The Journey Continues.....

Our First Snow From the Condo Sun Porch

November 27, 2013

To my Blog Friends who are digging out from the weekend snow, this doesn't look like much, but it was significant for a couple of reasons.  November 27 is VERY early for us here in East Tennessee to have snow at all, much less enough that can actually be seen laying on the ground. It was fun for us because it was the first snow since we moved into our condo.  Unfortunately, it was the day before Thanksgiving also known as the heaviest travel day of the year, so while we were enjoying our little skiff of snow, our neighbors to the west, north and northeast were either cursing the weather or getting ready to curse it over the next 24 hours!  

Speaking of enjoying the snow from our condo Sun Porch, I am starting this post with very happy news.  Unless something goes horribly wrong between now and 2 p.m., this picture says it all........

Our old house is SOLD!  We close today at 2 p.m.  We will once again be the owners of only one residence!  In the end, it took less than six months for the house to sell which, in today's market, is a fact for which we should be grateful.  However, given all we've been through in that six months, it has seemed like an absolute eternity!  Driving through the neighborhood, there are a plethora of houses for sale (many of which were for sale long before ours) and I saw no other SOLD signs except for the one in our yard. 

We never questioned the move and continue to fall more in love with our condo and its location with each passing day.  In fact, I'm not sure we've ever seen more clearly the hand of God working behind the scenes weaving the tapestry of our lives in the way that best prepared us for the journey we were about to begin!  But in the weaving, there's sure been some lessons learned about what is important, what is NOT important and how we plan to live our lives for the remainder of the time we have on this earth. 

Bill's Chemo journey is over.  Round Three was very difficult as we expected.  We were told very candidly that the effects of chemo are cumulative and we found that to be true.  Thankfully, he is now three weeks out and for the first time in nine weeks, we begin a week in which he DOESN'T have to go in for a treatment and we can truly begin to see him recover.  His appetite is returning slowly, food is tasting good again although he has to eat very slowly as the food takes awhile to work its way down a very irritated (from the chemo) path to his stomach.   But that has even seen a noticeable improvement over the past couple of days.  The fatigue is still a factor.  He sleeps at least 10 hours each night and takes one or two naps each afternoon.  We have to be mindful of the fact that he has just completed the semester at school and is ALWAYS tired on this week of the year.  We are confident that this week will see much improvement all the way around.

The doctor was very happy with Bill's response to the Chemo.  The swelling in his neck has completely disappeared and he is no longer able to feel the knot that was the tumor.  However, the next PET Scan scheduled for December 30th will show us what, if anything, is still going on inside.  Unfortunately, he was told that he would likely be facing radiation after the first of the year.  This was a huge downer for us as we weren't expecting it.  And certainly not the number of radiation treatments that was thrown out.  We've been doing lots of research and will have lots of questions for the doctor.  

But for now, we are rejoicing that the chemo is over and that Bill is beginning to rebound.  He is far from the Energizer Bunny Bill I'm used to, but I see glimpses and my heart soars with gratitude.  We have learned so much about life, time, love, commitment and all those things people who have been married for 36 1/2 years MIGHT have begun to take for granted.  I expect you'll be hearing about many of those things after the first of the year.

I am not taking any sort of formal Blogging "break," but please know that my posting may be sporadic through the end of the year (as if it already hasn't been!  LOL!).  My focus is totally on what is right in front of me here at home.  With Bill feeling slightly better, we are working on finding balance between the friends and family who've missed us and want to spend time with us and keeping Bill rested and more importantly, WELL.   

But then who knows.....I've enjoyed writing this post so much, I may write another one!  There is so much to tell.  I am so grateful for the joy this blog has brought into my life and the friends I've made.

What are your Christmas plans?  Will you travel?  Are you ready?