Hello again. Mark continues to weaken each day. He was very tired yesterday and seems much more so today. He even seems somewhat confused this morning, but hasn't been awake much. He says he isn't hurting and looks much more peaceful than he has. We have spent the last week just sitting with him and talking, watching old movies and just hanging out as he feels he has the energy. I was laying with him last night and he fell asleep so I got up to go put Emily and Colton in bed. Mark woke and saw I was gone, he got up and walked into the living room and found his parents sleeping on the couch, so he WALKED UP THE STAIRS to find me. This is a huge thing for Mark to do, so I about jumped out of my skin when Mark came stumbling in to Colton's room last night. It scared me to death to see him upstairs. I was terrified he was going to fall back down the stairs. He said "I thought you were going to spend some time with me". He cracks me up sometimes. He hasn't lost his sense of humor through all of this.
Mark had a bad nightmare last night. He has been having many of them lately. They usually involve him being separated from the family. He started moaning really loudly and then yelling "No" over and over, so I thought he might be huring and I was trying to wake him up and he punched me right in the face. I am really glad he isn't nearly as strong as he used to be. We had to laugh about it. After he was more awake he asked "Did I hit you?". I told him I was going to call DHR for spousal abuse. I hate that he is having nightmares. I don't know if the pain medications are causing that or if it is just some of the fear he is experiencing. Maybe a combination of both.
I wanted to say thank you, thank you, thank you to Dan Gropper for the wonderful letter you wrote and the pictures. There really aren't words to let you know how much the letter you wrote means to me, especially the part to our children letting them know what kind of a man Mark was in your eyes. I don't think I can ever tell you how much that means, but thank you!!! Thanks also to the MBA students for your card to Mark. It is good to know how many lives Mark has touched in so many ways. I have heard from so many of Mark's former students and it truly amazes me sometimes.
Tomorrow will be my 40th birthday. I had always thought Mark and I would celebrate it together doing something big like a trip or a big party. This certainly isn't the way I had ever imagined to be spending my 40th.
Hospice has been out several times. We have met his nurse, the social worker, chaplain and they have a kids counsellor who will meet with the kids next week. Father Bill continues to come out weekly and give Mark communion and did the annointing of the sick about a week ago with Mark.
Thanks to all of you who have continued to support us in all of this. There are too many of you to name, but we appreciate all of your love and support. Please continue to pray for Mark. God bless!!!!!
10 comments:
A card is on its way to you Ronda. I hope that Mark has a good day tomorrow and that you can enjoy a little celebration with the family. A few of us went for sushi yesterday - we enjoyed the sushi picnic story and missed that Mark could not be with us. We continue to pray for all of you.
my heart and prayers go out to you and your family. life throws us the most unexpected curve balls and you are handling all of this with grace and dignity. i admire your words,as difficult as they are to read thank you for these updates. blessings to you.
Ronda Happy Birthday. I am so sorry you all have to deal with this. I prayed every day and really felt it would be different ending.
You are so strong and have touched so many lives with your blog. I know God works in many ways.So I will not question this.
I will always remember the good old college days with all of you. It was always so much fun to see and talk to everyone. I finally got really good at telling the difference between Mark and Matt.
You and Mark have really touch my life. I only can pray for peace and closure for you all. I still will not give up prayer.
I will be thinking about your 40 and hope you can enjoy it. I am looking forward to hearing about it.
Your old friend and hair stylist
Sheila Phelps
Another one of Mark's students and I had dinner the other night and we talked about stories from Mark's class for a long time. He has touched so many students and every one of us has wonderful memories from his lectures (and even his tests!). It is professors like him who make you so glad that you spent the money to go to college. I learned a lot from Mark in the classroom, and have learned so much from your family outside of the classroom as well. Thank you so much for the updates. There are many prayers said for Mark and your family by his students in Atlanta.
Rhonda, we are praying that you and Mark have restful sleep without bad dreams tonight. We continue to pray for your strength in such a deep valley as well.
We heard about you from Wilson Liu, he sent out prayer requests to our Chinese bible study group. We are so moved by your love for God, and the love for each other. Just by seeing your walk with God, people can see that God is glorifying his name through you. God glorifies his own name in many different ways, healing or not healing, God knows the best for his children and He is in control. May God give you peace in this difficult time.
Continue to pray for each and every one of you. We will be praying over the nightmares, praying for peace for Mark, that he will know that God is in control, even though it seems so out of control right now. An old hymn comes to mind as I read the latest blog, "Because He Lives", Christ is alive and in Him is victory.
The Nichols family,
Ben, Sydney & Hope
You are strong! Mark appreciates it all. I hope to meet you one day! I know I am sorry I haven't kept up as much as I'd like. I will be praying for everybody.
Ronda,
We continue to pray for you and Mark and the kids. Your blog has been so inspiring! I have so many fond memories of tailgating with your family, and wish we had been able to tailgate some together this year. I know your 40th birthday is not what you had planned, but I know it is important to cherish the time you have now. When I read your blog it makes me remember the verse in Jeremiah 29:11 which says "For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future. While we don't understand why you, Mark, Calen, Colton, and Emily are going through this, it is comforting to know that God has a purpose that will give you hope although it feels like all hope is gone. Our love and prayers are with you.
Mark and Sara Di Ruscio
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