A lot of people ask, "How are you all doing?"
Some follow up with, "But how are you really doing?"
-this second question often causes a dilemma for me. How do I fully
explain this situation when we are still trying to wrestle through it
ourselves?
Sometime in my head I answer back, "Well, how much time do
you have?" Time is a factor to answer this question and we live in a
time-crunched feeling life. Facebook, Twitter, unending emails all take
up our energy.
At ASIJ, I would often see emails from people with items to give
away, or non-work life information. As a courtesy, they would put
"delete if not interested", in the subject line. I think this post is
probably similar. So, if you want an inside view of "how we are really doing" follow along. But
don’t feel compelled to -I am completely fine with leaving it at, “We are doing
ok, one day at a time.” if you don't have time right now.
So, as we said at school in Japan-
RE: Schreiber's - How they're really
doing -Delete if not interested.
Yes, the last 3 months have been really hard -a tiring
(emotionally, physically, spiritually) and demanding journey. And it's
right on the heels of another very tiring journey to and from Japan. A journey
that started more than a year ago and took a lot of energy. We gave up one
whole life: job, friends, church, town, school, driving, mountains -craft beer.
We packed, had lots of tearful good-byes, parties, “last of” experiences,
said our farewells and flew (by way of Hawaii -where Tiffany got painful
shingles) to start our new life in Japan. We started new jobs, got bikes,
train passes, met great new people, started a new church plant, and went to
IKEA way too many times. The girls got adjusted to not just a new school, but for 2 of them, the only school that they had ever been in (before
they were home schooled). Abby walked through a month of painful swollen
legs and a sore back (walking, in the rain, on the train, through crowds, to
multiple Japanese doctors and hospitals, with lot of needle sticks, and a final
bone-marrow test) before we finally packed up eleven suitcases and flew back to
our Colorado house that didn’t fully feel like home.
It was like we were running a marathon, almost got to the finish
line when someone told us to turn around and do it again. Sometimes, that’s how we really feel.
Oh, and then there is the relapse-cancer thing too.
We are now 3 months into that new marathon, I have 3 more
months of one-second-a-day videos and now.
The title says, “The Schreibers in Japan” but what it shows instead is
90 seconds of hospitals, drives, and my daughter losing her hair. No job footage, no school, no biking, no new
adventurous footage of Japan subways, no IKEA, -such an abrupt change of direction. But, if you stay there too long, it can
really bring you down.
So we try not to stay in that place. Instead we pray. Honest prayers. Sometimes feeble, sometimes
mad, but we still choose to pray to a God, that I don’t understand but I still
trust (even though that can be really hard).
And with that said, I guess the next logical question is,” how is
Abby really doing?” Unfortunately I don’t really know that
question. She doesn’t share much about
this all. I can only guess what it would have been like for me as a 7th
grader to have gone through our last 6 months of change only to end up living
most of the last 3 months in the hospital.
How would you feel?
No really, how would you feel? Put yourself in that place for a
minute, go back to your 7th grade year, give yourself cancer, all
this change… feel that for a minute.
Now, will you pray for my daughter out of that heart? Please. She needs your prayers. We can't just strive to just save her physical body, we need to save her heart, her mind, her spirit -and her beautiful smile too.
I know I didn’t have it in me as a 7th grader to go through this type of suffering, you probably feel the same way, and I'd guess that she probably does too. So, even if you’re, "not the praying type", would you try? Pray that Abby’s faith would grow. Pray that her immunity would rocket up so she could come home for a few days. Pray that she won’t just grunt through this, but instead find freedom in the midst of it. That she will find some way to have a purpose during these hospital stays. Maybe even that she would find a way to embrace this journey, even during the toughest of times. -These are spiritual requests.
Now, will you pray for my daughter out of that heart? Please. She needs your prayers. We can't just strive to just save her physical body, we need to save her heart, her mind, her spirit -and her beautiful smile too.
I know I didn’t have it in me as a 7th grader to go through this type of suffering, you probably feel the same way, and I'd guess that she probably does too. So, even if you’re, "not the praying type", would you try? Pray that Abby’s faith would grow. Pray that her immunity would rocket up so she could come home for a few days. Pray that she won’t just grunt through this, but instead find freedom in the midst of it. That she will find some way to have a purpose during these hospital stays. Maybe even that she would find a way to embrace this journey, even during the toughest of times. -These are spiritual requests.
All I can think that is left to say is, "Thank you". Thank you for taking the time to try glimpse into
how we are all really doing (or at least how we feel sometimes).
And yes, this is all heartfelt and true, but it is also true that we are just taking it one day at a time -walking out each day as it comes. Still taking one-second-a-day videos and trusting that we can find the blessing, if even only for that 1 second, in each and every day.
And yes, this is all heartfelt and true, but it is also true that we are just taking it one day at a time -walking out each day as it comes. Still taking one-second-a-day videos and trusting that we can find the blessing, if even only for that 1 second, in each and every day.
Abby’s unhooked today.
Doing well. Bored but in good spirits. Has 1 blurry eye from one of the treatments. Wants to go home though. There are only so many crafty things to do
and Netflix videos watch while you’re stuck in the hospital room. And, unfortunately this will be one of the shorter stays. Bone Marrow Transplant will mean she is inpatient for at least 6 weeks and then in Denver still until day 100 or more. One day at a time.
Here's our last 90 days. Enjoy and thanks for journeying through this with us.
Here's our last 90 days. Enjoy and thanks for journeying through this with us.
8 comments:
Praying for sure. I'll share one small piece of what I can only hope and pray will encourage. In the Gospel of St. Mark there are a couple glimpses into the relationship between the people and Christ that gives me great courage for you and especially Abby. Mark 2:3 reads And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. and chapter 8:22 reads: And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. Jesus heals both of these sick people because of the faith of their friends. Not on account of any personal faith. In this moment, we pray. May our faith give you hope. The Lord's blessing be upon you.
Sending prayers of strength, healing, courage and faith. Although none can walk this journey physically with you,we can walk a prayer journey with and for you. You are on my mind and in my prayers daily.
Sending Abby and all of you positive energy, strength, courage, and prayers for healing and peace.
Jennifer ramsey and family
Sending Abby and all of you positive energy, strength, courage, and prayers for healing and peace.
Jennifer ramsey and family
In Jesus name, we pray for healing for Abby and for your presence to be felt in a strong way in Abby's spirit and in the spirits of the rest of the family. We pray for continued wisdom for those caring for Abby. We pray for strength for Mark and Tiffany.
Love you guys and praying
Shedding tears of emotion as I read of this whirlwind of change in your lives. Thank you for sharing this honest and heartfelt request for prayer. I am continuing to trust God with you and praying and asking God for Abby's healing.
Numbers 12:13 And Moses cried to the LORD, "O God, please heal her--please."
Continued love and prayers for each of you, my heart & spirit weep with you.
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