Help! Hope! Healing!

INSPIRATIONAL TOUCHDOWNS

June 28, 2009 

Email from my friend:

I now have the greatest peace ever, in my every day days I know for sure, without a doubt, doing what God intends me to do…care for my best friend.  He plucked me right out of Wal-Mart, and set me right beside this guy.

Vonnie Skidgel caring for Alzheimer’s husband

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 Help, Hope, and Healing

OUR FINEST GOAL

In 2002 my mentor and friend Vonnie stood well into her journey of care for her husband, Gene. Because of her caregiver duties our phone conversations ceased and we settled for short emails to keep updated on our news.

That same summer I attended a writer’s conference and dreamed of being a published author.

But God had other plans. In December 2002 we rushed my husband Gary to the hospital.

The surgeon said, “At some point, Mr. Crawford, your appendix burst. We found pieces floating throughout your abdomen. We did remove a large mass from where your appendix should have been. You have a rare disease called Pseudomyxoma Peritonei, a cancer of the peritoneal lining …”

And our world changed. Read the rest of this entry »

What Do I Say?

Dear Caregiver,

After my husband’s terminal diagnosis with a rare cancer, Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (PMP), it seemed like some of our friends lost all common sense. They said really “stupid” things. Mom said that was the least of my worries and in a few years it wouldn’t matter. I stewed anyway. Then we attended church.

“Well, Gar, you sure look good. Probably the hospital wasn’t that big a deal anyway.” My white-faced husband stood holding onto the back of the pew while a fellow parishioner made light of his situation. “Looks like you just needed a change of desire, you suppose?”

Change of desire? What kind of statement was that?

Read the rest of this entry »