Here We Go Again

It's official...summer is over. I'm still not sure how I feel about that. One might think that we would be thrilled to get this summer behind us, but I'm actually a little sad to see it go. I wouldn't say that it ranked anywhere near my top 10 summers, but it did have its value. We had some amazing experiences that forever changed us, and I'm grateful that Nate and our family made it through in one piece...well mostly in one piece. I tried to get Nate a shirt that said, "I left my gall bladder, spleen, and omentum in Massachusetts", but the gift shop was sold out.

Since our summer with the kids was cut so short, I wasn't ready for them to start school last week. I miss them! Seth started Junior High, Emma's in 5th, Sam's in 2nd, and our baby Sydney started Kindergarten! Before school started, we were able to squeeze some fun into what summer we did have. We took our trailer out camping to the Uintas over Labor Day with some friends and had a great time! We cooked over the fire, rode bikes, and all the kids caught fish! Seth's taken up a new hobby of knife throwing (gulp), Emma practiced her archery skills, Sydney finally learned how to ride her bike without training wheels, and Sam got addicted to fishing. Nate and I are grateful to share our love of camping and the outdoors with our kids. 

This moose wandered into camp for a closer look.

Last Tuesday, Nate had a CT scan and an appointment with his Surgical Oncologist. The scan looked really good. It showed that Nate's abdominal cavity is healing well, his organs are settling into the void spaces where his gall bladder and spleen used to be, and his abscess was gone! Because of this, his surgeon was able to remove his wound drain. Nate said it was pretty painful, but he was so relieved to have it out! It's good to see the equipment go...one less thing for Nate to worry about.

Since the drain was removed, it's time for the systemic chemotherapy to begin. Yeah! Can you hear the enthusiasm in my voice? It's weird to have something like chemo to look forward to, but I'm learning to look at it as one more step closer to being done with treatment. Nate is, of course, ever the optimist. He isn't worried about the chemo or the side effects, and still has a sunny outlook. In fact, he's planning to drive to Jackson Hole tomorrow for a work conference (yes, I agreed...against my better judgement and high levels of anxiety). I actually think it will be really good for him to do something by himself, even if I have to go through withdrawal! You can't blame me though, I got to spend an entire summer with my best friend and now he thinks he can run off to Jackson? I knew this day would come :). In all seriousness, he's an amazing example to me, and I continue to learn from his example. I can only hope that if I'm ever faced with something like this, I'll be able to endure as well as he does.

Nate is still bringing home the bacon. We remain grateful for a supportive work situation.

So, here we go again. We're back in the Infusion Clinic at IMC starting Nate's first of six rounds of chemo. The chemo is another colon cancer regimen and is similar to the Folfox he was on before. One drug is switched out for another and has some different side effects. Abdominal cramping, dehydration, and hair loss are what he's trading for the numbness and tingling with the Folfox. The timing will be the same. Every two weeks (Mondays for now), Nate will start a new round. We stay at the Infusion Clinic for 4 to 5 hours while the anti-nausea meds and two of the three chemo drugs infuse. Before we leave, they hook him up to a pump that will continue to infuse the third drug over the next 46 hours. Since Nate will be in Jackson when the infusion is complete, our nurse will show him how to disconnect himself from the pump, and flush his port line. Chemo and a new skill, what a deal! 

The kids and I pray daily that Nate will be able to endure the chemo as well as he did last time. He still has quite a bit of weight to gain, but he's getting stronger every day. He's tired of taking pills all the time, but true to his character, he remains compliant. He really is a model patient! I love this man. He's the bright side to my day, and I'm grateful for the blessing that he is.

I'm also grateful for our good friends and family who stand at the ready in case we need anything. From an understanding employer, to friends who watch my kids, bring us dinners, send texts of encouragement, and put up with my spaciness, I know we are blessed beyond measure. I'm grateful for my ever changing perspective, and recognize that there is no way we could do this alone. I'm learning to rely on other people, and am thankful for the blessings I have. There are miracles all around us, and I'm glad my eyes are open to them. I only wish I'd learned to recognize them before all of this began, because now I realize that they happen every day. Here's to our miracles, and to yours!