Gray Skies with a Silver Lining

As most of you know a few weeks ago my Mom's cancer had returned with a vengeance. It was in the lungs making it hard for her to breath, her spine making her back hurt, her liver making her nauseous and worst of all in her brain severely affecting her vision. She was so sick and so weak that my worry was that once she started chemo her body wouldn't be able to handle so much strain. It seemed very likely that she would never feel good again until her time here was over. This was especially depressing considering the growing bucket list of items she desperately wanted to put in order.

I'm happy to report that after 10 days of radiation and a few weeks of chemo, my Mother has responded in a miraculous fashion to the treatment. She is still very tired as a result of the chemo, everything tastes metallic, and she can't feel the tips of her fingers and toes (also a side effect of the chemo) but everything else is feeling much better. Her vision has completely returned, she isn't feeling as sick, and she can finally breathe again. This is such a tender mercy, and our hopes are that in a couple of months when the chemo has really done its thing- she can regain her energy and have more time to live and love her family.

I'm trying hard to enjoy every day with her. I kind of feel bad if a few days pass without seeing her- but I guess I just need to make the most of the time we have together. If we only have 1 year left with Mom then we need to pack it in over the next 12 months.

Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers.

-Adrian