Merry Christmas ’24 and Happy New Year ’25!
I’ll bet you’ve heard the formula of how to make God laugh: tell Him your plans. Or better yet … write a Christmas letter (for ’23) claiming no hospital stays. No sooner had those cards gone into the mail than, BINGO, hospital stay!
This year you are getting an e-version of the Christmas card. After all, we can edit it on the fly if necessary!
Long story short, December 12 of 2023, I had surgery for a 1-in-a-million cancer: appendiceal. Lord willing, all is now well in that department.
If we were to have to choose a word to describe 2024, it might have to be two words. HEALTH (or lack of same) and TRAVEL.
When we were wee ones, our parents used to discuss health concerns around the dinner table with visiting family members. Now our own kids and grandkids guess how long it will take before their parents/grandparents start discussing the latest med or malady. There is more to life than that!
We began 2024 on a bittersweet note. Mark’s sister, Mary, went home to be with Jesus on January 5 after a brief battle with liver cancer. We are continually reminded of her strong faith every time we hear certain songs and laugh at the things she would have laughed at. The celebration of life was just as she would have wanted it…full of life and laughter and the reminder that Jesus was her highest hope.
On to summarizing the HEALTH challenges this past year: Mark had a self-inflicted infection that landed him in the hospital for a week with staph, MRSA, and various and sundry reactions to antibiotics, followed by a partial toe amputation. And thus followed by 3 weeks of Rhonda becoming a home health nurse, administering IV antibiotics (did I sign up for this? Yes, that falls under the “sickness and health” clause).
While in the hospital, they ran tests on his circulation, which pointed out that it was about time to clear out his carotid artery. Another hospital stint for a carotid stent in August.
Then a dermatologist said to Mark: did you know you have skin cancer all over your face? And by the way you need a cancerous spot removed surgically from the base of your neck.
Then long about October, I (Rhonda) started having excruciating neck pain. So much so that Mark decided to record my screaming one morning (I’m not proud of that). I’ve had three children and don’t ever remember being in that much pain. An x-ray showed bone spurs. Physical therapy and some muscle relaxers later, it is better, but not gone.
Early December brought a bout with unexpected tachycardia and an ambulance ride for Rhonda. Another med was added to the current cocktail and seems to be working so far.
See what I mean? Our every breath is a gift from God. We don’t take that lightly.
The better word of the year is TRAVEL!
Mark’s doctor agreed that he could travel in July (after his March amputation and before the scheduled carotid surgery), so we took a “birthday” cruise to Alaska to celebrate Rhonda’s 70th and sister Diane’s 67th. Brother Danny was to have accompanied all of us, but both he and Celeste came down with a well-known virus and had to back out. That notwithstanding, it was a wonderful trip! Even if Mark did trip over Diane and end up in a wheelchair. But hey, that’s a story for another day.
Marshall and Lara came to visit for my 70th, and dropped off a new set of wheels! I’m loving it!
Then we accepted an invitation to spend Thanksgiving with our boys and families in northern California. What a great time we had in a gracious person’s home while there, and also getting to visit with Diane and Don, and the Claydons while in town. We even got to experience the newly created Cornish Christmas in downtown Grass Valley. We used to take the kids when they were little. Memories!
Since home, we’ve been enjoying time substitute teaching (Rhonda) and writing blogs for Illinois Family Institute (Mark). We are grateful that we have Ingrid and family nearby. It seems nearly impossible that the oldest grandchild is almost 20!
We are constantly encouraged by our church family and pastor. The whole “watch from home” has been helpful during certain periods of time. But face to face is a reminder that one day we will see HIM face to face … and that is the BIG reason we celebrate Christmas, isn’t it? The Gift that entered humanity and ultimately paid our entrance fee into eternity.
MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all … and to all a Joyous New Year!
Blessings from Mark and Rhonda
