Mama said there would be weeks like this....

I have had several calls and emails asking how we are doing. I figured it was time for a quick update. In a word...better; however, it has been a doozy of a week. Thank you all for your kind words and prayers this week. We needed it!

The side effects of Marc's new chemotherapy treatment didn't catch up with him until late Sunday. Then they hit him like a ton of bricks. We thought given how well he felt on Friday and Saturday that this new regimen was going to be easier than the other two cycles he had been on. Wrong. He had nausea, headache, muscle and joint aches, and cramping. To remedy the pain he took some prescribed pain meds. In turn, the pain meds ground his digestive system to a halt. As a result, he thought he was experiencing an intestinal blockage which took him to the emergency room on Wednesday afternoon. By Wednesday night we were relieved to find out that he didn't have a blockage. His CT scan and xrays showed nothing new. We actually asked people to pray for poop. Never thought that would happen.

We got piled on a bit this week. Looking back it is almost amusing. It will probably be more funny when I'm not so tired. Monday I took the kids into the dentist for routine cleanings. The dentist discovered Julia had a damaged baby tooth -- the result of a permanent tooth crowding it too much when it came in. I asked the doctor if the tooth had to be pulled. Yes, it had to be pulled. Not only that, but another tooth needed to be pulled on the other side so the same thing wouldn't happen again. The dentist was kind enough to do the job on the spot. I then loaded my drooling, gauze packed daughter into the car and we headed to the pediatrician. Sophia's eardrum had ruptured that morning and was draining goo. I had stuffed a cotton ball in it, but that clearly wasn't going to be a tolerable fix. I arrived at the doctor's office with all four kids. We were quite the sight. One kid with pus running from her ear, another drooling and experimenting with her numb lips, and then there were boys who couldn't stop talking to save their lives. My fun meter was pegged. I was done.

The cherry on top of the week has been our dog's tangle with a skunk. To say this week stinks would be no understatement! The good news is that it's over. Marc is feeling better. Sophia feels so much better now that her sinus and ear infection are under control. Julia was really tough and recovered nicely from her tooth extractions. The dog still stinks, but that's what they make dog houses for. He has been banished from my house...maybe permanently. It's taken all week, but I think we are finally doing better. Thank goodness!

Thanks for praying for us this week. It's been a tough one. I'm grateful it's over. I'm looking forward to getting some rest and getting my sanity back this weekend! It may take me some time to laugh about all of this, but I'll get there....

With love and gratitude...