Have I Loved You Well?

I am sitting in the waiting room right now as my beloved lies open a table getting a pretty big surgery today. I have been anticipating this day since we learned of his cancer. I just wanted to get this thing out and get the final staging and make a plan for the future.

The surgery itself has never worried me. if anything,  I have been mostly consumed with what I cannot control, which is "what if it comes back in three years?"

I learned last weekend that Mickey's mind has been mostly concerned with this surgery. What if something happens on the table? Etc. These thoughts are not unwarranted fears as I have had a cousin and uncle who went in for very routine elective procedures and had significant complications that nearly took their lives. Mickey has been nervous about this surgery getting complicated.

Really, I should not be surprised by the differences in where our worries lay, because Mickey tends to stay in the here and now while my mind is usually looking way far ahead.

The past month has been stressful. This cancer diagnosis has come as a big blow to us. There are already so many unknowns regarding our future and it's hard for me to feel so much confusion about what is the right thing for our lives and where is the right place etc. It's hard being so far from family through cancer and hydrops. There are many days that I have felt very alone and have thought of all the what ifs and truly not known what is the best thing for us to do in all of those different circumstances.
When we discussed Mickey's fears,  I suddenly started thinking about those things too and I also temporarily got concerned about the surgery and something going wrong.

 I started feeling even more emotional and wondering about all the things I could have done differently. Had I loved him well enough? Did he feel a full life with me? Had he done all he wanted to do? Was he satisfied with life with me and the kids?
I didn't know the best way to talk about these things with him without coming across as negative, but Monday night I decided it was a conversation that we needed to have.
I asked him those very questions. I know that in our [almost] eight years of marriage! we have seen and done and gone through more than many people do in a lifetime.....and with that comes a great deal of stress. I got my masters degree, he got his PhD, we have lived in three states and had four children and battled prematurity with one child and hydrops with another. I have felt like maybe all of this was more than Mickey ever expected would come his way when choosing to marry me. What if he had regrets? What if he felt unloved by me? Had I loved him well?
Mickey's answers were that he thinks he has a super cool life with four beautiful kids and a smart wife and he feels he has truly lived and loved more than he ever had expectations for in life. This of course, is what I needed to hear. It gives me peace now, as I wait in the waiting room. I just know things will be ok.
It also reminded me that I need to start living my life with the focus of loving my family well. Being present. Being kind. Being gentle. Listening. Nurturing. Loving.
Can eBe present. Don't always live three years ahead of yourself...be present in today and make these moments count because the future is not guaranteed.
I write and tell you this today because not all are facing cancer, but we all face death at some point or another. It is imminent. It is the only sure thing that does await us all. I implore you not to wait until you have a face off with a life threatening illness to ask these questions. Don't wait because a time might come when it is too late.
Talk to your loved ones. Ask them how you can show them more love. Tell them you love them. Tell them how they have made a difference in your life. And spend time loving them well.

Do the Work

This is my husband. He is beautiful. I remember the first time I met him being awed by his deep focused eyes. Since that time he continues to awe me on a regular basis. His focus. His discipline. His sheer talent in almost everything. His love for our children. His love for me.

He is the face of many things. He is the face of Daddy to my children. He is the face of Dr. L to his college students. He is the face of Mr. L the art teacher. He is the face of Coach L, the track coach. He is the face of a loving son. He is the face of a faithful friend. He is the face of a baby brother. He is the face of my husband and he is one of the many faces of cancer.

Mickey was recently diagnosed with colorectal cancer. It is a shock. It seems unfair. It seems we have had our share of stress. It hits us on the heels of hydrops and frankly, we thought life was finally settling down. Mickey recently finished his Phd, moved us to Kansas and we thought life was about to become boring, predictable and perfect. We are still processing this news with an array of different emotions. Mickey hasn't missed a beat and is doing as he always does, moving forward and solving the problem as best as he can without fretting over the stuff he can't fix.

Technical stuff:
It is not metastatic. He will have surgery to remove tumor on January 16 in Witchita by Dr. Noel Sanchez. He will have up to a week in the hospital and then 6-8 weeks recovery. The doctor was clear that this is no easy surgery and he should expect a hard road. After recovery from surgery, he will go on for approximately 6 months of chemotherapy (which he will get in Manhattan) He will get chemotherapy every 2 weeks for 3 days at a time. We meet with oncologist (Dr. Travis Koeneke) tomorrow. The treatments will be with curative intent.

We have a long road ahead but we are trying to view this new journey as an opportunity for growth. I frankly cannot see any way to have cancer and not become a better person because of it. I plan to let this new venture help me become a better spouse and partner. We are trying to see all the blessings that exist within this type of diagnosis. Although the lessons are hard, they are valuable and life changing.

As usual, Mickey prefers not to talk about all of this stuff with many people, so if you have questions or comments or advice, please feel free to email or text or message or call me. I will try to keep the blog updated with latest information to keep our friends and family informed. We are thankful for the outpouring of love and support that you all offer us so often. Please please keep us in your prayers and thoughts as we move through this challenge.

...be strong and courageous. Do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged , for The Lord God, MY God, is w you. He will not fail or forsake you....1 Chronicles 28:20. 

I love this verse because of two parts. I love that it says 'Do the Work'. and I love that it says 'My God". My dear friend reminded me that you have to put legs to your prayers. We must DO THE WORK. Its often hard work. The road ahead will be Hard work. It will be hard work for all of us but especially for Mickey. I have no doubts and I have complete confidence in his ability to Do the Work.  I also have no doubts and I have complete faith that the Lord, MY GOD, will not fail us.