Friday, December 21, 2012
The Christmas Picture
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Today, We Celebrate!
Today is a day of celebration in our house, it marks two important events for us. The first is that 17 years ago, our only daughter entered the world. She has indeed been an example of God's grace to us, with her joy for life, love of the Savior, and servant's heart. Happy Birthday, Grace!
The second celebration today comes with the last day of combined Radiation and Chemotherapy. Today is the 42nd and last day of the combined treatments. Now, that is a reason for celebration!
Jenny has shown amazing character as she has undergone the daily process and dealt with the side effects of the patchy hair loss and the lack of energy. She has not once complained, and has started to entertain what the next stage of life will look like, with this behind her. She drove herself to the grocery store the other day, so watch out world, here she comes!
It feels that we are "rounding the first turn" in the race. We knew about these 42 days, now we start into a straightaway. The next appointment is Jan, 15th. It will be the MRI to determine the damage that the combined treatment has done on the tumor. We will meet with the Oncologist on the 16th to review the MRI and determine the appropriate dosage of Chemo going forward. The standard treatment is 5 days of Chemo, then 23 days off, repeated over a number of months - all in pill form. We are looking forward to a nice break over the holidays, and spending time together as a family.
I will see about posting a family Christmas picture for all to see. Thank you all for your prayers, notes, emails, and meals - your support has been overwhelming and has allowed us to observe God's grace everyday in this process through you all.
The second celebration today comes with the last day of combined Radiation and Chemotherapy. Today is the 42nd and last day of the combined treatments. Now, that is a reason for celebration!
Jenny has shown amazing character as she has undergone the daily process and dealt with the side effects of the patchy hair loss and the lack of energy. She has not once complained, and has started to entertain what the next stage of life will look like, with this behind her. She drove herself to the grocery store the other day, so watch out world, here she comes!
It feels that we are "rounding the first turn" in the race. We knew about these 42 days, now we start into a straightaway. The next appointment is Jan, 15th. It will be the MRI to determine the damage that the combined treatment has done on the tumor. We will meet with the Oncologist on the 16th to review the MRI and determine the appropriate dosage of Chemo going forward. The standard treatment is 5 days of Chemo, then 23 days off, repeated over a number of months - all in pill form. We are looking forward to a nice break over the holidays, and spending time together as a family.
I will see about posting a family Christmas picture for all to see. Thank you all for your prayers, notes, emails, and meals - your support has been overwhelming and has allowed us to observe God's grace everyday in this process through you all.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
3000 Miles to a cure
I have been so fortunate to observe God's grace up close in
the Mulligan family and community. It has been incredible to see the
vibrant faith of Jenny, Ray, Charlie, Ethan, Tim, Grace and Joe. They
have shown me every day in every word and decision that they trust God. I have
experienced such joy with them in the last 3 months.
What has really blown me away though is the response
of this community. Thousands of people have reached out to support Jenny
and the Mulligan family. I cannot begin to list all the wonderful ways, it's
almost too much to take in. Thank you.
Charlie, Tim and I have been working on a project related to
Jenny's brain cancer in the last 6 weeks. We have set a goal to raise $1
million dollars for brain cancer research. Our project is called 3000 miles to
a cure. I am planning on riding across the country in June in a very
challenging bicycle event called Race
Across America. It will be the most difficult physical thing I have ever
attempted. Like many of you, I feeI I must do something. This will be an
international platform to bringing awareness and money to brain cancer
research.
Charlie and Tim are working hard on spreading the word as
far and wide as possible through social media and any other ways they can think
of. We all hate brain cancer.
We need you, Jenny's loving community, to help us.
Please like our facebook page,
ask your friends to like it, go to our website and read about the project,
consider donating,
follow us on twitter, and most
importantly, spread the word. We can only succeed in this huge project if we
touch thousands and thousands of people with the incredible story of the
Mulligan family.
Grateful for you all,
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
How many days until Christmas?
I think I have reached my quota of Christmas commercials for diamonds, cars, and other expensive things and its only December 4th. It seems to me that these commercials are saying (some more overtly than others) that these material things are supposed to make up for a year of not expressing our love and attention to the ones we love by giving them something expensive and shiny.
With the new perspective of time that we have gained with Jenny's diagnosis, I have become freshly aware of the need to express my love and appreciation to those around me in the moment, not putting it in a box, wrapping it with a bow, and placing it under the tree, waiting until Christmas to open up the gift of communicating compassion and care.
Those that know me personally, realize that this is not my strength, as a matter of fact, one of my sons lamented the other day "Dad, you never said things to me like you say on the blog..." A good and fair indictment of the gap between what I feel and what I express in words to those I spend time with. So, don't wait for Christmas - tell the ones around you that you appreciate them, that you see God at work in them, and that you appreciate that they spend some of their time thinking about you.
John, in his letter, says: "For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." (1 John 2:16-17 ESV)
The world would say that diamonds are forever, commercials try to convince us that the right gift will re-invigorate our neglected relationships, and that Christmas presents will change our lives and not end up piling up in our hallway closet and garages within a month.
I am convinced that we should invest in the eternal, the people that God puts in our lives are what is going to last forever. We each have a very short time on this earth and then it is off to eternity - either worshiping the reason for the Christmas season or lamenting that we viewed it as just a good time to get some end-of-the year bargains and attend some nice parties....
Jenny is doing great, she ordered a pair of pink running shoes this week, is planning on attending a number of Christmas celebrations, is starting to plan hospitality events at our house, and has generally stopped taking naps. The radiation oncologist told her this week - "I wish all my patients were doing as well as you"
So - can I just express to each of you how much I appreciate your support, how much Jenny is enjoying your cards and letters, and how thankful we are to have been blessed with knowing you on this side of forever.
With the new perspective of time that we have gained with Jenny's diagnosis, I have become freshly aware of the need to express my love and appreciation to those around me in the moment, not putting it in a box, wrapping it with a bow, and placing it under the tree, waiting until Christmas to open up the gift of communicating compassion and care.
Those that know me personally, realize that this is not my strength, as a matter of fact, one of my sons lamented the other day "Dad, you never said things to me like you say on the blog..." A good and fair indictment of the gap between what I feel and what I express in words to those I spend time with. So, don't wait for Christmas - tell the ones around you that you appreciate them, that you see God at work in them, and that you appreciate that they spend some of their time thinking about you.
John, in his letter, says: "For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." (1 John 2:16-17 ESV)
The world would say that diamonds are forever, commercials try to convince us that the right gift will re-invigorate our neglected relationships, and that Christmas presents will change our lives and not end up piling up in our hallway closet and garages within a month.
I am convinced that we should invest in the eternal, the people that God puts in our lives are what is going to last forever. We each have a very short time on this earth and then it is off to eternity - either worshiping the reason for the Christmas season or lamenting that we viewed it as just a good time to get some end-of-the year bargains and attend some nice parties....
Jenny is doing great, she ordered a pair of pink running shoes this week, is planning on attending a number of Christmas celebrations, is starting to plan hospitality events at our house, and has generally stopped taking naps. The radiation oncologist told her this week - "I wish all my patients were doing as well as you"
So - can I just express to each of you how much I appreciate your support, how much Jenny is enjoying your cards and letters, and how thankful we are to have been blessed with knowing you on this side of forever.
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