Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Step Two: Happy Dance!


Phew!  The biopsy revealed that it is an infection.  I'll find out more later...all I really heard was that it was NOT lymphoma!

I knew that statistically speaking, we didn't have a ton to worry about, but...when someone utters the word, "cancer," you obsess.  Or I do.

Now I can stop obsessing and start figuring out the logistics of sending my husband off to work out of state for a few months.

We are so, so thankful for good news.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Step One: Biopsy

Poor D.  We went in bright and early (5:15 AM!).  We checked in, they gave her drugs, they put her out, choppy-choppy, she woke up, and we went home.  And now we wait.

I have a certain peace about this whole thing.  We went to lunch with friends of ours last Sunday and they reminded us of this funny little thing called Trust.  I think that we've been spending much time with clenched fists asking why the heck this year has been so insanely ugly for us.  Why Me? is such an ugly attitude.  I'm glad we have friends to remind us about Trust.  I think I'm done wondering "Why?" and I'm moving on to the "What now?"

So we wait.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

A Soldier's Goodbye

We are on Spring Break in this house.  Well.  Sort of.  Today we are.  Today we joined what seemed like our whole town to say good bye to a young soldier.  The service was standing room only.  The procession wound around the streets in order to pass by his childhood schools on his way to the cemetery.

I stood alongside strangers.  All of us strangers lined the miles he had to go as he toured his hometown.  We lined the whole procession.  Thousands and thousands of us.  There for no reason other than to thank this man for his service to this country and to try to offer our humble condolences to his family and friends.

We all stood there shoulder to shoulder as the police escort drove by.  As the young soldier was driven by.  As his family drove by, some taking videos with their phones of our silent vigile.  Car after car after truck after motorcycle of current soldiers in their dress blues.  Ripping my heart out with their baby faces and sometimes tears.  Policemen, firemen, patriots all escorting this young soldier as we, the strangers, stood silently with our hands over our hearts.

Again.  Thousands of us there because we cared.  That is what is right with this world.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Scaredy Cat

Today I make an appointment for my 17 year old to have a biopsy on her lymph node.  They are hoping to rule out lymphoma.  There are a million things it could be and my fears are focused on the one thing it might be.

This is my Canary Kid.  If there is some weird illness out there, she'll get it.  Last summer she had Pertussis.  Yep.  Whooping Cough.  Doesn't that sound like she should be wearing a long skirt, trudging through the prairie bringing Pa his lunch pail?  Seriously!

She had her vaccines (albeit spread out).  Apparently now that Pertussis is again on the rise, you need a booster after 10 years.  Who knew?  Not me.  I do now.  In fact, now when you get a tetanus shot it can have Pertussis booster included.  I'm just saying.

She's also my kid that came down with Mono AND Strep at the same time.  That was a fun Thanksgiving.

So, forgive me if I am thinking the worse.

Now I'm going to go be a big girl and make her appointment and pretend it's no big deal.

Ugh.