In the last six weeks we have learned more than we ever wanted to know about a lot of different things. Looking back already provides thought provoking list, and we’ve got the better part of a year yet to come. This list is by no means comprehensive and it isn’t really accurate to call it a “top” anything list, but it just seemed to sound more interesting putting that “Top 10” in there. 🙂
- 10- Puffs with Lotion is the superior tissue! I know the name Kleenex is used in the vernacular to mean tissue because the Kleenex brand has become ubiquitous in American culture, but if you’ve never used the Puffs brand tissue with Lotion, you need to treat your nose to the ultimate in tissue comfort. After all the boxes of Puffs we’ve gone through in such a short time, we ought to consider buying stock in it!
- 9- Oncologists Have One of the Hardest Jobs It must be so hard telling people what they are about to encounter. Cancer is such a scary word, and to have to tell people it’s really bad must be so difficult. Somehow even though I knew we were the ones with the bad news, I felt sorry for the oncologist because it seemed like he really cared and it was hard for him to tell us.
- 8- It’s Good to Hear From People You Haven’t Talk to in a Long Time There have been so many people who have gotten in touch with us after many, sometimes 10, years. People from past places in our lives have come out of the woodwork to encourage, support and pray for us. The world wide web is a gift! (Web 2.0 is helping save my wife!)
- 7- Toddlers Can Tell Something Is Wrong Kai has changed over the past 6 weeks, and we believe that is in some part related to what we are going through. Although he is taking everything in stride, he’ll kiss Monica’s leg when he sees her crying and gives the biggest hugs right when you really need it. He has become more clingy and needs constant attention. It might just be an age thing, but we think it’s a bit more.
- 6- Rocky Road Isn’t a Good Healer Although rocky road might seem to take away the problems for the moment, it isn’t a long-lasting fix. We indulged in some comfort food, and ended up putting on a few pounds in the process. Mentally it helped, but physically it did nothing good!
- 5- Don’t Assume It’s Good to Take Time Off Before You Get the Facts When Monica found out she had cancer, she took 12 days off. After doing some research, she realized that wasn’t the best move. She was taking time off when she felt fine. They say you have the most strength toward the beginning when fighting cancer. Now she’s in danger of running out of days (and thus insurance) toward the end of the process. This is when she’ll most likely feel the worst and need those days off the most. Since realizing this, she has gone back to work and has only missed two days in the past month (both for chemo treatments). Thank God she’s been feeling well enough to go to work.
- 4- There Are Miracles Happening Around the World We Don’t Normally Hear About So many prayer warriors have seen God’s miracles first-hand and have shared with us God’s Mighty Hand at work in our world. With these encouraging accounts, our spirits have been lifted and our faith strengthened. We don’t always know what the Lord is doing today in peoples’ lives, and maybe it’s time we paid a bit more attention.
- 3- It Can Be Hard to Ask For Help With Some Things Everybody has been really great about offering help, but when it comes down to actually asking for it, it can be a struggle for us. One of the hardest things has been to ask for a baby sitter. Kai has gotten pretty aggressive and fussy over the last several weeks (probably ’cause he’s still not sleeping), so it feels awkward to ask someone else to deal with that. Other things can be awkward too. This is an area where we are struggling and trying to grow; especially as Monica’s strength is projected to decline. Please pray about this.
- 2- If You’re Lagging About Getting Life Insurance, Go Do It Now! We had been thinking about it for a while and actually had the papers in the mail being sent to us when we found out about the cancer. Now it’s too late. We’ve always been healthy and thought we had many more healthy years ahead. Please don’t put it off. It’s that important; facing your own mortality is hard and can really change your perspective on things.
- 1- God Answers Prayer! There have been unexplainable times of peace in the midst of this terrible season. The fact that we can visibly confirm the decrease in size of the tumor after only one chemo cycle is a direct reflection of prayer in our eyes! The Lord is good – all the time. He has allowed this to happen but has not left us alone. He has provided support, encouragement, meals, babysitting, family to be here, friends (old and new), the internet, good days, sleep, hats, a nicely shaped head, peace, love, joy, good doctors, speedy authorizations, reunions, and an incredible growth in faith.
If you’ve gotten this far, thanks for reading this whole thing. We love you and are very grateful for you all.
