Not gonna lie, it’s only Wednesday and it’s been a pretty heavy week. On Monday I had my surgery to insert my port for chemo. It was an outpatient surgery, and relatively simple, but Kevin and I were both still nervous. It was another new and completely different experience for us.

It is rather uncomfortable, but I am sure it will be that way all the time, as it is in an area where there is really just skin and bones. I am very grateful for it though, as I have small veins, and my left arm was shot for a while after having the large thing in my arm at the hospital for them to use.

And yesterday, we had our chemo education appointment at the oncologist’s office. We literally spent an hour listening to all the seemingly millions of ways my body can possibly react to the chemotherapy and immunotherapy. It was a lot. I did get one hopeful piece of news – if everything goes well, I should be able to still go on a trip I planned months ago.

But amidst the heavy, there has been so much good. LIke all the time I get to spend with my sweet Lily. She has been invaluable with all of her help – taking care of getting Arthur where he needs to be, helping with cleaning and shopping and meals. But mostly, I just love having her here to sit and watch a movie with me and keep me company when I truly need it. Like the day I got my diagnosis, and I was numb, then sad, and angry and all the things. Lily and I watched “Hello Dolly,” and laughing and singing along with my sweet girl was just what I needed to escape from the hard reality that I was being forced to face.

Sheila, a dear friend from Pennsylvania, just happened to have a work trip to San Antonio, and was able to come over tonight and visit and reconnect . We had dinner together, and then talked and talked. What an amazing gift!!

And yesterday, when our book club had a field trip to the Pearl, my friend, Kitara, borrowed a wheelchair and she and Aimee took turns pushing me around because I was too tired and weak from my port surgery, and so I got to be there and join in all the fun . And it was so much fun! We had read the book, The First Emma by Camille Di Maio, which was historical fiction about the woman who ran the Pearl brewery, and for whom The Emma hotel in downtown San Antonio is named after. It was awesome to see all the history that went along with the book, but the best part, was getting to talk and laugh with my friends. (And yes, there is a random guy in our group picture 😂 – his friend was taking the picture. Good times!)

Another amazing thing, was that I was able to have Lily bake cookies to take to the staff at my school. I always try to bake or make treats to share with them throughout the school year, and had planned on doing something at the beginning of the year, but obviously, my health made that impossible. And so Lily made the yummy lemon cookies, I wrote a thank you card for the staff for all their support, and I had her take them to the school with some of my white lung cancer bracelets. It was something small, but it meant so much to me to show them my love and feel more connected, since I can’t be there right now. I loved getting this picture from the second grade team, whom I love so much 🥹.

And then there have been all the phone calls (some from dear friends that I hadn’t had the chance to talk to in year), the messages from friends and families all over the world, and the fabulous visits which recharge me like nothing else can. Kevin jokes that it is like I have a charging cord plugged in every time there is a visitor. I have even had some of my wonderful past students visit me, which fills my heart like no other. And that’s not to mention the meals that have been brought in to our family for the past month, and the random surprise packages that come in the mail or are left on my doorstep – seriously I just don’t know how to handle the amazing generosity, but I am so grateful for it.

I have been, and my family has been, so incredibly blessed. Every time I feel myself slipping underneath all the heavy, another person comes and lifts me up . And all of us can feel the power of the prayers that are being offered in our behalf. It fills us and strengthens us all. We are beyond blessed, even amongst the hard.