Nearly everyone who moves about us has a walker or a wheel chair, many without hair and many with some additional medical equipment. A older man walks by holding the hand of another as if he was a child holding the hand of his mother. I assume it is his wife’s hand he holds but the empty gaze in his eyes tells me he isn’t really sure about much around him.

This is reality for us…for many others. Once a life as those on the other side of the window, now the one where accommodations are needed. Their was a time I hadn’t understood or cared about the accommodations. Now even the large silver shiny button on the wall to open a door seems to be so very important for those without strength to open the dour or for those who arent walk freely through it.

I have countless times throughout this painful path talk about what it has taught me and about seeing the blessings that surround us. I’m not sure I am heard. I hope I am. We spend too much time not understanding how wonderful it is you don’t need accommodations. Too much time only taking care of our own struggles without care of those who walk painful paths like this. Too much time complaining without notice of how truely blessed we are.

Someday I hope I can return to the world of no need for accommodations but be like the boys in video Jen shared with me. And when Jen can once again move about without these, i hope we still take notice and reach out to those who continue to need them. And continue to see how blessed we are in this world.

Also the doctor gave me some positive news. We had been told previous that Jen needed to live in Columbus until day 100. He said that if Jen is doing well and is to the point of only needing to be seen once a week, we can return home at that point. This could shorten her stay in Columbus by several days/weeks. For now, we just take it one day at a time.

The first clinical trial they will do with her is where they take a bit of blood several times through the process and watch for signs of Graft Verses Host Disease (GVHD). The trial is to see if there are markers that show up prior to the disease showing outward signs. This also has a baseline that may down the road help them see possible development of the disease.

The second clinical trial is where Jen wears a fit bit for 5 weeks. During this time they measure how much she is moving and see the coloration between activity and recovery times. And added bonus is she gets to keep the fit bit at the end.

And the final clinical trial was one they had measured her for a couple weeks ago. She is to receive a bone targeted radiation that is to protect her organs. She has been approved for this trial and if Jen decides to move forward with it, it will be the plan for her radiation.

So although a long day, we gained a ton of knowledge about the upcoming days, weeks, and months. Jen remains very positive and is ready to put an end to this disease and start living her life again. We are so impressed with her strength and her faith in God and in the staff at the James.

Nearly everyone who moves about us has a walker or a wheel chair, many without hair and many with some additional medical equipment. A older man walks by holding the hand of another as if he was a child holding the hand of his mother. I assume it is his wife’s hand he holds but the empty gaze in his eyes tells me he isn’t really sure about much around him.

This is reality for us…for many others. Once a life as those on the other side of the window, now  one where accommodations are needed. Their was a time I hadn’t understood or cared about the accommodations. Now even the large silver shiny button on the wall to open a door seems to be so very important for those without strength to open the door or for those who arent able to  walk freely through it.

I have countless times throughout this painful path spoke about what it has taught me and about seeing the blessings that surround us. I’m not sure I am heard. I hope I am. We spend too much time not understanding how wonderful it is you don’t need accommodations. Too much time only taking care of our own struggles without care of those who walk painful paths like this. Too much time complaining without notice of how truely blessed we are.

Someday I hope I can return to the world of no need for accommodations but be like the boys in video Jen shared with me. And when Jen can once again move about without these, i hope we still take notice and reach out to those who continue to need them. And continue to see how blessed we are in this world.