A challenging week, and no chemo today

This has been an extremely challenging week here at the Watson home.  Amanda has just not felt good for a few days now, much to our confusion.  This is the week she is supposed to be on the upswing so she can start chemo.  Today was our trip to Dell.  Before that, a little back story on our week up until today.

Monday I posted about Amanda's birthday party at my parent's house with all our family.  Tuesday morning, we found out the heartbreaking news that our Grampy, Lonnie Henderson, had passed away.  While we have the confidence that he is in heaven, our hearts are still heavy over our loss and we will miss him greatly.  Breaking the news to our children was so very difficult.  Thomas was at work on Tuesday, so we waited until he was home on Wednesday so that we could both tell them.  How do you break the news that the man they have known their entire lives and love as a grandfather has died?  I am thankful for a husband that has the ability to be gentle, precise and to the point all the while reminding them of the hope that we know we will see him again.  Grampy is no longer in pain or lonely.  He is with Grammy again, rejoicing with the angels, praising God.  As adults, this is an easier thing to accept and understand. Thomas and I have both known him most of our lives and are grateful for the man he was.  For our children, at the moment, they just see the here and now and how much they will miss him.  I have to admit, I am with my kids right now and am very heartbroken.  It is hard to believe that I will no longer be able to call him, talk to him, hug or kiss him.  The memories are flooding through my mind tonight of how important he was to our family.  One of my favorite memories of him was sitting with him in church through the years and as we prayed, we always held hands.  He was a Godly man and will be greatly missed.

So our day today at Dell started with an emotional late night last night and an early morning this morning.  Today we were to start chemo if her labs were high enough.  The good news is her platelets are great - they did indeed skyrocket!  Praise God and thank you for your prayers!  The bad news is that her white blood cell count is too low to start chemo today. We didn't see that one coming!  Because her numbers were so low, they gave her her monthly dose of antibiotic, but in the process, she had some type of a reaction that required the medication to be stopped so she could receive benedryl to counteract any reaction she may have had.  We then had to wait for the benedryl to kick in before beginning the antibiotic again at a slower rate.  All in all, it was a very stressful and long morning.  So now we go back on Monday, Amanda's birthday, to try again and see if her WBC has improved.  Please pray that over the weekend her WBC will improve so that we can start chemo at a good place.  Another praise is that she as officially been approved to participate in physical therapy at R.O.C.K. utilizing equine therapy. (She gets to ride horses!)  So is so excited!

At times this week I have felt so fragile - like if you just touched me wrong, I would shatter.  Just when you thought life couldn't get more challenging, it does.  The roller coaster of emotions over the last few days has been exhausting.  But throughout it all, Isaiah 43 has swirled through my mind,  giving me much needed encouragement and strength.

Isaiah 43

But now thus says the Lord,

he who created you, O Jacob,
    he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
    I have called you by name, you are mine.
² When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
    and the flame shall not consume you.
³ For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

By the time many of you read this tomorrow, Grampy's funeral will be over.   Please pray for our family both tomorrow and over the next few months as the kids adjust to Grampy not being here.  He blessed our family more than words can say and will be greatly missed.  The comfort we will cling to is that one day, we will see him again in heaven.

Since Amanda's diagnosis, we have not been able to go out to his house to see him as often as we would have liked.  This past weekend we were able to spend Friday evening and all day Monday with him.  What a blessing for our family!  To end tonight's blog, I went through and found pictures of him and our family from throughout the years.  I hope that it gives you a glimpse of how special of a man he was. 

Our last photo together at Amanda's party on Monday.

Ginger liked Grampy!

Taken last spring after Amanda's diagnosis

So many memories of sitting on this back porch with him

After one of our many lunch dates

One of my favorite pictures of the kids taken in his yard

Amanda's baptism and she was proud that Butch, Grampy's son, was there

After a day of bow hunting - the boys faces were camoed out

Our boy loved Grampy's place - it was his country home.

Christmas at our house

Amanda had caught a bird and was showing it off to Grampy.

This was after Amanda shot her first deer.

Amanda with Granny Kelley and Grampy.  Two very special people we greatly miss.

Birthday hugs!

One of the many days spent at my parent's house for our monthly get-togethers.

She loves her Grampy.

I love this picture!

He loved what he called his "Amanda hugs"

This was Grammy with Brandon

Brandon's first attempt at dove hunting, and for practice, he shot at a frisbee that Tom threw

We enjoyed having him over to our house for Christmas.

On Halloween we always tried to make a stop out at his place.

My hunters! We had many a good hunting trip at Grampy's.

Life long friends

This is one of my favorite pictures.

Brandon's baptism

My dad and the boys after sighting in Brandon's gun.

We never ended a conversation without saying "I love you."  I am thankful for that.