Chemo & 2nd Cycle Update

I'm a little bummed that it's been a few weeks since my last post. I've been trying hard to keep this updated with how things are going with my mom.  However, as if life isn't crazy already, Austin was diagnosed with torticollis and now has to go to physical therapy. :( His first appointment is this Thursday morning. I started to notice that he only looked to the right and had a lot of trouble looking to the left. I thought it might be his hearing but when I brought up to his doctor she said it was torticollis. I had no idea that was an actual diagnosis. She said it's nothing to be worried over and that PT will help his movements. Poor little guy. He has had such a hard few months. He is the sweetest little babe. Sleeping through the night, smiling like crazy. He is so adorable. He has a hard time napping but we're just going with it. Whatever works, right? SO NOT BABYWISE! Funny how things and routines are so different with baby #2.

We had the BEST time with my mom during her off weeks of chemo. She felt really good! My sister and Kaleb were still here and we went shopping, out to eat, to a Florence Freedom game, went swimming, and just got to be together! I was so thankful that my mom felt well enough to do these things. It's hard for her to be cooped up in the house all the time.

On May 24th and 25th, she started her 2nd cycle of chemo. She had a treatment to her shoulder on Thursday and then a treatment to her abdomen on Friday. Guy and I took the boys to Young Life camp for a leader retreat during Memorial Weekend so we were not here during this cycle, but Jess and her family stayed. On Saturday morning Jess called me and said that mom was feeling really good. She was up and walking around, and even sat outside for a bit. However, by that evening she started to feel pretty bad. She came down with a super swollen throat. She couldn't speak, eat, or take her medicine. I tried talking to her Monday morning but I could tell it was painful for her to speak. When you think you have a handle on your chemo symptoms something else comes up. It's best to have no expectations. With medicine my mom started to feel better by Tuesday. Her taste buds are still giving her a hard time and eating has not been fun.

My mom is an example of such strength and beauty. She is living her life in complete trust and faith that  God is in control. She is going through such a trial. We all are.

Something that one of the speakers said at our leader retreat was that when we are with Jesus in Heaven, we will no longer experience pain or heart ache or trials, etc. So when we experience them now on Earth, they should be special. This is the only time in our life on Earth that we can cling to Jesus for comfort and peace. We won't need to do that in Heaven. So for now we will .......

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4

My mom was supposed to have chemo last Thursday but her white blood count was too low. As much as we hate that she has to have chemo, it's hard when you're told you can't do it. We're hoping that she is able to do it this Thursday. It's hard when her schedule gets pushed back; prolonging everything. Please be praying that she is able to go on Thursday. Please pray that God is healing her body and that the chemo is working. Pray that God continues to work in her heart and controls her thoughts. All of our thoughts!

Thank you for your support of our family. My parents feel so loved! Keep the cards coming too!