Save your fork, the best is yet to come.......

I have many thoughts running through my mind. I hope they can find their way to my fingers. 

This has been a challenging ten day up at Huntsman. I think the main things is because I AM getting older. LOL. The demanding schedule was the hardest part of the whole thing. But guess what???? We were NOT alone....Not only there were hundreds of other people surrounding us going through similar challenges, there was a multitude of medical support staff all around us. We were NOT walking this path alone or blindly. People going through similar trials were so supportive to each other. They talked together, cried together and encouraged each other along. The medical staff was tender and understanding always asking : "How are you? What is your pain level? Can I bring you a drink? chips? A warm blanket? Or two incidences: one Nurse: My aunt and Uncle told me to come and find you. I live in Roy. They are Brother and Sister so and so. Guess what???? Brother and Sister so-and-so are our neighbors.!!!! (Mike and Marsha Schoenfelt) We were thrilled to make that connection. It made us feel as if we were close to home. And I believe....we received EXTRA, EXTRA special care because of that cherished relationship with our neighbors. A second nurse is moving to our old ward area. Her fiancé' lives down the street from the Ivie's. What another fun connection. She treated us really well too. 

     Staying at Hope Lodge ( American Cancer Society Sponsored)  in Salt Lake has been a blessing to us. We are meeting wonderful people who are going through similar experiences that we are going through. Together, we are walking this path and giving each other encouragement and support. I want to mention two incidences. I will call the first person, Fred. Of course, that is not his name. Fred can be seen walking the halls, holding on to his beloved wife as she slowly shuffles at his side. He is assisting her to the kitchen area to prepare her a meal. They catch up  with many new 'friends' they have met while there. They have swapped stories and adventures of years past. As we walked into the kitchen last Wednesday, we could tell Fred was sad. Another couple was standing near him. I heard him say ", They told us today that she is terminal'. He was speaking of his dear, sweet wife. The other couple threw their arms around him and he wept. We, too, told him how sorry we were to hear that news. Those loving arms around him knew exactly what he was going through and what exactly he felt. My eyes watered up and I realized that the strengthen we receive really does come from others around us that are 'willing to carry one another's burdens'. Their room was next to ours. That evening,  when I went into our bathroom, I could hear them through the wall. They were crying. All I could do was bow my head and ask Heavenly Father to comfort them at this time. It really did break my heart.  The next day, Fred and his wife packed up and went home. I do not know where that 'home' is, but I know he left with a heavy heart. I prayed again that the Comforter would buoy them up at this time in their life. 

    My second short story is about Melanie and Ashley. Melanie is the Mom and is always smiling. She goes about attending to her daughter Ashley, who I would guess is in her early twenties. Ashley reflects her mother's happy, positive attitude. Ashley is the patient. She has lymphoma. She, too, is going through stem cell replacement. Her skin is pale and her hair is gone but her smile is not. We met them briefly as few days before we left. Her story is one I want to learn more about when we return to Hope Lodge in a few weeks. Upon leaving, we found out that Ashley has been there ONE YEAR and will continue to be there throughout more treatments. I asked Melanie how she was doing as the care giver. She admitted that some days she felt like a zombie, moving through the motions almost without feeling. We both teared up. I so wanted to be able to 'give' Melanie strength. How does one do that? I listened.... I didn't know what else to do. I told her I 'understood'. I told her what I observed and that was 'she is a great care giver, kind and gentle and is doing a great job'. I know she felt and wondered if it was good enough. A year.....I could hardly imagine what those 12 months have been like. I went back to my room and little more humbled and asked again another prayer for someone I just met. I asked a loving Heavenly Father to please give Melanie the strength to continue to be strong for Ashley. And I asked for blessings to be with Ashley as she continue to fight the ugly battle of cancer.

      As I try to observe the many others around us in the collection clinic, I know they each have a similar story. I watch them and silently offer a prayer for them. Each of them are in different stages of their treatment. Some are also collecting stem cells, preparing for their transplant. I know they each have hopes that 'this will be the cure' and that they will be given many more years to have the chance to make more memories in their lives. I know they must be feeling 'I know this is hard, but it will be worth it'.  In 2 Nephi we read, " ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of HOPE, and a love of God, and of all men.  .... And in 1 Corinthians 13: 13, 'and now abideth faith, HOPE and charity.....

     We have a great HOPE in all things, through the strength of our loving Heavenly Father. I read a talk today that said.....'save your fork, the best is yet to come.'. I have HOPE of this too. So, save YOUR fork.......

     Thanks for continuing this journey along with me.