WonderVan build and pickle juice

Since returning from Scotland, it seems our lives here in Ohio are full on in “building the WonderVan” mode. That means a typical day starts with John and me reading Scripture in the mornings followed by a cup of tea and breakfast. I’ll pack food for the day and we head to John’s rather sparsely equipped shop (since selling most of his equipment for his retirement, the shop has had a radical shift in appearance!) and we do whatever is next. The last couple of weeks we installed all the insulation and have started on the sub wall installation.

Thankfully John’s incredible skills as a curved stair builder is paying off because the interior of the van walls are not straight, but actually curved. He knows all the tricks and I stand in awe of the gift he has. 

Also this week I got to start choosing the wood pieces for what will be our flooring. That was super enjoyable as it’s like creating a piece of art! We won’t install that for a while yet but I got to select and arrange them at least. 

On a much sadder note, this week we went to a funeral of a 36 year old woman/mother/wife of dear friends of ours. Lauren was diagnosed with cancer about a year after I was initially diagnosed in 2016! This week she went home to be with Jesus. While everyone is so grateful she had such a positive outlook on life, and was a follower of Jesus, it about broke my heart to see my friend at her daughter’s funeral. That’s not how we ever want to experience life. No parents should have to bury their child! Yet it happens and it’s deeply heart breaking to watch that level of grief for one’s child. There’s a part of me that’s so thankful I read that book called Imagine Heaven by John Burke because it really has given me a stronger eternal perspective again that’s refreshing and necessary to remind myself of what’s coming! Maybe not this week or next but none of us know the time. I just want to be prepared! Having Jesus is my only hope in that reality. 

Lately I’ve been listening to a pastor who does videos where he fields questions on college campuses from students. They are a lesson in how to stand firmly on apologetics. The guys name is Cliff.  https://www.facebook.com/askcliffe?mibextid=LQQJ4d 

As for how I’m feeling, mostly amazingly great!! The skin on the back of my neck is incredibly itchy from the medication I get for my infusion. This round it seems to be more intense than usual, but it’s tolerable. Also, I find myself having to regularly take Imodium a few times a week, unfortunately. The biggest downside to all of that is with the side effect of my electrolytes being off and I continue to have Charlie horses that can jolt me out of a deep sleep. I think I’m going to go downstairs right now and chug some dill pickle juice in hopes that I won’t wake up with spasms tonight.

Mostly they’re in my legs and often, if it’s bad, they will be in my muscles around my left ribs as well. I have that sinking feeling it’s going to be a night of Charlie horses!! 

As for some follow up on my Gratitude Bell…The company is making the first 15 and we wanted to buy the first several. They were being shipped this week so I’m hoping they’ll arrive by Monday!! Once they’re available on the website I’ll promote it fully so everyone can get one!! 🔔 🔔 🔔! 

Grateful for My Regular Life

Since arriving back to the USA, life has carried on without any major interruptions from my normal for which I’m grateful. 

I have continued selling more of our household items on Facebook in preparation for our eventual move into the WonderVan. Many ask and, no, isn’t done yet, but John and I continue to prioritize working on it in between Mountain Biking, infusion days, my visits to Florida to see my granddaughter, closing down John’s business, a little Special Olympics floor hockey, doctor appointments, funerals, visits with friends and just life. Yes, it’s slow going, but I’m not concerned, nor frustrated. I realize just how much goes into the details and prep, drawings and design, and the frequent interruptions. Now I say that it’ll be done when it’s done. In the meantime we have no problem dining on a card table, often eating off paper plates, sitting in our living room on camp chairs, putting guests on the floor or on the one couch to sleep, and walk around packed plastic bins that are neatly labeled with the things we are keeping. Welcome to my living room!!😂

I have enjoyed listening to a book recommended by my friend, Deb S. that’s called Imagine Heaven by John Burke. This is one that I think has continued to positively shift my perspective of death and dying. The peace, acceptance, anticipation and gratitude it offers me is something I hope for everyone as each of us grapples with our own mortality and all too often, the demise of loved ones who go before us. It gives me confident hope!

Physically, I continue to praise God for how most excellently I’m feeling. I have energy with only a minimal need for midday naps. I have had yet another rash on my skin that, at first, I thought was poison ivy around a bug bite but now I’m beginning to believe it could be a side effect from the infusion medications. It presents very much like the rash I had in August. Thankfully it only itches slightly and I think it’s going away as I regularly apply a steroid cream. 

The sweetest gift I have enjoyed last week was time. Time with my son-in-law, daughter and my baby grand. I can’t thank God enough for the time I get to hold her and snuggle that sweet frame as she giggles and smiles and reaches out to be held!!

As for my Gratitude Bell that will be available very soon, I’ve spoken to the amazing Bevin Bells president and they’re in the process of photographing and marketing it for the website. I’ve informed her that we would like to be the first ones to buy a few so that my oncologist, my Stephanie Spielman cancer center, and my local mountain bike trail where I was first inspired to create it came to me can have them proudly hanging for many others to ring in more gratitude!! I would LOVE to send one to Brandon Lake who wrote and sang the song Gratitude that inspired me daily for the past 1.5 years but I have no contact info for him. That’s the problem with fame. Regular people become untouchable.

My friends, Liz and Jake have offered to make the first donation toward a bell for me too!! I’m so grateful. My plan as to how I’ll promote them hasn’t yet unfolded. I think until they’re actually available for sale, it’s going to be on pause. But I can visualize being asked to share my story with administrators and patients in different cancer treatment facilities as we ring in their Tricia’s Gratitude Bell. I can leave my readers with this teaser. As you may already know, I have started a new blog specifically for the Gratitude Bell where I hope others will share their story with me and I’ll get to post more reasons why people rang their Gratitude Bells. Here is what information will be inside every box when someone purchases one of the bells. My poem on a nice 5x7 card stock so people can easily frame it near their bell should they choose to and a little snippet of my story with contact info to my blogs!