The Year in Review: 2008

As the curtain closes on 2008, a time of reflection opens wide. Another year of life has been granted. Life experiences have been lived and loved. Adventures have awaited us. Heartbreak has invaded our space. Yet, my family and I have once again emerged as victors.

We are all alive and coping as well as we can with the variety of health challenges that we face. Our family has increased in number, and hopefully in love. Death has been averted. Economic challenges have been dodged.

Every four weeks throughout 2008, I received the IV treatment to help support my immune system. In 2008, I only had three serious infections that required hospitalization in the ICU. That is quite good for me. I pray that 2009 will be a year without visits to my least favorite place on earth – the hospital.

My Blog was birthed and breathed into existence by my written words. It will remain a documentary of my life as I struggle for healing and embrace the prospect of Heaven. Written words have been therapeutic and healing for my spirit. Some heartaches and heartbreaks are best mended when reflected upon with words. I pray that the Blog will continue to encourage others who face life challenges. I marvel at the number of viewers from nearly 30 states and multiple foreign countries that are logging in and reviewing my life battles and celebrations. Hopefully, each reader will learn more of God’s love and involvement in our lives.

January 2008

The year did not begin with a bang. I rang in the New Year from a bed in an Intensive Care unit. I was very ill with a systemic fungal infection. The celebration was nonexistent from the confines of an eight by eight ICU room. On television, I watched the festivities in Time Square and a small portion of my heart rejoiced at being alive to welcome another year, yet another slice of my spirit mourned all that leukemia had robbed from me. I was released from the hospital a few days later and continued with daily IV’s at my oncologist’s office until January 17. Thankfully, my life was spared, once again, from a very serious infection.

We celebrated the 24th birthdays of our twin daughters in January. With each celebration of life that we host for them, my mind quickly returns to the day our tiny, premature baby daughters were born. They fought diligently to survive low birth weights, a heart defect, a cleft palate, hemorrhages in their brains, and numerous other complications. We were told that they would most likely be learning disabled. God worked and healed and molded their minds and bodies into lives that have generated four college degrees between them and they are both working on Master’s Degrees. They are my earliest miracles that I witnessed in my early Christian walk.

My period of being quarantined at home began this month. It is a long two to three months when I cannot leave the house and can only have limited visitors at home. Cabin fever does not begin to describe the monotony and loneliness that invade these days and weeks and months that I am kept inside, away from flu carriers.

February 2008

February was a long, boring month as I remained at home. Family and friends marveled at the kindness and generosity of my family physician that made house calls for me during this time. It is a caring physician who will make house calls in this day and age.

March 2008

Early March brought a welcome vacation for my husband, our oldest daughter, and me. I had been quarantined at home for over 3 months due to the flu season, so the release from “prison” was a delight. To add to the excitement of the vacation, our oldest daughter was on spring break from college and her husband could not leave his job, so she decided to go along with us. We spent a week at Orange Beach. We marveled on our drive there, as we encountered a rare, late spring snowstorm through Kentucky and Tennessee. The snow was eight inches deep and even on the Interstate, we could only drive 20-30 miles per hour. We saw three snowplows flipped on their sides on a 30-mile stretch of Interstate. After a slow, scary start to the trip, we welcomed the warmth and sunshine of the ocean.

In March, we were told a bit of news that shocked and surprised us. We were going to become grandparents! After the initial surprise wore off, we began preparing for the arrival of a new family member. We all assumed it would be a baby girl and began referring to “her” as Bella (short for Isabella), since we had three daughters, but later discovered that it was a baby boy. Our daughter called me on the day of the sonogram and told me, “Mom, it’s a fella, not a Bella!”

April 2008

Preparations began at our home for the arrival of our new grandson. We knew the plan was for me to serve as his Nanny, so we decided to prepare a nursery for him at our home. We shopped and painted and shopped some more as we prepared a special place for him in our hearts and in our home.

May 2008

May brought the graduation of our oldest daughter from Indiana State University. She received her Bachelors Degree in Nursing. It was a weekend replete with celebration and family. We watched as proud parents do, as she walked across the stage and received her diploma from the University President. All three of our daughters now had their Bachelors Degrees, as well as two Associates Degrees. Now they all continue to work on their Master’s Degrees.

June 2008

We celebrated the 23rd birthday of our youngest daughter this month. With only 15 months separating her from our twin daughters, they have always looked and acted a lot like triplets. Their relationships are close-knit and caring. I hope and pray that the three of them will be tightly bonded for their entire lives. It comforts me to know that when I have traveled onto my Heavenly Home, that they will have each other’s love and support.

One of my most frightening experiences is when I become ill and my trusted physician is out of state. This scenario occurred in June. My doctor had traveled out of state for a family wedding and I became ill with an infection from Klebsiella pneumoniae. I was in Intensive Care, nervous and fearful, with my doctor so far away. Klebsiella can have a 50 percent chance of killing when it is contracted. I was blessed with a compassionate, bright physician who was covering for my doctor. He provided exceptional care and once again, the Lord pulled me through a difficult infection.

July 2008

I began my quest to photograph over thirty covered bridges in our area. July’s warm, humid days made trekking to the bridges a challenge, but the beauty of summer sunshine and lush green grass made for picturesque photos. I have managed to photograph all of the bridges in their summer glory and in the brilliant fall colors. I await winter snows to capture the bright red bridges basking in a blanket of white.

July was a difficult month as I tried to seek out the path of treatment. Weight loss and other concerning symptoms worsened and we decided to make a trip to Ohio State to consult with a leukemia specialist there. He is a young, brilliant doctor and I trust his insights. I had met with a radiation oncologist to discuss radiating my spleen to reduce its size and hopefully, improve my platelet counts. The OSU specialist disapproved with this plan, which was disappointing after I had spent so much time with the consultation, travel and research. The OSU doctor recommended a clinical trial with an experimental drug since I have gone through most of the other available treatments. After much prayer and pondering, I decided to postpone enrollment in the trial until further data becomes available.

August 2008

August proved to be my most difficult month, physically. I began losing large amounts of blood. I became severely anemic and had difficulty breathing. A secondary cancer was suspected but I give all praises to God that the biopsy was normal. Eventually, I ended up back in Intensive Care. I was so sick and battled back to life after much medical intervention and prayer. Numerous tests, procedures, and scans were required. I knew that our first grandson was due anytime, and I am certain that the knowledge of his arrival helped me to fight through another difficult period.

Our middle daughter passed her examinations this month and received her Registered Dietitian credentialing. We were very proud of her achievements and accomplishments as she continues to care for geriatric patients.

My grandmother turned 85 years old this month.

September 2008

One of the exceptional highlights of 2008 was the arrival of our grandson in September. After a long, challenging labor and delivery, he joined our family. He gave us a couple of scares shortly after his birth, but he has emerged as a healthy, spunky, very big baby. I wept as I held him for the first time. Living long enough to raise our three daughters seemed like such an insurmountable feat while battling leukemia, and to have lived long enough to become a grandmother was a miracle in itself.

September also arrived with the knowledge that our son-in-law had lived for an entire year with his new kidney he received in September 2007. It was a perfect match and he has yet to show one sign of rejection or complication. God truly blessed with a priceless gift from a selfless family. We rejoice at the new life that it has given to our son-in-law.

October 2008

Our oldest daughter passed her credentialing examinations for nursing. We are proud of her achievements and we are certain that she will be a competent, caring, compassionate nurse for her patients.

My new career as a Nanny began in October. Lil Man’s Mommy returned to her career and Lil Man returned to Grammy’s. He fills the days with hecticness, laughter, and great pleasure. I pray that my body can remain healthy and strong enough that I won’t be fired from my new career!

My husband and I celebrated our 26th Anniversary this year. Our life together has been filled with many difficult times; however, we have managed to remain dedicated to each other. He has cared for me for over twelve years of cancer. I know so many cancer patients who have their spouses abandon them due to the diagnosis. That is heart-breaking to me. I know my husband has made many sacrifices for me during these twelve years and his Heavenly reward will be great for all that he has done to provide for me and to care for me.

November 2008

For most women, getting older is not a pleasant experience. With years, comes the arrival of wrinkles, extra pounds, grey hairs, failing eyesight and other dreaded characteristics. However, for me, I celebrate getting older because it means that I am still LIVING! My fortieth birthday was a big celebration. I was delighted to see Number Forty-Five arrive this November and to think of hitting the big 5-0 is a hope and prayer that I hold in my heart. I have learned that wrinkles, grey hair and the need for trifocals are much better than kicking the bucket!

Thanksgiving was celebrated at our home with our three daughters, sons-in-law, and Mr. Lil Man. We had much to thank God for this Thanksgiving. He has been faithful and true to our family. He has not forsaken us through difficult days. He has maintained joy in our hearts and lives despite difficult burdens. He has provided all that we have had need of throughout the year. He is our Hope for the future and our Help for today.

December 2008

We took a short trip to Indianapolis for a weekend with our oldest daughter and her husband. We enjoyed Christmas shopping and other holiday activities. We have learned the preciousness of the moments parents are able to share with their grown children.

The year came to a close with our family celebrating Christmas – the first one with our newest family member. Traditions such as baking cookies, making our Christmas Kolach Bread, attending Christmas Eve services with the girls and their in-laws, and Christmas morning brunch all continued. The story of Christ’s birth and arrival on earth never grows tiring. I marvel at God’s love for us as He sent this precious Babe to a sin-filled world to be our Savior. I am amazed at the world’s push to remove every sign of CHRIST from CHRISTmas. There would be nothing else to celebrate with such joy as the birth of Jesus.

May the Lord bless, heal, protect, and provide for all of us throughout the upcoming year.