A Doctor... A Friend

I try not to fill this blog with tales of Abby's battle with cancer. You can see her caringbridge page for that. But there were may special people that assisted us along our journey and one of them lost their own battle yesterday. Ginger Sensman was the girl's pediatrician from the time she arrived in Salina. The girls were little. Ginger and I became friends. I was a labor and delivery nurse, we knew many of the same people and we had similar personalities. My girls loved her and I trusted her.

When Abby first got sick, I took her to the emergency room. When we were dismissed, I left the emergency room and took her to Ginger's house. I did not do that sort of thing, even when my doctors are my friends, I go through proper channels, but something was wrong. Ginger was out of town on vacation, and I did not know it. I did however know that if I showed up at her house with my sick kid on a Saturday afternoon, it would have been ok.

When she got back into town, I was never so relieved to see anyone. She watched over Abby, and finally said, 'I don't know what is wrong with her'. I respected that. I respected that she worked with my pediatrician friend in Omaha to transfer her care.

Ginger called me in the hospital once Abby was diagnosed. She always made it easy to be home in Salina, and coordinated our care so easily.

We were devastated when Ginger was diagnosed with breast cancer. Abby sent her chemo fairies she made especially for her, and Ginger insisted on paying for them.... That is who she was.

I will remember her laugher, her bravery, her hugs, her smile, and her friendship. I will remember that she was a fabulous doctor and that she truly cared! God Speed, Ginger!!!

The Recipe Box

I was looking for a recipe today. You know, that recipe for Christmas cookies. The one your Grandma baked, then your Mom baked once she was gone. It is one of my Daddy's favorites. Where was my darn RECIPE! Then I pulled it out. The sacred recipe box. The one I asked one day when I was at my Grandpa's house, YEARS after my Grandma died when I was 13. I had two babies and a husband of my own now, and I wanted a piece of her to have forever. Something I could make a part of my girls lives that they will take down to their daughters someday. When I pulled that recipe for the Refrigerator Cookies out, it had the stains of her baking. It looked like maybe she set the recipe down in some coffee she spilled on the counter as she mixed the butter with the brown sugar. I look at recipe box and see the many recipes she typed and the few that she wrote by hand, and I am grateful that I had the presence of mind to ask for that treasure. A recipe box... it links me back to the little girl that I once was eating those paper thin cookies at my grandma's table and brings me to the future of how to make them just like her.

What's new...

Well, you would think from my last post that there would be a lot new. But, really, not so much. The girls continue to be really busy at school. First semester is finishing up for Emma, and she has taken the test to get into a private Catholic School here in Denver. We are praying hard that she gets in... Want to join us? Emma is doing well in school, especially in those subjects that she loves!! (english, spanish, science, and journalism.)

Abby is doing so much better in school. I think it is numerous factors helping us here. She is such a hard worker. That is the one thing her teacher says over and over. She is in tutoring at Huntington Learning Center 3 nights a week. She is really getting caught up on much of those concepts she missed and teaching her concepts that will help her be a better student. Everyone is just shocked at really how well she is progressing.

Chris and I continue to just work away.... We make a great team and make it all work!

We are VERY excited for Christmas and for my parents coming!!! Have you ever had that NEED to see your parents? I had that need, and like all parents do, they are going to meet that need for me!!! It will be the best Christmas present I will get, that is for sure!!!!!

The Christmas Tree is all set up! We even have some wrapped presents under it this year!

We hope that your holiday season is going well! We are thinking of you!!!