Giving thanks should be something we do on a daily basis, but understandably, that oftentimes get lost in the hustle and bustle of daily life.
This year has gone by like a blur for Mom and me. We just had so much going on that the seasons flew by to the point that we had to force ourselves at times to stop, take a breath, and smell the roses and, later, enjoy the changing colors.
In late spring/early summer, there was the extensive crawlspace renovation project I wrote about in a previous column, which not only cost a small fortune but also caused me to pull just about all of my hair out. I’m only half kidding when I say that!
Even once the project was over there was the worry over a failed county inspection, which had nothing to do with the workmanship but due to one of the permits being overlooked in the permitting process. Though that is now thankfully behind us, it dragged on for several months, with me waking up just about every morning thinking about the fact that our home had a failed inspection and allowing it to cloud my days.
For about four weeks starting in early July, Mom had a foot/leg issue that required daily attention. About two weeks after that was over, I caught COVID for the second time since 2020 and, unfortunately, gave it to my sister, who was staying with us at the time to help out with some things around the house.
That took roughly two weeks from which to recover. And then there were the other odds-and-ends issues that cropped up afterward, most of which thankfully resolved themselves by the end of October.
Though a good chunk of our 2024 has been hectic, we have much to be thankful for in the Matthews household as we sit down to make our Thanksgiving meal checklist.
First and foremost, we’re feeling extremely thankful and blessed for the continued good reports for Mom on the health front, especially the ones from her medical oncologist, who is encouraged by the fact that her CEA number remains low and that her other numbers from lab work he’s had done are normal/in range.
Plus, instead of seeing him every three months, she’s seeing him every four months now.
At the beginning of the year, she had a good follow-up colonoscopy, which found no evidence of recurrence. Further, the CT scans she had in the summer showed no changes from her last one, which was also encouraging.
And though it took some time, she recovered from her July foot issue, and we learned some important things in the process that we could do to hopefully lessen the possibility of it happening again.
We’re also so grateful for her entire medical team, from her primary care physician to her oncologist and gastroenterologist, as well as her dermatologist and dentist and their respective staffs. They’ve all been so great with her and so patient as she and I have navigated the choppy, uncharted waters since her colon cancer diagnosis in October 2022.
Last but not least, we are immensely thankful for our family, friends, neighbors and my work colleagues and editors, all of whom have been so supportive and understanding as we continue on our journey forward in this world.
Needless to say, we’re praying for continued good health and well-being in the new year for us both. You never know what’s in store, of course, but knowing God — who we thank every day — is in control is a mighty comforting thought.
Have a happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
North Carolina native Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym Sister Toldjah and is a media analyst and regular contributor to RedState and Legal Insurrection.
