It's a Marathon, Not a Sprint

Whew. Today was a marathon at the hospital. Jen was in an infusion room for right at 10 solid hours. I dropped out early and came on home to clean and get supper ready. I always have been more of a sprinter anyway....

Jennifer had an appointment this morning to have her lab work done and the results came back showing her platelet count was down to zero. Nothing to be too alarmed about but it definitely required a blood transfusion that took up the morning and most of the afternoon. Around 3:30, when the transfusion was complete, more blood work was done and her counts were up to 16,000 (mine are around 250,000 if that helps with the perspective). She and Matt really wanted to see them up to about 20,000 to prevent a potential weekend ER visit.

These days, a lot of her time is being spent waiting. Waiting on lab work. Waiting on the transfusion. Waiting on the doctor to call. Waiting for the next round of chemo. Waiting to see how it will effect her. Waiting for the transplant...

It's been a pretty good week here in Nashville... She went in to the hospital early on both Monday and Wednesday to have her routine lab work done. On Wednesday, after the hospital visit, she and I went to Whole Foods where she picked out a turkey for Thanksgiving and got some cooking supplies to brine it with- a new technique she's going to try this year. (Jennifer loves to cook, coming from a long line of excellent cooks.) After that, we stopped in the Whole Body store- love that place- where she found a comfy hoodie and some bubble bath. We hopped in the car and drove to Target to find her some cute 'lounge wear' for her hospital visits. Then we headed home, and she kept me company while I made spaghetti for supper.

We've been running errands like this and busying ourselves around the house all week. Once, while we were putting together chicken enchiladas, there were a few minutes where I totally forgot her illness, the hospital, the doctors, the medicine. Forgot that she rides in a wheelchair around stores. Forgot that she is spending more and more time these days considering wig styles and colors. And it was just her and me in the kitchen and, for a moment, all of that was a world away. Don't know what brought me back to reality but I came back just the same. And now here we are, at the end of this week, and I'm thinking back over all the lovely reality that has occurred since Tuesday, and I'm thinking over some things that she's said...

"Thank you for coming up here."

"This is giving me perspective. I want a simple life. I don't care what the world thinks."

"They really are taking such good care of me." 

"We have the world's best mother."

"Let's go get some cute clothes for me to go to my appointments in. It'll make me feel better to get dressed and look nice, don't you think?"
 
"I don't know what I would do if you couldn't come."

"How will I ever repay you?..."

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you..."

Grateful. Humble. Tender. Kind. And the greatest marathoner in the world.

Prayerful Ponderings:
Please pray that Jen's platelet count will rise, specifically without having to receive any more transfusions. Please pray that Jennifer will continue to resist infection. We have so much to be thankful for and as Thanksgiving is drawing near, join us in giving thanks for Jen's progress.

The Vandy Verse:
I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:14