Stop and smell the roses

There are times when it appears as though the most insignificant thing becomes the most important event of the day. Living with a loved one who is fighting cancer can become almost routine at times and for me, at least, I get to the point where I need a shot of encouragement once in a while to help me get through my day.

As I have written before, Arnie gets a weekly blood test at the Oncology Center here in Maumee and those results have always been good -- well within the normal range. Well this morning, following the blood draw, he had an appointment scheduled with his Oncologist here, who wants to see him occasionally even though he is not treating him but wants to know how things are progressing.

Well the blood test was good - as before, but the significant thing was his visit with his Oncologist. Dr. Ritter receives the reports from CTCA so he is aware of scan results, blood test results and the chemo drugs that Arnie is on. He told him that he is doing very well. He said it is especially encouraging to see that CEA go down so dramatically. He told him that cancer in the bones is slow growing and slow leaving, so not to be surprised if the upcoming scan shows not much change because the chemo drugs react slowly to this type of cancer. Dr. Ritter recognized the rash on Arnie's face as a side effect of Erbitux. He also assured him that he and the oncology nurses are willing to do whatever they can for him, like the chemo treatments if it becomes more difficult to make the trips to CTCA, especially during the winter months. I respect Dr. Ritter for his willingness to have us go to a "top level cancer treatment center", which is how he phrased where we should go.

I have heard some of these comments before, but hearing them again at this time was especially encouraging to me. Sometimes I feel that we spend all our time either going to Zion or coming back, getting ready to make that trip, making preparations for Simba (my cat) while we are gone, making arrangements for someone to pick up our mail, etc, etc!! I am so glad that we have good neighbors who are willing to be there for us.

God has provided for us in every way and sometime I just have to stop and smell the roses!

Thanks to you who pray for us and email us and say those encouraging words to us! Thank you! Thank you! You have no idea how much all the means!

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers! May God bless and keep each of you!