Logan and Aunt Casey, photo courtesy of Casey’s Facebook page
Blood Counts Drive Treatment
Since leaving the hospital, Logan has had several blood tests. These tests measure blood counts to determine whether his body has recovered enough to start round 5 of chemotherapy. It has not. Logan’s last blood test on Monday showed again that his absolute neutrophil count (ANC) was not high enough. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cells which kill bacteria. And the ANC is an estimate of the body’s ability to fight bacterial infections. So, we wait.
Logan’s little body has been battered by 4 rounds of chemotherapy to kill leukemia cells. The good news is that the chemotherapy has worked. Logan has been in remission since after the first round. But the leukemia treatment protocol advises 5 chemo rounds. Some of the chemicals are the same each round. Some are different and seek out and attack the leukemia in different ways and in different areas of the body – think in the brain, for example. The 5-round chemo protocol has been learned through both research and through the treatment of all the leukemia patients that have come before Logan.
Next Admission
Of course, the chemotherapy kills much more than that leukemia cells. It kills normal blood cells, blood cells like ANC which fight infection. Each round of chemo further harms Logan’s body and makes his successive recovery more difficult and take longer. Hence the wait for round 5 to begin. Right now Logan has an appointment for Monday, February 21 to be admitted for the last round of chemo to begin.
With each day of recovery away from the hospital Logan gets stronger and happier, and that makes us happy. The joyful picture above is from Logan’s stay at his Aunt Casey’s and Uncle Chris’ home. Donna and I see strength and personality improve via FaceTime calls and Facebook posts. We miss Logan and Austin and Amanda, and are plotting our safe return to be with them. It will be when Logan is in the hospital during round 5. And while we do not look forward to seeing the treatment’s impact on Logan, we long to hold him.
Morning FaceTime from Casey & Chris’ with Logan, AJ, and Big John
Logan and Amanda and AJ were discharged from the hospital on Wednesday evening this past week. Logan’s blood count recovery came quickly, about 7 days sooner than expected. And so Aunt Casey and Uncle Chris are comfortably hosting them in their home. I know that Amanda and AJ and Logan are all grateful to be gone from the hospital for a while.
Discharge Day
Day of discharge was a frustrating day of waiting. Logan’s blood counts began stabilizing and rising last weekend, so it was just a matter of time. His machine-read counts early on Wednesday morning were high enough for the discharge. But then the human-read counts were much lower throwing discharge into question. So the doctor asked to re-draw blood for another count, and wanted to wait until 4pm to allow Logan’s body a bit more time to recover. Complicating all this was a winter storm looming for that evening. Freezing rain, sleet and snow were forecast, sure to make driving on Thursday or Friday impossible. And that turned out to be true. No discharge on Wednesday would have meant a Saturday discharge as the roads were dangerous on Thursday and Friday.
Leaving
Around 6pm on Wednesday the new blood counts confirmed discharge. So began the mad scramble to beat the freezing rain. AJ had already packed everything – which meant that there was precious little to do in the hospital all day except to wait. On the discharge greenlight, grandparents Kim and Mike headed to the hospital to help retrieve them and their belongings. Amanda drove one car with Kim in the back seat accompanying Logan so he did not remove his feeding tube. AJ drove their other car which was packed. And Mike retrieved the large Yeti cooler which has been a constant during the hospital stay (Thank you to Katy and Steve for the loan!)
Recent pictures and video from Facebook have shown a happy and quite active Logan playing at his Aunt and Uncle’s home. So, so great to see. The pic on this post is from this morning’s FaceTime call. Re-admission is next week Wednesday for the home stretch of chemo, Round 5. And they are all ready for the chemo treatments to be completed.
Breaking Quarantine
With this discharge, Donna and I broke our quarantine to allow us to visit with the rest of the family and with friends. I have previously written about how difficult this is. We went into quarantine on December 28, 5 weeks ago. We struggle with the letting go of both visiting with Logan and helping Amanda and AJ. And at the same time we yearn to be with others including our grandson Griffin. There is no good solution to this. This past week, Donna said, “I hate this. It’s like we have to choose between our grandsons.” Fact is, we are choosing, each time. Though it might be called balancing, it feels like failure.
And while it seems that Donna and I are in the middle of Logan’s leukemia treatment, even we as grandparents are on the edge. In the very center of it, every day, are Amanda and AJ. Focused on Logan and his care and keeping him safe, they are doing a wonderful job. And what they do is unseen by most. I can tell you that their teamwork, patience and commitment are extraordinary. Please continue to pray for this little family as they are about to start the last round of this chemotherapy protocol.
Big John with Logan, and Logan wondering what the hell Big John is doing
Update – A Tough Week
When coworkers and neighbors ask “How’s Logan doing?,” my recent reply has been “Great! He is waiting for his blood counts to recover.” And that is true. However, there is a reason that Logan remains in the hospital with Amanda and AJ by his side. He is being treated for leukemia and that is no joke. And while the concern and interest of everyone is so appreciated, I am uncertain whether people really want to know details.
At this point in Round 4 Chemo Logan has no immune system. His red blood and platelet counts are super low and he is supplemented with blood and platelet transfusions as needed. And we can tell when he needs blood when you just look at him and see his eyes. Are they big and bright? And is he lively and playful? If no, blood is needed.
As for platelets, it was super-obvious this week that Logan needed them when he was walking and bumped his mouth against the cooler. Just a little bump resulted in non-stop bleeding from his gums. (Without platelets, coagulation is difficult…) We FaceTimed while he was still bleeding, and Amanda and AJ and nurse were working to help him out. Logan’s red blood count noticeably dropped from that day to the next, and the blood was ordered.
After he receives those transfusions, he is a different little guy. Alert and energetic.
“As Needed”
Previous posts have discussed the need for blood and platelet donations. Nothing has changed – still needed. And while I wrote above that blood and platelets transfusions are ordered “as needed” and as blood counts demand, the staff is ordering them “judiciously” (in the words of a nurse) because of blood product supply concerns. Logan likely should have received a platelet transfusion before the bloodletting episode. So once again, if you can donate, please do so. There is a cancer patient (and their family) praying that you do.
The Picture
I have pictures of a weary-looking Logan with blood-caked lips but I thought maybe that was too much to share. (You are welcome.) But a week or so ago I took a pic of me and Logan with the cover of a book that Aunt Bridget made for Logan while in the hospital. The book has pictures of his parents and grandparents and aunts/uncles/cousins to supplement FaceTime calls. He loves it.
Of course, Logan’s cover picture on the book is pre-diagnosis. The story that the picture above in the blog tells is pretty clear. Cancer treatment sucks and has side effects which are evident.
Logan and family are looking forward to his blood counts recovering the next week or two so they can get a much-needed break from the hospital.
The long and boring process continues of Logan’s blood counts dropping to zero, and then rebuilding themselves. When his red blood counts drop to zero, Logan has no immune system, and his blood cannot deliver the oxygen around the body as it needs. And without platelets, he is prone to bruising and is unable to clot should he bleed. So, Logan stays in the hospital room in as safe an environment as there can be, and those who visit are very careful when out in the world. Logan is happy and playing and sleeping a bit better for Amanda and AJ. In the picture Logan is just waking up from a nap, so he looks a bit drowsy.
Whole Blood & Platelets
Now is the time when Logan and other cancer patients need whole blood transfusions and platelet transfusions. COVID has seriously reduced the ability of donors to provide these life-giving gifts. Also, the blood donation centers are struggling to fully staff the centers. My phlebotomist mentioned that she was supposed to get off earlier in the afternoon but was unable to leave because she was trained on the platelet machine and others were not. So much has supply diminished that Logan needed platelets on Friday, and there were none to give. Thankfully Logan received platelets on Saturday evening.
It is frustrating to me that patients such as Logan cannot receive what they need when they need it. It is up to us, all of us healthy and able to donate, to do so. I know that when I wrote about this in a previous blog post, some readers acted and scheduled a donation. Thank you for that. Writing the obvious, there is only one place that blood and platelet donations originate, and that is from fellow humans.
My Platelets?
I donated platelets on Friday. It is possible that my O+ platelets ended up in Logan’s O+ body. Even more possible when you consider that platelets are only viable for 5 days after donation – they had to go somewhere, soon and nearby. That possibility is just heartwarming to me and makes me grateful to have been a donor for decades. But truth be told, most of my donations have been whole blood. So much easier and quicker to donate. A whole blood donation takes less than 10 minutes while a platelet donation was just under two hours. Yep, two hours.
Now personally motivated, I am scheduled to donate platelets again on January 28 as you may donate every 14 days. This is much more often that the every-56-days for a whole blood donation. So, with a 2-hour donation time every 14 days I know that I am not selling the idea of platelet donation very well. Need motivation? Look at the picture of Logan and Mimi.
Thank you all for your prayers and your support. Both desperately needed and lovingly appreciated.
Chris, Casey and Logan at the hospital. (Selfie snagged off Casey’s Facebook page)
Update – Round 4 infusions complete
Logan completed his round 4 chemo infusions yesterday. Thankfully the infusions are over, as this was a particularly difficult round for him. Two chemo drugs were administered and they overlapped for a couple of tough days. One of the drugs was super-nasty for Logan to endure. He is expected to stay in the hospital for about 40 days total for round 4 which means about 33 more days. Donna and I were with Logan yesterday morning when the oncologist visited. He noted that the “long and boring” wait is beginning for Logan’s immune system to bottom out and recover. “And we like long and boring,” the doctor said.
Logan is already seeming his old self, with a smile every now and then. The real Logan has been buried under toxic drugs, and we are grateful to see him reemerging. He is beginning to eat solid food again after several days of not. Logan even rejected a cinnamon roll several days ago. You know a child is ill when they turn their nose up at a cinnamon roll.
Big John’s Visit
Peaceful Logan sleeping with Big John
My cold symptoms finally disappeared, and so both Donna and I were able to visit with Logan yesterday. Different that Donna’s first visit earlier this week, Logan accepted me from the start upon my return. Again, an indicator that he was just not doing well earlier in the week with the strong chemo drugs.
Donna and I arrived on Saturday morning so Amanda and AJ could leave the hospital. We were able to play and nap with Logan. On Saturday he slept peacefully during his morning nap. Much different than what Donna experienced early in the week when Logan was sleeping fitfully and moaning – literally moaning – during his sleep. So resilient Logan is, as I imagine all the kids with cancer fighting through treatment.
Chris and Casey
Amanda and AJ have been successful in their desire to have a family member with Logan all the time while he is hospitalized. Round 1 was all Amanda and A.J., a difficult and stressful task. Since round 2 began, Logan has seen a team of family members visit, those who are able to quarantine. I have written about my and Donna’s visits, as well as the visits of Amanda’s parents Kim and Mike. We try and be available when the other set of grandparents are not. Other family members in town have work obligations that make quarantining and visiting the hospital impossible. However, Amanda’s brother Chris’ and his wife Casey’s work and home circumstances have allowed them to remain quarantined. Their support has been awe-inspiring.
While the grandparents are happy to visit the hospital during the day, Chris and Casey have taken shifts over Saturday night! Like yesterday arriving early Saturday afternoon to take over from me and Donna and then leaving today on Sunday afternoon. These sleepovers are on top of coming for a few hours an evening or two during the week. What I believe Amanda and AJ most need now is sleep and the downtime that accompanies it. And Chris and Casey providing a 24-hour respite from the hospital is the absolute best gift that can be given. Donna and I are incredibly grateful for these huge gestures of love and time. Thank you, Chris and Casey!
Logan started Chemo Round 4 this Monday, January 3 and the chemicals quickly impacted him. His typically happy mood is rare these days, and his smiles are infrequent. Logan just doesn’t feel well. He’s tired. And with the treatment, nausea from the chemicals have him vomiting once or twice a day. As I have written in the past, anything that leaves Logan’s body during chemo is chemo-laced. So, chemo poo, chemo pee, and chemo vomit. When Logan vomits, that means cleaning – everything. Logan needs his skin washed. All clothing and bedding need to be washed. AJ and/or Amanda need to shower. And when it happens at night, well, then, that’s a lot of activity as the rest of us sleep.
Mimi & Big John at the hospital
Donna and I have quarantined and tested negative for COVID, so we are clear to help out at the hospital . Kinda. I have been sick with a cold for the past week. The Teladoc virtual doctor yesterday was emphatic that I was to not go near the hospital until my symptoms are gone. A couple of days more, methinks, before I can actually go to work (and mask up) and be able to visit the hospital to hang with Logan.
But Donna returned to the hospital and spent part of yesterday and today there with Logan. With Amanda working (remote while in the hospital room) and AJ up at night, Donna’s visits allow AJ to come to our home, wash chemo-soaked clothing and bedding, and sleep. He needs it. He started a load of laundry today then was down for 3+ hours. When he woke AJ noted that he had been awake since 2am.
I write the above to describe what is happening, to give a sense of what is experienced with chemotherapy treatments. It is substantial, as it is for every person and family with cancer. Yes, Logan is in remission and that is awesome. But going through each chemo round is a struggle. A struggle for Logan, and a struggle for his parents Amanda and A.J. Please pray for them.
Logan on New Years Day FaceTime with Big John and Mimi
Update
Logan and Amanda and AJ are enjoying a wonderful & long New Year’s week break from the hospital. Discharged last Tuesday, the week is being spent at Amanda’s brother Chris’ and his wife Casey’s home. Round 3 of chemotherapy is complete, and round 4 begins Monday morning. Past the halfway mark on this cancer fighting journey, and the end is in sight! Casey and Chris are wonderful hosts and it is joyful for us to see the love that continues to surround Logan. Amanda’s parents Kim and Mike have been able to visit daily, making it a complete family fun time.
If you have seen any social media pics Logan is now, fully, walking. He was walking a bit – 10 steps or so – during his break between rounds 2 & 3, but now that he has been unleashed again from the 6 foot by 6 foot toddler-containing inflatable pool, Logan is clearly on a mission. Great to see!
Medical issues, of course, are a constant. Early during this week’s hospital break they received word that a blood test showed a too-high level of Logan’s antifungal. Back to the hospital they went, for an unscheduled blood test to validate the concern or deny it. Luckily the drug’s level dropped from the 5-times-higher-then-it-was-supposed-to-be to an acceptable level. The concern? This drug that is supposed to keep Logan from a fungal infection could harm his liver and/or kidneys if at too high a level. Remember this is serious business, and all drugs are poison at too high a level.
Amanda and AJ’s Home Build
Amanda and AJ’s home that is being built in Arlington is a parallel story to this cancer fight. They sold their previous home in Dallas quickly, and their new home is taking about a year to build. Before Logan’s diagnosis Kim and Mike were hosting the temporarily-homeless family in their Bedford home. Now every week AJ and Amanda receive house-build updates as walls go up, electrical is installed and windows enclose the structure. The completion of Logan’s cancer treatment may occur at just about the same time the home is ready. A really, really fresh start would be wonderful, post-chemotherapy in a new home.
Choosing
Griffin taking a glow-stick bath at Mimi & Big John’s home
Donna and I have not seen Logan in person for some time, as we made the decision to unquarantine for the Christmas holidays so we could celebrate with family and friends. I must tell you that this is harder than I thought it would be because we want to see both Logan and Griffin. We do not like choosing.
I know, know, there are many grandparents who because of distance or other reasons cannot see their grandchildren on a regular basis. But both these boys are here, in this town, minutes away. And whether we like it or not each time we choose to quarantine for Logan, Griffin is left out along other family and friends. And when we choose to unquarantine, Logan is left out. I find it agonizing, and yet I believe we are doing a pretty good job of it.
Balance
The Christmas season has been both joyful and unconventional. The Arboretum holiday lights were visited twice. Once with Amanda and AJ and Logan during their earlier break between rounds 2 & 3. And then later with Jeff, Alexis, Bridget, Connor and Griffin. The Dallas Zoo lights were also visited twice. 2021 was just not the year for large family holiday outings. And for us it was about more than the pandemic. Now, we all could not fit in a car together to see the zoo lights in one trip. But Donna and I could sure take grandsons together next year. (All the parents can go have a drink while Mimi and Big go to the zoo lights with the boys. Griffin and Logan have not been able to “be cousins” since treatment began.)
Amanda’s parents Kim and Mike are also balancing things as best they can. Kim helps her elderly parents a great deal, taking them to doctor’s appointments amongst other things. Over the Christmas holidays, Kim and Mike have been visiting with Logan and family. That meant they chose to not be with Kim’s parents. But now Kim and Mike need to unquarantine so that Kim can return to helping her parents.
Kim and Mike’s need to unquarantine prompted Donna and me to begin our quarantine last Tuesday. We both have COVID tests scheduled on Tuesday this week which will allow us to return to seeing Logan and Amanda and AJ. Choreography is needed so that we can all help – and most importantly keep Logan free from infection. I am grateful for Kim and Mike, and to Chris and Casey, for their wonderful support.
Please continue to keep Logan and his parents Amanda and AJ in your prayers as this journey continues. Happy New Year – we intend ours to be!
Christmas 2021 via FaceTime and windows – literally windows
Logan Update
Merry Christmas, though I am not all that merry. I woke up concerned for Logan as our FaceTime call last night had him fussy and not in a great mood. So as I begin to write this very early on Christmas morning, I am waiting for a call to see how he is feeling today. Teething could be the culprit. Or maybe his anti-fungal med called Vouri (spelling?) which causes him discomfort. (That med is transitioning to oral delivery as Logan’s discharge is anticipated soon. So this change may be impacting him.) Or maybe he along with Amanda and AJ are just tired of the hospital. Whatever the reason, he was not his normal happy self, so that concerns me.
Update: We received my morning FaceTime call on Christmas day, and Logan is doing well. Not quite awake, but certainly feeling better than last night. And so Big John is a bit merrier. Logan’s white blood cell count is still at zero, meaning a few more days in the hospital. We were all optimistic that Logan might have been out by Christmas because of his fast recovery after round 2. But the fact is the “typical” rebound after this 3rd chemo round would have him released mid-next week. So, things are as they are, and Logan will be released when he has an immune system to protect him.
COVID
Our tradition for years has been to celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve. Sadly, Kevin remained in Florida this year as he just recovered from COVID. His girlfriend Sydney then got COVID, and so she is still feeling the effects. We shipped gifts and used FaceTime while we gathered in Texas last night. Recently I have heard of numerous others who have had COVID, and this surprises me. It took 18 months into a pandemic to hit close to home. My Uncle Mike and his daughter Erin have COVID running through their family. My nephew Mike is recovering from COVID, too.
The good news, I guess, is that vaccinated people typically do not end up in the hospital. My family members worked their way through the aches and pains and lethargy. And so it seems that we are figuring out how to deal with this COVID thing, which appears to be with us for the foreseeable future. Or maybe forever.
Surprise Guests – Through the Window
Amanda and AJ on the patio, joining us through the window
In the first photo, perhaps you missed that Amanda and AJ actually celebrated with us on Christmas Eve. The second photo has them enlarged, and AJ is clearly seen through the window, with Amanda on the left. So happy that they were able to join us. It was reminiscent of Thanksgiving 2020 which we celebrated in Bridget’s backyard. Glorious weather allowed an outside gathering, and Amanda and AJ sat at their own table as Amanda was soon due to deliver Logan. Social distancing was needed given, well, COVID. Glorious 80-degree weather again yesterday allowed similar participation through our side windows. I am grateful to Mike and Kim, Amanda’s parents, who watched Logan at the hospital during our gathering. Amanda and AJ’s diligence in social distancing has paid off, as Logan remains infection-free. Praying this continues.
Of course, we said grace before our meal. And grace came easy to me. Then I wanted to say a few words about looking forward to gathering together in the future, in the same room, all of us. And it took almost no time for me to choke up as I was speaking. My words were few, because what I said was all that I could get out of me without crying. While I remain grateful for our gathering, I miss those who could not join us.
Merry Christmas
Time to ask Spotify for Christmas songs. Because in the immortal words of Buddy the elf, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” That will make me merrier.
So, for all who are ill, or separated, or lonely, I do wish you a Merry Christmas. I pray that you find joy in the arrival of Christ today.
It looks like Logan and Amanda and AJ will be celebrating Christmas in the hospital this year. There was a small chance that Logan’s “numbers” might improve to allow a discharge for the holiday before the next chemo round. Two days in a row of growing numbers are needed. But his white blood cell count is still at zero as of this morning. So, the wait continues. Without white blood cells the risk of infection and inflammation are too great to allow Logan out of the hospital.
So FaceTime will be a big player on Christmas. It already has been keeping all of us in touch as you can see from the pic. That FaceTime call connected AJ & Logan at Children’s Hospital in Dallas, me in Irving, TX at work, and Kevin in Florida. Kevin is not joining us for Christmas this year as he is just recovering from COVID.
Lyrics from Yusuf/Cat Stevens
“It’s not time to make a change. Just relax, take it slowly. You’re still young, that’s your fault. There’s so much you have to go through. Find a girl, settle down. If you want you can marry. Look at me, I am old, but I’m happy.”
It is just a beautiful song. When I was younger I did not appreciate Cat Stevens’ music, but if you look on my Spotify account his songs are high in my rotation. This song describes an exchange between a father and a son as the father cannot understand that his son needs to break away and find a new life. Do what I did” the father advises his son, while the son is looking to break away.
Text Exchange
What does this have to do with Logan? Some context: Sleep has been the most difficult aspect of the hospital stay for Logan and Amanda and AJ. The comings and goings of the staff, the treatment, the lights, the noises all conspire against a full night’s sleep. Amanda and AJ are forced to be creative about how to get Logan to sleep and how to sleep themselves. Music is a part of this.
I received a text one recent evening from AJ:
“It was a mistake to sing Logan Father and Son. I got to the lyric “there’s so much you have to go through” and just started crying. Good news is Logan is still sound asleep on me”
My reply:
“It’s a great song with meaningful lyrics. And all of us do need to go through a lot. Logan sooner than most of us. You and Amanda are right now going through a lot. Together. Emotions are good to experience. That you are singing to your sleeping son, soothing him to sleep, well, that’s what makes me cry happy tears.”
The pride that I have in AJ is immense. He is really the epitome of a good man, and he and Amanda are great partners during Logan’s treatment. Logan is blessed to have them both.
Logan’s blood counts have dropped to zero. The chemo from round 3 has done its job, and he is receiving blood transfusions and platelets as needed. If you are a blood or platelet donor and wonder where your donations go, wonder no more. (Shameless pitch to donate if you are able…) Now, we wait as his body recovers.
Logan tolerated the chemo, and my FaceTime with him and Amanda yesterday afternoon was joyful. He was in such a good mood. The chemo treatment protocol is now in the second half with rounds 4 and 5 ahead. The doctors commented how great/surprising it is that Logan has not had an infection. I credit Amanda’s and AJ’s diligence to keep him safe and “clean.” Please pray for Logan’s strong little body to recover once again, and for his parents as they continue the journey with him.
My Prayer
This post sat in “draft” for a long time – months now. I have not posted it because I was embarrassed and ashamed of it. Well, now, during Advent I am posting it – mostly because it is the truth. Writing this blog is cathartic for me, its primary purpose. But I also hope that others can understand the journey from my perspective, a grandfather’s perspective.
Here goes: During Logan’s round 1 chemo, every night as I was falling asleep the same prayer went through my head. It was simple. I asked God to cure Logan’s cancer and give it to me. This was my prayer as Logan was beginning treatment, when so much was uncertain. Before remission.
I do not wish to die or be a martyr – on the contrary I have told anyone who might listen that I am “aiming for 90.” And yet, my life has been – is – wonderful. I have everything that I ever dreamed of. Wonderful and loving wife Donna and children, great friends, rewarding job – ya know – everything.
Catholic Guilt
But…Logan. Logan has not had the chance to build a life in whatever way God leads him and Logan might choose. And he deserves to have the chance. Hence, the prayer. I am no doubt praying wrong, trying to bargain with God. I feel I need to go to the Catholic sacrament of reconciliation and confess my sin to the priest and ask for forgiveness. In fact, yes, I intend to have that conversation with a priest in the confessional.
And so now, with Logan in remission and recovering from chemo round 3, my bedtime prayer has been, “Lord, we had a deal, and I am ready when you are.” Wow. Really? Again, who am I to tell God what to do? And now to presume that Logan’s remission had anything to do with my prayer? The arrogance of that is beyond measure. Shame is what comes with that arrogance, I can tell you that.
Prayers of Others
But here’s the thing. I wasn’t the only one with that same prayer, bargaining with God. An elderly friend and cancer survivor had a relapse and was scheduled for surgery during Logan’s first round of chemo. That friend said they were asking God to take them and spare Logan. This is absolutely incredible to me. What an unbelievable prayer for someone who had not met Logan or his parents Amanda and AJ. When I have previously written of the love that has come our way in support of Logan’s battle, this is an example. So much love that me writing this sentence has my eyes well up in gratitude. That friend passed away from surgical complications. I will think of them and pray for them always.
It never occured to me that I would be in a position to think of such a prayer and actually pray it. How many others are in my position? How many others would gladly trade their lives for a grandchild’s or other loved one’s? Based on the amount of love shown my family during this experience, many. Based on what others have shared with me about their prayers during difficult times, many.
The love that has come to my family has come in many ways, and so much through prayer. From all of you. I believe that your prayers are being answered. For skill of the medical teams, for strength of family, for Logan’s tolerance of treatment, for a minimization of long-term side effects from the treatment. Thank you for your prayer. It matters.
Pope Francis’ Tweet
So I follow Pope Francis on Twitter. (Oddest sentence I have written so far.) His tweet from this weekend caused me to finally publish this post:
“God never tires of waiting for us. When we turn away, He comes to look for us; when we fall, He picks us up; when we return to him after losing our way, He waits for us with open arms. His love is always and gives us the courage to start anew.”
For me, in Advent, as we prepare to welcome the Savior of the World, I know that God does what He does in His own way and time. I trust. And I am ready, whenever. I have always been ready.
