Purpose

I never imagined that I'd end up in a position where I would need a Medical ID/Warning bracelet...

But, here I am. 

Did you know that once lymph nodes have been removed from an armpit that arm can never be used for blood pressure, IVs, injections etc? 

Why? 

It could cause Lymphedema. 

Yeah, I didn't know what that was either. 

According to the Mayo Clinic: "Lymphedema refers to tissue swelling caused by an accumulation of protein-rich fluid that's usually drained through the body's lymphatic system. It most commonly affects the arms or legs, but can also occur in the chest wall, abdomen, neck and genitals.

Lymph nodes are an important part of your lymphatic system. Lymphedema can be caused by cancer treatments that remove or damage your lymph nodes. Any type of problem that blocks the drainage of lymph fluid can cause lymphedema."

Anyone can develop lymphedema but the likelihood of it happening to a cancer patient who has had nodes removed is much greater. 

I knew when I went in for treatments to make sure they don't take blood pressure on my right side and I can't have blood work done there either but it never dawned on me that I should get a bracelet until I was told about a post in my support group but my chemo buddy Christina. 

What if something happened and I wasn't conscious to tell the professionals not to touch my right arm?! 

I went to a Bove Jewelers in Kennett Square, PA, looked through the catalog, found a bracelet I'd be comfortable wearing and placed the order. 

It arrived last week and looks great! 

The front says Lymphedema. On the back it says, "No blood test, blood pressure, no IV or injections in this arm"

When I asked what I owed, the owner Bob Strehlau looked at me and said, "You've been through enough, it's our gift to you." 

I cried and hugged him. What a beautiful and generous gift! 

The past 11 months of our lives have been insane. I'm looking forward to the day they become a distant memory. That being said I have made some new friends, tightened bonds with others and have learned that there are few things that I value more than prayer. 

I don't talk about my relationship with Jesus much because I struggle with putting my feelings into words. 

There is an idescribable level of peace that comes with knowing that God has a greater purpose for our struggles than just making us struggle. 

Few things grow in complacency.

The times in my life where I have grown the most were some of the most difficult ones. At the time it was horrible, looking back it was necessary. 

Whether it was my own health or my husband's, there were many people who called to pray with me over the phone and we had prayer teams around the country praying for his recovery. 

A few years ago, during a sermon, pastor Johnny said, "People always say the God doesn’t give us more than we can handle but that is wrong.  God purposely gives us more than we can handle so that people turn to him."   

I can’t say that I know the exact purpose for Glenn to get hit so hard with covid but, while Glenn was fighting for his life, friends who are declared agnostics and atheists started praying. People who’d walked away from churches for a variety of reasons were praying. Not just to a “higher power” but to our Lord. 

People were united in one purpose, praying to one God. 

Our God. 

Beauty from ashes. 

I am grateful to God for saving my hubby. I am grateful that this experience pricked the heart’s of those who had turned away and they are turning back. 

And, I will forever be grateful to everyone for lifting us up in prayer. 

There is a profound level of peace in knowing that even when we felt like we couldn’t go on we were being carried by others. 

Just

There is no "just" when you have kids.

Before children, which has only been 14 months, if we wanted to go out for dinner all we had to do was grab our coats and head out the door. Every aspect of our lives has changed since we had kids. Not only can we not "just go out for dinner" but we can no longer "just run to the store," "just take a nap," or even "just run upstairs for a quickie!"

I have learned to tolerate soggy cereal and I have even stopped eating oatmeal for breakfast as I can't stand it when it's cold!

I was relatively prepared for the change in lifestyle, and since having children was such a long endeavor, I welcomed the changes...I thought.

I would no longer be jetting around the country for work or spend my evenings line dancing.

I was going to be a mother and had every misconception about that experience running through my head that you can imagine. My days would be full of fun times with happy-go-lucky children, who were brilliant and charming...I thought.

That still may come; for now however, my days are filled with dirty diapers, barf, drool and whining.

A. Noise. I. Despise!

I can't stand whining when it comes from any kid, and maybe because it's coming from mine, I really hate it. I mean really, it's sooooo annoying. I called my bestie the other day to ask if I should feel guilty for wanting to lock my kids in the house and go for a long drive because the stuntman was driving me crazy.

No one in their right mind romanticizes the idea of snuggling with a whiner! So I was largely unprepared to deal with a child who does. Hence the desire to take a long slow drive around the block...alone!

If you say that you've never been irritated by your child I'm just going to call BS now!

Don't get me wrong here. I love my boys. They are beautiful, adorable and extremely cute. Most of the time they are really happy and I love spending time with them and learning to see the world all over again through their eyes. However, they can also drive me nuts.

The whining is enough to put me over the edge.

Teething has truly sucked beyond words but they won't be teething forever. However, I'm a little nervous however, that they will whine forever.

The stuntman's primary form of communication seems to come in the form of whining. He does it when he has something that he wants me to open, he does it when his brother refuses to let him steal the toy he was playing with and he does it when something is wrong.

The volume seems to be the only way to tell the severity of his need.

He's sort of a sky is falling type of kid. He whines all the time so it's pretty hard to know when there is something serious.

The good news is that he has learned the word "ball." Well, we think it's ball. Bottle, bear and ball all come out as "bah." You have to look at what he's pointing at to decipher his intention.

Last night for about two straight hours he walked around the first floor of the house saying, "bah." As irritating as it might have been, he wasn't whining!!!

Thank God for small favors!

Lately, the boys have been into sharing their food with us. They fight over toys but are more than willing to give daddy or me a bite of their grilled cheese, PB&J sandwiches, crackers, etc.

This morning, while I was cutting up their oranges, the engineer had finished is banana and Cheerios. By happenstance their highchairs were close enough that they could reach each others hands. I looked up from the cutting board just in time to see the stuntman reach out with a handful of banana and Cheerios to the engineer who took it and put it in his mouth.

They were sharing with each other!!!

Not only was this ADORABLE but for children who often whine and hit each other over the head with toys when they don't want to share, this was nothing less than amazing.

Think I'll just go say a prayer of thanks.