Prayers and Puppies

Hazzard & Athena

There is a void in my heart right now. It became unexpectedly obvious after taking my dogs to the vet yesterday. Many of you whom I know from Facebook know that my mother is desperately ill. She has had a chronic leukemia for about two years and had been responding well to an oral chemotherapy. Managing her leukemia was no different than managing her blood pressure. All of that changed the day after Christmas. We were blessed on that day to celebrate the baptism of my first grandchild, Trinity, at the parish my parents attend in Katy, TX. That night my mother ran a fever and a trip to the ER revealed a transformation from chronic leukemia to acute leukemia. Her condition steadily deteriorated with one organ system after another causing difficulties. She is now in the ICU at MD Anderson Cancer Center. The good news is that she has been stable for several days. A day with nothing new going wrong is a good day. She is still critically ill, intubated, and sedated. The doctors say that there is still every reason to believe that she can turn the corner and make a recovery--IF, a very big IF--nothing new goes wrong.

Her condition also means that she is no longer just a phone call away. Funny, interesting, or joyful moments in my life often prompt a quick phone call to Mom so that she can share them. Special prayer needs also prompt a call because no one prays like Mom prays. I have a special prayer need right now that I cannot share with her. It feels so strange to not have her as a prayer partner. Yesterday, I took our two dogs to the vet. Joining us in the waiting room was a 9-month-old puppy. A very large 9-month-old puppy. He weighed in at 118 pounds. The interaction of the dogs was a comedy. It was the smaller of my dogs, my 60-pound lab, who wanted to wrestle with the behemoth. My mother would enjoy hearing about such an encounter.

So I will light a candle and appeal to Our Blessed Mother, especially as Our Lady of Guadalupe. Mary always seems most maternal under that title. She will pray with me. I might even tell her about the puppies.