I Want Normal Back

There was no Memorial Day BBQ for our family this year.  I gave my mother IV antibiotics through her Medi-Port every evening Tuesday through Sunday (and no, I'm not a nurse).

My mother is at the Emergency Room as I'm typing this post.  She is beyond weak.  She can't eat and drink enough to even maintain her strength, let alone gain any ground. Her hemoglobin is low, and she needs a blood transfusion.  She can barely get herself in and out of bed.  She needs a healing touch from Jesus.

As I very quickly scrolled through Facebook and Instagram this morning, I saw loads of pictures of people at the river/lake/ocean.  Lots of pictures of BBQs and celebrations.  And there's nothing wrong with that.  Just because our family is going through a struggle doesn't mean everyone else is.

And it makes me wonder what I was doing while someone else's life was falling apart?  Did my friends look at me in the midst of their fear and worry and think "wow, she's so lucky, her life is normal."  Did I think about all the times someone else was hurting, and my life was normal?

It is so easy to get wrapped up in our own lives, that we forget not everyone is happy.

I want normal back.   

I'm reading The Broken Way by Ann Voskamp.

It is a reminder that everyone has times of hurting in their life.  And our job, our responsibility, as Christians is to be the hands and feet of Jesus to others when they are hurting.  And ESPECIALLY during times when we are  hurting.  That is how we take the focus off of our "valley" and we do our best to bless others.  That is how we show our love.

So, in the midst of feeling absolutely overwhelmed, and desperately wanting my mother to get better so I can have "normal" back . . . how can I pray for you today??

A Rough Patch

We've hit a rough patch with my mom.  Her body continues to make way too much fluid.  The doctor drained nearly 2 liters of fluid from her abdomen on Monday, and nearly all of that fluid is back already.  Her feet and legs are so swollen, as is her abdomen.

They are working her in early tomorrow morning to drain the fluid off again, and they are going to put in a drain that will stay in and continually drain the fluid out of her body while they try to figure out why she's still producing so much fluid 6 weeks post surgery.

My mom feels lousy due to all the excess fluid (her weight is up 15 pounds, and believe me it isn't fat or muscle).  This makes it even harder for her to eat and drink, which means she just can't gain any strength.  She is pretty frail and weak.

She needs healing in the name of Jesus Christ.  We just can't seem to get her over the hump.  She is very discouraged, and tired of feeling bad.  Her surgery was April 6th.  She just wants to be well. 

Please pray for my beautiful mom. 

Her name is Donna. 

 

The Graduate

So in the midst of everything that's been going on, OUR DAUGHTER GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE!!!

We could NOT be more proud!!!

In case you are wondering, she has a Bachelors of Science in Business Management with a Major in Finance!  She is going to get her real estate license and will be selling real estate with my sister when they get back home in August. Yes, we are about 3 months away from their moving home for good!!  They have a contract on a house about 7 minutes away from me.  I can't wait!!!

HOME

After 33 days in Houston, Texas, my mom woke up in her own bed yesterday morning.

Her surgery (where they removed 70% of her liver) was four weeks ago yesterday.

As you can imagine, my mom has some recovering to do.  She needs to get her strength built back up.  She needs to eat, and drink, and rest, and walk.

God has been with her EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.  Mom's original diagnosis was not good.  But God has performed miracle after miracle, and we are trusting Him to complete what He started.  We pray daily for mom's complete healing in the name of Jesus.  

If you have a mountain in your life, I urge you to give it to God.  There is absolutely NOTHING too difficult for Him.  He is able to do MORE than you can even imagine.

Thank you all so much for your prayers for my mother.  Please continue praying and agreeing with us for complete restoration of my mother's health.

We go back to Houston in 4 weeks for a checkup, and we think they will want her to complete her chemotherapy (she took 7 out of 12 doses this past winter).  She has one small tumor in her liver that they didn't remove during the surgery, so she will have an ablation treatment post-chemo.  At that point she will be CANCER FREE.

Why has God allowed this trial to come into our lives?  I honestly can't answer that.  We prayed for no cancer, and yet my mother was diagnosed with colon cancer that had spread to her liver.  7 tumors that were inoperable.  That was not what we prayed for.  My mother has been a faithful follower of our Lord Jesus Christ our entire life.  She is a licensed minister.  She has prayed for so many people and led so many people to the Lord.  What an incredible testimony she is going to have!!  How many MORE people will come to know Jesus because of what God has done for my mom!!!

HE IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER!!!