God doesn't give us more than we can handle!

I want to thank all of you who have sent words of support and encouragement and apologize for not updating everyone sooner on how my parents are doing. I think I've been letting it all sink in.

Mom was discharged from the hospital last week and is physically doing very well. I think she gets tired, but is becoming stronger and steadier on her feet everyday. She will see the doctor again on Thursday and will hopefully be cleared to take a shower and wash her orange hair (from the iodine).

Dad's surgery was slightly delayed due to a mass that was found on the sonogram. The gall bladder surgery ended up being a full open surgery instead of the laproscopy that was originally planned. They removed the gall bladder and 18 inches of the small intestine which was cancerous. He is slowly recuperating from the surgery and was moved from the ICU to a regular room today. As of right now the path report on the cancer has not come back (a week later) to indicate what type of cancer. He was seen by the Physical Therapist and was up walking for the first time today. He's in room 115 at St. John's Hospital in Leavenworth.

Our neuro appointment last week went well. Melanie demonstrates more signs of Chiari than Kylie does (balance and incoordination) so she will be given an MRI next week. . but the neurologist doesn't seem to think it will show anything. Kylie's issues are more related to her overall low tone and some bloodwork was done for her, but no MRI. Tom took the whole day off work and we went to lunch and shopping after the appointment. It was a fun and much needed family day.

Although, Kylie was still a little under the weather on Thursday from her cough. She slept from 5:00 that evening until 7:30 the next morning. That night, Melanie woke up at 10:30 after vomiting in her bed and proceeded to be sick all that night. She missed school Friday but was better for the weekend until she started coughing on Saturday. She seemed fine by Monday morning so we sent her to school and I went to work. Soon the school nurse called and said she had a coughing episode as soon as she got off the bus and vomited in her classroom. Luckily Tom was able to get her while I finished my testing at work, then I came home to find her feeling pretty good with just occasional fits of coughing.

Kylie seemed back to normal yesterday except for a weird rash that had developed over her back and chest. She kept complaining that her back hurt and was up a couple of times during the night. The rash would go away for awhile and then return mysteriously. This morning, rash was gone and she was doing well and had a good appetite for breakfast. Then 5 minutes before she was leaving for school she complained her tights were hurting her stomach. I hoped for just tights that were getting too small and sent her off to school. Sure enough 1/2 hour later, Tom is calling me to tell me Kylie threw up at school. After some coordination he was able to pick her up and stay with her until I got home. He did a great job cleaning up the inside of his jeep, her sheets, mattress, clothes and her!

So, my friend Kim was able to visit my dad the other day and reported he looks good and is handling things well. The title of my blog today "God doesn't give us more than we can handle" comes from Kim. So, that is my mantra this week! Let's just hope Tom and I don't end up getting sick with the stomach bug (we've both been coughing already). Oh, and somewhere in all this the Red Sox won the World Series, right?

I will also continue to focus on the other positives. . .
Mom is doing well.
They found the cancer because of the gall bladder.
The girls aren't sick with anything serious.
Maybe we'll get all our sickness over with now and be free and clear all winter.