Annyeonghaseyo!!!

Annyeonghaseyo!!!

Sunday, April 17, 2016

As our needs change...

As we trek further into the thick of this journey, we find our expectations and needs changing. We initially set up our caring bridge account with the idea that we would need help on Hank's chemo days with cleaning and meals. We've since realized that everything happening on the same day creates a rather stressful day for us. "Scheduling" our life is complicated. You can't schedule sick days, or long waits for treatments. You can't schedule fussy toddlers or the need for a day of quiet. Life is too unpredictable lately in our home to create a set day for things to happen each week. So while the needs themselves may not be changing all together, the way those needs are met require some tweaking.
I may need help from time to time to get a deep clean done on the kids toys, so if you are interested in being on the short list of people to call when that need arises... feel free to email me or message me on Facebook.
We also may need meals made from time to time... and if you are interested in providing us a meal, please feel free to email or message me for further details.
We are incredibly thankful for the outpour of support and prayers.
This Wednesday, Hank will be going in for the heavy hitting treatment. He's only had it once before, but it didn't go so well... he spent the night throwing up every two hours and then followed up with lots of diarrhea. Prayers for the doctors to be able to stay ahead of any symptoms from the chemo would be greatly appreciated. Also that he would remain well, and his counts not drop too low to receive treatment. Thanks.
LL

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Shifting sand

Sorry for the delay in posting an update.
These past few weeks have been... rough. chaotic. draining. Taylor took Hank to his 90 minute treatments each day for the week of 3/28-4/1... however, after going in early around 8:30-9am each day, the day hospital was slow in being able to get them in and they finished treatments around 2:30-3pm up until Friday ... when they got out a little sooner. This makes for long days for both the guys. While Taylor and Hank have been at Children's, I've been home with the girls. Monday was busy getting the house in order. Tuesday I had a dental appointment that was originally to take all day, but I ended up only needing a filling... praise the Lord. Wednesday I took Lena to get her cast put on... the doctors couldn't see a detectable fracture, but Lena was still quite tender when they examined her wrist. SO as a precaution, they put a cast on for three weeks, at the end of that duration, they will take new x-rays and see if there are any signs of healing... which tends to show more prominently on X-rays than a fracture can. If signs of a fracture, Lena will need to continue wearing a cast for an additional three weeks.
Two weeks in a row, we were exhausted. We have come to realize that our lives are like shifting sand. The waves of life, of illness, of treatments... these are what will determine our movements. But as waves do... There is ebb and there is flow. There is give and there is take. There are highs and there are lows. I was thankful for a high last week after our lows. A dear "sister-friend" (as we lovingly refer to each other) came up from the north Austin area to stay with me and help as she was able. She cleaned along side me, bought me food, listened, encouraged, loved on my kids, and just overall lifted my spirits. I love her dearly... She has two daughters close in age to Corin and Hank. We have known each other since high school. But not only are we friends, our moms are good friends and our kids as well... Three generations of friendships. It is a beautiful thing. And her love toward me was a beautiful thing last week. But as I said, waves must come and waves must go, Kristen had to get back to her sweet family. The wave continued to ride high that week, Hank was doing well, the other kids were doing well, and Taylor and I were able to get away for a couple hours on Friday to attend a painting venue. We took a couple beers and painted away. It was incredibly therapeutic. I had forgotten how much I love painting.
I should have known it was coming... Every high wave must crash, right?! Saturday morning began with a slight headache. Then came the sinus pressure. Then the drowsiness. I began sneezing and sniffling, assuming this was allergies as the pollen counts were through the roof. But by the wee morning hours of Sunday, chills and fever hit. The next morning I finally drug myself out of bed, loaded up the girls, and headed for my parents "safe house." We needed to keep Hank well... Even if it meant me leaving my own home to do it. I am still convinced it was just severe allergies rather than a cold, but we were all wanting to be safe rather than sorry. I can home Monday evening, just missing the hail storm that plowed through my parents' area of the metroplex. Hank had chemo today and last week that were the outpatient injections. He is doing well. His blood counts are still in a good range and he is in good spirits. By lunch time each day he has dark circles forming under his bright eyes. Our energetic no-nap Hank now takes naps almost every day. He is more of a melt down mess emotionally when things aren't as he wants them. He eats far less during long chemo weeks, or roughly 24 hours after chemo. Dinners are always a struggle lately. His most appealing foods lately have been sausage patties, pancakes, cereal, goldfish, grilled peanut butter and jam sandwiches, milkshakes, and milk. We are just trying to fatten him up while he'll take food... So if he asks for it, he usually gets it.
As always, we are thankful for your prayers and love.
LL