Friday, April 20, 2012

The Final "Home Stretch"

Over the last couple of months, we've had the chance to get updates from several of the friends we made at MD Anderson. Two of our friends who had unsuccessful transplants are now 6 months or more past their SECOND transplants and doing very well! Several of our other friends who had successful first transplants are almost completely off their various medications.

All of our friends had Leukemia and Jo did not, so it's not completely fair to compare their progress to Jo's progress. Still, I would be lying if I said we weren't a little disappointed that Jo's weaning process isn't as far along as some of our friends. Well, that's all about to change!

Jo saw Dr. Anderlini in Houston yesterday and he told Jo to stop her Tachro completely and "see what happens". Although I try to remain humble, I do have to admit that I told Jo to let Dr. Anderlini know that I thought it was time to quit the Tachro. I can only assume that Jo has been passing my medical advice on to Dr. Anderlini these past 15 months.

Doctors do love to poke and prod and MD Anderson would never want to miss an opportunity. Jo got 5 more vaccinations before she left her appointment. Jo won't be back in Colorado until Sunday. Anna and I are hoping that any weird withdrawal symptoms are finished by then since we have a very busy Sunday.

I guess we have to wait and see what happens, but I can't imagine the "home stretch" getting any more final than this.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

What's Your "Calling"?

Last Sunday at Church, our Pastor’s message was titled “Happy People Have a Calling”, and it was brilliant! Here are the key points as I saw them:

First: Your vocation has NOTHING to do with the happiness you feel in regard to work.

Second: The way you view your vocation has EVERYTHING to do with the happiness you feel in regard to work. You can view your vocation as a job, as a career or as your calling. It’s up to you.

Do you realize what this means? It means you have 100% control over how much happiness you feel when it comes to your work. Our Pastor even suggested that if you are doing temporary work, you can still view it as your temporary calling!

Jo and I had an extraordinary conversation on the way out of the sanctuary. For much of Jo’s life, her calling has been to be an international dance instructor. I asked Jo, “What has your calling been the last couple of years?" She said, “My calling has been to be a mom and to be a bone marrow transplant patient.” Consider this: When you are doing exactly what God is calling you to do, how can you have anything less than happiness?

It’s been suggested that Jo did not choose to have a bone marrow transplant. We actually believe she did. God puts options in front of us – sometimes those options are limited to a single option. From the options God put in front of Jo, she chose to have a bone marrow transplant and for the last 18 months she has chosen to relate to that experience as her temporary calling and to take it on with the same level of passion she brings to dance or being a mom.

So the question I have to ask myself is this: Where in my life do I have situations that I view as unfortunate circumstances that I have to muddle through...as compared to my temporary calling straight from the hand of God?