It’s been 2 months since I’ve composed a blog post. Well, I’ve been writing, just not here. I’ve been posting on an entirely different forum as of late…my mother’s ‘Caring Brige‘ site. My love of writing has transformed there. To be able to do something you love for someone you love, for me, has been so enriching and eye opening.

The relationship between mother’s and daughters are nothing short of magnificent. Or at least I know that they can be. Mine is and always has been. So it came natural for me to build her Caring Bridge site soon after my mom’s diagnosis and begin to write about the wonderment that is my mom’s life. I started by writing more of the “fluff” as I did not want to disrupt any relationships with my siblings but that soon changed as my 3 brothers and my only sister all embraced the idea of the site. You see, my mom was diagnosed with “metastatic disease” on November 5th of 2009. Our mom’s Kidney Cancer that she had about 6 and a half years ago had returned and here’s the deal…Renal Cell Carcinoma is not curable. Dr.s gave her weeks and we, along with the staff, are amazed that we are approaching the 3 month mark. We have been by her side day and night as she endures her palliative care in a fabulous facility in Chaska, MN (The Marie Steiner Kelting Hospice Home).

My mom is an amazing woman. She is strong, courageous, loving and a believer in Christ. She has taught us all the importance of family and to trust in the Lord. One day we will all be reunited…of that I am certain and she’s made sure of that!

I love my mom. I will miss her. I have had a beautiful relationship with her and I have no regrets. Ushering her out of this life has been such a gift. I am so grateful to have had this time with her, tough as it’s been. What I do know for sure is that she will soon be with my father, her parents and some of her very best friends. What a comfort that is. God Bless.

Today, the gentleman in the room adjacent to mom and his wife had a vow renewal ceremony earlier today and their whole family came out afterward at about the same time we were gathering. It got loud and crazy and we loved every minute!

I made a new friend today, his name is Wyatt. He is one of the 11 grand kids of the gentleman next to mom.  I think he must be about 6 years old. I introduced myself to him earlier in the day when there was only a couple of people here….he was so sweet. He kept seeking me out throughout the evening and before he left he came up to me and gave me a big hug and said “good bye, I’ll see you another day.” Yes, Wyatt, you will. Bless his heart.

We had the best time today and tonight! So much to be thankful for! We opted to have the meal catered. Anne picked up a full on traditional Thanksgiving dinner for 18 at Byerly’s last night and the staff here at the Hospice Home popped it all in the oven and heated it up for us. Let me tell you, Byerly’s puts on a spread and it was so deLICious! All the flavor, none of the work! Perfect solution for today….right down to the pumpkin & pecan pie! That way no one was stuck in the kitchen and we could all be with mom.

Anne and I both decided that we wanted a night with mom so the 2 of us are sleeping over tonight. A girls night. So fun. The staff just wheels in beds for us and tucks us in. It’s pretty special to be here at night and in the morning when she wakes. Alone time that we will treasure forever.

I pray that you all had as beautiful a day as my family and I had.

God Bless You.

This just in…I have just discovered that one of our local, main papers has announced that the (ever popular in my family) coloring contest “Oh, You Turkey” turned 30 last year! WOW!! Can’t wait for Thursday’s edition.

Everyone keeps asking…is there ANYthing we/I can do? And I continue to respond with, “Pray for my mom’s comfort daily, for the cancer to steer clear of her brain and for my family to remain as one throughout this horrid ordeal.

This Hospice Home opened it’s doors a little over a month ago to it’s first resident. Mom is now the 3rd resident. I am telling you, it is so lovely and homey…a wonderful place to all come together to gather and celebrate. Our plan is to host Thanksgiving here on Thursday with the immediate family

Today many of us (including my mom’s sister Cindy & uncle Don) are watching the Vikings battle the Sea Hawks with mom!

The other day, while we were here alone, she told me about a poem that she had written about her parents as they were aging and how difficult it was to witness them growing older & frail and how hard that was on her. She began to weep. I asked her if she still had that poem and she said “yes” and I asked if it was in her home in a dresser or somewhere that I could perhaps easily locate it and she said “yes”.

I went on to say….” I don’t get that opportunity. I don’t get to watch you “grow old”, my poem will be quite different.” She agreed.  No one asked for this. No one does. Why now? Why my mom? What is God trying to teach me? What am I to learn? I feel much wisdom and strength coming my way. It’s a pretty crappy pay off, if you ask me, to gain wisdom from your parent’s death, pretty crappy, indeed.

On to the title of this blog and it’s significance. Yesterday my mom experienced a “set back”, if you will.  She now has a new pathological fracture. The fracture is in her left humerus. We all knew this was probable. In all the moving around and transferring and re-positioning it was just a matter of time. So, as she was starting to actually feel much better from all the radiation and requiring WAY less medication, we now get to nurse another broken bone and get back on some “break through” pain meds.  :\  Now while this was possibly avoidable (no fault here!) this did buy her another day of receiving radiation while in the hospital which is a blessing. So we will remain here through her radiation treatment this Friday and then move to bigger and better things! God is good!

We had a nice quite day today. No visitors. My youngest brother, Mike, slept over last night. Anne hit the midday shift and I joined her in the room in time to take mom down for her 12:40 radiation appointment and spent the rest of the day with her here. Tim, my oldest brother, will take the final night shift tomorrow as we need to move forward. Several choices  to consider and while nothing is concrete at this time I’ll post again when I know more about a move to a more permanent location.

I can’t even begin to express the joy I get from being here with my mom. These are special days. Please keep her in your prayers as you go about your days and know that we are strong and steadfast in our resolve to provide my mom every bit of care and relief that we can. Your prayers are felt and embraced. Please feel free to comment as I am always reading them to my mom!

I have gotten word that many folks are turning to my blog for updates on my mom. I will do my best to update when any strides take place. And with day 11 nearly under her belt, many awesome things are happening.  Radiation began last Tuesday and because her tumors are not located near vital organs or her spine they are able to deliver massive doses to each of the 5 areas and shorten her course from 4-6 weeks (M-F) to just 10 treatments. This will mean that she’ll more than likely be able to remain in the hospital while she undergoes the remainder of her treatments. We are still working on pain management but with nearly a week of radiation gone by my mom seems to already feel better. So much so that when her oncologist popped in today on rounds and said “You are becoming encrusted into that bed, let’s see if we can get you in to this chair for a bit.” She went for it! Imagine my surprise when I arrived this morning and saw her sitting up in a CHAIR!! Wow!

My entire family & I have been actively involved with my mom’s care as she undergoes her radiation and palliative care (pain management). There is NEVER not someone here with her. We sleep over and get involved with the Dr.s as they pop in on rounds early each morning.

We are really looking at 2 scenarios here: 1.) Manage her pain and keep her comfortable as this renal cell cancer, once present 6 years ago, slithers back in and takes her life or 2.) That the Lord provide my mom with divine healing and a miraculous recovery wiping out all traces of cancer. I urge you all to join us and pray for the latter.

God Bless you all for keeping my mom in your prayers and sharing her battle with others that will pray as well.