The Facts

Update from Emily

(March 25, 2010)

We all have different gifts... and different writing styles...

Jenny is wonderful at turning a situation into a word story or devotional. My Dad is just funny. I am good at providing you with pictures and facts. So, until Dad has internet access again - and until Jenny's life slows down a bit... here we go - here are the facts.

Mom and Dad finally got a decent night of sleep last night! Yeah! They spent the morning at the hospital meeting with doctors and getting blood work done for Dad. He is doing well - continuing to move at a turtle's pace for his numbers, but slow and steady.

Unfortunately, Dad's amyloidosis took a huge toll on his kidneys before his original diagnosis. He met with a nephrologist yesterday morning who has him on a new, very strict diet and some experimental treatment for his kidney failure.

This new diet places mom in a new role - cooking everything from scratch. All salt needs to be eliminated from Dad's diet - and we are quickly discovering how much salt is added to EVERYTHING! Mom spent the afternoon at the grocery store - reading labels of spaghetti sauces before eventually just starting from scratch.

After their appointments, Mom and Dad returned to their new apartment. This apartment has a beautiful lake view and Dad was even able to take about 300 steps around the lake.

So, as my three-year-old told me the other day when I was impatient in traffic... "Slow and Steady wins the race, Mom."

And...to my three year old I write: "Austin, although I wish you didn't talk to me like you were thirty instead of three - you are right."

"Slow and Steady wins the race, Grandpa!" Keep it up.

And here is a new picture of that precious three-year-old. Just because I am good at adding things like that :)


Austin floating a newspaper boat in Grandma and Grandpa's pool