was due to the side effects of the medication to help remove excess iron from her liver. After a check up at Stanford, Mom learned that she has cataracts. Her medication may be aggravating her sight but is not the cause. Mom hopes to have surgery as soon as her primary doctor gives her clearance to do so.

In the meantime, Mom has been enjoying this wonderful holiday season. She loves being back at the ranch and most likely has the house decorated to celebrate. Mom has MANY boxes filled with all sorts of things to decorate for Christmas. The tree is always a different theme and it has been years and years since she has repeated a theme. Makes me smile just to think about Mom and all her festive decorations. What a praise Mom is home this time of year!

Thank you again for your prayers, encouragement and support. Mom is blessed by your kindness. May this wonderful holiday season fill your heart with joy!

Answered Prayers

With all glory to God, I am happy to report that Mom was released from the hospital on Wednesday. (Our dial up situation prevented me from reporting this earlier...sorry. We praise God for our wonderful church that allows us to use their high speed.) When I talked with Mom this afternoon she was overjoyed to be out of the hospital and was most optimistic that she would be back at the ranch by this time next week. I so hope that this will prove to be true!

Mom had a rough go at the hospital this last time. Fortunately, she was able to avoid the feeding tube the doctors were threatening to attach. Mom was unable to hold anything down for quite awhile but things are now better on that front. The swelling on her face has subsided and the fluid in her lungs is now manageable. She has an antibiotic treatment today and will return again on Monday & Wednesday for two more rounds. It is after this that Mom hopes to go home. Stasi & Matt were able to spend time with Mom at the hospital on Friday and Saturday. Mom was showing noticeable improvement from the time they arrived to the time the left which gave us all comfort.

Dad is holding up as well as can be expected. It is a constant roller coaster that Mom lives on and at time it is most wearing on Dad. He struggles seeing her suffer, he struggles with not being able to fix this all for her, and he struggles with having the "retirement years" being so different than he imagined they'd be. Mom and Dad were going to continue to travel, spend time with family both near and far, and enjoy a simple life. Life is anything but simple for them now. The one thing that this present life has brought them is true gratefulness for the simple things of life. It is this realization that makes talking with Mom so encouraging and inspiring. When you talk with Dad, he is quick to remind you to enjoy your life and appreciate what you have, especially your health. Mom would have chosen a different path if given the choice but through God's grace, she values and appreciates the life God has given her. Mom doesn't ever talk about what life could have been like, she only talks about the good she sees in the path God has set before her. I greatly appreciate this quality in my mom.

Thank you for your prayers on Mom's behalf. God is answering them and Mom is being blessed.

Please Pray

After months of good weeks and a few tougher weeks, Mom finds herself in the hospital. Mom would covet your prayers as she struggles with a severe bladder infection and lungs filled with fluid. As always, Mom's spirits were positive and she wanted to hear more about my family than she wanted to talk about herself when I touched base with her this morning. She made it very clear that "I will make it through this too". What a trouper!!

Mom was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday night for excessive pain and very low blood pressure. She is now on heavy pain medication to give her some relief from her all over body pain. In a effort to help with her low blood pressure, a large amount of fluids were given which may be the contributing factor to her lungs filling with fluid and her face swelling. She is also being given antibiotics to help with infection. She is not able to eat much at all (about a teaspoon of soup an hour) or else she vomits. No fun. She will continue to stay in the hospital until she is stabilized, her lungs are no longer filled with fluid and they have a handle on her pain. She can be reached on her cell phone but please be aware that her pain medication makes her "groggy."

Mom said that Dad is doing much better now that Mom is on pain medication. It is very hard on him to see her suffer. Easy to understand.

The above photos were taken in August at the beach in Cayucos during one of Mom's better weeks. Don't Mom and Dad look happy?! Thank you for your prayers, encouragement and support. You are greatly appreciated.

California Adventures

We have had a wonderful week with Grandma, filled with much joy and adventure! Lillie, Dennah & I were blessed with a great flight into San Jose on Thursday afternoon. We were able to rent a fun little car...a blue PT Cruiser! I drive a 15 passenger van at home so this car was quite the treat. We drove to Grandpa & Grandma's apartment and were treated to a delicious dinner prepared by Grandpa. He has become quite the chief now that he does most of the cooking. We had a joyous reunion with both Grandpa and Grandma. They were both amazed at how much Lillie & Dennah had grown and changed since they had seen the girls over a year ago.

Friday was one of the best days that Mom has had in a long time. It was like she was super woman! She spent the morning in the Infusion Ward (IW) where Lillie & Dennah came to play the violin for her and her fellow Infusionites. Mom was blessed to hear them and the girls will be forever blessed by the gift of music lessons from their grandparents. When Mom was done in the IW, Grandpa met us and we all toured the wonderful and most imaginative playhouse being displayed at the Standford Mall. Mom walked the entire mall which is amazing in itself! We then returned back to the apartment for a time of rest before we met Aunt Christine and Uncle Ray at one of Mom's favorite Chinese food restaurants. They serve a wonderful broth type soup that Mom can digest easily. Mom was also given the "go ahead" to try and start eating solid foods today. Yeah!! So far so good at being able to keep the few things she has eaten down. Stasi arrived at the apartment very late to say "hello" and spend the night. We all love seeing Aunt Stasi! It was a very action packed day for Mom and we were blessed to share it with her.

On Saturday, Dad left for the ranch very early and was able to "escape" without having his photo taken. I am sad about this but am most grateful that we were able to spend a delightful day with him. Mom was tired from her adventures of the day before. She was given the day off from coming into the IW, so we all spent the day relaxing. Stasi was able to stay until around 10:30 AM before she needed to head north to join up with Matt & Travis to help with the senior trip for the North County Christian School graduating class. It was way too short of a visit but I am so glad Stasi was willing to make all the effort to come to see us all. In the evening, we went to Uncle Ray & Aunt Christine's for delicious enchilada dinner. Cousin Brian happened to be there for a little while which was an added bonus. It was good to see him. I never cease to be amazed at how much he reminds me of my brother Mark. They both have bold and fun senses of humor and fabulous laughs! The girls played their violins for Uncle Ray & Aunt Christine which blessed Mom greatly to be able to share the talents of her granddaughters. It was fun to remember all the things of the past and enjoy a special evening with family.

On Sunday, Mom was back in the IW for a few hours. I read a great book to Mom that was graciously given to me a couple of months ago. It is called The Invisible Woman~When Only God Sees: A Story for Mothers. A wonderful read that blessed Mom as it blesses me whenever I read it. After Mom was pumped up with all her fluids, minerals and platelets, she was feeling quite good. We went to Fresh Choice for lunch as suggested by Grandpa. We had not been to a Fresh Choice since before we moved to Oklahoma over five years ago. What a fun treat! We then made a quick stop at Micheal's to look at art supplies and then back to the apartment to enjoy time with Grandma and relax for the rest of the day.

On Monday, Mom found herself a little bit more weak and tired from running around on Sunday. She was given the day off again from the IW, as they are trying to have her only come in every other day. We spent a bit of time at the pool so the girls could swim. Grandma relaxed by the pool in the shade while Tamy tired to get some sun on her Oklahoma white body. Mom has been blessed to be taking a watercolor class at Palo Alto High School on Monday evenings. We enjoyed going with her and trying our hand at watercolor. Mom has been especially blessed by her teacher and classmates. It is nice that Mom is able to get out and do something she loves to do.

The biggest adventure of our trip (thus far!) has come on Tuesday morning. When I was taking Mom to the IW, she passed out while sitting on her walker seat and fell face first on the concrete. I was bringing the car around and saw it happen but felt helpless to stop her from falling. I was able to call Lillie down from the apartment so she could help me get Grandma in the car and to the IW. Praise God, Grandma is okay but has the most impressive black eye to show for it all.

Mom spent the better part of the day in the Emergency Ward having tests run until her doctor had her admitted to the hospital for observation. The plan is to keep her in the hospital to try and figure out why she her blood pressure keeps dropping and causing her to pass out. She should only be there for two days and then will go to Aunt Christine & Uncle Ray's until Dad returns from the ranch. In the meantime, Mom has wonderful doctors and nurses watching over her.

Lillie & Dennah actually didn't get to spend anytime with Grandma until she was admitted to the hospital. Then they were able to come play for her which blessed Grandma again. The plan for the day had been for Mom to quickly get her needs met at the IW then off to lunch at PF Changs, a trip to Mom's favorite bookstore, relax at the apartment and then dinner at the Egan's. Well, with Mom's fall, all that changed. I was able to a take the girls up to the Egan's for a quick hamburger dinner. It was nice we were still able to go since Kathie and her youngest son, Cody, were also there.

We then headed back to the hospital so the girls could play again for Mom. The family of Mom's roommate were interested in hearing the girls play. We praise God for the talent He has given Lillie & Dennah and are glad they are willing to share it for His glory. The night ended with one last surprise...Aunt Stasi and Morgan showed up to see Grandma in all her colorful glory and to say "good-bye" before we fly out this afternoon. Stasi and Morgan spent the night with us at the apartment and left at 3:00 AM this morning to get back home in time to get all they need to do done. We were so blessed to see them, as was Mom!

This has been a wonderful visit. It is hard to believe that a it was almost a year since I was here last. It blessed Lillie, Dennah & I greatly to spend time with Grandma. We plan to head to the hospital so the girls can play one more time for Mom before we catch our flight. We praise God that Mom is safe and will soon be on the mend. Thank you for your continued prayers on our family's before. You have blessed Mom more than you will ever know. Many Blessings to you all.

California Bound

At Mom's request, Lillie, Dennah & I are heading to California for a visit on Thursday. The plan is for us to stay a week and for the girls to serenade Mom with their violins. Mom is determined to hear the girls play again and the only way for this to happen is for them to come to her. We are excited for this opportunity to bless Grandma!

Mom has been struggling with low blood pressure. Yesterday morning it was 70/40...not good! It was even mentioned that with blood pressure this low Mom has the possibility of not waking up one morning. This was Mom's motivation to get the girls to come play for her now. Even with this less than encouraging news, Mom is taking everything in stride and is her ever cheerful self.

While in California, I hope to stay in better touch with updates and photos since high speed wireless will be readily available. With a dial-up system that goes out when it rains, my opportunities to post have been very limited lately. For this I am sorry. Lord willing, the next post will be on Thursday reporting a safe arrival into California and a joyful reunion with Mom & Dad!

Thank you again for all your prayers and support. You are a blessing to Mom!!

Blessed

I had a delightful conversation this afternoon with Mom. She is doing well and as joyful as ever. Mom is currently staying with Aunt Christine and Uncle Ray while Dad takes care of things at the ranch. Aunt Christine and Uncle Ray always take such great care of Mom and she enjoys their company immensely. If Mom enjoys her sister as much as I enjoy mine, they must be having way too much fun together!

At this time, Mom is not able to travel since she needs to go to the Infusion Ward daily for fluids. Mom is struggling with dehydration, among all the other medical challenges she faces daily. She still has issues with vomiting so the doctors have put her on a liquid diet. Mom is also a walking vision of color with all the bruising she has on her upper arms from having her blood pressure taken daily. She said they will soon use her lower arms and then work their way down to her legs. Mom is blessed to "feel no pain," as she likes to say, now that she is on morphine all the time. On a humorous note, Mom has earned the nickname "Cat" in the Infusion Ward. All the doctors and nurses are convinced that she must have nine lives! It makes Mom smile when the nurses ask her, "How is the Cat doing today?"

With all that Mom has gone through, it would be understandable if she was discontent or bitter with her situation. But with all praise to God, she is not. Mom takes comfort that God is in control and that her "mission field" is the Infusion Ward at Stanford Hospital. Yes, she would prefer things to be different but she is content to accept God's perfect will for her life. I am so proud of my precious mother!

Thank you all for you support, encouragement and prayers. Many Blessings to you all!

Happy Easter!

EASTER BLESSINGS to you and your family! We pray that this day has been filled with great joy and sweet memories. When I talked with Mom today she was rejoicing in God's gift of Jesus to her life. Mom is so grateful that she is not walking this journey of illness on her own.

Mom was delighted to share about a friend she has made while at the Infusion Ward. Her friend was growing weary and losing hope that a bone marrow donor would ever be found. With great joy she was able to share with Mom that one had been found outside the US and the person was willing to come to donate. This friend thanked Mom for encouraging to never lose hope. She told Mom that Mom is many people's "gauge". If Mom is smiling, they know that everything will be okay. Hearing all this blessed Mom greatly. Mom was praising God that He is using her even in her weakened state to bless others.

For the last month, Mom and Dad have been splitting their time between the apartment at Stanford and the ranch. There have been windows of time when Mom can be away from the Infusion Ward which have made the trips home possible. Mom has greatly enjoyed being home and Dad appreciates being back at the ranch to get a few things done.

Currently, Mom is back at the apartment waiting on some test results. Mom said that she will need to stay close to the hospital this week as all the test results become available. Today, the nurse took 6 to 7 vials of blood to run a variety of tests. Mom has been blessed to only need platelets every five days and has been able to wait up to two weeks for red blood cells. This is a huge improvement over her past everyday needs for transfusions. Mom is no longer able to take Tylenol or Vicadan for pain. She is now taking Morphine orally around the clock for pain. She has been able to keep her vomiting down to twice a day with the help of medication. Mom is sleeping but I don't think she sleeps for long periods of time. Through all this, Mom is still very positive and grateful for her many blessings. Even when she shares how hard things are and how tired she is of all this, I can still tell she has a smile on her face...I can her it in her voice. Mom is walking one of the toughest roads imaginable and still finds joy and is thankful for all God is doing in her life. I am so proud of Mom!

Only by the grace of God Mom has been able to walk this journey as far as she has come and only by His grace will she continue. As Mom comes to mind, we'd greatly appreciate your prayers. Easter Blessings to you all!

At the Ranch

I was blessed this morning by a phone call from Mom. She was at the ranch and couldn't have been happier! Mom said that she was given the okay yesterday and headed out of town last night. Mom is not due back at the Infusion Ward until Monday morning. How wonderful for both Mom and Dad! Mom was even given permission to have one glass of wine. Given the fact Mom hasn't had a glass of wine in the last four years, this was quite an unexpected treat for her. Mom said it brings her no end to joy to sit on the back porch and watch the sunset with Dad while enjoying a glass of wine and discussing the day. Mom may have had to wait four years but she is abundantly blessed to being enjoying this special pleasure now.

Mom was given platelets yesterday and red blood cells the day before so she is feeling very good. With medications in hand, Mom is able to enjoy her time at the ranch. Last night, Felicia brought over a delicious dinner. Mom enjoyed the time with Mark, Felicia, Haustin, Garrett and Emilee. Today, she had plans to watch a ball game or two that some of her grandchildren were playing in. Tomorrow she has plans to spend some time with Morgan who is home for a few days from college. I know that Mom will make the most of her time away from hospital life. She is looking forward to finally seeing the baby her mare had a year ago...not much of a baby anymore! She also hopes to attend the church in Creston that she dearly loves with Mark and his family on Sunday morning. It will be nice to hear all about her adventures when she returns to her apartment. For now, Mom is happy and filled with joy...what more could any daughter want?!

We do appreciate you checking in from time to time and for keeping Mom in your thoughts and prayers. May your day be abundantly blessed!

Happy Birthday!

Happy, Happy Birthday Grandma Mattie!!

Today is Mom's 72nd birthday! One year ago today, Mom was here in Oklahoma celebrating her birthday with her "favorite" daughter and "what a guy" son-in-law and eight of her delightful grandchildren. It was a very good day. Below is a photo of Mom and Dad taken on her 71st birthday. It is one of my favorites.

Here are a few more of my favorite photos of Mom taken over the years....

Mom is standing with her arm around her dad, Leroy Hunt Sr. also shown are her older sister, Christine and younger brother, Leroy Jr.

Mom holding Mark and Tamy standing...
Isn't it easy to see by the look on Mom's face that I am her "favorite"?!!

Mom looks so happy & pretty in this photo!

Stasi, Mom, Dad and Tamy~ This was taken at Asilomar during one of our annual quilt class retreats. Stasi made these blocks to put in a Storybook quilt about Mom. "I'm fine" is what Mom always says no matter what her actual condition may be...always the optimist!

May today be as equally special for Mom as she rejoices over another year of life.

God bless you Mom.

You are dearly loved by many.

Enjoy your special day!

Life is Good

Mom was very happy about her plans today. Dad & Mom were heading to Uncle Ray & Aunt Christine's to celebrate all the recent and soon to be family birthdays. Aunt Christine & her new grand baby, Sean, share a birthday on February 24th. Baby Sean's daddy, Brian Egan, also had a February birthday. Mom's birthday is on March 2nd. I think she may have mentioned another birthday or two but I can't seem to remember them at the moment. Well, at least I know they will be celebrated by Mom and Dad today! Kathie was in charge of all the food which will be delicious and a blessing to all in attendance. Kathie's husband, Scott, and their youngest son, Cody, were planning to be at the celebration along with Brian, Aga and baby Sean. Mom was looking forward to spending time with all these dear people who she loves.

Medically speaking, changes are in the works for Mom. After having a reaction to her iron reducing medication, the doctors have taken her off her daily 12 machine. Mom is thrilled about how much better she feels and that she doesn't have to have her constant companion at her side any longer. She is no longer on Cyclosporin and is on Prograph 743 instead. She feels better but it does come at a price...$80 per day!! She is still on Vicadan 24/7 and jokes about being a "75 year old drug addict"...keep in mind that she is only going to be 72 on the 2nd. Mom says being on the pain medication makes "a whole lot of difference." She just feels so much better! Mom continues to take her medication to prevent vomiting and because of the medication she is able to eat. This is a good thing.

Mom had a funny experience, or rather Dad did, when Mom recently went for an MRI. Her appointment was for 8:00 PM at night. Dad dropped off at the radiation building across from the Infusion Ward and then went to park the car. When he went to meet up with her, the building was dark and look completely closed. It took him a while to find Mom and he started to wonder where she could have run off. You'll need to ask Mom to tell you the story...she was quite tickled. Her MRI took 45 minutes per ankle since Mom gave permission for the radiologist to take extra info for further research. Mom wants as much good to come out of her illness as possible.

Mom told me that every morning she wakes up and says, "Thank you God that I am here." I know it would do me good to remember to be more thankful for each day God has graciously given me. Thank you Mom for the reminder.

Doing Better

When I talked with Mom today, she was returning from having lunch out. What a treat! Mom said she was feeling much better and was blessed to not be reacting severely to the new medication the doctors were trying out on her. The plan is to reduce and finally take Mom off Cyclosporin, which is not helping her liver and kidney function, and use the new medication instead. Mom was very happy to tell me that she was "tracking better" and felt more on top of things. As always, Mom was her usual optimistic self.

Mom's visit to the ranch was a HUGE blessing! Mom enjoyed being home and is looking forward to the next opportunity to return. If all goes well, this could be a very real possibility. Mom enjoyed sleeping in her own bed, waking up to the sounds of the barnyard animals and various wildlife animals, visiting with family, along with just knowing she had finally made it "home." Life is good...

Going to the Ranch

As I write, Mom and Dad are in route back to the ranch. This is so exciting! Mom has not been back in her home at the ranch since she left last spring when she entered the hospital in San Luis Obispo. It has been almost a year since she has been home. I can only imagine how excited she must be.

The plan is for Mom to spend the night and return back to the apartment at Stanford late tomorrow night. She is expected back in the Infusion Ward early on Monday morning. Last night, she was given everything possible so she could make this trip. Mom will continue with her iron reducing infusion pump as usual along with all oral medications.

I am not exactly sure how this 48 hour pass all came about but it is truly answer to prayer! Stasi and her family will be bringing dinner to Mom and Dad tonight. Since Mom is going to be back at the ranch, it is safe to assume that Mark, Felicia, Haustin, Garrett and Emilee will also try to get their share of visiting time in with her. Seeing everyone will bless Mom greatly.

I will update later on how the visit went and how Mom's health fared in the travel. Until then, we will continue to praise God for the mercy and kindness He is bestowing upon Mom to allow her to return home, no matter how brief the visit will be.

Thank you for your support and prayers.

Another Day

Mom was blessed to be released from the hospital on Wednesday night. Since then, she has enjoyed two delightful visits from a dear, long time friend, Mrs. Pearl Wong. Our family has known the Wong family for as long as I can remember. Pearl's husband, Dr. Wu Wong, was our family's pediatrician. Mark, Stasi & I spent many delightful hours playing with their four sons...Cedric, Eric, Derick and Patrick...during our summer travel adventures. Just thinking about the Wong family brings back many precious memories. Mom was truly blessed by her time spent with Mrs. Wong.

Mom is doing as well as can be expected. She is extremely tired. Mom asked me to send her all the extra energy from the triplets. How I wish I could do that! It would be a win-win situation for all involved. (Very BIG grin!) Mom said that she is so tired that walking from the bedroom to the living room is a challenge. The doctors are doing some tests as to why she is suffering from over exhaustion. The doctors have taken her off the antibiotics they originally prescribed for her bacteria issue on her legs because it was compromising her liver and kidneys. They are hoping the new antibiotics will help with Mom's legs. Fortunately, Mom's leg "maps" are getting better and are only mildly painful.

Mom is not having issues with vomiting thanks to the medication that Mom takes before each meal and before she goes to bed. She is only eating a quarter of what she usually eats.

Tuesday is due to be a big medical day for Mom. She will be meeting with Dr. Shrier, her infectious disease doctor and a skin doctor. Dr. Shrier is actually going to meeting Mom while she is in the Infusion Ward. Wow! Mom won't even have to wait for him in his office. What a good guy.

Mom says that Dad is doing well. She actually said that Dad was doing "great...much better than his wife." I am glad that Dad is able to be strong from Mom. Mom's attitude is still positive and optimistic. What a blessing that she finds her comfort and strength in the Lord and not in her circumstances.

Map of the Islands...

This is how Mom described her latest medical challenge. Mom is current back in the hospital for "spots" on her legs, which Mom says resemble a map of the islands. On Friday, Mom was unable to walk due to pain and to even touch the spots caused major pain. The doctors were not sure exactly what was causing this new condition but suspected a form of bacteria. Mom has become quite a challenge for the medical community. The infectious disease doctor who is handling Mom's latest condition has practice medicine for 20 years and had never seen spots like Mom's before. The doctor told Mom that she was "interesting." Now that Mom has been on antibiotics for bacteria for a couple of days, she is feeling much better. Praise the Lord!

When I talked with Mom yesterday, she was in a great mood. She was no longer neutrapenic...yeah! Her level was up to 1.26. She needed a 1.2 to be considered no longer neutrapenic, so the added .06 made her day. Mom had a unit of blood on Saturday and another on Sunday, along with platelets on Saturday. Mom's energy was up, she wasn't suffering from as much pain and was able to eat what she wanted. All delightful bright spots to rejoice about.

Mom is still struggling with an upset stomach. When she takes the medication to settle her stomach, it causes her to sleep more. The dilemma is vomit or constant sleepiness...neither are Mom's first choice. At least lunch was "still with her" when I talked to her.

Mom isn't sure when she will be released. She is in the E Ground Unit in room #38. Her direct line number is 650-498-3054. Please feel free to call if you'd like. Mom's emotional state is great. Mom is truly an example of how a positive attitude can make all the difference!

May your day be blessed.

Another Day in the Life...

I was blessed to talk with Mom today. She sounded great and was eager to hear how my family was doing. It is a blessing to have a mother who can look beyond her own troubles and offer up her support and encouragement when we are faced with trials of our own. Thank you Mom!

Mom is doing well but still faces her own daily trials and challenges. Recently it has been the constant pain she feels throughout her body. The doctors have her taking Vicadan every 6 hours to keep the pain under control. She has been given some reprieve on her vomiting now that she takes medication every 4 hours for to prevent it. Mom is on LOTS of medications. We joked about how she has become a pharmacist's dream! She is able to sleep about 5 hours at night which is good but still not enough to keep her energy up where she would like it. She was planning to receive platelets this afternoon which should help greatly in the energy department. This will be good.

Mom was pleased to share with me that her and Dad spent Sunday afternoon & evening with Uncle Ray and Aunt Christine. They enjoyed a delicious lasagna lunch and a wonderful potato soup for dinner. Both meals had been prepared by my cousin, Karyn Brelloch, on her last visit. Mom mentioned that Karyn had prepared many meals and put them in the freezer. How thoughtful! Mom said it was the "BEST" potato soup she had ever had and would like the recipe. How nice that Mom and Dad were able to enjoy good food, good company and a relaxing day.

Mom also shared with me something that gives me great peace about her mindset in all this. She said that the doctors really do not have any answers...she knows that all she can do is pray and trust that God will cause an answer to be found if it be His will. It blesses me to know that Mom rests in the will of God. Mom is not bitter in any way and is content to walk in the path God has set before her.

Thank you for your prayers. May your week be abundantly blessed.

Discharged!

Wahoo!! Mom was discharged from the hospital last night. What joy filled both Mom and Dad's hearts when the results from her blood cultures came back...NEGATIVE! Yeah!! This meant that Mom only had a bladder infection (easy to treat) verses a bladder infection along with another blood infection. Mom's countenance was so joyful when I talked with her last night. We had to laugh when we thought about how sweet "bladder infection" sounded compared to everything else she has had to hear lately.

Mom has an "off day" today and will not need to go to the Infusion Ward. She is so excited about staying home all day and relaxing with Dad. I am happy for her.

Please feel free to write, call or visit Mom. Information to do so is posted at the top of this blog. Hearing from you would probably make Mom's day!

Another Trip to the Hospital

Mom is back in the hospital again. Yesterday while in the Infusion Ward, Mom started vomiting and was running a fever. Mom tried to "hide" her condition but a very perceptive nurse noticed that she was huddled up under her covers and that she was looking "gray." Since being admitted to the hospital, it has been determined that Mom has a bladder infection. They are running some blood cultures to see if there are any other infections but the results are not back yet. Mom is taking all her usual medications, along with Benadril and Vicadan for some unexplained shoulder pain and antibiotics for the bladder infection. She is "feeling no pain" at this time. Yeah!!

Mom told me that one of the good things (another bright spot!) of being back in the hospital is the Sweet Dreams Bigalow tea. Mom says it smells "divine" and she doesn't even need to drink it to enjoy it...just smelling its delightful aroma is enough!

Mom is in her beloved Ground F Ward in room #38. The phone number is 650-498-3077. Mom would appreciate hearing from you if you feel lead to call her. Thank you for your prayers, concern and support. Many blessings to you!

Bright Spots

When I talked with Mom today, we laughed about the "bright spots" in her life. It was a sweet time. Mom had not gotten up for the day, aside to eat a small breakfast and then "dispose" of it. She was still in her pajamas around 10:45 AM. We joked about this being another one of the "bright spots" of her illness. After getting up early for many, many years, the Lord has made a way for Mom to sleep in, relax and take her mornings very slow if she chooses. She could be sad that she doesn't have the energy to rise early, move quickly and get much done, but she has chosen not to dwell on this and I am proud of her. She is determined to find each and every "bright spot" in her day. Her countenance is joyful and she is once again her optimistic self.

As far as her medical condition is concerned, things are not very good. Mom is taking medication to help with her vomiting but still finds herself throwing up every 2 hours...3 hours if she is doing well. Not an easy road to walk. She told me that she is only in pain when she vomits, so she is only in pain for short periods of time. This is good...it could be worse (Mom looking at the bright spot!). The vomiting does seem to slow down at night but her sleep still isn't very restful. This must be why she is tired so much of the time. She hasn't been given any more platelets since she had the reaction on Monday . The plan is for her to try and receive platelets again on Friday. Mom continues to receive antibiotics, minerals, etc. to help keep things in balance. She is really thankful about only having to go to the Infusion Ward every other day. Today was an off day. Mom was looking forward to staying at the apartment all day with Dad.

Mom enjoyed her visit with Morgan. Dad was able to "get away" for the day and go back to the ranch. He was glad to see Mark, Felicia and their children, along with catching up with things around the ranch. Mom said that one of the biggest "bright spots" in her illness has been the way Dad has slowed his life down to take care of her. Dad has blessed Mom greatly with his loving care and Mom is so grateful for her "what-a-guy" husband!

Mom is doing better than could be expected and gives God all the glory. Thank you for your prayers.

Not so Good

Mom is having trouble this evening. When receiving platelets, she had a reaction. This is her first reaction to a blood product. When I called, she was still in the Infusion Ward recoverying from her reaction. She had been given tylenol and demerol and was covered with blankets. Mom said that she started having excessive shills and a backache when the reaction started. She said she felt somewhat "out of it" due to the demerol. She didn't know how things would proceed for the night but was counting on Dad taking her back to the apartment just as soon as possible. She didn't finish out the platelets and I am not sure what the plan will be for tomorrow as for as that goes. Mom did know that from now on when receiving blood products, she would be required to take medication to prevent further reactions in the future.

Stasi told me that Morgan is due to arrive up at Stanford tomorrow to spend a couple of days with Mom. This will bring Mom and Dad lots of joy to be with Morgan. Morgan will also go with Mom to her appointment with Dr. Shrier. Morgan is graduating from Masters College this coming spring with a degree in biology/pre-med. She is looking forward to talking with the doctor! I am looking forward to hearing from Morgan all that Dr. Shrier had to say.

Please pray for Mom and Dad. Things are looking more serious with each passing day...as if they weren't serious enough. Your support, encouragement and prayers are a HUGE blessing to Mom. Thank you.

New Changes for the New Year

Happy New Year! With the New Year, new changes in Mom's treatment are here. Mom is having LOTS of trouble with her iron levels regardless of the treatment she is currently on. Normal for iron is 140. Mom has reached 6000! This has caused our "very stable, nothing affects him or gets him to react much" Dr. Shrier to "panic" as Mom put it. Dr. Shrier pulled Mom off her fungicide medication because it was compromising her body too much and has increased her iron reducing medication by 1/3. As Mom so delicately put it, "I am not sure if the fungus or medication will get me." Mom is struggling to stay her optimistic self at this time. I know she is doing all she can to be strong for Dad. Mom has been so brave, strong and optimistic for the last three plus years. We are all very proud of her! I was glad when Mom shared that she isn't in any pain, just very tired most of the time.

Mom continues to take the iron reducing medication over the 12 hour period. Unfortunately, this increase in medication has caused an increase in side effects. Ugh! Mom is now having to carry around something all the time as she is vomiting somewhat regularly. With this in mind, who could think about eating?! Mom is losing weight and eating very little. Mom said that she will be at her wedding weight soon if this keeps up. Dad is able to get her to eat clear broth soups. Mom loves soup so this is a good thing. Mom is still neutrapenic so fresh fruits and veggies are out.

There are always bright spots in every situation if we just look for the blessing. For Mom this means that she get a bed at the Infusion Ward instead of a recliner since she is so sleepy and feels dizzy often. Now that Mom isn't taking the fungicide, her treatments are an hour less since the antibiotics take an hour less to administer and she gets to go back to the apartment sooner. Mom mentioned to her doctor that she was feeling "dizzy" and had more trouble thinking these days. He decided to check to see if she was have a breakdown in her mental abilities. He asked her to count backwards from a hundred by seven's which she easily did. (Many of you who know Mom know that math and numbers are Mom's strongest subject. If the doctor asked me, I be in real trouble!) The doctor told her that he had "had enough" of that kind of talk and that she is mentally fine. She may be a little slower these days but now she is just like the rest of us! Blessings...there are always some to be found!