Once I saw this guy on a bridge about to jump. I said, “Don’t do it!”
He said, “Nobody loves me.”
I said, “God loves you. Do you believe in God?”
He said, “Yes.”
I said, “Are you a Christian or a Jew?”
He said, “A Christian.”
I said, “Me, too! Protestant or Catholic?”
He said, “Protestant.”
I said, “Me, too! What franchise?”
He said, “Baptist.”
I said, “Me, too! Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?”
He said, “Northern Baptist.”
I said, “Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?”
He said, “Northern Conservative Baptist.”
I said, “Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region, or Northern Conservative Baptist Eastern Region?”
He said, “Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region.”
I said, “Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879, or Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?”
He said, “Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912.”
I said, “Die, heretic!” And I pushed him over.

[ed. Long live Emo Phillips!]

It is now 1/11/11 11:11:11. Thank you. Carry on.

Once again, things have changed for my mom. Remember last time that there was blood in her brain and that the consensus among the doctors was that this mysterious blood clot was 1) shrinking and 2) hiding a small tumor that couldn’t be seen in CAT scans. Unfortunately, due to her previous car accident, she’s got too much metal in her body to do an MRI, which would show much more detail.

Since then, mom’s symptoms (slurred speech, lack of dexterity, physical weakness and lethargy) have gotten better and then worse again. A new doctor with a new CAT scan now says that this blood clot is not a blood clot, but, in fact, a type of tumor and it is growing.

Today (1/11/11), Mom goes in for her first of five focused radiation treatments to try and kill this tumor. The prognosis is that, if the radiation works, the tumor will shrink over the next few months or few years and Mom will gradually improve. However, the treatment is not a cure. The tumor could resist, reform, or more tumors could form later in other parts of her brain.  In other words, the radiation will buy us time, but not change the end of the story.

The best news is that, while there are frustrations a plenty, mom is not in any pain.

As usual, please pray for my mom (healing and comfort), dad and sister (peace and rest) as well as the doctors involved (wisdom and accuracy).