Counting sheep

Just a quick note: Mom really needs to catch up on sleep today, so if you're thinking of stopping by to visit, please hold off until tomorrow. Her treatment and therapy schedule changes daily, so please do text one of us beforehand so that we know you're coming. We'll let you know whether it's a good time. Thanks!

Hazy, lazy Sunday

The wisest are the most annoyed at the loss of time. ― Dante Alighieri

It was a quiet Sunday at Harris Methodist HEB. Mom had one radiation treatment on Friday, and we were all nervous but happy that she was beginning treatment aimed at kicking back this awful disease. But the hospital runs with fewer staff on the weekends and, since they want everyone around during radiation in case a patient has a serious adverse reaction, no radiation was scheduled for Saturday or Sunday even though the oncologist felt Mom was sick enough to warrant starting radiation weeks earlier than they would otherwise. (Normally they would wait until her head had healed from the surgery, since radiation can slow the healing process.)

The wait is frustrating for Mom, and it strikes us as odd that a hospital would have fewer staff on the weekends. There aren't fewer sick patients, are there? Not judging by the waiting room anyway.

So yesterday and today, poor Mom had to just sit and wait for Monday, so she could resume forward progress and feel like she was doing something about this thing. Sitting and waiting does not come naturally to our Mom - not unless she's sitting on a patio in sunny Napa Valley and waiting for someone to pop open a bottle of Syrah. Instead, she's reclining in a bed that inflates and deflates every few seconds, facing the same view she's seen for days, too tired to enjoy any of the diversions we try to bring into the room. (Syrah not included, sadly.)

Many of her medicines (steroids and Temodar, in particular) have the side effects of heightening emotions and causing insomnia. She's more emotional than last week, and no one sleeps well in the ICU. The only thing that seems to help is surrounding her with family, hugs, and assurances that we all know she's strong and can fight this thing.

Today I reminded her:

"If you can teach a bunch of rowdy eighth graders, you can do this. If you can inspire a kid facing so many challenges to rise above and see his own potential, you can beat this thing. It just will take time."

She sighed, nodded and seemed a little calmer. As one of her nurses said, it's okay to be sad, but she also needs to get a little mad and determined to push as hard as she can and get back what this stupid cancer has taken away from her. She can do it.

Kindred souls

Beverly, Lisa, Robin and Barbara

Nancy and Alicia

The Worrell-Berg-Mack-Probasco clans were camped out in the waiting area as usual today, and our spirits were bolstered by visits and treats from many of our wonderful friends.

• Ed and Arden Mack, Peter's parents, came by and brought us all bracelets that say "God is big enough." Mom loves hers (and stole it off Jennifer's wrist to put on her own.)
• Randy McLaughlin, Mom and Dad's good friend and long-time wine expert, and his wife
• The NRMS crew: Barbara Hargrove, Nancy Kirkland, Beverly Barfield, Lisa Edmonds, and Robin Thomas, who brought us girls a spa basket of treats so we can continue to make Mom's stay in the ICU as spa-like as possible (and maybe ours too!)
• The wonderful Sharma family - friends of Mom and Dad's for more than 20 years - brought a delicious and nourishing dinner.

Thanks so much for your continued prayers and support! It's truly humbling to know we have such a loving community here to help us and Mom get through these awful times and reach for better days ahead.

Day Six

Mom's feeling really tired today. If you'd like to stop by and visit (and she'd love to see you), please call us first to make sure she's not sleeping. We welcome calls, emails and texts - the outpouring of support has been fantastic and uplifting.

Sara's cell: 650-485-9211

The love floods in

Mom's "other daughter" and fellow teacher Mary Thornton.

Daddy spent Sunday night with Mom in her hospital room, holding her hand and watching "Downton Abbey" on PBS. Being in a hospital gives us free rein to indulge in guilty pleasures, like soapy British television, endless cups of chai tea latte from Starbucks, and cherry limeades and tater tots from Sonic. Best-case scenario at the end of this adventure, we'll be minus one brain tumor and plus ten pounds (each).

We're amazed and grateful for all the love flooding Mom's way, from family to friends and colleagues. We even have visitors to the blog from countries all over the world, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, Uruguay, Germany and Israel. Mom loves the comments and jokes. Keep them coming! They bring welcome smiles to all of us.

In person, Mom has seen several visitors over the weekend and today, and we started trying to take notes on who's visited and take a photo of each. Your prayers and kindness are much appreciated and lift her spirits up high.

What we know

The mass in Mom's brain is about an inch all the way around (1"x1"x1"). That's about the side of your pinky finger from the middle to top knuckle. It's on the left side and near the surface, which the doctor says is great news for the biopsy because it will be easier to reach.

The biopsy has yet to be scheduled because the OR is currently booked. (Someone needs to tell those other sick people to back off, so we can get this show on the road.)

In the meantime, the steroids are doing their job well, and Mom's motor abilities and language are much better than they were on Friday or Saturday. Today she had a little trouble verbalizing her SSN, but she could write it down clearly. She also signed her name, which she wasn't able to do on Friday. We cheer her on every time she shows improvement.

If there's no biopsy tomorrow, please feel free to stop by or call and visit. (Thanks for keeping visits fairly short so that she has some time to rest; it's remarkable how often nurses and doctors stop by for this test or that, and therefore Mom has had only short periods of sleep since Friday.) We'll let you know here and on Facebook once the biopsy is scheduled.

A thank-you to friends

We'll have a big job of writing thank-you notes after this adventure, because so many family and friends have sent their best wishes. Mom has a room full of beautiful flowers, bears and cards, and today she was entertained by a regular stream of visitors.

Anne Darr and Mom, wearing a prayer shawl handmade by Anne's mother-in-law.

There's a lot of paperwork in hospitals.

Cute little Eric visits his friend Judy.

Mom reads a letter from one of her students.

She was tickled by the card featuring a sketch of her brain.

Get-well cards from students in Mom's 8th-period class.

God sent us a beautiful Texas sunset.