Trying to find a balance

It is the night of the third day of treatment. Pop is sleeping soundly in his bed, and Mom is reading a magazine beneath a light on the couch next to him. Her eyes are getting heavy, and she will soon be sleeping too. It has been a long three days. On Monday, when Pop started both chemotherapy and radiation, we thought we were prepared for any pain or nausea that he might experience. The problem came when the assigned drugs didn't help with the extreme nausea. There are only certain drugs that they can give to him, due to the fact that he is unable to swallow a pill, so their arsenal is limited. This led to extreme discomfort for days one and two. Finally, on day three they found a medication that knocks-him-out (almost literally), and helps to reduce the nausea. It makes him sleep immediately after administering it, and keeps him drowsy for several hours. While it may not seem ideal for the long-haul, they are simply trying to find a balance of drugs that will help him get through this process. Side-effects may alter, and medications will change, but Pop is wanting to fight. As he woke from one of his naps today, he smiled and said, "All I do is sleep, and get ready to sleep again." It is pretty much true, but if that is what it takes to get to the next step, he is willing. In fact, this evening when he woke, he was alert and even hungry...that's right....HUNGRY! We haven't heard those words in three weeks. We all laughed-out-loud when he requested mashed potatoes and roast beef. Once we realized that he wasn't kidding, Mom rushed to the kitchen and made mashed potatoes (I don't know that I would even call them mashed potatoes - more like thick milk) and we pulled out some leftover roast beef. Mom put it in a blender and made baby food (at least that is what we like to chide Pop about). Pop was actually able to eat a few spoonfuls, which was great to see (he was even able to drink a little ginger-ale)! After watching the birds for a while, and listening to Mom read to him, he was ready to sleep again. We're all celebrating this evening, and hoping that tomorrow will be similar. As everyone's eyelids grow heavy, there are smiles on each person's face. God's faithfulness is sufficient for each day we wake.