SECOND WEEK STARTING

Today, Monday, starts the second week of treatments for Kim. She will go to Vanderbilt this morning and meet with Dr. Murphy for blood work and analysis and to talk about how she has responded to the past week. Then she will have a radiation treatment and afterward see Doctor Cmelak. All of this will probably take half a day or maybe more. I do hope that one of those doctors can do something to relieve the headaches that she is suffering, along with dizziness and being disoriented. She has had a few rough days this past week - Saturday being one of the worst. However, she had quite a bit of TLC from two of her sisters. Nita and Corinne went over there and took lunch, did some household chores and other things and when they left she settled in for a good rest. Jacque took her potato/cheese soup and banana pudding for her dinner and a visit and she enjoyed that. Yesterday, Sunday, she and Brad sat on the deck and enjoyed the nice weather and she felt better last night. There is no explanation for the "good days/bad days" that she has. In fact, she is really experiencing all of the things that the doctors have told her that will happen. When I say "good days" I really mean a day without nausea and complete lack of strength to even be out of bed. We call it a good day when she can enjoy her Facebook Friends and sit on her deck and even talk on the phone. She still doesn't enjoy long personal visits because it tires her out so. Also, germs are something that we will have to monitor as the flu season approaches. Cards, notes and e-mails are a wonderful means of communication with her. The women of the Madison Church are so faithful to send cards and fix food. I have said so many times that I just don't know how people survive catastrophic experiences in their lives without a church family, a loving family and friends to surround them.

As we enter the second week of these terrible treatments and all of the side effects we, more than ever, covet your prayers for Kim and also for Brad, Patrick, her sisters, myself and others that are being faithful caregivers during this time. We all feel so very helpless as we stand by wanting so badly to "make her all better" and yet can't change anything. Only God, the Great Physician, can do that and that is why prayers are so vital. Thank you for wearing your purple bracelet and for loving Kim.