My Niece, My Dad, My Daughter, Me

Little Kennedie Grace had surgery yesterday morning in Cincinnati again. The tumor had grown back by 50%. They are inserting a tube for a few days to try again to block regrowth. Kennedie will be in ICU for a few days. Please pray for Jessica and Jarrod, her parents, and for my sister, Becky, and brother-in-law Wendell, the grandparents. Jessica and Jarrod were told that this could be a pattern until Kennedie reaches nine months. She is five months old now. Prayers for total healing and no regrowth would be appreciated, although we know that everything is in God's hands.

My dad got baptized today, just a few days shy of his 75th birthday. He was baptized years ago, but he has been studying Scripture very diligently since his cancer, and he felt that he needed to do it again. I am so happy for him and Mom.

Sarah called from Williamsburg this weekend. She and Paul are there for Paul's sister's (Laura)graduation from college. Sarah and Paul have turned it into a mini-vacation, touring Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown, Newport News, seeing museums, hoping for a beach day tomorrow. Paul found a really interesting historical B&B, which Sarah has loved. He is very good at researching and finding interesting places to travel.

Finally, about me. I have been off my narcotic pain med for 2 1/2 weeks, and it has been harder than I would have ever thought. I still have fatigue and depression, and of course, I have pain that I was not aware of on meds. Please pray that I will be able to keep up with my family next week as we go on vacation. We are going to the Tetons, Yellowstone, Jackson Hole, and I want to be able to have the energy and positive mindset to enjoy this special time with my family. It will be Emily's last family vacation with us before she marries, so it is especially important that I do well.
Thanks for continuing to check this blog and share in the lives of my family. Thanks for your many prayers on our behalf. We never had any illness in our family until my diagnosis, and now it seems to be a part of our lives for the moment. Thanks for lifting us up!
Jan

Emily is Engaged!

Hunter took us to lunch last week to ask for Emily's hand and to show us the ring, which is beautiful and just what Emily wanted.
Emily and her three roommates left Tuesday on a road trip to Estes Park in the Rockies to celebrate their graduation from UL. Hunter flew out there and surprised her. Her roommates took her hiking on a trail, and he met them along the path. He took Emily to a field where he had a picnic and roses waiting. He read I Cor. 13 to her, then got down on one knee and proposed. They knelt together and prayed, and then the roommates rejoined them. They had been videoing from a higher spot. Emily and Hunter called last night to let us know. I am excited about getting another good son-in-law! No date has been set, but they have been talking about May 2010.
Jan

Graduation/Mother's Day

We attended several events for Emily last week. She graduated magna cum laude Saturday with a history major and a religious studies minor. She and her roommates left today for a trip to Estes Park in CO for almost two weeks.
We celebrated Mother's Day by having Jean spend the night with us after graduation. Sunday she went to her church. Bryan, Katie and I went to Sojourn, Paul and Sarah's church, along with Paul's parents. Afterwards, we had a cookout at my sister Jennifer's house. We usually do the field, but Jen and Van have an inground pool at their new home and the younger cousins wanted to swim.
I am starting to come out of the depression and fatique that is a result of withdrawal from narcotics. I am two weeks out. It takes 30 days for the full effect of the med to be out of one's system. My LE is giving me fits right now, but I am fighting back by doing my home program and going to the pool when I am able. I don't swim, just float to get the compression for my trunk.
Katie is home and I am enjoying her company. She did very well her first year at Anderson, and is already looking forward to getting back to school.
Jan