Happy Easter!

The day before Easter all was going well. Mom and I went out and got a Honey Baked Ham and other ingredients to make a great meal. While it wore her out a little, she rested while I put some of the side dishes together. In the late afternoon she was complaining that her hand hurt. This has been an ongoing problem since January, so I asked her if she'd like some pain medicine. She declined so I went on and took Hunter to a birthday party. When I returned, she was in extreme pain. Her fingers were tingling and turning blue, so I left Tim with burgers on the grill and ran her down to the ER. They were able to take her right back to a bed and had her some morphine within 30 minutes. I'm very thankful for the efficiency of the ER at University. They ran some tests and decided at 3:00 am that they would admit her. The pain medicine wasn't working as well as before, so it was off and on pain. I got home and back in bed at 4:30 am and convinced Tim that we go to the 10:45 service.

It was a beautiful Easter Sunday morning with the sun shining brightly. The kids were dressed in their best and we were off to a wonderful Resurrection Sunday with one of the most awesome congregations of Believers. What a beautiful service it was. When we got out, however, we got a call from Mom saying that they were going to take her to surgery at 2:30. We hurried home, changed clothes, and were able to meet Tim's dad at the hospital before they took her down. Sure enough, there was a blood clot that was restricting flow to her left arm. The surgeon was able to remove it and get her on the road to recovery. During this time, though, we discovered another problem. Acid reflux caused from the radiation is making it difficult for her to eat. Even water is difficult to go down. Maurice, Mom's nurse who found a pain medication that worked for her hand, went to work on this issue too. He's a great nurse! We're hoping that Mom can be released today (Tuesday). There's something to be said about recovering at home.

Some other updates: Tim's grandma, Margaret, got to come home from the nursing home yesterday (Monday). She's well on her road to recovery. My cousin, Emily, is recovering from her surgery last week and hopes to go home on Friday. They are watching her liver and spleen for swelling. Tim's other grandma, Maggie, went to the hospital on Monday to have a pacemaker put in. They're hoping she can come home today.

So, the question is asked, "Can we still celebrate Easter with all this mess?" The answer is, "ABSOLUTELY!!!" The reason being is Easter is not about fancy clothes, ham dinners, bunnies, chicks, and egg hunts. While all of those are fun, having them taken away doesn't ruin Easter. Jesus, who took the punishment for our sin, is still risen from the grave and has victory over death! He's still alive! Having loved ones in the hospital doesn't change that. It even makes them being in the hospital more peaceful. All of us face death whether we're old, young, healthy, or have some kind of medical problem. Because of Easter and what Jesus did, it's the promise of eternal life in Heaven. We know that for those who claim Jesus as their Savior and Lord, this is not the end. What a wonderful thing to celebrate! Are you celebrating Easter too?