Monday, Monday

Beautiful gift from a patient!

What a wonderful way to start the week. Last night we received a call from our Belgian family, Willi and Nicole. They had called the other day when we were still in the hospital and talked with Frank for a little while. Willi and Nicole have been a part of our family ever since I can remember. Willi's Aunt and Uncle were my Meme's (grandmother) best friends. We did everything with them when we would go to Belgium for our family visit. Once they passed we were blessed to continue a beautiful relationship with our extended family. Their daughter Linda and I are Facebook friends and I enjoy watching as she has grown up and now has children of her own.Willi tells me to Skype them so they can see Zack. So that is next on my list. A great idea actually!!

Today was the first "normal" day that we have had in quite awhile. Frank and I both worked. I woke up with a touch of vertigo, so as soon as Doc Steve was in I asked if he could get rid of it. He replied "I will do the best I can", one great adjustment later and the vertigo was gone! It's so cool what Chiropractic can do in the past I would have just dealt with it. My personal joke is "I don't leave home without my Chiropractor). At lunch I was also able to see my counselor, Jim Nourse PHD, (who combines clinical psychology and acupuncture) . Jim did an amazing job at clearing my head of the cobwebs (with two needles in my forehead) totally cool! We had a very productive session. as well. I kept saying " I'm just tired, once I catch up on my rest, I'll be okay", he very calmly says "You are more than tired, you are dealing with your only child having chemo, having had cancer and the emotions that go with all of that, not to mention the daily life change and running around you all will be doing for the next year or more." "Oh yea, I didn't really think about it that way,  We're just doing what has to be done and taking it day by day." I started to laugh, darn, I thought a little sleep would do the trick.

I checked in with Zack periodically, who is staying at home today. We go for the Neulasta shot tomorrow and though his counts were good when we left the hospital, we didn't want to take a chance and have him running around. Whenever I would call him  he would simply say "I don't feel well" I try and get him to elaborate, but he doesn't. He is sitting playing his x-box, taking a nap and checking his chromebook to see if he has instructions from his teachers. I will need to call tomorrow to get them to give him work. I understand they want him to take it easy, but we need him to stay on target with the other kids so that he graduates with his friends. If he can play video games he can do school work. Yes, We are are tough, but just like he still has to do his chores, he has to do school work.

I stop at a convenience store to buy him some ginger ale at the end of my  lunch break and text Drake to see if he minds picking it up at the office and bring them to him on the way home from school. He is a sweetie and stops by to collect them and brings them to Zack.  Drake hangs out with Zack for awhile and they play the X-box. He is blessed with good friends. Chris came to hang out with him last night as soon as we were home.


By the time I get home from work around 7 pm, Frank has been home for about a half hour. The two of them are cutting up and just hanging out talking about their day. I arrive home and feel so good about the work I was able to accomplish. Frank drops the bombshell that one of his best guys is moving on to another job, working on a pipeline somewhere near New Orleans. He is sad and then realizes that this means he will not be able to participate in taking Zack to many of his treatments. I assure him that we can work it all out, not to worry, just find another guy and everything will be fine. Whatever is thrown our way, we can and will handle.

Zack and I go into his room and start to pout some things back in place. After getting his shelves put back up and the furniture moved in, Zack takes my arm and says "Okay, we can rest now Mom, we can finish this tomorrow."  He doesn't realize that "rest" is not in my schedule, but then again he doesn't need to know everything! While on my way back to work I called the Social worker who is helping us get coverage for the first three months of medical bills. We will have Inclusive Healthcare beginning September 1, but before then is proving a challenge to get financial help. She informs me that we may no be able to have coverage for the first month, but maybe will have help in July. No mention of August. I breath in deeply and tell her that nothing is going to be submitted until she and I confirm each statement, now totaling $32,000.00 and that's just through July 30th. After dinner I spread all the bills out on the bed and sort through them, one by one, organize them by date, then make a list of whom we owe, the amount, what it was for and the statement number. Thank goodness I'm good at organizing and it didn't take me long to put it all together to bring to the case worker tomorrow. Time is very precious right now, no one waits for anything and I have to stay on top of everything.

It is now midnight and I have finished with my day. I can go to bed knowing that my son is going to continue having a good week, my husband will find another great employee and I can handle whatever comes my way. I get to hang out with Mom on Friday and Saturday when we take down one of her booths here in Brevard. She will spend the night so I will get to have quality and quantity time with her. Something we both need!! Sleep tight everyone!!