Fighter, Fierce, Fantastic

While Lindsey's responses are normally short, this week she said the following:

* "Where did you go?" You see we've had this tradition of her joining me in my bedroom while I'm getting ready for work. She sits and has coffee and I chat with her about my day ahead. Twice this week I went into work earlier than usual.. .I thought I'd let her sleep in. I thought she might not notice. She noticed. She remembered. And she asked. She doesn't care how early, just wake her up for her morning coffee and conversation with me.

* "Rub my back all over."

This was said as I was laying with her one night. Of course, I gladly massaged her back. When I thought she was asleep and I got ready to get up, she said "please don't leave."

* "I feel different"

Lindsey's body is having to work much harder to do the simple things. Breathing is very labored at times, even at rest. The right side is getting weaker. She stumbled this week and evidently rolled her ankle at the time, and it's now black and blue. She didn't even feel it.

We strive to have Lindsey go through this journey as gracefully as possible. We want those that know her to remember her for when she was at her best. While changes occur daily, most we will keep private so as to maintain Lindsey's dignity. Please pray for Lindsey and the family as we continue to provide care.

This photo is a picture of a card I received in the mail. Ironically, from a friend whose mother has brain cancer. Seeing a loved one suffer is difficult. My friend's mother was diagnosed shortly after retirement. A retirement the couple had saved and looked forward to as they had a dream to travel. A dream that was shattered by brain cancer.

As the card says "Fighter, Fierce, Fantastic... I've got a whole different "F" word for cancer"... .. and as my friend states "and I put it on a bracelet!" Yes, the bracelets are becoming quite popular.

On another note, I happened to stumble across a bible lesson given by a young man that I know, and in it he shared "God has a plan for all of us and if we follow his instructions and trust in him we can all live with him in heaven forever." I know Lindsey will live in heaven. She is a believer. I know that her trust in Him is why she is at peace should God's will have her leaving us sooner than we would like.

This young man went on to say, "If we died right now, where would we go? Is there something else that we should be doing to ensure life in heaven? His parting question is a good one for all of us to ponder.