Running back to Saskatoon

It feels like we just got home from Saskatoon, and we're off again, for another set of appointments.  Tomorrow (Wednesday, December 1st) is day 7 of the 28 day cycle, which means that Kol needs to go back to the cancer centre for some more chemo.  This will be a shorter day.  He'll get some blood work done and see the Dr.  Then he'll get another dose of the vincristine he had last Wednesday, and that he got during the summer.  Depending on the results of the blood tests, we'll probably get several more doses of filgrastim to take home.  We should be able to leave the cancer center by noon. 

We also have an appointment with the naturopath for Birgitte.   She has been completely off of her epilepsy medication since the end of September. The strange behavior has stopped.  Her attention span is much longer, she has started singing and playing the piano, she has started reading, and I'm begining to trust her with Annika.  Her eyes are no longer droopy, and her balance is back to normal.  We've been able to keep her well rested, and to minimize the stress.  It is so incredibly wonderful to have our daughter back. We thank God for her every day.  We're thankful also that there doesn't seem to be any permanent damage from the medication; although there are a few lingering behavioral issues, they seem to be lessening as each day goes by.  She hasn't had any more seizures, but we've also been able to keep her well rested, and life has settled into a somewhat predictable routine, which has helped.  However, there is no guarantee that there won't be more stressful situations in the future.  We're not against trying some of the other anti-epileptic drugs, but we'd also like to know if there are other, more natural, options.

 In closing, I'd like to share a quote I came across on a blog I was reading recently.  It's interesting how this seems to tie in with several conversations I've had over the last week.

"Any man can sing in the day. When the cup is full, man draws inspiration from it. When wealth rolls in abundance around him, any man can praise the God who gives a plenteous harvest… The difficulty is for music to swell forth when no wind is stirring. It is easy to sing when we can read the notes by daylight; but he is skillful who sings when there is not a ray of light to read by -- who sings from the heart… Lay me upon the bed of languishing, and how shall I then chant God's high praises, unless He Himself give me the song? No, it is not in man's power to sing when all is adverse, unless an altar-coal shall touch his lip… Then, since our Maker gives 'songs in the night' (Job 35:10), let us wait upon Him for the music." ~Charles Spurgeon

 Lord, help us to sing in the night.