After a fun weekend that ended on a sour note with a horse kick to the leg the next week felt painfully unusually long. Lisa continued to limp around and leg swelling was not letting up. We gave in and had our church send out the meal train email to help us out. Both Chris and Lisa worked the week as much as we could. Chris had to step it up since Lisa was not moving well. Thankful his pain since the infusion has lessened! Also very thankful for our Mimi who came over every day to help and we starting too mentally struggling just a little with everything life has thrown at us recently and the physical pain we both were experiencing. Mimi is the mom Lisa hopes to be to our girls …. Mimi cleaned our house without being asked since she knew it was driving both Chris and Lisa crazy (you know it is bad when Chris makes comments), waited on contractors and helped us when they arrived, put up fall decorations without being asked just because she knew Lisa always puts them out and likes to be festive, played Uber driver for the kids, Lisa, and Chris, took girls to get equestrian gear they needed for their riding lessons, picked up groceries and medications then put them away, helped cut toe nails and get ingrown nails out to reduce that pain, then after working in our home suggested Chris and Lisa go take a nap while she picked up house, entertained the girls, cooked dinner for us all because we had not had a good home cooked meal since the weekend before when Deedee cooked and she knew they desired more normalcy, and she acted as a sounding board then reminded us God loves us and is walking with us through this time. So thankful she is close by and has unconditional love for us all. Thank you Mimi!!!!
Tuesday morning, Lisa decided to head to the ortho to double check there was not a hair line fracture at the urging request of Chris, Mimi and Stacy. Lisa was relieved when the doctor walked in with the x-rays and said he did not see a fracture. Immediate, she was thankful it is just a bone bruise and will feel better on its own. The doctor sat down to examine leg and foot though with a concerned look on his face. After a few minutes he suggested sending her to a specialist Andrew Sport Medicine for additional testing for a compartmental syndrome. Lisa was not sure what to ask or what it was so of course wnt to google. Note, that was a bad idea! She should not had looked up the syndrome or done any research because after research she became extremely worried with outcome but continue to pray to God that He would take the swelling away, heal the cut, restore blood circulation, stretch the muscles involved and make it where this test s not needed. At any rate, next Thursday October 7th she is scheduled to see the specialist and requested a second opinion believing God would heal her leg without the procedure; again Mimi is coming to be uber driver/mom to take her to the procedure that we hope will not happen but thankful for the support and love if it does happen.
Picture on left from Tuesday (9/28) after first doctor appointment
Picture on right from Sunday (10/3) thankful it is bruising finally and healing
Wednesday of that week, Chris and Lisa headed to UAB for his oncologist appointment. Lisa is suppose to be his “Care Partner” there but Chris dropped Lisa off at the patient drop off then parked the car to meet her at the hematology floor. The waiting room was unusually busy so Lisa checked Chris in when she got there while he parked. Chris arrived and only had to wait 10 minutes for his blood draw then we headed to the Oncologist office to get results and ask questions we still had lingering. Dr Basu said they are still performing pathology test as this cancer is hard to identify thus all of our questions would not get to be answered. He did mention they had found a marker for bladder cancer. We are now praying that marker is like the genetic marker, HRLCC they previously found and said turned out to be negative (thankfully). We also learned that several blood levels were trending the correct direction (ie sodium that was low went up while chloride that was high went down). Also, on a positive note, Chris said he had been in less pain than the previous week following the infusion but they also are causing fatigue where he is more tired. We counted what we heard as a positive visit though. Lisa is still wanting answers but learning to try to live in the moment; a sweet friend reminded her that God provided manna each day as the Israelites on their way to the promise land. We are focusing on being thankful for each moment we have together whether it is sitting in the doctors office, at home, or out and about as we lean into God and continue praying.
Thursday, we were excited for our contractor, Steve to come do a little of the kitchen work we needed done. When we bought this house the two things Lisa wanted was a covered porch and double oven but we decided to wait on double oven last year when we had the porch done. Over the past 3 years we have had the refrigerator and freezer fixed yearly but with the worries we had currently decided with they needed to go instead of pouring money into an appliance that broke again right after the warranty work expired. Chris decided when the refrigerator was leaking that we were also going to replace the oven as well that we had repaired a year and half ago that started acting up again. It was a little more of a job than we thought to remove the sub zero freezer and refrigerator than we thought it would be but were thankful to see them out. The new fridge was just the right width to slide into one side of the old unit. Steve and Shannon (his brother) are working on a plan for a new cabinet to go in the other location and we expect that in a month or two. They also removed the oven that we had been having to fight with the racks to ensure it closed correctly and flip the breaker too reset it to get to work properly for several months. We were both happy to see the new appliances in place and not sitting in the middle of the room cluttering up the space. When it was all done, Lisa asked about settling up for the day of work and was told it had been taken care of and he could not discuss with me since Mimi took care of it. Thankful for her generous heart, cleaning up as they sawed the existing cabinet to fit the oven, and relieving a little financial burden off us right now.
Seeing the new appliances made both Lisa and Chris smile. Lisa had to laugh seeing the new oven in place. The oven that Chris wanted and researched 18 months prior that she refused to get because it cost more than a normal double oven, we did not need a “smart oven” to connect to wifi, and her economical minded self did not want to spend extra on it. It is comical how the recent events has changed us just a little. Chris did not care what Lisa picked out this time, telling her to get whatever she wanted, and refused his input or opinion; previously we both had strong opinions on any changes in the house or big item purchases. This would have been exactly what Lisa wanted previously on items he rarely uses but now Lisa only wanted his input, research, and discussion. In the end though, we got the oven Chris wanted since it was in stock and settled on the best in stock refrigerator which also happens to be a “smart” device that hooks up to wifi as well, since anything out of stock would not be delivered until January 2022 or later. It is funny how when life throws challenges your way, you just want to make each other happy and relieve your loved one’s stress and pain. Seeing that oven in our house brings a smile to Lisa’s face because it was something Chris wanted and fought for previously; Chris got what he wanted and Lisa is happy about it. Chris is happy with new appliances that are not causing additional stress with having to clean up the floor and wondering if the oven will heat to the correct temperature when preparing meals. Praying we get to enjoy these items and entertain friends and family again soon.
New “smart” appliances … have to laugh since Lisa said only thing she did not want was a “smart” appliance … Chris enjoys the “smart” house where he can check on everything with his phone
Friday morning we both worked a little and Mimi came back over to help clean from the install the day before. While we worked Mimi cleaned, folded clothes and put away dishes. Mimi went with Stacy to get a pedicure mid-morning to give us a little time just us. On the way back they picked up Chris, Jimmy Johns as requested. Lisa went out to lunch with them while Chris did a video conference call at home so the house would be quiet for him. After lunch, Lisa’s energy was waning so they took her home. Aunt Stacy picked up the girls and brought them home. Chris and Lisa rested that afternoon while Mimi cooked and cleaned up a little. We all enjoyed a yummy meal and even snapped a picture since we all sat at the table together, a rarity these days. Of course we still enjoy meals in the den together but it is a different feel at the table. Grateful for every meal together and family time we get to enjoy.
Saturday, was another morning at home. We binge watched Heartland and caught up with Mimi. The girls played downstairs then we got ready to go to Mimi’s for the AL game. As we started to leave our Sunday School class brought us a special gift basket with gift cards, lotion, and bundt cakes too; it brought hoy knowing they were thinking about us even though we have not been there since Covid shut the world down. It was nice all getting out of the house a few hours too. We watched most the game. Chris, Sara and Katie all slept some; Sara and Katie went to a lock in the night before and the infusions I believe are making Chris tired. Lisa sat outside to get fresh air as Mark and Mimi grilled and once the game was over as Chris slept. After the Comfort ladies all got baths at Mimi’s we headed home, Chris was starting to hurt more so we were not happy with the traffic we ran into but thankful we were at a point that we could re-route quickly and not have to sit on the interstate. Chris’s back eased back up once he got back in his zero gravity chair and we were able to enjoy some sweet family time before bedtime.
Thankful for the love Mimi shows us and prayers she prays for us
Lock-ins leave kids sleepy all day the next day
We love our daddy!
Sunday was a home day for us. We watched TV, girls played and went for a run, oiled up Lisa’s leg while praying it be healed, rested, and looked online to try to come up with something fun to do next weekend since the girls have a 5 day weekend but we had to cancel our trip with treatments. Mimi went to the grocery store for us to keep Lisa off her leg a little more. All the ladies in the house got in the kitchen together, fun time with lots accomplished. The girls made Oreo balls, Mimi mixed up sausage balls, and Lisa made queso soup that Chris said he would try to eat. We could not convince Mimi to stay to eat dinner with us but enjoyed visiting about 30 minutes before she headed back home. Lisa cut Chris’s hair and blew off the deck while the girls picked up their rooms. It was a restful day with little productivity but nice to chill and rest up for the next week.
Morning snuggles and Ivy being our hair stylist
Lots of help in the kitchen
