Gift Giving!

Kent, Lydia and myself have always kept quite busy on weekends. Every other week on and off for about 2 years now we have been slowed down due to Chemo. You can often find us on non chemo weeks going from earlier morning to late evening doing this that and everything in between. We have never been ones to just sit.  Lydia loves when we have many things to do together as a family.

This week WAS a chemo week and one of those do nothing weekends.  Lydia was simply bored.

 Kent had Chemo on Thursday (Halloween) and was very sick that evening.  Often during chemo you can find Kent laying completely flat. Despite him feeling ill,  I still took Lydia for our annual night at my moms with a soup dinner and Trick or Treating.  The night just wasn't the same as my Dad loved this holiday and wasn't there and Kent was home not feeling well all night. I worried how Kent was holding up by himself. Lydia stayed with my mom that evening as she doesn't do well with Kent being ill.  I returned later that evening to find Kent NOT doing well at all.  Well, what do I do? It is a guessing game.  I was out of ideas. I was very nervous myself.   I grabbed the phone and called after hours.  They returned my call within a half hour. I explained that Kent simply was not holding food down and just was miserable.  They explained that I needed to give him two of his Meds. at the same time and then continuing him laying flat. You need to know that they don't like you to give these meds very quickly because too soon after the chemo they administer because it could mess up the regimen.  After a couple of hours he was zonked out,( a symptom of both Meds.)  the whole night!  He did Not wake or  become sick at any point that night, for that I was very happy. 

This weekend, Saturday into Sunday Kent was doing better.  He is holding food down and moving ever so gingerly wherever he went.  His appetite was very little but he was gaining that back ever so slowly.  He eats little and often.  He found himself eating every hour or two,  so do I, which is good for him and not for me!

Tonight, I sat next to him and he was definitely doing better but you can tell he isn't a hundred percent yet.  He often complained about his stomach being off and needing some relief.  I feel helpless.  I feel like I am not doing what needs to be done.

Today, I was wondering if he would make it to church.  We often have the Saturday evening discussion on Chemo weeks if he feels like going in the morning and he will tell me that he will face that in the morning.  I sometimes am amazed he wants to go, but Kent loves his church family and needs his few hugs that he always receives every Sunday morning without fail! ( Those of you know who you are ) :)  It is the best way we start our week. 

This week will bring a  Doc appointment.  Kent will have an MRI of the abdomen and the pelvis to see the results of the RFA procedure back in Oct.  We will not find out anything information wise until the 14th of November when Kent has an oncologist appt. and Scheduled chemo on that day.  We are praying for the best results. 

Kent and I were calculating a few things out today and Kent told me that He will be done with Chemo around Christmas if all goes as we had it planned out.  We will be talking to our Dr. about how to avoid the Holidays as Kent is suppose to receive Chemo on Thanksgiving  and a day after Christmas.  

As I end this I have been reminded of how much life is a gift. A gift that has to be shared. Today in Kid zone the kids and I talked about talents that we have are to be given away not be  just received.  Today, I was given a gift by a few people.  In slowing down every other weekend because of Kent  I have been shown to that I need to stop and care for those around me.  Not being so focused on me.  Caring for others, has been taught to me by two loving parents. One who still shows me that and one who I will always remember how he showed me.  Another person today showed me that I was meant to teach the young people in church and that they saw my dad in me.  I promised my dad before he passed that I will teach his grand kids and the kids of Sunrise more about living for Jesus! 

So Living for Jesus is what Kent, Lydia and myself will do.  We each have gifts to be given away. So do you.  What do you have going on next weekend? It's a non Chemo week here at this household but maybe I (we) just need to slow down and give someone a gift.  Will you give one along with me? 

Leah