Two weeks ago...

Two weeks ago Pokeys Grandma Julie Didn't feel well, she felt under the weather and had a stomach ache. It didn't go away after a few days and her stomach ache increased. She finally went to the doctor after she had to leave work. He doctor knew she was in pain as she is a rather tough woman, shes a construction worker and never complains of anything. Her symptoms were vaguely similar of kidney stone pain, waxing and waining flank pain on her right side, that was intense, a pressure feeling. Renal colic her doctor thought, but instead of just a KUB (Kidney Ureter Bladder ) Xray she ordered an Ultrasound. There was something on the Ultrasound. Many tests ensued.

One week Ago Monday I sat and watched Pokeys father cry, for his mother has Kidney cancer. There was a huge mass on her Kidney and it had done damage and ravaged her body. There was cancer in both lungs, her bones and blood. I watched and consoled in vain as there was nothing I could do, this was his mother, he was her baby, I had no words. She is very sick.

This morning Pokeys Grandpa called me and said they were just waiting, they had been there since 6am and it was now 1030. Grandma Julie wanted to talk to Pokey, he has been the very best medicine for her the last two weeks. They talk and he tells her how he has been drawing pictures for her all morning, "trains and flowers Grandma, I Love You!" About an hour later I get a call from Pokeys Dad after we spoke with Grandma Julie, Grandpa David lost it and called Pokeys Dad, he needed support, he needed someone else there to process this with him, two weeks ago everything was fine in his life now the same disease that took his mom and dad was threatening to take his wife, he wanted to scream at cancer and didnt know what to do anymore....Pokeys Dad left work right away and went to his parents side to wait until they took Grandma Julie in for surgery, and he sat there and most importantly listened to Grandpa David.

This afternoon Grandma Julie went in and had her and embolization procedure then her right kidney, adrenal gland, ureter and many surrounding lymph nodes were removed. Did I mention shes tough?

Tonight when Pokeys Dad told him that he was going to "see someone" Pokey questioned him further. See we have told him that Grandma Julie is sick, and that shes had some doctor appointments at the hospital and may need to have an operation soon, but we have not said all that much. He caught on right away though and demanded to know where his father was going, when he answered he was going to the hospital his voice quivered with fear..."to see Grandma Julie?" His Dad said yes and Pokey was clearly upset, but he said that he wanted to draw her some more pictures and that would make her feel a Little better and for his Dad to tell her that he loves her. Pokey does not care for the hospital, so we want to wait quite a while before we take him to visit her there.

An hour ago I found out her surgery has been complete, she was in the OR for about 6 hours and is now still sedated and in the ICU, she will remain sedated through the night. Things went as well as expected.

Tomorrow will start a new day, we all look forward to tomorrow.

Two weeks from now I don't know where I will be but I know I will be grateful for those two weeks that have passed no matter what as they are a gift that I have been blessed with.