Out of Sight - Out of Mind!

Finally, after two years we are back on our snowshoes! Bring it on!

Last month we began our 10th year since diagnosis (most of that journey is posted within this blog!) There have been ups and downs, times of terror, times of joy — “the best of times and the worst of times” and yet she is still here sitting next to me yesterday during our three-week cycle of a day-log immunotherapy infusion at the Carbone Cancer Clinic at the University of Wisconsin Hospital.

This is progress! And these “extra years” something of which I will be eternally thankful.

Ten years ago we had the blood cancer diagnosis... two deer in the headlights! We not only had a blood cancer in which to struggle and manage (Multiple Myeloma) but also kidney failure as a result of the cancer. And that meant dialysis five days a week (thankfully we were able to do home hemodialysis after a number of surgeries to establish a fistula). This gave us some flexibility in our life as I shifted into being a medical provider along with being a caregiver, pastor, author, police blogger, and now part-time college professor!

These activities and duties kept me somewhat safe and sound over these years.

So yesterday, we were in Dr. John Sheehan’s at the clinic awaiting our check-up and infusion. The infusion is a day-long event of labs, doctor’s visit, and IV immunotherapy (daratumumab).

Sabine’s mother is in a nearby nursing home and our youngest son and his “SO” and baby are residing in the “hill house” next to our farmhouse.

What kind of life is this? A full and rewarding one! We human persons are adaptable, flexible and with a positive, faith-based orientation can take just about anything and still thrive and be thankful. That’s the truth. We've lived it!

So, being “out of sight and out of mind” this past year has been a good sign from us. After all, when this started I was told that Sabine had about two years to live. That’s eight extra years! Such a wonderful gift!