Monday, December 10, 2007

Humiliating the Mass, and Electing a Mascot (Vote For Pissy)




On the Dwarf-O-Meter of Nausea:

The Winner is #4- "Yukky"





Dennis had a rather “Yukky”(#4) weekend, but we are on week 5 of the procedures, and the side effects are cumulative. He is somewhat weakened by his daily “singe” and the constant fufu infusion. But the Clot is gleeful as we picture the “attack of the killer fufu” on the little intruder.
We like to picture the little *#@^% experiencing “mass hysteria” as it is humiliated to cinders. But today we love the numbers! Yay! Except for the scale…Boo! Those numbers we will dismiss. He is getting svelter and svelter.His efforts at complete body re-contouring have been wildly successful!
Actually, in a feeble attempt at “the glass is ½ full,” we think he is getting taller. When we began this whole process five weeks ago, he was 5’9” (with the afro, 5’11”) Even as we speak, he is 5’9” (5’11 ½” with the comb-over and mousse) His ANC is up to 3.5, his white cell count is up to 5.1, and his hemoglobin is 13.1. Hooray! These numbers are beautiful, and so we are “counting” our blessings.
Dennis is stubborn and single-minded, so we continue to advance toward the Whipple procedure one nausea dwarf at a time. In fact, he has rated a #7 on the “Mutated Dwarf Scale” with such consistency, that “Pissy” has not only become endeared to the entire Clot, he is now the official mascot! We love “Pissy.” We are “Pissy.” However, Monday is Dennis’ last day to be infused with gemcytobene, so we have reached an important milestone.



It snowed this weekend. The heavens opened up and poured out a storm like a benediction. The earth was quenched, laundered, and scenic…magical, luminous. Nothing short of a Currier and Ives still-life. No footprint has disrupted the perfect powdered canvas. And our driveway is cleared.
Maybe it was the fact that it was done quietly, anonymously, that was so profoundly moving. Perhaps it was that in a wilderness of unbroken purity, there was a path carved…that suggested direction.
We have been made manifestly aware of our “leastness,” and this has transformed our lives. We have been fed, warmed, clothed, visited, comforted, ministered to, sung to and blessed. If this is how we serve our Savior, then His feet have been washed, and His wounds have been salved and anointed.
So as our family continues to wage this war, we look out our windows…and the earth is beautiful…and our driveway is cleared.
Love,
The Clot

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

You guys are awesome! The poem is the best yet. Doug and I are wearing our livestrong bands till you are back. Keep up the great blog. Kate O

Amy Weech said...

Yea for "Pissy"! He was always my favorite dwarf anyway, since he's got to be the most memorable. And when I think back through my life, there is no doubt that the days that were the very hardest to get through are the ones that I'm the most grateful for now. So someday you'll look back and you'll barely remember Icky and Yucky, but Pissy will hold a fond place in your heart forever because Pissy is the dwarf that changed you the most.

I want to take advantage of your blog here to issue a mass thank you to all of the world's secret-snow-shovelers. Isn't a clear driveway the most beautiful thing you can imagine on a day when you just can't imagine how you would've cleared your own driveway? Jackson was born in October, and Lee had to do so much traveling that winter, and there were so many mornings when I woke up after a sleepless night and just cried by myself at the sight of my snow-free driveway. So I say thank you from the bottom of my heart to whoever performed that simple yet sublime act of service for my sweet aunt and uncle!

We are really looking forward to seeing you both and your family at Christmas! We love you so much!

Amy, Lee, & Jackson

Mel Sims said...

What a beautiful sentiment! I could not agree with you more.

I don't know if I have told you this, but every night in his prayer, Eric says, "Please bless Doctor Ashton." He never forgets! =] We love you all so much, hope it's a great week for you.

-Mel

susie said...

Hi Uncle Denny and Auntie Joanie!

I am so grateful for this blog -- I've been a faithful reader. We think about you all the time and I am always grateful to be able to read how you are doing. Yay for being halfway through! Nay for nausea. And yay for Zofran (I've experienced that magic myself)! We love you and are always praying for you. Even Ellie prays for "Uncle Denny".

Much love,

Susie and crew

Harmoni said...
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