An Unwelcome Interruption

I've often counted cancer as one of my least favorite words. Now I have a new one.

Metastasis.

Mom's cancer has found a new home in her sternum. We're praying that three weeks of radiation will knock it out, for a while at least.

For now, we're learning to enjoy our moments together. My youngest has already been over to put a puzzle together with her grandma. So many have sent hugs and cards and love.

If you want more details, check my dad's blog "millstones" in the right hand column.

If you want to help, prayers are certainly appreciated, as are hand-written cards and chocolate. (You can contact me if you need her address.)

Prayers, Please

Mary Poppins had all kinds of advice, but the bit that sticks in my head this morning is that there's a word you can say when you have nothing to say.

It's Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

Hmm.

I don't feel any different.

Maybe I should go with Maria's advice in the Sound of Music and sing about my favorite things.

Or maybe I should do what the apostle Paul and so many others have done through the centuries and ask the saints to lift up prayers of intercession.

Mom has uterine cancer. She's having surgery this morning to remove a bunch of stuff she never thought she'd live without and the one thing she'd rather not live with. I'll head down to the hospital soon to sit with Dad, and probably a crowd of church ladies, while Mom's in surgery.

Prayers, please?

Missing Out

For those of you who know me, you know I hate to think I'm missing anything fun. If you're going somewhere, I want to go along. If you're headed out on a trip, I'm happy for you, but jealous. If you read a good book, pass it on. I want to read it. If you're going skydiving... well, have fun. You can do that on your own.

A quick update for anyone who hasn't completely given up on this blog. At day 17 of whatever my ailment is, only one side of the throat hurts this morning, so that's better. Right?

I'm afraid it could be mono, but I'm reluctant to go back to the doctor, shell out another hundred bucks or more to find out I should be resting and drinking fluids, so I'm staying home, resting and drinking plenty of fluids.

I spent all day yesterday at home - I can't even remember the last time I did that. It about killed me. So, here's my question.

What'd I miss?

What did you do yesterday?

Day 12

If the common cold lasts 7-10 days, I'm officially declaring this one an uncommon cold. In this age of internet diagnoses, so far in the last week, I've decided I have strep, tonsillitis, mononucleosis, scarlet fever, and allergies.

Really what I have is a sore throat, probably a virus, that has taken up residence in the back of my mouth and refuses to move on.

I've tried gargling... salt water, hydrogen peroxide, listerine.

I've tried cough drops... halls and ricola, mostly, with a side of Jolly Ranchers for fun.

I've tried ice chips, ice cubes, icees, ice cream, Italian ice and Popsicles.

I've tried Ibuprofen, tylenol, nyquil and dayquil, mucinex, chloroseptic, and tylenol with codeine.

I've taken vitamin C, multivitamins, orange juice, lemon tea, and hot water.

I've even (and this is a shocker if you know me)... I've even gone to the doctor.

And still, all I feel like doing is lying in bed. I checked out some books from the library, but I'm too tired to enjoy them. I miss my family and my friends, my routine, and most of all my energy.

Got any remedies I haven't tried yet? I'm game for anything.

Say "Ah!"

I've had a sore throat for 9 days now, and each day it seems to get worse.

"Rest," the doctor said. Lots of fluid, lots of rest. But who can rest? My nephews are in town (along with their mom and dad). There are bubbles to blow, cherries to pick, scooters to ride.

A cold is supposed to last 7-10 days. Tomorrow will be 10. I'll feel better then...

Right?

Reports of My Birth Have Been Greatly Exaggerated

I got a bill today. It seems I had a c-section in September. Funny, I don't remember anything about it and I haven't seen any extra babies laying around anywhere.

When I told my youngest I'd been billed for having a baby, she said, "Mom, that was so 7 years ago."

Two Down

I spent the last two weeks caring for a coughing, sneezing, sniffling, headache, fever, can't get any rest child. No sleep at night, coughing until her lungs hurt and her stomach muscles cramped. She's all better, but the other two just got the same bug.

Does this mean two more weeks of sleepless nights? Two more weeks of worrying if everyone is washing hands enough? Two more weeks of isolation?

I hope not. Pray for quick recoveries and plenty of rest for everyone.

Excuse me now. I have to go wipe down some surfaces.

Easy Fix

For the past two years, I've been clenching my teeth at night. I wake up every morning with a sore jaw and the feeling that I've been stressed all night without knowing why.

Last week I broke a filling. I went into the dentist for a new filling  but when I got home, something was off. I went back again and had them grind the filling down so I could touch my teeth together on the other side of my mouth.

And guess what?

No more clenching my jaw at night. No more headache or clicking jaw.

Turns out I wasn't stressed at all! I just had a high filling for the last two years.

Don't you wish all solutions were that easy? That one day we'd wake up and realize we could easily end the recession by trimming out fingernails? Or end world hunger by tapping the heels of our shoes together? Or lose weight by making a wish on a falling star?

Oh well, at least I'm not stressed!

Day 9

... and counting.

Eh, Sonny?

I'm on day 6 of my ear infection, day five of treatment. Yesterday the doc prescribed a stronger antibiotic with the good news... "Really antibiotics only knock about 16 hours off your symptoms."

The screaming pain is gone, but nothing is in stereo any more, I list to the right when I walk, and I'm sure the rest of the family is mumbling on purpose, just to trick me into agreeing with what they say.

And I definitely need a nap every afternoon.

The same day I started antibiotics, an acquaintance was starting her first round of chemo. As much as I'm annoyed about my little treatable sickness, it's really nothing.

Would you say a prayer for Diana today?