1. My mom started her first round of Chemotherapy today. She will receive 6 treatments, two weeks apart each. So she has 12 weeks of Chemo. She is nervous, as are we, but we all believe she will come through this fine and healthy. She will have 12 weeks of radiation after the Chemo.
She initially thought she would not need chemo since her tumor was a stage 1 sized tumor. However, the toxicology reports indicated that it was a very quick growing cancer so they are treating it with the chemo as an additional precaution. It is not fun but I believe it is the right thing to do. So much better to be safe than sorry in this situation!
The outpouring of love and concern for my parents these last couple of months has been astounding to us all. They have received love and attention and comfort from friends, family and neighbors near and far. They have blessed so many lives and now they are being blessed in return.
2. Last summer I found the blog My Charming Kids. To sum it up quickly, it is written by a mom of 4 very young kids. When she was pregnant with baby #4 last summer, the doctor told her the baby had a heart condition that was incurable and would cause him to either die in the womb or shortly after he was born. Miraculously, he was born without a single heart problem. They named him Stellan. He is now 6 months old and his heart condition has returned. He will be having a risky heart surgery in the next 24 hours to try to cure his condition. Please pray. And read. And cry. And then pray some more.
3. Today is the 10 year anniversary of the Columbine HS shootings. I remember exactly where I was - in my little apartment at Liberty Square at BYU - when I found out. I proceeded to stay glued to our TV for the entire day, even skipping classes and work, to watch the coverage. A couple years later I decided to write my senior thesis on the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder experienced by these kids and how if affected their communication skills {had to get that communication aspect of it in there}. I was able to interview 6 students who attended Columbine at the time of the shooting. It was eye opening and humbling, to say the least. My heart still aches when I read through those interview transcripts because I know there are hundreds of stories out there just like the 6 I interviewed. Say more prayers for the families of those involved.
6 comments:
Praying for your mom, sounds like a rough but necessary road ahead. So nice to hear she has so much positive love and concern around her, it makes all the difference!
Brian and I have been talking about Columbine too. I was living wit Patti and Darcy when it happened, and remember watching it on TV; it was just a few months before I moved to Denver. Brian, however was working for the Columbine Courier at the time, and actually had to go to Clement Park and interview students when it happened. That was quite an experience for him. Can't believe it's been 10 years. What a tragic, sad memorial.
I'm hoping the best for your mom. I told my mom and she was surprised and sad to hear of it.
Columbine was on my mind today too. I also posted about it:)
Best of luck on this tough road for your mom.
I remember this day very clearly 10 years ago because it was my 23rd birthday. It was my last day student teaching = my last day of BYU. I got home from school to this on TV. Greg's family (soon-to-be-in-laws) live in Littleton. Quickly I was on the phone trying to figure out where his high school brother was. Luckily, his brother went to Chatfield, the other high school in Littleton. But, even Greg's mom's elementary school she was teaching at had been on a lockdown across town. It was a strange day. I thought about that today too.
I hope you and your mom are OK. You sound positive...I will keep both of you in my prayers. Brian's dad has terminal cancer and it sucks. Such an unfair and horrible disease...I hate it.
I was thinking of Columbine today too. I remember watching the news the day it happened...so surreal. I learned to drive on the street that Columbine sits on...spent countless nights at Clement Park...took my practice ACT's in that library...so, so sad. I can't believe it's been 10 years either. wow.
Thanks for the cancer treatment info on blog. Just to correct some of the info : I will have 6 rounds of chemo three weeks apart. That will be followed by 6 weeks of radiation, 5 days a week. After that, I'm good to go. I have all info ready for the application to the Exposure Radiation Program. Having been raised in White Pine County, Nevada, and experienced radiation fallout from the Las Vegas nuclear bomb testing, and having a certain kind of cancer qualifies me for a monetary compensation for the US Department of Justice. Thank goodness for not throwing away old elementary and HS report cards, elementary school graduation programs, LDS Individual Awards which include dates and the name of the Stake, etc. I have 7 years of those. Who would have known that my "saving everything" mentality would pay off these many years later. I had forgotten about your research project with Columbine students. Well done.
Mom
More prayers for your Mom... I'm sure she will come through this with good memories, realizing how many people love her. That will be the silver lining...
I'll have to check out that blog. TFS.
Columbine - ugh. That is a hazy memory for me, I think I was just too absorbed with my tiny kids, and I was pregnant with Lily... I guess that was a good thing in a way?
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