So thankful

I heard a great sermon yesterday to cap off Thanksgiving. It was a simple reminder that while we can't always choose our circumstances, we always get to choose our response. We can choose to be bitter about small things or grateful despite awful things. It's all up to us. Brilliant.

On a not-so-hard-to-be-thankful note, today was my first day at my new job! Yeah, it's going to rock. I love libraries. And I love library benefits. I'm sure I'll expound on this more throughout my illustrious career. Please stay tuned.

As another aside, my mom is well on her way to recovering...at least from surgery. Chemo is still to come, but she's looking great right now and I'm just so darn thankful for that.

And while I'm thinking of things that make me thankful, I'm really thankful for all of you. What gifts you are, not only to me, but to all existence!

Ok, I think it's clear now that after a four-month work hiatus, today’s eight-hour workday turned my brain to moosh. It's time for me to go now. Goodnight.

Look who's back home!

After a total of 15 days in two different hospitals, my mom is finally back home and is (at least for now) retiring this über stylish hospital clothing line. Let's hope her body is a little more cooperative from here on out.

Smashing good husband

I'm a lucky lady. I told Sam how torn I was feeling between getting things done around the house and spending time with my mom at the hospital. Shockingly laundry does not stop accumulating and food does not replenish itself even when one has more important things to think about.

I was only hoping to vent for few minutes, but my fetching husband decided to surprise me by washing all of of laundry, doing all of the dishes, AND doing all of the grocery shopping - including the Thanksgiving list! All of this in addition to working full time and commuting a hefty distance at the beginning and end of each day. Yep, I'm a lucky lady.

Not ALL my nerves are shot

After several days of steady recovery at home, we had to bring my mom back to the hospital when a mystery fluid began to fill her body cavity. The fluid was causing her a lot of pain and making it very difficult for her to breath. Now the doctors are wondering whether the blood thinner they've been giving her since surgery to prevent blood clots has been making it difficult for her lacerated liver to stop bleeding.

The fluid was successfully removed, so she's feeling better and staying positive, but I think I'm more guarded now. It's hard to celebrate the small things after witnessing several times now how deceiving progress can be. Hmm, maybe that's not the healthiest perspective, but I feel a little stuck in it right now.

Home at last

My mom was finally released from the hospital, and not a moment too soon.

I can't tell you how many times doctors and nurses warned us about the disease ridden facility she was cooped up in. We thought it was a good thing that my mom got to stay in the ICU for an extra night right after her surgery so that she'd have extra attention, but then a medical passerby told us about all of the antibiotic-resistant microorganisms swarming around the place. I kept hearing things like, "People have the misconception that hospitals are very clean, but they're really the last place you want to be when you're sick or have an open wound." Oh, great. Thanks for the info.

Suffice it to say, we're glad her body finally started to behave so they could clear her for discharge.

A spot of good news

I will now be rejoining society as one of its productive members. I got a job! The library I interviewed with two weeks ago just called yesterday and I’m in!

I know that God works in amazing ways...ways that we often don't understand until after the fact. I was getting antsy about finding a job, but now I’m thankful I was freed up to be at the hospital with my mom every day over this past week.

And speaking of my mom, she’s doing great right now. A few more weird reactions to medicine and what-not, but the doctors think she’ll be out of here in a day or two. Remind me to tell some of the freaky hospital stories later – once we’re far, far away.

Another Mom Update

After several setbacks, my mom is recovering rather well from the surgery except for one thing...her digestive tract won't turn back on. I'm not sure why this is, but it's the only thing keeping her in the hospital now. And let me tell you, I'll be glad when she can leave. Hospitals are grim places.

In other news, I finally saw my mom's incision. I often pass out at the sight of gruesomeness and I only saw it because I happened to turn around at the wrong moment, but I was actually more impressed than queasy. The steel staples that hold the skin flaps together make her cut look like a dragon spine. Quite exotic.

Ok, I'll try to be back soon with more updates.

Second Mom Update

It was scary to see my mom after her surgery. She was sent to the ICU because of a lot of bleeding and has been there for about 26 hours now, but she's finally doing much better. Aside from a few minor surprises, things have been moving along smoothly. She should be getting a room in the cancer wing as soon as one opens up and she'll stay there for about a week. So a lot of body healing to do, but she's already well under way. Thanks again for all of your concern!

First Mom Update

Thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers and loving emails. My mom just got out of her four hour surgery. The doctor said everything went smoothly. He took out a lot of tumors, but says chemo will still be necessary. Ok, this thumb typing is rather difficult. I'll write more later.

GoBama!

Congratulations, Mr. (soon to be) President!

Sidetracked

I thought I was going to be writing about the election tonight (I am watching all of the exciting coverage right now), but life brings you new twists and your blog posts change accordingly.

Yesterday my mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

I’m sure everyone who has ever known anyone with cancer would probably say it came as a shock, so let me just get this out there - I’m shocked.

My mom had been experiencing pain off and on for months without doctors being able to determine the cause. Just before the weekend she had a CT scan, and after half a day worth of additional tests yesterday, they finally found several large tumors. Unbelievably, surgery is already scheduled three days from now and chemo will be quick to follow.

In the short time my mom had to process all of this, and maybe because she’s been an analyst for a tad too long, she decided to make a list of Pros and Cons. I already new my mom rocked, but I didn’t realize she's actually an intergalactic super star! Here’s that list…

Pros:

• I have a support system of people who love me and people I love
• I have adequate health insurance
• I have ample sick leave
• I am always interested in a good test, challenge, journey
• I will lose weight :)
• I will have new (and possibly better) hair in a few months
• I will participate in studies that may benefit others
• I can only become a better person through this
• My priorities will be reinforced, redirected
• I am already meeting interesting people and I'm bound to meet many more
• I'm not the first - many have gone down this path before me and I can benefit from their experiences
• I would rather it be me than others who I love

The only thing she could come up with for the Con list was that she might disrupt the lives of those around her, but considering my dad is self employed and I'm still jobless, that's really a non-issue. I can’t help but think that if I were the one with cancer my Pro list would be a lot lighter and my Con list would be a lot heftier, but that’s why my mom’s just awesome.

Well, that's a lot for one evening. There are many unknowns ahead. The only one that I anticipate getting answered anytime soon is who the people have chosen to lead this free nation, and while this doesn't hold quite the weight for me that it did just 24 hours ago, it's a good start. Until tomorrow then...

Too close to call

I’m so excited about the election tomorrow! I plan to kick back with some popcorn and watch news shows project the winner of each county and state for as long as I can stay awake. Sadly, I’m on the east coast and that means results for the west coast will be coming into the wee hours of my time zone.

This is like the mother of all reality shows. I’ve watched with rapt wonder through the elimination rounds, the teammate selection ceremonies, the dramatic accusations. Very intriguing.

I made sure to cast my vote early (and if the rules allowed, I would’ve texted in a dozen more). Now it’s time to watch in tense anticipation as one candidate moves into the lead, and then the other. I can’t wait to see how they wrap this show up.