Live every day to its fullest..find a reason to smile:)

Lisa has had a very good week.  With a round of chemo under her belt last week, we are on high alert for low blood counts and other side effects.  She only required one transfusion this week and sailed right through that. She is looking pretty good.  She is moving pretty good, has less pain, smiles and continues to make people laugh.  Just now, at 7:45 in the morning, she batted her blue eyes at me and said "I have a sore throat, can I just have a tiny bit of ice cream...I'm sure it will make it feel better."  She then followed that up with assuring me that she had already eaten a "healthy apple" for breakfast.  So, ummm....yes, with that logic....go for it have a bowl of ice cream.  She added a bigger smile to my face when she grabbed the sprinkles to make it "even better".

So while Lisa still is having good days, unfortunately we cannot say the same for Bridget.  Below is her mother's post from yesterday.  If you can, at 3:00 today, please offer up prayers for Bridget and her family as they take her off the ventilator:(

Every Hour with Joy!

Yesterday's morning prayer seemed as if it was written just for us.

"No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it. - 1 Corinthians 10:13

Oh Lord my strength and fortress my refuge in the day of distress- Jeremiah 16:19

What a beautiful and sad few days we have had. Our flower is fading. I want to be eloquent, but I am weary and the hour is late.

We have met with all the medical teams and they all agree that there is no hope of Bridget's current condition improving. We have had enough time to calm our worries that it might be a virus or seizures or other issues. This was important to us, especially since she has been in the ICU a few other times that things looked hopeless. This is the first time I feel in my heart they are right. Even that Christmas Eve two years ago, I don't think I ever really believed that we would bury our daughter in weeks or months. This time is different. The cancer has taken its toll. The time has come to take our Bridget off the ventilator,the machine that breathes for her and let her go to meet our Lord.

We will take Bridget off the ventilator on Friday at 3:00. We chose the time as it is the Hour of Mercy when Our Lord died on the cross, on the Feast day of St. Faustina, the apostle of Mercy. At that time our family will gather and say our goodbyes. We will wait and we will pray. I know we will be grieving, but I also know we will be joyfully remembering the gift Bridget has been to each one of us. Please surround us in prayer at that time. I believe it will be the hardest moment our lives.

Many wonderful moments have occurred the last few days. I promise to share some of them soon. We are so incredibly grateful to all of you.

Every Hour with Joy!