What do an April snowstorm and a bear in the yard, and cancer and MG have in common? Me! I’ve experienced all of the above, and just recently. It is also reflective of life in general: you never know what may happen next. What an adventure!

Well, to pick up where my last update left off, I saw my oncologist Friday, March 27 and he said the Herceptin was causing the weakening of my heart and withheld the infusion for that day until I have a repeat heart echogram. That will be done May 4 and I will see the oncologist again May 8 for his determination, after seeing the test results, of when I restart the Herceptin. Pray my heart will be strengthened.

I flew home to WV on Saturday, March 28 and by the grace of God, I was able to hop a ride on a motorized cart after scooting out of the airplane upon landing at O’Hare in Chicago, and just caught my connecting flight. (Never again will I allow only 45 minutes between flights in that airport!) My experience up to this point of requesting assistance from gate to gate in airports has been abysmal; I always ended up walking anyway because they never got a wheelchair or other conveyance to me in a timely manner. Thankfully I have been able to walk and make my flights (what of the plight of others not so fortunate?). However, if I had not had that ride in O’Hare, I would have missed my flight. Thanks for all who prayed for me and thanks to God.

So I have been back in wild, wonderful West Virginia for almost two weeks. It is good to be home again. I am queen of my own household once again, with all the attendant responsibilities and I am thankful for the strength I’ve had to carry them out. I attend all the Mustard Seeds meetings as well and have been playing hostess to prospective staff visiting this week . (They are looking over the ministry and meeting and talking with our current staff. We are all praying for God’s leading as to whether they should join the staff of M&M.) I am learning to pace myself as I still tire rapidly and often. But a few minutes’ rest and I am back at it. Today I am staying home and taking it easy.

A few days after arriving home my mother and brother from Michigan arrived and we were able to have 3 days together. This was a blessing to us. I last saw my Mom in CA over Mother’s Day week-end last year. I missed her 80th birthday party in Michigan last September because I was still in CA in the middle of chemotherapy.

Since that time my mom has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and now is in the process of making future plans to move from her home of the last 30+ years. In fact, when they stopped to visit here, she was on her way to the Atlanta area to visit another brother who lined up retirement homes for her to look at as options, along with options of living with one of us children, for her future years. We rejoice in the decisions she was able to make while there and now is in process of packing up (and clearing out) her house to move to Roswell, GA by this coming June. Please pray for her continued grace to do all this. We are also praying for her healing of Alzheimer’s. Won’t you join us in that prayer?

Also pray for my brother, Rob, who lives with her, who finishes up his schooling , faces surgery May 12 and then needs to find a job and get settled. These are all things that weigh on my Mom as well.

While I am at the prayer request phase here, let me update a previous request: Joel N. has been declared cancer free and finishes his last chemo next Monday, April 13. Praise God! Let’s pray he stay that way.

Well, we’ve talked about cancer and touched on MG as part of my life, as I learn to cope appropriately with tiredness. So where do the snow storm and bear come in? Just a few days ago a cold front moved in and it began snowing Tuesday afternoon, through the night and all day Wednesday. What a day! We woke up Wednesday morning to snow on the ground and more coming down, covering our daffodils, yellow forsythia, and apple blossoms. And garbage bags strewn across the yard and huge paw prints…our hungry neighborhood bear. It was in April a few years ago we first had one visit us, after another snow storm. Our garbage this time was littering even our neighbor’s yard and the woods behind! The garbage can sits just outside our back door and our bedroom window. I am very glad he/she wasn’t interested in coming into the house for a visit…. Yes, West Virginia is wild…and wonderful.

Since it will not be necessary for me to be back in CA until May 4 I was able to change my return flight from April 22 to May 1, squeezing in an additional week for my stay at home in WV. It is nice to see everyone around here who is a part of my life in WV. I miss my children and grandchildren, to be sure, but as I emailed one son, I said as I looked at our yard I imagined my oldest grandchild (Lourdes), who talks about coming to visit us, playing in the yard, making a special room under the mulberry tree with its drooping branches, playing with the neighbor children her age, and it makes me smile. I look forward to those days when my grand girls and boys can come play in our big yard and tramp the paths in the woods (with us in tow); city kids experiencing the joys of country living in God’s good world.

By God’s grace, in answer to much earnest prayer, I will see those days. Thanks for being a part of my journey….

Jacque