A New Climb

Today marks the beginning of a new climb in the journey of My Daddy with Multiple Myeloma.  For the past several months my Daddy’s health has enabled him to carry on with his ‘new normal’.  He is a man of strength and of faith whose character is conveyed with very few needed words.  For the observant onlooker, this type of example is much more powerful than anything flashy or conspicuous.

I have watched him quietly bear testimony to me of his faith.  Of his love for Heavenly Father.  Of his complete trust and confidence in His plan for my father.  I falter often as I witness his quiet struggle and that of my husband, when I know for a surety of their willingness to do anything and everything they could in serving God.  Doesn’t He need them healthy to perform labors in His kingdom?  Doesn’t He know of the lengths they would go to stand as a witness for Him, across countries, in the valleys, on the peaks?  And of course I am reminded and reaffirmed by both of these men’s testimonies and life examples, YES.  God does need them.  He needs them to move mountains with their faith.  Mountains of doubt, pain, suffering, discouragement, self-pity, and feelings of lack of purpose or worth.  Neither of these men question "Why me?".  They only say, “What am I to learn Lord?”  Oh to carry that type of strength each and every day.  

Today my Daddy will start a new medication.  The intense, hard core kind that takes what Mike referred to as “CIA clearance” to get.  Special permission is required to take it , not being available through a pharmacy or doctor’s office.  Its the kind of medicine with an extremely lengthy list of possible side effects, scary ones.  Over a month ago we discovered that the chemotherapy was not working, it was not enough.  Those symptoms my father first experienced leading up to his diagnosis have reemerged.  Alarm returned to our hearts.  An anxious feeling is present today and we would invite all those who would to join in prayer for my Daddy.  Prayers that this medication will have minimal side effects and allow my Daddy to continue with his now ‘new normal’ day to day duties and life experiences with joy.  

As yesterday was Father’s Day, a wonderful day for our family, I made the point to get a photo of the two Fathers in my life.  I am so grateful for the kinship that they feel one for another.  For a relationship filled with admiration, trust, and respect to exist between my husband and my father is beyond measure.  I am truly blessed to have these two examples in my life and the lives of my children.

Mike and I have also been prayerfully considering a new treatment for him.  We meet with a doctor on Wednesday with the results of his new MRIs.  Six MRIs to be exact.  We also ask for your prayers in our behalf as we study to know the Lord's will for Him in regards to this possible new medication.  Thank you for your ongoing prayers, they have truly been felt as a source of strength as we continue on our journey with Multiple Sclerosis.

{To see past posts regarding 'My Daddy', 'Mike', and 'our journey with MS', please click on the respective labels in the right sidebar.}