Let me ‘splain…

…No, there is too much. Let me sum up. 

Realized I hadn’t updated the blog for a bit. But there’s a reason. Several actually, but the current is that after a fairly busy summer, and getting the kids settling back into the homeschool routine, our family is coming into a month that’s full of challenge.

But it starts with joy: both Josh and Maddie decided they wanted to be baptized, which was both unexpected and incredible. That’s happening Sunday, and I hope to have some pics to post afterward. But it gets even better: when I asked them who they wanted to baptize them, they both said they wanted me to do it…very humbling, and incredibly honored.  So proud of them.

A few days later things change.

Their grandfather (my father-in-law) is coming up from Portland to stay with us a few days, combined with some steps at the VA hospital in Seattle before beginning a certain cancer treatment that weekend. He has kidney cancer that has returned, metastasized, and is in the advanced stages.  The treatment he’ll be getting is a type of immunotherapy using high-dose Interleukin-2 (IL-2) that attempts to trigger the body to fight the cancer cells.

It’s a risky treatment…risky enough that patients are in ICU during treatment, and there’s a chance he may not leave the hospital. There’s also a chance it does nothing. However, the payoff is this: in a (small) number of patients, the cancer is completely eradicated, and in some, remission for years, even decades, later. (Both of those are in single-digit percentages).

Because of the risk, they want a family member present or nearby, in case medical decisions need to be made. We’ve made arrangements so JoAnn can be there with him as needed…but it means we’ll be without her for most of the three last weeks of the month.

The kids will have to buckle down a little more with school, and helping out a little more. I’ll need to try to work from home more as I am able, but also helping with school, cooking, cleaning, etc. 

So it’s not to say I don’t have things on my mind, and ideas for posts…I certainly do. It’s just that those are back-burner…

…No, there is too much. Let me sum up.  Realized I hadn’t updated the blog for a bit. But there’s a reason. Several actually, but the current is that after a fairly busy summer, and getting the kids settling back into the homeschool routine, our family is coming into a month that’s full of challenge. But…