gratitude

I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and the new.
--EMERSON


Adam finally started chemo. First he was given some anti nausea medicine and then about 1 hour later, around 930pm, the chemo began. Adam responded pretty well. He did experience some nausea around 6am but was given some benedryl and went back to sleep. Hopefully this means he will tolerate the chemo pretty well. We will have to see about longer term effects like hair loss, muscle weakness, mouth sores and the rest of it when we get there. (Not 5 minutes after I wrote that Adam threw up.) He is resting quietly now.

I have gone too long without thanking some really good folks. Our neighbors, Carolyn and Felix, have been incredibly generous and kind. Their daughter Nora and ours, Camille, are very good friends and attend the same preschool. When we found out that Adam needed eye surgery and shortly after, that he had cancer, Carolyn immediately offered to keep Camille, pick her up from school and even let her spend the night (which she did last night). Thank you very much Carolyn and Felix (and Nora and little Adam).

We have had generous offers from many of our neighbors and friends. (Heathie even offered to do our laundry the other day. Martha joked, 'That is a line I am not willing to cross.' ) And before this thing is done I am sure we will be taking them up on their offers. During times like this, when we just can't do it alone, it becomes clear how much we depend on others. I can fool myself into thinking I am independent, I don't really need anybody else, but the reality is that I need others profoundly. Whether it is being spontaneously invited to dinner this week by John and Julia or my friend Kenny calling and inviting me to lunch or Nan continuously offering Adam and our family prayerful concern or my parents insisting that they are ready to come up and help anytime or my sister in law Jeannette sending sweet and silly emails, I need and appreciate the help, the readiness to help and the support. (Our friend Anton, who lives in the Philippines, offered prayers from the 3rd world--that way even we are asleep folks are praying for us on the other side of the planet.)

From the bottom of our hearts, Martha and I thank you!