An added adventure

I haven't written since our trip to Barcelona in August.  Not because "I didn't want to", but rather because things have been very crazy since our return.  We returned from Barcelona on a Monday morning, and on Thursday morning my mom told me that she was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder called "Primary Amyloidosis" and that she would need to meet with a Hematology-Oncologist (blood cancer doctor).  From that moment, my life feels like it's been on a long roller coaster ride, going very quickly down hill.  I flew to Florida a week later, to go to the Mayo Clinic (in Jacksonville) wiht my parents, where they would receive a 2nd opinion.  The doctor confirmed the Amyloid diagnosis, and then added an additional diagnosis, Multiple Myeloma.  The cancers are very rare, and it already has started to affect her kidney function.  The only way to stop the damage to the kidneys, and to stop the production of the amyloids, is to get a Stem Cell Transplant, using her own stem cells.  She would need high dose chemo, followed by a stem cell transplant and 6-8 weeks in Jacksonville, FL - hours away from their home.

I returned home, to Germany, after 2 weeks in Florida, and began making preparations to return to Florida agian, 3 weeks later, to help my mom get through her chemo and transplant process. 

I write this from a rental apartment in Jacksonville that we have, 4 miles from the Mayo Clinic, where my mom was admitted yesterday.  She received her first round of chemo today, and is doing very well.

I am updating her treatment progress on a Caring Bridge website, and fear I won't be able to keep up on 2 websites.  So, if you'd like to keep up on the latest Wieman adventures and to learn about my mom's treatment progress and daily prayer requests, please visit: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/journeywithgrace

I look forward to getting back here and posting some more fun trips, and not my mom's cancer treatment.  Unfortunately, for now, this is the adventure God has placed me and my family on, and I will go through it with my head held high, and Jesus at my side (well, okay, he'll be carrying me through alot of it)!