It started with a good thing. My family used spring break to get away and take a vacation. We took our kids and my mother-in-law and father-in-law and went to San Diego where we visited Legoland, Sea Life, the beach and San Diego Safari Park. It was a fantastic trip and a wonderful time of relaxation and fun. I think God knew we needed to rest up before we got hit with what was to come.
We got back just in time to celebrate Easter. We went to the Good Friday service and participated in our Easter pageant in the choir. It was a blessed time celebrating our Savior's death and resurrection, but in the middle of all this, things were happening.
The Saturday before Easter, my dad went to the hospital in a lot of pain with gallbladder issues. Seemed simple enough. Get him in, have the surgery, send him home, everything's back to normal. Or maybe not so much. My dad's gallbladder was basically rotting away which was causing the liver and pancreas to become infected. Several days in the hospital trying to get the enzyme levels under control while dad was in the most pain he's ever felt in his life followed. Finally he was able to have the surgery and we rejoiced thinking that he would be home soon. He was supposed to leave April 6th which was my parents 37th wedding anniversary, but the night before they did a CT scan and told him that he wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. Turns out that when a gall stone blocked the pancreatic duct, the enzymes did what enzymes do and they started digesting protein - only the protein they were digesting was his pancreas. Only about 30-40% of his pancreas remained healthy while the rest of it was dead. On top of that, he had a blood clot that they needed to watch. After 25 days in the hospital, my dad finally got to go home today. During all this, I have been visiting my dad in the hospital nearly every day, helping wherever I can, but mostly just keeping him company as he sat in that hospital room day after day.
On top of all this, before we went on vacation, my grandpa had gone to the hospital (at our insistence) about a large bruise on his stomach that he had from coughing. After several tests, they determined that it was simply a large bruise. However, the MRI showed something of concern. There was a mass on his kidney. They decided it was worth investigating further. While I was on vacation, I got a call from my grandma. It was cancer. The frustrating part of that diagnosis is all the questions that have no answers. There are steps that need to be done and no one seemed to be in a hurry to get through them. I suppose that's a good thing. They don't feel like it's a severe or urgent case. But when it's MY family member, it can't happen soon enough! So Grandpa went through the tests - heart tests, renal tests - and he finally has a surgery date. He will have his kidney removed on May 3rd - and we won't know what the next steps will be until the surgery is completed.
Besides all this, there have been the normal things that fill up life - church, school, ballet, gymnastics, choir, etc. And the occasional special event to add to the busyness - a tea, meetings, practices, dentist appointments. And this is the time of year where life picks up pace a little bit anyway with end of the school year activities and getting ready for VBS (my sister and I co-direct our church's VBS). So my life has not been boring lately.
I have been able to sneak in some writing. I'm getting close to finishing the Christmas novella for this year. My focus has not been on my book though and right now, much of my writing will be for VBS. But, progress has been made, and I'm grateful for that.
I would like you to pray for my family right now. It's been rough. I think we're all a little worn. I know that there are others worse off than we are, but it still isn't easy. We're thankful for so many things - thankful that my dad is home, thankful that he wasn't in much pain once the surgery was completed, thankful that Grandpa's cancer was found now and not later, thankful that things are progressing to have it taken care of - God has blessed us even in the midst of our storm. We're not out of it yet so continued prayers are very much appreciated right now.
