Bird by Bird

As we all know, Dad likes to carve birds.

And as his daughter, Robin, I love that he is drawn to bird art and that my children call me "MamaBird" because I am such a sucker for every bird that crosses my path. "Oooh - look at that bird!" I said to them all the time when we were out and about -- and they thought I was nutty to be so readily impressed by what appeared to them to be just another bird. It's fine that they teased me and gave me my nickname - it makes me happy every time I hear it :-)

I was standing before Dad's impressive display case, admiring these beauties last night, thinking "Oooooh - look at those birds!" and wanted to share the results of all his creative efforts. Aren't they wonderful?

As we continue along the medical journey, I am reminded of a quote (and book title) I love of Ann Lamott's from "Bird by Bird" (which, incidentally, is the inspiration for blog title, "Breath by Breath").
Here's the full quote:
“Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he’d had three months to write, which was due the next day. We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table, close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around my brother’s shoulder, and said, ‘Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.’”

And this is how we are maneuvering these days - bird by bird, breath by breath, day by day, procedure by procedure, meal by meal, moment by moment...


Yesterday's bone marrow biopsy will not reveal results until tomorrow. They are looking at marrow to try to ascertain why Dad's blood cells remain low, even following three transfusions. For now, it's a wait and see. The procedure itself went smoothly. The 2 hour prep + wait time was pure hell. Dad's a trooper, though, and came out of the procedure room afterward, cracking jokes and giving the nurses a hard time.  


Last night, they ordered an IV to give meds to decrease calcification. Not sure about all the medical rationale because there is minimal communication with the family (very frustrating), however, the ultimate goal is to help his blood regulate itself. Unfortunately, they were unable to find any veins in Dad's poor beat up limbs in which they could successfully insert an IV, so today they will try once again to give him the meds using a Pic-line.

Bird by bird... breath by breath...prayer by prayer...

Please surround Dad in love, light and courage to fight when he needs to and surrender as appropriate. Blessings and gratitude.