I wanted to take this time to go into further detail of my delivering of the peacoat to Joe on Wednesday afternoon.
I rang the buzzer to enter the Lodge. It's good to know there is security in the building. After entering I met a lovely woman at the desk doing laundry. I told her I was there to visit Joe B. to give him a gift. She gladly told me he is in the commons area she had just finished talking with him. I went back with a big smile on my face. As soon as I saw him I said his name. I am sure it was loud. Oooops! God did not give me a timid voice. He had a smile on his face as well. I continued to tell him I have a gift for him from someone in Indiana. After that I read the blog post that I wrote about him to explain this gift. As written previously he and I along with others around were crying. He knew right away it was a peacoat in the box. I told him to "hold his horses and we will see." Yes, I did say that. OK, now I am just amazed at the rest of the conversations that went on in the Lodge.
I met many wives of patients that were receiving treatment. One particular is from LA. She said that stands for lower Arkansas. She gave me a Gideon Bible for me to keep. I told her I have many Bibles but thank you. I will keep it with me. Joe piped in and said he had a Bible just like that in the service during war. His had a metal cover on it and it was placed in his front pocket to give him extra protection from bullets.
Another wife came over to talk about her husband Gerald who has the same type of cancer in his left side of his brain. His speech has been affected along with his occupational daily living needs. She asked if I have considered joining a support group. I told her I had contemplated it yet it would take one night away from home from my family. Pray if it is God's will for me to be in a brain cancer support group that He will make it abundantly clear.
I told Joe that I still desire to come to his wifes memorial. To please let me know. It all depends on my fatigue factor. He understood. He took out his address book and asked me to write out my address and phone number. I put it under the "K" for Kate.
Today was an uneventful day for my treatment. Last night was a thrill though. Cole's front tooth finally came out with a little help from mommy and the pliers. Yes, pliers. Cole's teeth have difficulty coming out on their own. We usually have to make an appointment to have them pulled professionally. I guess you can put MD behind my name along with professional motherhood. He was so proud that he took his tooth to school for everyone to see. He is the only first grader in January to lose a tooth so far. The tooth fairy left 2 special coins for courage we are assuming. One was a Susan B. Anthony another a Sacagawea. Way cool to him!
Upcoming prayer requests:
1. burns from RT
2. hair loss to be as minimal as possible
3. vision not to be affected
4. lens protection
5. guidance on treatment after the RT
Much love - Kate
3 comments:
Hi Kate,
I was just wondering if you are already experiencing fatigue from the RT, or if that side effect emerges later. I would be happy to drive you to Barnes and back if you are concerned about falling asleep while driving...goodness knows I have nodded off at stop lights before just from a sleepless night with a baby, not even with the excuse of RT!
I smiled to think of you accepting the Bible from the lady from "LA". We just never know when we need another one, do we? I recently found a pocket-sized Bible at a basketball game, and no one around me recognized it. I tried to give it to a few people, and then decided God must be telling me something, so I stuck it in my purse and I am waiting for the right time to give it away!
Praying for you,
Erika
A roller coaster ride indeed. Last week I packed my bag into the trunk of my car, cleaning out the top half drawer of #1 grandson's chest of drawers. You may remember I had asked permission for drawer space when I first arrived at the Snodgrass house. I was given half a drawer in the room at the end of the hall. The room which has the sign on the door, no girls or baby allowed inside. This was wavied on my behalf because everyone knows full well that a grandmother is not a girl! And the baby clearly refers to Stu.
To continue my story, I decided to high tail it out of Dodge (Ballwin) and resume my life. I only stopped by the Bloggie's house yesterday to pick up what I forgot on Friday when I realized my life was again moving into it's usual nomadic cycle. As I told the boys last week I do not have a home I just roam from house to house. I'm getting this lifestyle down to a science. A toothbrush, jammies, extra underwear and a seperate top and bottom. That's it. You don't need anything else. You can survive.
Upon arrival of the bloggie's home yesterday I was reminded of the book, "The Pilgrim's Progress".
I found Kate in somewhat of a Slough of Despond. If you remember the story of little Christian who fell into the Slough of Despond. Presently a man named Help came along and asked him why he was there. "Fear followed me so hard, that I fled the next way, and fell in." Help said: Give me thy hand: so he gave him his hand, and he drew him out, and set him upon sound ground, and bid him go on his way. For still as the sinner is awakened about his lost condition, there arise in his soul many fears and doubts, and discouraging apprehensions, which all of them get together, and settle in the Slough of Despond. And this is the reason of the badness of that ground.
It has been years since I've read John Bunyan's Christiam Classic The Pilgram's Progress. I always keep a copy on hand and refer to it from time to time.
THE AUTHOR'S APOLOGY
This book it chalketh out before thine eyes
The man that seeks the everlasting prize:
It shows you whence he comes, whither he goes:
What he leaves undone: also what he does:
It also shows you how he runs and runs
Till he unto the gate of glory comes.
KATE'S PILGRIM PROGRESS
TO BE CONTINUED Gram
Hey Kate,
I'm so glad you told more about your time with Joe! Being a visual person, I love picturing the details as you describe them--I almost feel like I was there observing. I hope you're able to attend his wife's memorial service. Where will it be? (I can't remember where he's from)
I laughed out loud picturing you and Cole and the pliers! Cooper had to have his bottom two front teeth pulled by the dentist, too. His front two top teeth and another bottom one have been loose since November, and I'm now wondering--based on what you said about Cole's teeth--if I may need to head to the toolbox?! If I do, I gaurantee Cooper will head to the DOOR!
Anyway, Kate, I'm glad to have 5 specific things to pray for. Thanks for listing them for us.
Hope tomorrow's another uneventful day for you!
Love, Tiffani Gibbs
Post a Comment