Getting out of the Hospital

My mother should be getting out of the hospital on Friday and hopefully things will settle down a bit. She caught a cold that turned into bronchitis and sent her to the hospital on Monday. Once again, it has been a wild ride, with appointments, and medications, and lovely side effects. I can't believe that our country spends billions on cancer and we still can't really beat it. We are getting better at it and thank goodness for that, but I know the world will rejoice when we can eradicate this awful demon altogether. Thank you to all of you who have called or emailed me about Mom's condition. I may not always be able to respond, but it really does help to hear such feeling in your voice. I can't say thank you enough. I am doing my best to take care of me and my growing belly and it helps to know you all are there.

Gearing Up For Another Week

Today is a beautiful spring day! The jasmine is starting to bloom, as is the pittosporum shrub, and the air is perfumed with all these wonderful smells. It is a perfect day to recharge the batteries and get ready for another week. I did not realize how much I needed a day to do this. Our lives today get so busy with everything, that I think sometimes, your spirit just gets tired. I didn't have the energy to do any of my "normal" activities, even the ones that usually cheer me up. I haven't touched wet clay in a while, ever since we found out about Mom's cancer. I did manage to run the kiln though, so I do have a few new glazed items that I can take to Charleston Crafts. That will be good. My Mom has now been through 6 radiation treatments to the brain and is just starting to see some hair loss. A few hairs in the brush is all, but it is starting. I think that is so hard for anybody, man or woman, to lose their hair so suddenly like that. I just hope she is able to keep her eyebrows and eyelashes for a little longer. I know the chemo will claim those eventually, but for now, I would love for her to keep those. I have started my third trimester in my pregnancy, as of today, and I need to take some new photos to post on here. I'll see if I can do that in the next few days for you guys. This is such a bittersweet time for me right now, with the baby coming in a couple of months and my mom being sick. There is so much to be done, and not enough energy or drive to do it. I do want to try to get back into the clay this week. I know that I have orders to fill and galleries waiting on deliveries. I will let all of you know where I get started on all that. Everyone take care of yourselves and stay healthy.

You never think it could happen to you..

Well, last week, we got some terrible news about my mother's health. You never think it could happen to you or your family, but she was diagnosed with metastatic cancer of the lungs. I can't believe it. My mother, who is never sick, has cancer. It all started with that trip to Tampa for the Gasparilla Art Festival, she started having symptoms there, but those sort of went away. Her symptoms would come and go, and seemed to be so strange and intermittent. Then, last week, she started having serious headaches (she never gets headaches) and nausea, and I took her to the ER. The admitted her immediately and started testing with CT scans and MRIs. Turns out the news is pretty bad. It started out as lung cancer, and has spread to the brain and adrenal glands. We've been in and out of doctors' offices ever since. She started her radiation last Friday and hopefully that will help her headaches and some of the other symptoms. I'm sure it will give her new ones, as well. This is why I haven't posted in a while, as we've been a little busy with appointments. I haven't been doing much pottery or sculpture in the past two weeks, as I have been dealing with so many conflicting emotions. Maybe I can get back to it before too long. Sculpting has always been therapeutic for me. My pregnancy has become so bittersweet for me right now. I want my mother here to meet the little one and watch her grow up. I don't know if that is in our future. Anyone else find themselves in a situation like this?? How did I get here??