Poked and Prodded

The Hubster and I took a little trip last week. Well, actually it was a pretty large trip, at least for us. We spent two days at the National Institutes of Health. That's right, the one in Bethesda, MD.

NIH is a massive, 40-acre complex of 31 buildings, each one a specialty for a different illness. As you may know, The Hubster suffers from a very rare blood disorder (MGUS) that is related to multiple myeloma, a cancer of the blood. He has signed up to participate in a five-year medical study for the National Cancer Institute. In exchange for a small stipend, he gave 13 vials of blood, a full, body-scan x-ray, and bone marrow from his hip. Pretty sweet deal, huh?

The folks at the NIH, NCI and Bethesda Marriott treated us like celebrities. We were pampered from morning 'til night. Everyone there was so welcoming, friendly and concerned about our comfort. If anyone tries to tell you that people from Back East are rude, they are hanging out in the wrong places!

We were privileged to meet with the top doctors in the world and discuss The Hubster's condition and prognosis. These experts gave us a lot of cause to hope, and for that we are grateful to them. Most of all, we are grateful to God for His mercy and goodness to allow us to go and get the best help in the world.

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I got a $5.00 check in the mail last week. "Big whoop!" you say. Indeed, but it marks a beginning in my writing career. That $5 was the prize money I was awarded for taking third place in the Kansas Authors Club-District 3 Literary Contest. My inspirational piece "Your House is on Fire" was the entry. (You can find it in the March 7, 2011 Female in Motion blog.) Now, what to do with all that loot? Maybe I'll just frame it.

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The May Fellowship of Missionary Baptist Church will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 5, 2011, and again from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, May 6, 2011. This annual event welcomes pastors from around the Midwest who gather to encourage each other, fellowship over food and just generally enjoy. There will be lots of great gospel music, preaching and food, way too much food. After all, we're Baptists. Y'all come!

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Today is World Malaria Day. I went to www.imaginenomalaria.org and did my part. Now one less child will die of a preventable disease. No sweat on my part; life-changing on their end.

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Female in Motion Exercise Update: I am ashamed to say I didn't exercise once last week. However, I walked all over the campus of the NIH and raced for gates at the Dallas/DC/Chicago/Wichita airports. My muscles were aching for exercise. I was glad to get back into the routine this morning.

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Notable Quote:

"Medicine is the only profession that labours incessantly to destroy the reason for its own existence."--James Bryce, 1914