Reflecting Hope

I dropped back a bit so that I could get this picture as my husband approaches the entrance.

What, you might wonder, has this image to do with a reflection, as you may have reached this post through James's meme, Weekend Reflections. There is more than one kind of reflection.

This is the entrance to North Star Lodge in Yakima. We're spending quite a bit of time thare lately, and will for the next few weeks.



In April, he spent a week in the hospital, having been sent to the cardiologists because of severe shortness of breath.

A week of pokes and prods, scans and grams, being waken up in the wee hours to be weighed (What's that about?), more doctors and nurses than you can shake a stick at, but all around wonderful care from the team there. Then they sent him home with more appointments. They didn't know what it was, but they wouldn't find out more by keeping him there.


A couple of weeks later, after some more tests, pokes and prods, the diagnosis came down. Myeloma. His is Smoldering Myeloma--meaning that it is slow progressing.

Another wait while his hemotologist/oncologist consulted with other specialists to choose the best plan of treatment to avoid causing problems with other systems.

He's now had four chemo treatments at North Star. Prognosis is positive. North Star Lodge is Yakima's Cancer Care Center.

All about us reflects peace and hope. The staff--the receptionists, the doctors, the lab people, the nurses, the volunteers, and even the cleaners--are welcoming, encouraging, gentle and reassuring. Always listening.

As we sit among those some of whom are obviously undergoing more grueling treatment than his (so far, so good--only some minor nausea), all are peaceful.

Reflections of hope.

Prayers welcome.