time with Dad..in the hospital

 "Beware lest ye commit that which would sadden the hearts of your fathers and mothers. Follow ye the path of Truth which indeed is a straight path. Should anyone give you a choice between the opportunity to render a service to Me and a service to them, choose ye to serve them, and let such service be a path leading you to Me."

 (Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 229)

i have spent most of the day with Dad in the hospital for 2 days now.  he was admitted with a fever, headache and a UTI.  the hospital finally determined yesterday that his symptoms are the result of an infection in his blood in addition to where his catheter is.  both infections are now being treated to eliminate the infection and prepare him for a procedure to replace his stint and remove as much of the necrotic tissue in his bladder as possible (which can't be done while he has an infection).  the dr. wants to do the procedure tomorrow.  we leave in 4 days.  we hope he will be released before then, but if not, we'll have to say goodbye from the hospital..

our family has shared many moments of Dad's pain and difficulties of living with lymphoma.  we have all cried and quietly observed the suffering.  those moments are hidden from camera lenses.  most of our time together is shared with joy and lighthearted conversations.  it is a time of remembering all that is worthy of praise and appreciating being able to be together..  

Dad is often tired but he still has the will to live.  he derives great joy from being with family and interacts with us in lighthearted ways to bring smiles to our faces. he is facing some side effects of taking Revlimid but so far they are manageable while it serves to keep the cancer at bay.  there are 7-8 lymph nodes that are cancerous, but no organs have been invaded since the bladder was treated with radiation this past winter.

we are ever so thankful to all who have kept us in your prayers..

Dashiel and Dad

i had to squeeze into that bed with him after awhile