3/30/2005 - Dearest Family and Friends
March 30, 2005
Dearest Family and Friends,
"Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful". Proverbs 27:6 These words were made real again to me on Saturday morning when my mentor and spiritual father scolded me very thoroughly for my neglect. Edwin, more than anyone else has taught me that the correction of God is a blessing and not something to be avoided. Because of Edwin I learned the importance of "speaking the truth in love".
After his telephone call and prayer I felt very loved and cherished. It has been far too long since I have given you an update on our current status and I ask your forgiveness. I truly do not take for granted your prayers. The comfort and encouragement I receive from knowing that you are praying are greater than words can describe.
Easter was glorious and truly "all creation awaits the coming of our Lord"; On Friday I had only one tulip in bloom, but on Sunday morning more than a dozen were blooming! My Bradford pear tree is white with blossoms and my purple hyacinths and yellow jonquils brighten my whole front yard.
March has been a busy month and seems to have flown by. Don's last blood test was in January, so we asked the hospice nurse to submit another one to Dr. Cohen, just to give us some understanding of what was happening, if anything. Don has both good and bad days, but even the bad days are just fatigue and lethargy. He is not in any pain.
Twice attempts were made by the nurse to draw blood, but the only thing that happened was Don got big bruises on his arm. On March 16 he awoke around 5:00 am and was vomiting for almost 3 hours. He could not even keep his anti-nausea medicine and a swallow of water down. Finally, a suppository relieved the vomiting and he was able to rest. He slept much of that day and on Thursday he went to Kirklin clinic and gave a sample of blood. He was scheduled to see Dr. Cohen afterward, but did not want to miss the Alabama-Kentucky basketball game, so he came home and talked via phone to the doctor that afternoon. The blood showed no elevated white count (no infection), so the doctor didn't really know why Don became so ill so quickly.
There has been no significant change in the status of his kidneys, they are functioning quite well. We were disappointed to learn that the anemia had not improved, and it is the anemia that causes the nausea.
I was feeling rather smug about my own health (it is very good) until Tuesday, March 22, when I woke up early and began vomiting. I spent the next two days in bed and had a fever on Tuesday. I can't remember the last time I was so sick! I returned to work on Thursday, but was rather listless and weak much of the day. Fortunately I am now fully recovered.
Don had said in early November that he wanted a new recliner, but we decided it would not be a good idea to purchase one if he was not going to be here to use it. Since then he has had another birthday and we celebrated our 21st. wedding anniversary in January. So we went looking for one and found one that he likes, but since Saturday afternoon (March 26), Don has not felt very well. He has a low grade fever and no energy.
God is so faithful, and we have great peace as we walk through this time. God has obviously extended Don's life from the timeline the doctors gave us, but we don't know for how long. Living in a state of expectancy may be easier for women than men, since pregnancy prepares us for waiting. Doctors still haven't figured out what it is that triggers labor, so their predicted delivery date is just a "best guess".
Don and I have discussed various scenarios, and we know that my presence or absence will not effect the time God has written in his book (Psalm 139:16). I have returned to working and traveling. Isaiah 26:3 promises that God "will keep in perfect peace him (or her) whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in God." God's peace and joy are my strength each day.
Don prays often and daily that his life and death will glorify God, and each day we find even more things for which we give thanks. Truly we have been most blessed to have been born here in the United States. We are also immensely blessed by having been exposed to God's Word since early childhood. By God's mercy and grace, we were given a sure foundation in Truth, and we have often wondered why we were given such riches while multitudes have died and are dying without knowing Jesus.
Again, we appreciate your love and prayers. I have made myself a task reminder to write a brief update every 2 weeks, or sooner if changes occur, and to write more fully at least once a month. Please feel free to call Don at home (afternoon is good), and write as time permits. We rejoice daily, you have made us rich in love in Christ Jesus, marykay
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