In January my mom went in for a routine mammogram. In February, she had a biopsy and was diagnosed with ductile breast cancer. In March and April, we prayed and prepared as a family for what the journey might entail. On May 3rd, she had a full mastectomy and breast reconstruction. On May 12, all pathology reports came back clear and she was declared cancer free. Amen and amen.
Ruth and I were blessed to be in San Antonio the week my mom returned home from the hospital. Although I read about breast cancer, looked at pictures of what the reconstruction process was like, talked to my aunt, my mom, and my dad extensively about what would happen, I still was unsure about what to expect to see when we arrived in SA. The first moment I laid my eyes on my mom I truthfully told her, “Wow. You look beautifully normal.” I’m hoping she received it as the good compliment I meant, but I was so impressed that just six days post-major surgery, her face was bright, her skin was glowing, and she looked, well, beautifully normal.
It was nice to feel like I could serve and help her that week, since all my life she has been helping and serving me. She deserves the best care and my prayer was to provide even the smallest dose of TLC. She’s strong, courageous, and humble. I kept thinking all week that she should be complaining – hey, the woman has earned some complaining rights – but she never did.
Ruth was a trooper with the travel and the changes, but proved to be unfortunately fussy and super clingy to Mommy most of the week. I told my parents that she was acting like that all week so that they wouldn’t miss us too much when we left.
The Boys…
When we arrived back “home” (whenever I refer to Guatemala as “home,” I’ll always put that in quotes, since it’s hard to ever really consider a foreign land home), Stephen greeted me with a kiss and then said, “I’ll trade you a whiner for a why-er.” Apparently Samuel maximized his time with his dad by asking as many questions as possible in a one week time span. Hey, his dad is pretty darn smart, why not take advantage?
Stephen and Sam had the ultimate “boy week” while we were gone. Just minutes after we left on our departing flight out of Guatemala, Stephen and Sam lived it up at Chuck-E-Cheese and rode the indoor roller coaster not once, but twice. I’m glad they were able to have such a diversion so quickly after we left because Sam lost it at the airport when we had to say our good-byes.
“What? I really can’t go?” he cries.
“Sam, we’ve talked about this. We’re having a boy week and a girl week. Ruth and Mommy are going to help Nana. You’ll stay with Daddy.”
“Noooo,” he bawls, “I thought you were just joking. I really want to go!” Needless to say, while on the plane I started brainstorming ways to get that kid back to San Antonio before he turns five!
The next day, Stephen woke Samuel up with a big surprise – they were headed to the beach, just the two of them! Let’s just say, since we’ve been back “home”, now Sam is asking when Ruth and I will leave again so that he and Daddy can just have their boy time. Stephen is an awesome daddy and I’m so glad he used the week to make memories with his son.
Sam at the beach in Monterrico.
To get home, our car even road on the boat.
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