It has been a while since I shared an update. To be honest, there are too many things to even write about, but I will share a few. The last year has been one of the hardest and most stressful times of my life.
Our Yorkie, Madison, passed away in March 2023. Mama always wanted a Yorkie. In 2007, she got Madison at 6 weeks old. She called her my sister. They adored each other. When Mama died in June 2008, Madison came to live with us. She was 15 and had a wonderful life. There are no words to fully explain the bond we had with her or the pain of saying goodbye. She was special and one of a kind. There will never be another Madison. We still miss her every single day.
There has never been a time in my life that I didn’t have an animal to love. I don’t like it and I doubt I will ever get used to it. But, neither of us think our hearts can handle another loss like that.
On May 18, 2023, my Dad passed away from heart failure. He had been struggling and was recovering from a pace maker upgrade. While we knew how serious his condition was, we were not expecting him to die. It was a bit of a shock. Dad was career military and had a strong personality and powerful presence. There is a part of me that truly thought he would outlive me or somehow find a way to avoid death altogether. It sounds ridiculous, but it’s true.
Unfortunately, unless Jesus returns first, none of us are getting out of here alive. That is why it’s so important to have a relationship with God so that you know you will spend eternity with him. Nobody is guaranteed their next breath! The older I get, the more clear that reality becomes! Just today.. A car cut me off on the interstate. I nearly overcorrected and wrecked. Thankfully, I didn’t and we made it home safely. You just never know what the next moment holds.
I am the Executrix of Dads estate. He was a complicated person and his will/final wishes definitely reflect that and I am still working on sorting it all out. There are about 20 beneficiaries and property in 3 states. It has been emotionally and physically exhausting and overwhelming. But, we are slowly making progress.
Many of you have asked for an update on Billys health situation. He was accepted as a patient with the Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN) to try to find the cause of his unexplained “episodes” of hypertension, anxiety, and feelings of impending doom. Several specialist from across the country worked on his case. They did whole genome sequencing to try to identify a genetic cause. At first, the genetic testing didn’t really explain anything. However, considering his symptoms and all of the previous testing, they still believed he had a pheochromocytoma. The diagnostic imaging was inconclusive. It showed increased uptake and thickening on his left adrenal gland, but didn’t reveal a typical growth or tumor that could be seen and measured. Pheochromocytomas and other Neuroendocrine tumors can be present on a cellular level and may be “flat” rather than protruding. That often makes diagnosis difficult. The team of doctors felt that he should continue with medications to control symptoms and do periodic monitoring for a pheo.
Months later, they contacted him and said that one of his genetic variants has since been linked to pheochromocytoma. Now, they believe there is a high probability of a Pheo. However, he also has another genetic mutation that effects tumor suppression… meaning if they remove a tumor/adrenal gland, it is more likely that he could have a tumor on the other adrenal gland or somewhere else. They don’t want to do surgery unless it gets worse and/or they can pinpoint the exact location of the tumor with certainty. Until then, they will continue to treat him like he has an inoperable pheo- with meds only. He has a webpage with the UDN that explains his case. Hers is the link for those that are interested. Just click on Participant 220 below.
He is still dealing with back/nerve pain, stomach problems, and several other issues. All of his conditions are chronic and are being managed as well as possible. He had his yearly endoscopy today to monitor things and locate and remove any Neuroendocrine tumors in his stomach. They removed polyps and took several random biopsies. Everything went fine. The Pathology report will be available in a few weeks.
There are a few other life events that I may share later when I have time to put it all into words. I won’t overwhelm you with anything else right now.
Life has been beyond crazy this last year. Most of the time, we don’t even know what day it is! It seems there is always something unexpected that has to be handled. Thankfully, none of this was a surprise to God. He knew what was coming and had a plan to get us through it. Which reminds me of a song… Nothing catches Jesus by surprise by John Michael Montgomery. Give it a listen😊
https://youtu.be/ifcx1LCW2QE?si=rTzhSwl_TkY2P49h
God has continuously provided a way forward and worked out every detail along the way. I have no doubt that He will continue to take care of us. I can’t imagine facing the storms of this crazy life without His unwavering love, protection, and provision. We may not know what is waiting up ahead, but He does. I have no control over most things in life, but He does. I don’t have to know all of the answers. I just have to know the one that does. That is so comforting to me. I hope it will be a comfort to you as well. We all walk through the darkness at times, but He is with us so we don’t have to walk alone.
I hope that whatever you are facing today, you will allow His light and love to illuminate the darkness, erase the shadows, and lift your spirits. ❤️
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