Where I've Been

Ok, here's the brief update of where I've been the last few months, and why I haven't been blogging.

After I came home from the ACFW conference in September, my husband began to develop a cold and ear infection that just wouldn't go away. Numerous antibiotics later he still wasn't any better and finally started to get much worse very quickly. A week and a half before Christmas, we finally went back to the doctor determined to get the right medicine to make him well, and several tests later, left the doctor being told that they thought he had cancer and that it was already spreading throughout his body. Of course we got the whole "be positive" speech and "they're doing some really great new things in treatment," but the general impression we were given by our doctors that day, was that his days were numbered.

The most horrible three days of my life followed. I could go on and on about the emotions that took place during the long nights where I barely slept, and tried not to think about my likely future as a twenty-five year old widow, or how I might have to watch my husband suffer in the months ahead.

After three days of this anxiety and torture, we saw a specialist who gave us much better news. He said he did not think it was cancer, but a rare auto immune disorder which could explain all his various symptoms of the last few months. With proper treatment (which we were able to start a few weeks later), he could get back to normal.

It's been almost three months now since he was first diagnosed and he is doing fantastic. We've been going to Johns Hopkins for his appointments (which is such a blessing in and of itself, to have the best of the best so close to where we live and covered by our insurance) and at our last appointment there the doctor said "I see patients like you every day, and you're going to be fine." What a relief to hear those words!

Through all of this, he's only missed about two or three days of work besides what he's needed to take off to go to appointments. What a trooper! Now that he's feeling better, he's his old self again and is almost ready to finish his MCSA Certification (Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator). The drama of the last few months make that an even bigger accomplishment. I'm so proud of my wonderful husband.

So many of you have been praying for us right from that first scary diagnosis, and we really appreciate it. I can't believe we went from thinking we were going to soon lose him to being able to look forward to a future together again, pretty much the same as we had before. The only prayer requests we really have now are that he would continue to respond well to treatment and that there would be no long-term side affects from the medication he's taking. We praise the Lord for a speedy diagnosis and a wonderful response to treatment.

So, that's where I've been the last few months. No, it hasn't taken every waking moment of my life by any means, and we're now down to just a once a month check-up. But I'm, how shall I say it... Emotional and a huge worrier. And being all worked up makes me not feel like writing, blogging, or doing much of anything beyond the basics of my life. But I feel like now I'm starting to calm down from all we've been through and feel like getting back to the writing. I've done major revisions on the first three chapters of my manuscript and am hoping to send it to the publisher who asked to see it back at ACFW, hopefully before Easter.

Again, thank you to everyone who has remembered us in prayer. We've seen the Lord work in amazing ways and are praying for that to continue.