brief update

As if things weren't a bit chaotic around here at the moment, Owen and I came down with a stomach bug starting on Saturday afternoon/evening.  So far, Owen has gone the fever, malaise, lethargy, tummy upset route, and I have gone the fever, malaise, lethargy, exploding out all ends route (disgusting but true).  Actually, throwing up was the best thing all night, I could finally rest after that.  Right now I'm trying to repeat the sequence of events to achieve the same outcome earlier in the night.  We'll see.

Mind you, I am REALLY not complaining.  This could be worse.  Owen has done no exploding.  Reuel and Asher are clear so far.  There are extra people at my house to help out.  But all the same, it has been a challenge.  Two kids who've seen less of mommy than usual, one sick and one separation-anxiety-ridden, and a mommy who barely feels like getting off the couch...Reuel took the afternoon off, and I owe him BIG!  Speaking of, Reuel has been a model husband during everything my family's dealing with.  We are all blessed by his unflappability, eagerness to do extra chores and childcare (don't get the impression the house is clean...I'm talking bare bones making sure there aren't aging diapers in the corner of the room sort of chores), and his listening ear when three emotional women get going.  Thank you Lord for Reuel, a real gift right now.

An update on my Dad...
I have stayed away from the hospital of course, to my frustration, because my Dad does not need a stomach bug.  But Deb, Mom and Reuel report that he wasn't quite up to his previous standard of the last few days.  Moving slower, still in charge of the mental faculties, but the speed turned down.  He was staring off and falling asleep a lot.  Now, he was also given drug adjustments (changed seizure med. and added morphine), so only time will tell if these new effects are here to stay or not.  His oncologist said it could really go either way.  He also said that usually when a patient in his situation is given steroids to reduce brain swelling, they often pop back strong, right away, which hasn't happened with my Dad.  So the bottom line is that no one has any idea how this will go...it's a day by day journey, and it's challenging to not be able to 'know' more than that.  Yesterday, he seemed like he was on a trajectory to possibly be able to make a trip home.  But today, not ready at all.  There are 6 more radiation treatments, and 6+ days is a long way off in terms of knowing where he'll be.  Please pray for my Dad's pain to be well-managed.  Please pray that the Lord would smooth the path ahead so that it is clear what needs to happen at each step...what can we do but leave it in His able hands.  I still pray for healing.  I know my Dad would like to jump back into life and at the least be home again.  But he has always affirmed that He is at peace with how things will unfold.

Now, here's a risk.  If my Dad is headed soon for heaven, I don't think he'll be upset that I'm posting this picture.  If he's not, and there are more days for him here, I may get scolded or a serious eye roll.  But it's a risk I am more than willing to take because getting the scolding means he held on!

I love you Dad.  Thanks for being such a loving and devoted father, loving me through my faults all these years, loving me more than I know.