Renewed Faith In Doctors

It has been an emotional packed day, as I awoke this morning before the chickens (LOL) and drove to my dad's house in the rain.  The sunshine we had the last couple of days had left us.  Never fear it is afternoon now and the sun has returned.  Laney and I have been sitting outside enjoying the flowers that are blooming all over the place.

I was so relieved over some news that we had this morning that I broke down and cried.  They were happy tears.  I have renewed faith in doctors after meeting my dad's cardiac surgeon.  I have been a little apprehensive about being around doctors after the ordeal I went through with some doctors a couple of years ago.  My dad has some really wonderful doctors who have helped him.  My dad said I was really going to like the surgeon. He had done some heart surgery on my dad in 2000.  My dad was right the surgeon did an excellent job explaining what was wrong with the heart and how he would repair it.   My dad thanked him for helping him in 2000, and the surgeon told my dad that he was impressed at how well he had taken care of himself.  He has no blockages or damage at this time other than the leaky aortic valve.  The surgeon is confident my dad will do well with the surgery, but we always know that anything can go wrong.  Any surgery is a risk, but he did not feel that my dad's age increased that risk any more than a younger person.  My dad smiled and that made me happy.  The alternative which is no surgery was not good,  and you can probably guess a very short time to live.  So, if all goes well my dad's dreams of living into his nineties may come true.  He is my hero and my bowl of laughter for the day.  I love you dad!

I also read an article today about a doctor that my husband saw once after cancer treatment.  It was about him helping others that travel from a far with lodging during cancer treatment.   That made me smile and I am very happy to hear that people are getting help.  There are so many things that cancer patients worry about besides treatments.  I know that my husband and I worried about the expenses of lodging while he was a patient at MD Anderson.  We lived in an apartment for seven months while he was having chemotherapy.  We are still paying for that expense and the expense of travel to from MD Anderson for two years after initial treatment for maintenance treatment.  It was a 2000 mile trip every three months. We are among the blessed to have been able to go to MD Anderson.  We were lucky to have been able to stay with some relatives the last two years.  God Bless them! 

Despite the expenses and the long travel by car, my husband is doing well and that was what the journey was about.   It was an emotional journey and we were blessed that some of our friends went together and gave us some money to help with everyday expenses.  We maintained our home in the north and sometimes I look back now and think how did we do it all.  God was with us.

Cancer patients learn quickly how precious life is and how all the material things in life don't really mean that much.  I remember after we had lived in the small apartment for a few months, we realized that we did not miss our possessions at home.   What we did miss was the nurturing that you get from other people.  We were in a new city and very alone.  So glad it is behind us now.  We are strong and cancer did not win.  We love life to the fullest every day.  God bless all cancer patients and  doctors who care enough to make a difference.

Life is beautiful !!

Elizabeth:)

Making Choices To Be Grateful

I can't believe it is already after midnight and I have finally taken a moment for myself, as I drink chamomile tea and look forward to resting my head on my pillow.  I said a couple of months ago that I was going to fill up my social calendar and yes indeed it has been full.  I am trying to enjoy being with my friends as much as possible, as the my social time may be limited as we are getting closer to surgery day for my dad.  It has been a busy month spent at doctor appointments and preparing for the uncertainty that is before us.  We never know from one day to the next what life will bring us.  We live each day filled with happiness and gratitude.  I have learned that it serves no purpose to worry about the future, because with every breath we take something can change our life in a second.  All the time spent worrying about the future is a waste of time that could be spent fulfilling our purpose in life and enjoying the moment we are in. 

The month of June is slipping away and it has been filled with unexpected weather.   If I close my eyes for a minute and stand outside, I would think I was in Texas.  The heat and humidity has been bad for us here in the north.  It has been sticky and rainy.  We had so much rain the end of last week that our yard was swimming in water and we had flooding in the downtown city.  I was walking in the yard yesterday and it squishes under my feet.  I thought my flowers and garden were going to drown.  They survived and are growing very quickly in the humid air.  The whole country has had some bad weather and the weather report is calling for more.  I was glad to see the sun the last two days.  God was smiling at us.

Father's Day was pretty special, as I honored my husband, my dad, and my son-in-law's dad.  I was happy to celebrate with three great dads and their children all together.  It was a beautiful sunny day.  I made three guys happy by cooking for them.  It always works, as they say the way to a man's heart is to cook for them.   And, then there was nap time. LOL!  Hope all the dads out their in the world had a great day. 

The choices we make are our own and they do affect other people, but the other people make their own decision on how to react to our choices.   We can make the choice to be grateful and love life.   

Life is beautiful !!

Elizabeth:)