Thursday, July 30

Mom continues to have good days. Yesterday we went to The Fiddler on the Roof at the CAC. I had been feeling a little under the weather and went to urgent care and I have strep thoat. Thankfully with the antibiotics and steroids I should be better before Mom's treatments start. The appointment took a little longer than we anticipated and we were a little late for the show. We couldn't have missed more than the first ten minutes and caught the gist of what was going on anyway.

Mom and Dad had a day out today and I stayed home and worked on homework and waited for the UPS man to come. Her chemo medication arrived today. I'm hoping we start the radiation on Monday so that we can get a majority of it over with before I have to go back to school. We should know tomorrow after our appointment.

This evening we had our dinner from Shari Rexroad and took it over to Aunt Betty's. Shortly after we got there, John passed away and we spent the evening over there trying to be helpful and comforting. Please remember the Jenkins family (especially Aunt Betty and Logan) in your prayers. Having been touched on a personal level with cancer it has made me more aware and compassionate towards other people going through the same thing. Like Donna told me, you become a part of a club that you never wanted to be apart of, but it ends up being a blessing. We continue to see God's grace as we keep on our journey. We may not understand the path we've been called to travel upon, but God does have a plan for each and every one of us. I read back through my devotional journal to find some passages that I feel the need to share.

Comfort each other and edify one another. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 It is an undeniable fact that usually those who have suffered most are best able to comfort others who are passing through suffering. Our sufferings may be rough and hard to bear, but they teach us lessons that in turn equip and enable us to help others. Our goal should be to learn all we can from what we are called upon to endure, so that we in turn can comfort one another. Are we doing our best to comfort others who are passing through suffering?

St. Francis of Assisi prayed this prayer: O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much see to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love; for it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born to eternal life! Tears shed for self are tears of weakness, but tears shed for others are a sign of strength. I am not as sensitive as I ought to be until I am able to weep over the erring one and lift up the fallen. And until I have learned the value of compassionately sharing others' sorrow, distress, and misfortune, I cannot know real happiness.

If I take nothing else from this experience, I hope that God will make me a more compassionate person so that I am able to console others who travel the same path I have been called upon to travel. Thank you to all of you who are compassionately helping us with our journey. Your concern has been so uplifting to all of us. We continue to get more cards in the mail than bills which is a blessing in itself. Thank you!

Tuesday, July 28

Wow, here we are the last week of July. Where has the summer gone? We had a relaxing weekend and it has stretched into two more relaxing days. We continue to feel the love and concern of our friends and neighbors. Dad's co-workers sent home a card with a very generous gift. Linda Sanders provided us with a delicious meal on Monday and Tammy Light sent another one home with Dad tonight. We've had enough left over to share with Aunt Betty, as well. I even had some of Linda's lasagna for breakfast this morning.

Nikki, Andre, Sheila, Hailey, and Emma all came to see us this afternoon. It's been a long time since we've seen them and this was the first time we've met Sheila. We had a very nice visit. Emma looks so much like Nikki did when she was little. Both of the girls are just adorable! Mom and I did some more crafting this afternoon and sat out on the deck and read. We're going to see Fiddler on the Roof tomorrow at the CAC. Nothing much else going on. We're going to see Dr. Jueng on Friday and should know more about the radiation and chemo schedule then.

Thanks to all of you who continue to show your support and concern!

Saturday, July 25

Sorry that I didn't get this posted yesterday, but I was exhausted last night. We had another doctor's appointment yesterday and I thought we were meeting with the radiation oncologist, but apparently he was on vacation, so we have an appointment to see him next week. We did see Dr. Torres, the oncologist and he gave us the rundown of what's going to happen with the chemotherapy. This treatment will consist of a pill that Mom can take at home each night before bed. The side effects are supposed to be lesser than that of intravenous chemotherapy, so that is something we're all very thankful for. It appears that we'll start the radiation treatments the first week of August following our appointment with Dr. Jeung.

In addition to seeing Dr. Torres, we also met with a neuropsychologist who's primary concern was the neurological and motor functioning of the brain. He did several cognitive and motor tests with Mom and said he was very pleased with her progress. He told that any time there is injury to the brain, be it a tumor, surgery, physical blow, etc, that there can be residual side effects. He asked me questions about her behavior and tried to determine if we had noticed any changes in the time before diagnosis, or from the surgery until now. He also told us that by no means is a tumor in the brain ever a good thing; however, the area that her tumor was located generally doesn't have very severe side effects. So, apparently, by God's grace, if you have to have a brain tumor, the place Mom had hers is the best place to have it!

God's blessing just keep overflowing onto us! We were provided another meal last night from Rick Harper, another one of Dad's fellow Albright Power co-workers. Yesterday, following our appointments, Mom and I had lunch and made another shopping excursion. All of you ladies at the County Clerk's office will be relieved to know that we finally made that much anticipated trip to Victoria's Secret! Mom had two coupons and shared with me, so we both got some free underwear! You'd think we won the lottery! Last night was the Good Neighbor Days parade, and we made our way into Bruceton and met up with Justin and Allison there. It's always nice to see them and get to spend some time together. How fitting that it is called "Good Neighbor" days because we have been so blessed with good neighbors, near and far. Mom became the highlight of the fair grounds and got hugs and kisses from so many people. It was really great to see everyone and hear about all the prayers that are being prayed for her healing and recovery. She has taken on the attitude that this tumor has become more of a blessing than a burden as we've been so graciously taken care of by our friends, family, doctors, and nurses. God truly works in mysterious ways and Mom is a living testament to His wonderful grace and power.

I will leave you today with part of my devotion from yesterday. My scripture was from John 16:33, You will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. Jesus said, "In the world you will have tribulation." He didn't say that you could have tribulation or that if you aren't a good person, tribulation will come your way. Jesus flatly stated that you will have tribulation. But the wonderful promise of Christ is that while you will have trials and tribulations, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Mom is such a great example of this scripture. With all of her tribulation, she has been of good spirits the entire time. We should all strive to have such faith and good cheer when dealing with our everyday trials that aren't as serious as a brain tumor, and even with the ones that are!

Thursday, July 23

We had a very busy day today. We saw Dr. Boling, the neurosurgeon, this morning. He was very pleased with Mom's progress and at how well she has bounced back from her surgery. He even complimented her new hairstyle. The incision site looked good and he gave the okay to begin radiation and chemotherapy and to get her sutures out. Mom was curious as to how the piece of her skull that was removed for surgery was re-attached, so I asked Dr. Boling today and he explained that he attached small titanium plates to the fragment and that the plates will hold it in place until the bone has healed and re-fused together. We also got the MRI images of the before and after shots of the tumor and I will post some eventually. Before we left the hospital we stopped in to see Michelle and Chad and their new baby, Ragan. Mom even got to hold her!

We had a quick lunch and then we spent the afternoon shopping. We hit up some of the stores at the University Town Center and then headed home. Tiffany & Chip provided us with dinner this evening, and since it was just Mom and me, we dined with Aunt Betty. After dinner, Aunt Betty beat us at a game of Phase Ten and then I tried to wear Fancy out for the evening. I'm not sure that she's tired, but I'm exhausted! I successfully got all the laundry washed, and the final load is now in the dryer. In between loads, Mom and I had some crafting time as she made some cards and I assisted.

I believe that pretty much sums up our day. It doesn't look nearly as eventful as it felt. We have two more appointments tomorrow with the radiation oncologist and the neuro-oncologist. If she behaves, I might treat her to some more shopping and errands after her appointment. She's been carrying around some coupons for free underwear at Victoria's Secret and I'm sure it will make her day if we can finally cash those in!

Thanks to Michelle Wilson for dinner last night and to Chip & Tiffany Forman for dinner this evening. We appreciate your concern and generosity! Also, thank you to Donna, Grace, & Mercy for the books! Mom read the Dog Psalms last night and then started Saturdays with Stella. The cards continue to fill our mailbox and it's been wonderful to get them. Thanks to all of you!

Tuesday, July 21

Things have been nearly back to normal here. Aside from trips to the pharmacy more regularly than before, we're doing pretty much what we were used to doing. Justin and Allison came to visit for the weekend. We all went to Jack and John Jenkins' 50th birthday party on Saturday evening. In lieu of gifts they were asking that donation be made to the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center. They also had some drawings and raffled off some really nice gift baskets. Overall, they raised over $4,000! It was a wonderful thing to be a part of, and as I mentioned before, keep John and Aunt Betty in your prayers as he continues his battle with cancer.

Mom has been feeling absolutely wonderful! This evening we had wonderful meal of roast beef, hash brown casserole, and blackberry cobbler from Linda Britton. Thank you! (Linda, if you're reading this, Mom said she would like to have the recipe for the casserole.) Because of all the eating we've been doing, Mom decided she wanted to go on a walk this evening. So, Dad, Mom, Axle, Karley, and I all took a walk. We were on our way back when we heard Axle barking... In case you're not familiar with Axle, he loves to run and LOVES to chase anything that will run. This evening he had his fifth encounter with a skunk. We've gotten so accustomed to him getting sprayed that it's hardly worth telling about anymore; however, I have learned a home remedy of mixing baking soda, peroxide, and Dawn detergent. It doesn't completely remove the smell, but it makes it bearable to be in the same room as him. Although, skunk isn't nearly as bad as the dead fish incident I referred to in a much earlier post.

We're being very well taken care of from our friends and family. We do appreciate all that you're doing. Cards continue to fill the mailbox every day. Yesterday we received one from Stevie Bayles who is in Ireland on vacation! It's been such a blessing to see the outpouring of concern and love from everyone!

Friday, July 17

We just got home from a follow-up appointment with the neuro-oncologist, Dr. Torres. We have heard wonderful things about him and are very impressed in the two times we've met him. He was very pleased with Mom's progress and kept telling her over and over how great she looked. Aside from the shaved head you'd never know she just had brain surgery ten days ago. We also met with the brain cancer nurse at the cancer center, and the social worker who will be handling our case. We still have to follow-up with Dr. Boling, the neurosurgeon, next week to get the go-ahead for radiation and chemo, but Dr. Torres believes it will be between two and four weeks before we'll begin treatment. The chemo treatment will be a pill, taken once daily. Looking over the paperwork, it seems the side effects may be lesser than that of intravenous chemotherapy. I know every person will respond differently, so we'll just have to wait and see what happens. The radiation treatments will take place at the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center Monday through Friday for four to six weeks. Thankfully, I will still have most of my summer vacation to make those trips with Mom.

We continue to feel the blessings of our friends and neighbors, near and far. Wednesday morning I awoke to the smell of Randy Welch's meatball cooking in our crock pot and Thursday evening we enjoyed homemade chicken pot pie, salad, and cookies from Joan and Eugene Jenkins. Evelyn Lewis also dropped by and delivered a delicious loaf of banana bread! And we would like to say thank you to Danny Miller's C-Crew for the very thoughtful BP gas cards that will come in very useful as we begin radiation treatments. The cards continue to fill the mailbox each day and that has turned into a special time for all of us as we open and read the cards together. Thank you to all of you. Your thoughtfulness and concern for our family has been overwhelming and very much appreciated.

I will leave you with the scripture from my devotions yesterday: The Lord has comforted His people and will have compassion on His suffering ones. Isaiah 49:13 Please know that your acts of kindness no matter how small have helped ease the burden of our situation and brought peace and comfort to our family. Thank you!

Tuesday, July 14

Another great day! We made a trip to Kingwood when Dad got up and visited the girls up at the County Clerk's office. We also dropped into Walmart to get a few groceries. Mom's become somewhat of a celebrity and everywhere we go, people are so happy to see her. After Dad left for work this evening we made a trip to Morgantown to visit Sam's and eat at Red Lobster. Mom had a coupon for Red Lobster that expires at the end of the week, so we had to use it up. Stephanie was our waitress and we got to do a little visiting with her as we ate, as well. When we got back home the house smelled wonderful from the flower arrangements that Dottie & Peggy, and Kim & AJ, Chad & Laura, Brandy & Brian sent.

We're meeting with the neuro-oncologist on Friday and will have a better idea about the radiation and chemo schedule following that appointment. Twelve more cards in the mail today! The girls at the plant are going to set us up with some meals in the upcoming weeks! Mom wanted me to also thank Arlene McElroy and the Salem Church of the Brethren for the prayer bear, and Jim and Margie Boring and the Woodland United Methodist Church for the prayer shawl. (The prayer shawl came in very handy at the hospital during Mom's surgery keeping Aunt Mary Ann from freezing in the waiting room.)

Thanks to all of you who continue to show us your support. We appreciate everything you are doing!

Monday 9:00 p.m.

It's been a couple of days since my last post, only because we've been busy! Mom continues to get stronger each day. Her incision is healing very nicely. She's been off her pain medication for two days now, keeping her pain under control with just Tylenol. She came home with half of her head shaved, and on Friday got the other half taken care of, so she's sporting a G.I. Jane look. Friday evening we stopped in to Bible School just to say hello. They had a special prayer for Mom each night and gave reports of how she was doing. Monday evening before her surgery Jason brought a box of cards from everyone at Bible school. Much to Axle's delight, Mom has resumed her morning walks with him.

I went back to work at Michaels this weekend, and life is slowly getting back to "normal." They have been very accommodating and understanding with scheduling which makes it much easier to go back, knowing that Dad's able to be home with her when I'm at work. On Saturday evening Tina brought us another pan of lasagna. It was delicious, as usual. We are very fortunate to have such great and caring friends. We went to church on Sunday morning and then the Livengood reunion that afternoon. Uncle T.R. and Missy were able to be at the reunion this year. Sunday evening Uncle Allen and Aunt Mary Ann came down and we roasted hot dogs and sat around the fire pit laughing until midnight. It was a beautiful night and cool enough that the fire felt pretty good!

The surgeon's office called today and rescheduled the follow-up appointment for next Thursday, so we'll have to wait nearly a week longer to get the stitches out and get news of the radiation schedule. Today Mom received eleven more cards, bringing her total up to 133! A special thanks in advance to Joan and the Bruceton United Methodist Church for volunteering to feed us on Thursday nights for the next five weeks! Also, thank you to the Sugar Valley Church for volunteering their spaghetti dinners on Saturday. We have been truly blessed by the generosity of our friends and neighbors! Continue to remember us in your prayers, as well as John Jenkins and Aunt Betty.

Thursday 4:45 p.m.

Well, as my earlier post stated, we got to come home. The discharge papers came through around 11:30 and she was showered and ready to go on the curb at 11:50! She's resting right now. Axle is laying down with her to keep her company. Casey stopped by and brought some compost. He said that he didn't bring flowers, but what he brought should grow all kinds. Mom really enjoyed his visit and he toned things down a little so she didn't laugh too hard. We're just going to take it easy and let God do the rest. When the surgeon visited this morning he told that the MRI showed that they got 100% of the tumor. There were no strength deficits or any other motor symptoms resulting from the surgery, and aside from a headache and new hairstyle, she's not had any other adverse effects from the surgery. They've given us a list of things to watch out for and explicit instruction for visitors to prevent infection. Our next appointment is next Friday and we'll meet with both the neurosurgeon and the neuro-oncologist. The stitches should come out at that visit, as well. We're well on our way to a full recovery! God is good!

Thursday 9:30 a.m.

The doctors have been in this morning and WE'RE GOING HOME!!!! They're working on the discharge papers right now so we don't know exactly when we'll be leaving, but hopefully very soon. God certainly has taken care of Mom throughout her surgery and is moving her right along with her recovery!

Photos

I tried to upload the photos, but it's taking forever and I'm tired of looking at this computer screen. I'll try again later.

Wednesday, July 8

We've had a very good day! The doctor was in this morning and moved her to step-down. She's in room 954. Mom has been up and walking around, and doing quite well. She's been resting most of the day, although she hasn't been able to sleep very well, but she's been eating just fine. They kept her awake most of the night last night in the ICU, so she's trying to catch up on her rest. It's nice to be in a private room and this floor is much quieter. Most of the right side of her head has been shaved, and she has an "L" shaped incision that starts at her hairline directly back from her nose that is about 5 inches long, and then straight down towards her ear another 5 inches. She has some swelling on the right side of her face, as well. As of now she has had no motor symptoms as a result of the surgery and her only complaint has been a headache. We're supposed to go sometime for another MRI, so I'm hoping they take her some time this evening instead of waiting until the middle of the night. I doubt she's going to rest really well anyway, but having to be moved for an MRI at 3 a.m. certainly won't help. I'm going to be staying here with her tonight, so maybe sometime later I'll post the photos I promised. Also, just a reminder, if anyone is planning on visiting or calling and you ask for information at the front desk, Mom's first name is Phyllis, so they'll not know who you're talking about if you ask for Susi! Thanks for the continuous prayers, calls, phone calls, and support.

Tuesday 11:45 p.m.

After a very long day, we have a lot to praise God for! The surgery went well, as I may have already typed in an earlier post (I really can't remember). The surgeon was able to remove all of the visible tumor and told that the surgery went very well. We were able to see her in the ICU this evening before we left the hospital. I wasn't allowed to stay with her in the ICU, so I had to come home. She was a little less chipper post-surgery than she was beforehand, but nonetheless, still making jokes. She could see part of her reflection in the tv in her room and said her haircut somewhat resembles Darth Vader in Return of the Jedi when his mask was removed. I must admit that was the first thing I thought of when I saw her, but I wasn't going to say anything. She's already looking forward to all the things we're going to do "when I get out," which I told Dad, makes it sound like she's in prison. All of you who have asked what you can help with, I may require your assistance in slowing her down! In all seriousness, she was still in good spirits, although a little groggy, and ready for the battle ahead with chemo and radiation. For those of you who don't know her, my mother is a truly amazing woman! Even up until the moment they pushed her bed back into the operating room, you'd have never known she had a brain tumor and was about to have her skull cut open to remove it. She was not scared, nervous, or anxious about what she was facing and actually quite the opposite. Her faith is a testament to all she encounters and she was definitely at peace. I feel truly blessed to have her as my mother. God certainly answers prayers! Currently the plan is to move from ICU to step-down tomorrow and then, as she progresses, hopefully get discharged from the hospital on Saturday; although, she informed the neurosurgeon that she expects to be home by Friday!

We've won a great battle today in our fight! The road ahead is long, but with the love and support we have experienced, this will continue to be a blessed experience. I feel certain that your prayers got us through today and will continue to carry us until Mom has fully recovered. The cards keep coming and we'll take them to her in the hospital as they arrive. Thank you all for your concern. I also have some interesting photos from last night of pre-operation Wii playing that I will probably post sometime tomorrow. Again, we appreciate everything you have done! Love and God bless!

Tuesday 8:00 p.m.

The doctor just stopped in to see us and the surgery is finished. Everything went very well and he was able to remove all of the visible tumor. Mom was just coming out of the anesthesia and we should be able to see her very soon. God is certainly good and has blessed our family. Please continue to pray for her complete healing and for us as we begin the road to recovery. Thanks to all of you! Will continue to post more later.

Tuesday 5:30 p.m.

Mom has now been in surgery for about an hour and a half now. They are expecting it to take at least 2 more hours. Everything is going smoothly. Hopefully have another update at 7.

Tuesday 2:00 pm

We arrived this morning at 9:15 and waited for a while before they were ready to take her back for prep. Due to delays in the surgery prior to hers, we were delayed a couple more hours. Around 1:50 they finally took her back for surgery. We've had quite a crowd in the waiting room. Mom was very calm and didn't appear to be nervous at all. We're preparing for about 4 hours of surgery, so I don't anticipate seeing her until around 6:00 this evening. We spoke with her surgeon and several other doctors in preparation. As I understand it, she will spend tonight in the ICU and tomorrow morning be transferred to the step-down unit where she'll stay for possibly four days. Mom told the surgeon that she expected to be home by Friday... Ever the optimist. Please continue to remember us in your prayers. Pray for God to guide the surgeons' hands, and for Him to give us strength. I will post information as we get it.

Monday, July 5

We're sitting in the MRI waiting room as I'm typing. Mom was just taken back to have her MRI. They told us we need to be here tomorrow at 9:15am for her surgery. The prep should take about an hour. We have no idea how long the surgery will take, but I will keep everyone posted. Please continue to remember us in your prayers tomorrow!

Sunday, July 5

Time has seemed to slow down since we got the news about Mom's tumor. All the things in life that just aren't important have faded away and we have been able to actually live every minute. The tele-marketers have even stopped calling! (Maybe that's one of God's ways of letting us know he's looking out for us.) Yesterday Mom's devotions led her to the book of Numbers and the verse was about having her head shaved. It is truly remarkable how sometimes you can read scripture and be unable to really understand it; however, in times of need the scriptures appear as though they were written exactly for you in the situation you are going through. At times we find it difficult to be thankful and praise God when times are hard, but our family been blessed even during this difficult time. I didn't know it was possible to be any closer, but we have become closer to one another, focusing on a common goal, and working together to ensure that everything is taken care of. We have seen a tremendous outpouring of support from our friends and community. And, her tumor is treatable and we're all prepared to fight this battle as aggressively as necessary. We live in a great technological time with advances in medicine taking place every day.

In preparation for the coming week, Dad and I got all of the mowing done yesterday while Mom baked some cookies. Today, after church, we're planning on taking a trip to Braxton County so Mom can visit with some family before surgery next week. Please continue to remember us in your prayers.

Saturday, July 4

Happy Independence Day! We went out to the Support the Troops rally last night and had a really great time. Uncle Allen and Aunt Mary Ann arrived from Texas around 4pm. They were able to sit down and visit for a couple hours before we went out. Mary Ann gave us a bag of homemade cards that Hannah and Jaime made for all of us. Travis came in from D.C., as well, and we got to spend some time with him. We were able to see several people from the community who continue to offer their support and prayers. I took my camera, but left it in the car, hence I didn't take any pictures. We sat around the fire and watched the fireworks and then went out to Jim and Tina's to visit since all their girls were in. It made for a late night, but it was a lot of fun!

I took Mom's stitches out on Thursday and her incision is healing very nicely. (Just in time to have a new, bigger one.) Her morning walks with Axle have continued and this morning at exactly 8:00 he climbed out of bed, walked to the door, and started whining. He's going to be disappointed when Mom's in the hospital and I have to take him on the 8am walk instead of her.

Stevie sent me a verse and I thought I'd share it. Romans 8:28 -- "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." We're getting ready for Tuesday's surgery. Thanks to all of you who have sent cards, called, emailed, brought food, and prayed for our family. Each day Mom gets more cards than the day before! It's really been a blessing to see how many people are concerned. Thank you so much!

Have a safe and happy holiday weekend.

Thursday, July 2

Justin and Allison (and Echo) came over this morning after work and spent the day. Mom and I did some laundry and this and that around the house. I took on the responsibility of calling the hospital today to try and refill one of Mom's prescriptions... What a hassle. I finally get it all worked out and when I went to Wal-Mart to pick it up, they were out.

We all thoroughly enjoyed Tina's lasagna, rolls, corn, and strawberry freezer jam this evening! Mom wrote it on the calendar earlier in the week when Tina called and had been looking forward to it ever since. We finished off the night watching a movie and then playing a little Wii.

While reading my devotions throughout the week I have read across the perfect scriptures to fit our situation. The first is Jeremiah 14:13. "I will give you assured peace in this place." It goes on to explain, worry is like sitting in a rocking chair. It will give you something to do, but it won't get you anywhere. God promised Moses, 'I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand (Exod. 33:22). That is God's promise to us. Christ is our Rock, and we are secure in His hands forever. The storm rages, but our hearts are at rest. God really does provide us what we need when we need it. The other scripture is 2 Corinthians 4:8 "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed." Those who keep Heaven in view remain serene and cheerful in the darkest day. In these days of darkness and upheaval and uncertainty, the trusting and forward-looking Christian remains optimistic and joyful, knowing that Christ someday will rule.

Wednesday evening

I finally got tired of waiting for a call from the hospital, so I called them. The woman that does the scheduling was off yesterday and hadn't completed the scheduling when I called around noon, but anticipated that she would be finished in about 30 minutes. At 3:00, I again was tired of waiting, so I called back and she decided she could do it while I was on the phone. Surgery is scheduled for Tuesday, July 7. We'll go in on Monday (July 6) to get the pre-op bloodwork, MRI, etc. completed and get the details of what's going on Tuesday.

Mom and I spent the day puttering around the house doing this and that. We were able to have lunch and ice cream out on the deck before the rain came. I'm trying to figure out her system (or lack thereof) for paying the bills and managing the checkbook in case I need to do it in the near future. Mom is somewhat unorganized and this nearly drives me crazy so we spent part of this afternoon organizing! It's something I enjoy much more than she does, but we got to spend the day together so I guess she tolerated all my organizing.

We're all looking forward to Tina's lasagna tomorrow night and then the rally on Friday evening! Uncle Allen and Aunt Mary Ann are starting their trip home for Mom's surgery from Texas this evening, so pray for their safe arrival. Justin and Allison are planning on spending part of the weekend with us, as well, so Mom is excited for that!

Wednesday, July 1

Nothing new to report yet. I spoke with the person who does the scheduling with the neurosurgery department this morning and she was out of the office yesterday, so she was in the process of fitting us in then. She said she'd give us a call later today to give us all the details. Mom remains in good spirits and is very positive about the whole process. Mom has been talking with a representative from the insurance company who has been extremely helpful, providing information about what to expect during treatment and what she can and cannot do. She's willing given up her keys, agreeing that driving is not a good idea at this time, and has been grounded from mowing the yard. Her excuse for nearly everything now is, "Must be the brain tumor," or "That probably causes brain tumors," so we're making the best of the situation.

Mom thinks God is trying to make her a morning person, as she's been getting up when Dad gets up for work at 5 and staying up. This is fine for Dad when he's going to work, but very early when he's off or on midnight shift. She's also spending some quality time with Axle, as she takes him on a walk each morning. He's pretty clever and must've figured out how to read the clock, because each morning at 8:00, he climbs out of bed and starts crying because he knows that's his time with Mom. He must sense something is going on as he has really calmed down and is much gentler on his walks now.

We're all trying to savor the little things in life that we maybe overlooked or took for granted a couple weeks ago. We got Dad a fire pit for Father's Day and Mom and I have certainly enjoyed it more than he has, as we've put it to good use a couple nights while he was on midnight shift. It is very relaxing to just sit outside in the dark and watch the embers glow. Pinecones produce a nice smelling smoke, but burn almost as quickly as newspapers!

Thanks to all of you who continue to send cards, call, visit, put us on your prayer lists, and just express your concern. We certainly appreciate all the love and support. I'll include Mom's address for those of you who have asked for it.

Susi Miller
RR 2 Box 377
Albright, WV 26519