I apologize that it's taken me so long to update this blog. No excuses. I mean, I have plenty I could throw out there, but none that really matter. The good news is that I finished my class last week and am not going to take anything this summer. I have enough on my plate right now without having to worry about homework! 9 more classes folks!!! This senior can finally begin to see the light at the end of the VERY long tunnel. This has been a 6-year process to date. Time is precious. No hurry.
Brooke is doing well. She's always waiting for us at the door in her hat and sunglasses when we get off work every day ready to go somewhere and do something. We usually wait until it cools off and then go on ride bikes. She loves riding her bicycle (and it's an incredible workout for me). She got to go to our church's annual fireperson appreciation dinner a few weeks ago, which she loves. She loves being around the fire station, the trucks, the people, etc. She did great. This was her first "big" crowd to be around and the second social event she's had in over 4 months. I took her to the high school to visit everyone several weeks ago but I made her wear a mask. The swine flu is very scary! She was excited to see her friends! Mike brought her annual home a few days ago and she's had so much fun looking at people and telling them to "come over." She loves people!
We have our summer doctor's appointments and test dates already scheduled. July 1 and 2 at UNM. We'll see the Immunologist on the 1st and do blood work and then see Dr. Libby on the 2nd. Brooke will also have a PET scan done on the 1st. When the CT scan was done in March, there was one lymph node that was a little concerning to the doctor. He said we would watch it and see what happens. The PET scan is used (in most instances - like ours) to detect cancer. I believe in being honest with you; we're not out of the woods. It doesn't seem that Dr. Libby has a warm fuzzy about all of the negative cancer results. I'm by no means a mind reader, but he's made enough comments for me to say that I believe he thinks there is still a good chance she has Lymphoma. This is primarily why he isn't treating the neutropenia right now. He doesn't want to treat the unknown and potentially run the risk of masking another problem. That's understandable. I pray this isn't the case. I pray it's still side effects of the salmonella and that time will rid her of it and all of the problems that have been associated with it.
I'd be lying if I said we were ok. How could we be? This is hard. It's been the longest, toughest 4 months of our lives! And I feel guilty telling about how we feel when it's sweet little Brookie that has to endure everything. The hardest part is that she doesn't look sick or act sick. Not that I want her to..don't get me wrong, it's just so deceiving. And it's especially difficult to try to explain to her. She doesn't understand why she can't go to school, or to the mall, or to Wal-Mart. She's the innocent and unknowing victim of a invisible illness. That's hard for everyone to comprehend. I get asked all the time if she feels better. She never really felt bad. She's tired a lot, and she fights with her allergies like she always has, but she's happy most of the time, loving all of the time, and super excited about seeing Mickey Mouse.
Speaking of Mickey Mouse...24 more days! I've already warned Mike that super-germ-o-phobe mom will be disinfecting the airplane, the hotel, and all 5 of the parks we'll be visiting so if he's easily ashamed...he better pretend not to know me. Ha. I've got my "bag of germ-fighters" already packed and ready to go. Yes, I've even emailed SWA asking if I can bring a "baby can" of Lysol on the plane. The plane scares me. Disney not so much so. I can clean...that's all any of us can do right now. Keep Brooke's hands and face and mouth clean, and pray.
Well...I better get. We're taking Brooke out to eat tonight because Mike leaves tomorrow for the state track meet in Albuquerque. He'll be gone through Saturday. Please continue to pray for all of us. Ask God to continue to watch over Brooke and to make her feel safe at all times. Ask Him to help Mike and I deal with the stress associated with the unknown. And ask Him to guide us to provide the care Brooke needs. I pray every day for wisdom on my mothering and as a wife. My professor said something in class last week that really has stayed with me. She said, "What do you want your headstone to say?" That says a lot. How we choose to live our lives now indicates how people will remember us forever more. I want my legacy to be one of a Christian woman who was a good mother to a special little girl and a kind and loving wife to her husband.
Thank you God for Brooke and Mike...they complete me!
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