Matt's hospitalization and infection really took its toll on me. Randi, his Mom, flew out from Utah to be with us and help out with the kids. That was a blessing because I didn't do any dishes that week or drive Kian to seminary. That was awesome!
Matt got better on the antibiotics. On Saturday he felt better enough to go out and about with the family. We drove to Hamilton which is the hometown of the Missouri Star Quilt Company. We took Randi into all of the shops and browsed the amazing fabrics. We ate lunch at Subway. We drove and stopped at stores we had always seen but never visited before. It was really fun. We looked at tiny home displays and cabins for sale. We even toured a friend's cabin-like house that was for sale out in the country. It felt so great to just get up and get ready for an outing like a normal family. To just go and do something for fun and not worry about health or cancer. It really felt great.
Matt was better enough to go back to work. He's been getting caught up there and even attended his parent-teacher conferences which was really important to him. The kids and I have buckled down and figured out what we need to do to get school done on time. I've bribed them with a camping trip this summer if they can get their required items on their list done. It has not been easy because it's so much more schoolwork each day than they are used to. We do school from 9 am till 4 or 5 pm but I've been grateful for the time to really focus so much attention on it since we got behind. In all of their spare time they ride bikes or scooters outside on the big concrete pad where the garage used to be.
The weather has been so fair this month that Maggie has been able to go outside and explore for the first time in her little life. Last year she was just a baby during the summer. Now she can walk and step in puddles and watch bugs and pick up stones. She loves it! Abby has already encountered the first tick of the year!
Every spare moment of my time is spent cleaning and decluttering our house. Ever since the fire I have felt the walls of this house closing in on me. I am frustrated with everything in it, even things I have always loved about the house. I feel a great big push from somewhere unexplainable to get this house ready to sell. I'm trying to get rid of half of all of the stuff we own. Maybe then we can fit here. Or maybe then we will sell it. We have had to do paperwork to get insurance $ to rebuild the garage and repair the kitchen. Hopefully construction on that will start SOON! We are also planning to sell our home in Utah. We still have to finish the "list" of all of the items that were burned in the garage to turn in to the insurance company. Between "the list" and taxes and decluttering and homeschool, I have been very busy!
Matt and I have been thoroughly enjoying this period of normalcy and health. Springtime is here and there is so much to do but with energy to do it, life feels grand. Everyone has commented on how great Matt looks. His principal is organizing a 5K fundraiser for him on April 30th and there have already been generous donations to go toward medical expenses and lost wages if he needs to take short-term disability. We feel so very blessed.
It is hard to ignore the posts from the Epithelioid Sarcoma Facebook group when fighters finally succumb to the stupid disease or when there is news of progression of their cancer. It is very hard for both of us to keep our thoughts positive when we wonder continuously on how long this period of health will last. But I try to recognize the blessing of today. The last couple of weeks of "normal" have felt so great. I treasure every day and every moment with him. We both will enjoy each day of health.
Today he has admitted he is feeling pain at the site and I definitely see redness that wasn't there before. It is very possible that an infection is recurring which we will keep a close eye on. We hope it will turn out to be nothing but we know it is very likely to turn into something which will require more meds, more surgery, more stress...
3 comments:
Here's to the joy of normal!!!
Prayers and happiness and cheers to normalcy!
Glad you are breathing for a minute. We spent some time at the ocean, and it was interesting how the waves hit you and you get up and sometimes you get back on your feet, but often another wave hits. And then there are strange moments where there seem to be no waves at all. Several of my friends and I are experiencing a similar season of commotion and struggle. The battle is real. God be with you.
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