ANOTHER WEEK OF BLESSINGS TO ENJOY

There’s seldom a dull moment around here. In fact, there have been few quiet moments around here since Thanksgiving. We have really needed the kids to be available, and we have enjoyed all the other company, but I think we are just about ready to succumb to the balance of winter and spend some of the coming weeks trying to get in a little hibernation time.

Last Sunday we were especially blessed when Betty’s sister-in-law Billie Jo drove up from California to visit. With her were daughter Rene (from the same farmstead) and her son Joey (from Florida). The former is director for a group of public school libraries and the latter is a concierge who manages large events in the hospitality industry. The time spent with them exploring and renewing family history and happy memories was delightful and a great boost for Betty. David and his girls were here too while Paige was running a half-marathon in Phoenix, and Geoffrey arrived after a lengthy delay in Seattle (he was traveling on a stand-by ticket).

Altogether, most of the home meals were designed around thirteen of us, counting the Patty’s family. We have always been proud that our dining room table seats thirteen uncomfortably, and indeed it did again, although a separate card table was in place for the “youth group”. With so many experienced cooks, we did not lack for good ideas for menus; what we seem to lack is an adequate supply of dishwashers and clean-up specialists.

Among the things I have enjoyed with all the visitors are the interactions of individuals with Betty and the broad range of topics that have come up during each visit. Each person brings a unique set of memories to review and a customized package of interests and knowledge. In some ways, these past few months have seemed to open a host of new subjects both in the scope of their subject matter and in the depth or thoroughness of the conversational coverage. Family members always bring family matters to share and explore, whether in terms of history or of current events. Friends often offer the topics which currently occupy their thinking or items ABOUT which they have received recent new information or those activities most recent in their own experiences. Collectively, this has resulted in a panoply of interesting discussions and curious chats. Like I said, “There’s seldom a dull moment around here.”

Because of a lengthy period of emesis and discomfort recently, a modification was made in Betty’s daily medication routine – an intricate tapestry of pills and such for anti-nausea, pain control, and management of Parkinson’s symptoms. Currently, if she accepts everything on schedule, Betty takes from one to seven pills about thirteen different times a day. Wouldn’t you get tired of that routine? Well, so does she (and so does her pill-pusher). Anyway, the change has been beneficial and she has had few cases of “lunch-loss” since late last week. We still recognize the need for plenty of rest and making allowances for three or four naps, morning and afternoon, to help maintain the level of energy required each day. Please understand, we have nothing to complain about since we are well into the fifth month since the confirmed diagnosis of cancer, and Betty is still able to get up and move (with difficulty) from room to room. She is never negative about her lot, and simply does not whine or gripe about the situation. Instead, her calmness and serenity and sense of peace continues to build up the rest of us and give us reason to maintain the high level of hope we are holding onto in this difficult circumstance.

Surely God is good, and loving, and compassionate, and His mercies endure forever.