Here is what you do not know. The day my transmission went out, I had taken Nicky out of the house for a short trip because we were doing the 72 hr EEG and video EEG and we had been cooped up and needed a little fresh air. We took a drive to the market and on our way home, it went out. Here I was with Nick and a million leads with the backpack and the recorder and we were not supposed to be away from the video machine for that long. It took us forever to limp home, I had stopped on the side of the road when I got a phone call from Mom and Randy. He had been seeing his primary Dr. for some abnormal labs. Nothing too much to worry about, but they felt like he should see an Oncologist, for ruling out any other things that could be going on. The labs had been ran and the appointment was that day to get the results.
Mom said well Randy does have something. It's Leukemia. It is the best kind of Leukemia to have. People live relatively normal lives with it and he has to be monitored and carefully watched. The numbers have to stay within the normal/dormant range for him to not have to have any chemotherapy.
B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia
B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia, also known as chronic lymphoid leukemia, is the most common type of leukemia in adults. CLL affects B cell lymphocytes, which originate in the bone marrow, develop in the lymph nodes, and normally fight infection by producing antibodies.
For those of you who are like me, you " hear " the part where it's the " best " kind of Leukemia to have, but your eyes and your heart are splitting into two and leaking everywhere. I just wanted to go straight to GA and hug Randy. He has been my constant cheerleader in every way. It broke my heart. I asked a lot of questions and had lots of concerns. I just could not believe it. I know, I know.... At least it is the good kind of Leukemia... it was still just really hard to swallow... I think moreso for me than him. I hung up, not dare telling them that I was stranded on the side of the road and hoped that I would make it home with Nick....
I could feel my frustrations creeping up and the surrender of will wavering in the balance. I wanted to drive straight to GA. The yearning to be with my family was almost unbearable to stomach. I knew it was not possible, I had to get HOME.
We made it home, I was a hot mess. I was stressed, scared, I had no idea what I was going to do. I started getting Nicky settled and my phone rang again. This time it was Randy, he said, look, I do not want to alarm you but we are at the ER with your mom. She began having chest pains and we stopped at the fire department and they said she needed to go to the ER. We are here, they are running some tests and trying to get her blood pressure down. I did not know what to say. My mom has never had blood pressure issues.
In one hour, my mode of transportation was eliminated, my pops had been diagnosed with Leukemia, and my mom was at the Hospital with chest pains... I wanted to set my hair on fire and run down the street. I needed to be with them. I was so worried about them both. My mom was admitted that evening and once they got her blood pressure regulated, she was released and followed up with a stress test 3 days later. They cleared her from any blockages and she will need to be monitored by her cardiologist pretty closely...
This is where Grace finds us... Going through the motions of life and trying to make since of it all. We are all doing well now and we know that we have each other...
Sending you lots of love,
Josh, Michelle, and the kiddies...
