My Mom And Her Recent Changes To Her Life

My beautiful mom, Mary, was recently diagnosed with bladder cancer.

Hence my article I wrote last week about faith and fear.

 

I’ve been in my hometown, Toledo, Ohio, for over a week now. Therefore, flying to be here with my parents and siblings, was so important to me during this stressful and emotional time.

Mom is a very active, energetic, healthy 87 year old. Dad is a very active, energetic and healthy 89 year old.

This has thrown all of us for a loop.

The day I flew in from Minneapolis, was the day they did the biopsy and found cancer. I got word in the morning and I was at the hospital that evening before visiting hours were over.

When my mom was admitted to the hospital, she was on the same floor I used to work, as a nurse in the 1970’s and early 80’s. The care she received was impressive. Everyone was kind and attentive.

 

Mom had many tests before leaving the hospital that showed her bones, lungs and lymph nodes were all clear. Thank God!

After her release from the hospital there have been so many appointments and calls, it’s been quite overwhelming.

 

Last evening my mom was feeling close to her old self again.  As we talked, she said I could video her with her thoughts about the changes she’s been going through in her life right now.

 

Mom said, “my faith hasn’t changed, but it sure threw me for a loop. I thought I was coming along really well in my life with my health, and out of no where, this happened. There was no sickness and then I had cancer. I can’t have cancer, because no one in my family has had cancer!”

My mom went on to say that she knew she was going to fight. She was going to have the chemo, the doctors told us about. Then mom asked God for strength to carry her through and to walk beside her.

 

Our family is a large, loving one. I’m the only child out of five, that moved away from the Toledo area.

For me to be here through the first couple weeks of this new journey my parents are on, I knew this was the only place I needed to be.

In addition, to staying with them in the home I grew up in, sleeping in my old bedroom, keeping track of all of the appointments, helping mom and dad, etc., has been an honor.

 

In the midst of all of this, the only day that she didn’t have any appointments this past week, was Wednesday. My dad had planned to close up their two summer homes on this day. God works in mysterious ways.

With lots of help from my amazing family, we got it all completed.

It was a huge relief to have this off of their minds!

 

My parents have great faith and as I’ve written about other times, they are an inspiration to all of us.

Not only to their 5 children and our spouses, 16 grandchildren, 30 great grandchildren, extended family but to their entire church community.

 

Today was a day to celebrate! Mom was able to go to the hospital as an outpatient, and have her tube in her right kidney removed, since it was working perfectly.

My mom said she prayed and asked God to hold her hand.

That’s when she felt His hand in hers.

 

We went out to lunch and celebrated. My mom practically ran out of that hospital!

Now, there are two days off of any tests and then she goes under general surgery to have her chest port put in. The following day, she will receive her first dose of chemo.

 

I’m hopeful that the regimen they are giving her, will kill all of the cancer cells. In addition, after the 4 or so months of the chemo, when biopsied again, she will be completely clear.

 

I would appreciate any of your prayers and blessings for my mom, my dad and our family.

My parents faith and our very large family, will carry them through.

 

It is such a blessing for all of us to have my parents in our lives!

They started this very large, loving family, and now they need to receive from all of us.

 

There’s always been lots of team work within my family. Therefore, it’s no different now.

 

With love, hope and appreciation,

Connie

 

PS. The photo above of my parents was taken in July, when I was here for our family reunion. The photo below was taken at the end of March: with me are my 3 sisters, my brother, our spouses, mom and dad.