Family – Steps of Faith

Birthday Week

October 3, 2019December 16, 2022Posted in Family, Photography, UncategorizedTagged birthday, Family, fujifilm, life, tongue cancer, xpro2Leave a comment

People say that time goes by faster as you get older.

Probably too fast if you ask me…

MPARK_October 03, 2019-12 — © 2013-2019 Michael S. Park. All rights reserved.

People also say that time heals everything.

MPARK_September 30, 2019-7 — © 2013-2019 Michael S. Park. All rights reserved.

Not fast enough if you ask me.

More than just food

December 19, 2017December 16, 2022Posted in Family, UncategorizedTagged cancersucks, Family, familymatters, gtube, tonguecancer, tubefeedingLeave a comment

Processed with VSCO with a6 preset — © 2017 MICHAEL S. PARK. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

It still feels like a bad dream when I think about the fact that it has only been just over 3 weeks since Grace was diagnosed with cancer, had surgery to remove the tumor along with most of her tongue, and after 9 days at the hospital, how we’ve already been back at home for nearly 4 days like nothing happened. But it wasn’t a dream and of course everything happened. Since returning home, much energy has been spent learning the awkward dance of trying to find a new rhythm without disturbing the old too much.

For example, all our meals are now without Grace. Since Grace is only able to “eat” through the G-tube in her stomach, the rest of us eat first then Grace “eats”. Then it takes her nearly 40 minutes or so to feed herself using the syringe and the tube. I helped her in the beginning but the doctor wanted her to become more independent so Grace (most of you know how she is – I don’t think she even needed to be told that) began feeding herself. I know that this is just “temporary” but it is nevertheless the new normal our family has to get used to for a while. One thing is for certain – I will never take being able to sit around the table as a family and breaking bread together for granted again.

On a brighter note, she has been recovering from the surgery at an incredible rate and we are all amazed by the improvements we notice on a daily basis. Her swelling has gone down significantly and she says she hardly has any pain anymore. Support structure around our family has also been nothing short of amazing and we have been so blessed by everyone’s love.

In the meantime, Grace has picked up a new hobby and says she enjoys it quite a bit – watching other people eat.
#familymatters #communitymatters #morethanjustfood