Update

Thank you to everyone who prayed for Travel Man's grandmother.  She came through surgery fine, and is on her way home today for her six to seven week recovery there.  She is back on solid food again (after a few days with an NG tube), and, God willing, she'll make a complete recovery.

Thank you again for praying for her!

What a Pain in the Neck!

I first want to thank everyone who sent up a prayer for me last week. I was in pretty bad shape on Friday, and the doctor must have felt really badly for me because he got the massage therapist to give me a free 15 minute rub-down before I left the office. It's strange because everything was very dream-like. I literally could not turn my head but a couple of degrees in either direction, couldn't tip it back at all, and had trouble even tilting down any. Eating was painful, as I couldn't get my mouth open much and even swallowing hurt. (Did you know you used muscles on the outside of your neck for that??)

The doctor prescribed Torodol and Skelaxin (which I kept calling Skelegrow) for the pain and to relax my muscles, respectively. The pharmacist said to be sure to eat first because the Torodol can make you sick if you don't. So I ate as much as I could (not much) and learned that even three hours later, you can still be negatively affected by that stuff. (ugh)

Thank God Soccer Dad was home again! But poor guy: I got to the airport just as he was leaving baggage claim, put the car in park, walked to the other side of the car and said, "Don't kiss me, don't hug the girls. Get in and get me home before I throw up!"

We were home for about 90 seconds before I did so.

WELCOME HOME! Aren't you glad to be here after two weeks away??

I made sure to eat a BIG breakfast (3 pieces of French Toast) before I took the Torodol again, and by Saturday night - a long Saturday without a BBQ or birthday party - I was feeling better, though I still hogged the recliner and used a heating pad on my neck. But I was able to sleep in my own bed Friday and Saturday, even if I had to wake up completely every time I rolled over just so I'd be directly on my side with the pillows just so. I was woozy Sunday, and every time I closed my eyes at Mass to pray, I nearly fell asleep. (CCD was fun like that. It's a good thing I felt inspired to plan three weeks at once!)

By last night (Sunday), I was feeling MUCH better, though I admit that cheering during the UCF/Southern Miss game hurt my neck a bit. And today, I feel almost completely normal, save for one spot on my sternocleidomastoid that I strained while squeezing water out of my hair on Saturday morning. I can turn almost normally, and I can even tilt my head back pretty well!

Thank You, God, for helping me! Thank you, readers, for praying for me! Thank you, Soccer Dad, for taking such good care of me all weekend!

Ties in Nicely

I got an e-mail today from my oldest friend's parents. (Sarah isn't old, but we've known each other since the seventh grade.)

She married late - only two years ago next month - and she and her husband immediately started trying to have a baby. Soccer Dad and I put them on our intentions list, specifically praying for them during Mass when we remembered those who are sick because that seemed the best time to ask for this intention. She and I are only five days apart in age - and we both turned 37 this year.

So, the e-mail.

My friend and her husband welcomed their daughter into the world this morning! Sarah is recovering from her C-section and the baby is fine.

And so that brings me to another Sarah I know - though only via the internet - who is also getting ready to welcome a new baby into her family. Online Sarah is hosting her final pre-second-baby Catholic Carnival, and she has themed it around a Celebration of Life.

While you check out the Catholic Carnival that Online Sarah put together, please keep both Sarahs in your prayers. (And the fathers and babies, too. Especially the fathers, since no one seems to pay much attention to them in all the newborn excitement.)

Christ is Present in the Storm

I wrote last week that I'd been feeling overwhelmed. I just know a lot of people who are going through very difficult times, and it weighs heavily on my mind, especially when I know I can't do much but pray and let God handle the rest.

Friday I had a revelation that gave me great comfort.

Each week, usually on Fridays, my husband and I sit with our girls and say a Rosary together. We begin by reading the list of intentions that our homeschool co-op has asked for prayers about, as well as our own intentions, and when we are finished, we read a litany of saints that include patrons for the various intentions on the co-op list. (I put the intentions list together and link to this site, which is where I learn which saints are patrons for which causes.) This week during the Rosary, I concentrated very hard on certain intentions, especially my friend who is now in danger of losing her family and for our friends who are mourning the loss of their unborn son.

Once again, I got an image in my mind of being in a small rowboat that is being pounded time and again by huge waves in a storming sea. I mentally cried out to Jesus, thinking of the woman with the hemorrhage that was healed by touching the hem of His robes. I mentally grabbed the hem of His robe and hung on tight, eyes closed.

Suddenly, I remembered another boat that was tossed in a storm on the sea. And how the men in the boat were certain that Jesus wasn't paying attention to them; they were frightened and woke Him up, crying out, "Master, doth it not concern Thee that we perish?" Wasn't I asking the same thing? Wasn't I crying out to God, "Master, does it not concern You that my friends suffer so greatly?"

And just then, I knew that God, in His own time, would settle things. Peace would come when the Master is ready to declare it, just as He declared it on that boat. When He is ready, Jesus will say to my friends and family, "Peace. Be still."

And it will be so.

What I find interesting about this is that the mere knowledge that He will do this for them at some time gives me incredible comfort. It isn't done now, and I don't know when He will choose to do so, but I know that His peace and comfort will come to those who need it.

And just knowing that is what gives me strength and helps me to continue to pray for them all.

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"The Rabbits Rush Around the Brush..."

I spoke to my mother today, and she said that she had the opportunity to talk with my aunt on the phone yesterday. Uncle (Aunt) B****** said that she loves the blog posts I've put up, and I am very glad that she does. I'm also still very, very grateful for all the prayers that everyone has been saying for our family. We do still need them, but my uncle's most recent update did have some very good news at the end.

Without further ado, I give you the weekend update from Texas:


Howdy, all.

Greetings from the St. ****** Rehab Center. Today's report:

B****** is doing well. She's had three radiation treatments (performed M-F) and four chemo treatments (pills, 7 days/week). She's tired, but there’s no way to determine whether that's from the cancer treatment or from the rehab.

Rehab continues to go well. She'll be here at least through the coming week, putting in three 1-hour therapy sessions each day except Sunday. She's getting more control over her left arm and hand, and her leg is getting a bit more responsive, too. She is not able to walk on her own yet, but she's way ahead of where she was just a week ago. Physical rehab includes "pool time", and she must be dizzy from walking in circles in the pool for an hour. I told her (and the two rehab people who were assisting her) that they were going to be great NASCAR fans, since they kept going in circles, counter-clockwise. B****** was not amused. [ed: I think that's hysterical!!]

I'm sure that we have tons of stories to share, but here's one that ended our week on an absolutely uplifting note:

Our youngest son, C*****, needs 1/2 of a semester in Latin to complete the state's two year language requirement. This past January, following our move, we enrolled him in a good school, but one that does not offer Latin. B****** had arranged for C***** to take the Latin course through a state university's distance learning program, but she thought it would proceed better if there was a Latin tutor available who might be able to offer some assistance.

On Wednesday, B****** was visited by our parish Monsignor during therapy and she asked him if he knew anyone who might be able to help. He suggested contacting our parish (St. *******) high school's Latin teacher. Yesterday (Friday) B****** encouraged me to take a break from the rehab facility and so I left for a while to take care of a few of the many tasks that have been accumulating over the past 3+ weeks. Among other things, I visited St. ******* High School and asked if I could talk to the Latin teacher. I was told that she was out all day, involved in "in service" training in preparation for the upcoming semester, and that she'd call me if I left a number.

Well, that had me stumped for a few seconds because I wasn't sure just where I'd be. I explained this to the woman in the office and gave her minimal background on our recent situation. Timing is always amazing, and in our case B****** developed her neurological symptoms the day before she was supposed to start working on campus. A major motivation for her job search was to allow us to put the boys in St. ******* H.S. – tuition for two students adds up. I explained that we had no idea what the financial “hit” was going to be for B******'s medical and rehab services, but that we assumed that it would be a whopper. So, we were just interested in helping C***** complete the second part of Latin II. The woman asked what grades my sons were entering (9th and 12th), and said that the Latin teacher would give me a call at home.

So, a couple of hours later I answered the phone at home, while washing pots, pans, etc. It was from a man at the school who said he’d heard that I’d been looking for the Latin teacher. I gave him a somewhat longer version of the saga than I’d given the woman in the office, and when I was finished he said, “Well, we can work on the Latin course but I’ve been authorized to offer your sons admission to school on a tuition-free basis. We think it’s important for them to be surrounded by people of faith at a time like this”.

What a wonderful, unexpected surprise. You can imagine how touched we were by this offer. We know that God is looking out for us, and He’s looking out for our boys. The gift we received from St. ******* H.S. was much greater than tuition, because it reminded us of how much care and love surround us.

And on that note, say your prayers, hug and kiss your family and friends, and work at being part of God’s unlimited care and love.

Love, B****** and the gang

This was such a fantastic note to get! I'm so excited for my cousins! Oh, and I also cannot believe that they are getting so old!! I mean, what is THAT about? How can they all get older, start getting married, go to college, etc. (remember that there are two older brothers for the two in the parochial school)...I'm not getting any older.

Anyway, thanks once again for the prayers! God bless you all! (Please remember to ask John Paul II for his intercessions, as well.)

Good night, all!

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Christine

Update on My Aunt

This is an update to this prayer request I made yesterday.

My aunt is out of surgery, and the doctors said they were able to get most of the tumor. It is very likely that she will make a good recovery, but we will know more after they do a biopsy on what they were able to extract.

Thank you all so very much for the prayers, and if you wouldn't mind saying a little prayer if you think of her in the future, I would so appreciate it. I'll update again when I know more about the biopsy, too.


Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord, who over all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires ever have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord, who hath fearfully, wondrously, made thee;
Health hath vouchsafed and, when heedlessly falling, hath stayed thee.
What need or grief ever hath failed of relief?
Wings of His mercy did shade thee.

Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord, who, when tempests their warfare are waging,
Who, when the elements madly around thee are raging,
Biddeth them cease, turneth their fury to peace,
Whirlwinds and waters assuaging.

Praise to the Lord, who, when darkness of sin is abounding,
Who, when the godless do triumph, all virtue confounding,
Sheddeth His light, chaseth the horrors of night,
Saints with His mercy surrounding.

Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

(This was the hymn we sang at Mass today, too. Music can be heard at the link.)



Christine