Updates of all sorts

Or maybe I'm all out of sorts. We'll see here.

Grandpa:

On the 11th Joey and I flew home to celebrate Grandpa's birthday weekend with him. He turned 84 on the 12th. While walking through the parking lot at the airport in Dallas my dad let me know that Grandpa was back in the hospital as of the night before. We celebrated his birthday in room 558, all of us there who were in town. LONG story short...over the course of a week or so we found out that the cancer has spread from his lungs to his kidneys and brain (and my assumption is beyond those two as well). The doctors could either give him medicine to keep him out of pain, therefore causing him to be confused, hallucinate, etc. or they could wean him from the pain meds where he would know what was going on but be in so much pain that it wouldn't matter. It is, of course, in his best interest to keep him on the pain meds. So slowly, as the week went by, they upped his meds and he began to sleep more and more (especially over this last weekend). On Thursday (I think, all the days run together) the doctors came in to confirm that the cancer had spread to his brain and they gave him a prognosis of days, maybe weeks to live. Let me tell you, it was quite difficult to walk out of that hospital room on Saturday afternoon, bound for a plane back home, knowing I'd never see him alive again (this, in itself is a whole 'nother post). But on the other hand, MY Grandpa, the Grandpa I know and love, is already gone. That sick, confused, skin and bones old man is not MY grandpa. THIS...is..

This afternoon my Dad and his sisters are meeting with Hospice to work on getting Grandpa home for his last days. The update from my Mom this morning is the plan is to take him off all of his medication, with the exception of his pain meds, and send him home. Without going into great detail, this means that he, for certain, will have only days, and not weeks left with us.

I have learned and grown a lot over the past (almost) two weeks. I only broke down crying in the hospital twice (which is saying something for a pregnant woman!! lol). In the face of death I've learned:

*what it means to live life to the fullest, making new memories each day

*what it means to forgive and to ask for forgiveness

*what it means to love unconditionally

*what it means to be a family (Watching my Dad and his sisters was awe-inspiring. I'm glad I know where their Strength comes from)

I could write a whole 'nother post on this too. Maybe one day I will. But for now, my emotions are too raw and I have too many (count 'em...6) sleeping children to wake up with my sobbing. So for now I'll just ask that you continue to pray for our family. May my Grandpa have peace within his last days and my our family draw strength from the One who will one day bring us together as a family again.

Baby:

So a few hours before I boarded the plane for said above trip I had my monthly visit with Dr. M. Lo and behold, my blood pressure was elevated. I'm convinced that it was from the constantly rushing that day from the time I got up until the time I sat on her exam table. She wasn't so convinced. SO...after the normal chat (and signing paperwork for an elective C-Section by the way) I sat for a good 20 minutes and had the BP checked again. It was significantly lower . Nevertheless, Dr. M referred me to a high-risk specialist for my July appointment. I've asked around a little and Dr. McF comes highly recommended and has "state of the art equipment". I hope that reads: 4-D sonogram because I'd LOVE to have one done (July is our BIG sono month) and I'd REALLY REALLY love to have my insurance pay for it! SO...on the 7th I'll see Dr. McF for a sono and consult. I'll update more than. As far as everything else goes, I'm feeling great and am beginning to feel those little fluttters. Man, I love that feeling!

Joey:

Is GREAT! He was such a trooper and SUCH a good boy during our many hospital visits. I guess it helped that Grandpa the Great had an Elmo balloon in his room and Granny JoAnnie always had M&M's in her purse! In all honesty though, he was amazing. His vocabulary is growing exponentially. His new favorite word? AMEN! Isn't that adorable?!?!? And speaking of adorable...

Just wanted to end my somewhat heavy post with a smile. Have a wonderful day and thank you so much for your prayers!