Good morning everyone,

We have had a lot of ups and downs in this house since I wrote last.  Sharmi overall been very needy, but has enjoyed walking around and playing a little bit the last few days.  Her Daddy and Grandma flew in on Saturday evening and she was very happy to see them.  On the way down to the airport she was talking about missing her loved ones and them missing her.  I told her papa (grandpa) wasn’t coming this time, and she chattered in her her car seat saying, “I miss you papa.”  Later she said “Grandma miss you,”  ” Daddy misses you.”  She has certainly heard them tell her that over the last few months. 

Yesterday she fell in the family room.  I can’t figure out how.  I was standing next to her but I didn’t see the fall.  She was in a lot of pain to the point that she asked for medicine. (She usually chooses to tough out the pain instead of taking more drugs.)  Her cry was much more intense than usual and scary for a mom.  The other thing that concerns me is that it is her right leg this time (the limp, bone damage, and previous injuries have been on the left side).  As of this morning she still hasn’t stood on it and she is complaining a lot.  She even cried when foxy (our cat) rubbed her head against her foot. 

This morning we go into the San Diego Children’s Hospital for the last time.  (We pack and move the last part of this week.) We are going in to get her blood checked, and sicne she is taking all of her chemo orally right now she won’t have to have any procedures.  This will be nice for all of us.  However, I am sure we will also do an x-ray to make sure she doesn’t have a fracture in her leg.  

We deal with Sharma’s health and care every moment of the day, and at times it feels very lonely.  However, God has kept reminding us that he is here.  He didn’t heal her to prevent her from having to go through all of this and she still suffers alot, but I am grateful that he reminds us that he is still there.  The last time we went to the hospital for chemo, I was driving a courtesy vehicle (since our car was in the shop).  My girlfriend Julie was with us and we were driving up the express lanes.  I was about half way up when the power was gone.  I knew immediately, without having to look at the dash that I was out of gas.  Dean had just put gas in two days earlier, so I hadn’t even thought of it, (but he didn’t fill it since it was a courtesy vehicle.)  I was able to pull over to the right side of the road before it stopped completely.  I called Dean back east to ask what I should do.  Julie pushed the flashers and she also called her husband.  Within just a couple minutes we looked over and saw a highway service patrol truck pull up next to us on the shoulder of the main highway.  I got out and went to his his window.  He was finishing up a call, but sympathetically looked at me and said, “do you need gas?”  I nodded and he said, “I have gas and you will be on your way in no time.”  A highway officer had also pulled up and after he confirmed that I was OK, went on his way.  I know that the service patrol man was just doing his job, and even though he felt like an angel to me, I am sure he was just a regular guy.  However, I also believe that God put him behind us on the freeway so that he would be exactly where we needed him.  As he was leaving he said,  “It is good thing you ran out of gas here, if you would have stalled a mile up I wouldn’t have been able to get to you.”  Julie and I both knew that God had orchestrated our help even before we knew we needed it.  It is moments like this when God reminds me he is still there that keeps me going. 

Well, I better run if we are going to get to Sharmi’s appointment on time.

 Cheris.