odds-n-ends

Interesting day.  I’m tired, having been up last night way past my bedtime then up early this morning.  As a result, I’m finding it hard to get motivated to accomplish anything.  Add the grey skies to the mix and I am headed toward a blue funk.   Why?  Well, how about the countdown:

• 2 sleeps until Tori goes to camp for a week
• 5 sleeps until Emily’s 18th birthday
• 9 sleeps until Emily leaves for college
• 17 sleeps until high school fall sports practice starts, Ryan and Logan start kindergarten, and Em starts her first year at WSU
• 26 sleeps until Tori starts her junior year of high school
• 42 sleeps until Tori turns 16
• 44 sleeps until Hailey leaves for her second year at UW. 

(Sorry.  Old habits die hard.  My guys all have counted days by counting ‘sleeps’ when they are young, and since Ryan and Logan still count sleeps that tends to be how I think of things these days.)

Then there’s Brent.  Torn patellar tendon in his left knee but the doctor did NOT authorize a visit to the orthopedic surgeon.  Instead, he recommended that Brent be on ‘med boards’ which is basically completely restricted activity for 6 months.  After his med boards are up, he’ll have another visit with the dr. to determine if his knee is healing (no physical therapy or activity allowed during the 6 months).  If not, then they’ll consider a medical discharge.  Consider it.  Apparently, surgery is not something the US Marine Corps is willing to invest in to repair Brent’s 40% tear.  Frustrating for us; agony for Brent.  He is SO ready to move forward with something.  He’s been in medical rehab since mid-May and it’s killing him.

And my nephew Nicholas.  Told in April 2010 that his leukemia had relapsed days before his final follow up after his March 2009 bone marrow transplant, the doctors chose a wait and watch approach initially.  Wednesday Nick was admitted to the hospital to get his Hickman placed, and while he was sedated for the procedure, they did a bone marrow test.  Guess what?  He’s one sick puppy again.  The leukemia cells have exploded, and the treatment protocol they had originally intended to use had to be modified.  Now Nick will get a medication that has caused him to have significant problems with blood clots in the past. Plus blood thinner (that he can’t be on during transplant) and other meds in his ‘chemo cocktail,’ all in preparation for a second bone marrow transplant.  It’s tentatively scheduled for early September, but no definite date yet.  Too many variables in the equation.  And we won’t even TALK about the odds of success for a second bone marrow transplant.  :(  I remind myself often that God has numbered Nicholas’s days, and that He is in charge.  And that He is the God of miracles!

Tonight Jim and the girls are having a ‘daddy/daughter date night’ in lieu of the Dad/kids camping trip they usually take.  There was simply no way to fit that on the calendar this year.  Some summers are like that.  I’m glad that they get to spend some time together and look forward to later tonight when they are all off having fun and my dynamic duo is in bed for the night.  Ahhh…peace!  Quiet!  Solitude!  (and ironing. and all the other stuff I didn’t do during the day.

You know what?  I am glad that yesterday I got to spend a couple of hours snuggling a newborn.  It’s one of my very favorite things to do and something that I would gladly do any time, any day.   Maybe I should just borrow her tonight?  She and I can cuddle up and watch movies…hang the chores!  :)