A Really Good Day

Friday April 19, 2013
 

The day started with a trip to the hospital for labs then a  followup meeting with Harold's oncologist's. It’s always encouraging to talk with this good man. He is able to hear our concerns and put them in perspective. For example, Harold is experiencing increased fatigue and dizziness.  What does that signal? We learned that fatigue is a natural side effect of his ongoing chemotherapy treatments, and that dizziness and fatigue are also side effects of another necessary medication. Knowing the source doesn’t make the problem go away, but it’s easier to be patient when you understand.  

After performing a physical exam and reviewing the day's lab reports (which were absolutely normal) our doctor reconfirmed what he had stated at the beginning. “Harold, you are doing great!

We left the appointment feeling a sense of relief. It wasn’t the blind joy of early visits – we know there’s still a long way to go – but a reassurance that these latest physical challenges don’t signal we’re losing ground. They are expected temporary challenges.

The next big step is a brain surgery scheduled for May 2^nd. The removal of the enlarged tissue seen in the last MRI should relieve persistent balance issues and potentially alleviate the need for the medication causing problems. There are lots of reasons for hope.

We always go to doctor visits anticipating test results, knowing the news could change our lives. However this visit was upstaged by a whole different kind of anticipation. We were hungry for news of our daughter Megan who was at that moment in labor with her first child.  We left the hospital and immediately checked our cell phones.

Later that evening we were blessed by the arrival of Aubrey Kay Andersen, our beautiful new granddaughter. She is simply perfect in every way . . . and the perfect ending to a really good day.