Thanks, Mom!

I am home and have spent the day recuperating from the tests. The tests were long, but I was determined to do them. I wanted to give the doctors the information they needed. In addition, if I’m going to ask the doctors to listen to me and be open-minded, then I need to have the same attitude (to a balanced extent, of course) with them. I was surprised to learn just how much acid reflux I do have. I knew I had acid reflux, but I guess I always categorized it as “mild” in my mind. I wasn’t surprised to learn that I have, as the GI doctor said, “an extremely slow gut”. (I do have to laugh at how un-medical her terminology was). And finally, I’m very thankful that I do not have any ulcers - especially after 6 months of Prednisone usage! So, the tests were worth the pain and barium drinking, although now I have to endure a night of “Go Litely”.

Tuesday and Wednesday nights, Mom and I retreated to my grandparents’ home in Fishersville. The first night, Mom had the genius idea to move the small television from the living room to the spare bedroom, so we could watch movies while in bed! The first night we watched an older version of Jane Eyre and a documentary about Billy Graham. The second night we watched Shadowlands. The bed was warmed by the electric blanket, and if I laid on my side, Mom could see the TV just above my head. Then, in the mornings, we enjoyed toast and hot tea. Wednesday night, we even visited with Aunt Jackie (my Dad’s sister) who stopped by in hopes of catching us.

Mom and I had planned to spend some time shopping in Charlottesville, but we ended up being at the hospital from 9am-5pm both days. So, before heading home Thursday morning, we stopped at The Cheese Shoppe. What a treat! The Shoppe is owned by German Baptists, so the atmosphere is calm and organized with Christian music playing in the background. All of the food is displayed in see-through packaging, so imagine rows of rainbow-colored shelves. I love how God invented such variety of colors and The Cheese Shoppe is a perfect example of His creativity. Mom even let me choose some goodies, so I got three small bags of different hard candies I can enjoy, especially at nighttime when my stomach insists it’s hungry even though I’ve fed it just thirty minutes prior.

So while the tests were long, this visit to Charlottesville was actually a mini-vacation for Mom and me. Yes, we still had work to do. As usual, Mom was very supportive during the tests. She was also amazed (and pleased) with how much barium I drank! By nighttime, though, we always ended back in Fishersville exhausted. However, I do believe we made the best use of our time. I made some wonderful memories with Mom. I really do enjoy her company- we laughed and talked a lot. We compared both versions of Jane Eyre. We “aahed” and drooled through several decorating magazines, even planning out our next home interior projects. We read Spurgeon, listened to a taped sermon from church, and continued our prayer ministry.

Mom and I are best friends and one of the blessings of this disease is the extra time I’ve spent with her. Most twenty-two-year-olds are away at college, busy working, or spending time “experiencing the world”. In many ways, the Lord is “forcing” me to stay home. I used to think of it as a hindrance, but now it’s becoming more and more of a blessing to be home. One of the blessings is that Mom often has to stay home when I do. It might sound selfish, but there are many days I wouldn’t want it any other way! Our home is a sanctuary and I know it’s because the Lord dwells here. However, Mom has to be given much credit for the peace we feel in our home. Her decorating and hospitality exclaim, “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8). And it is often Mom who guides my thinking Heavenward, especially when we are away from home. The Lord has blessed me with two parents who love and care for me beyond description. However, I do have to say that Mom and I have a special mother-daughter friendship, not relationship.