Though I eventually got over it (crap happens to everyone at some point, right?) every night I went to bed and woke up thinking about the failed inspection that was on our home, not due to any bad workmanship from the extensive (and costly) crawl space renovations we had done in late spring/early summer but because one of the permits had not been obtained and there was a dispute between contractors and the county over how it should be handled and by whom.

READ MORE: The Things You Learn

I am immensely pleased to report that, thanks in part to a lot of prodding by yours truly, the permit issue has been resolved and our home has passed inspection. That was seriously like a boulder being lifted off my shoulder. Not that we're considering moving, but in the event something happened to one of us (God forbid) the ability to sell the home if need be would have been seriously hampered (understatement) if it had a failed inspection on it.

Mom and I celebrated closing that chapter in our lives by having an Outback dinner, which was delish.

And speaking of, she has been doing well considering all she's been through health-wise over the last two years. In fact, we just had her four-month follow-up appointment with her medical oncologist this week, where we were pleased to find out that the numbers from her bloodwork were encouraging, including the most important one of all of them: the CEA number.

My eyes misted up when I told Mom the news on the CEA number (courtesy of her medical provider's online portal) and saw her reaction, which was one of the biggest smiles I've ever seen from her. It reminded me all over again of how far we've come since she was first diagnosed with stage IIIB colon cancer, which was in October 2022, with surgery to remove the tumor happening just a few weeks later.

While at the doctor's office, I expressed my concerns about some things regarding mom's health (related to some digestive issues) and was relieved to hear from the doctor that it didn't concern him too much. He simply recommended some dietary changes, which we make periodically anyway, to see if that made a difference. Also, he made sure to remind us to continue to monitor things for any changes for the worse/better, which I always do with anything related to her care.

Something else we talked about were treatment options in the event there was a recurrence. With the thought in mind that Mom is 81 and has mobility and stamina challenges, I wanted to ask what the options were for people who did have a recurrence but who may not want to go through the treatment again. The doctor mentioned hospice care, which would provide services that would keep the patient comfortable. 

I wanted to know this because I've told my mom before that as much as my sisters and I want her around as long as possible, we don't want her to feel obligated to go through anything that she might feel will do her more harm than good or that will exhaust her to the point she doesn't enjoy life anymore. As I learned with my dad in the last few years of his life, it's not about what we want; it's about what the person going through the health issue feels is best for their life.

When we came home from the appointment, we talked about how relieved we felt over how everything went and what was said. But as we said our prayers before dinner, we prayed for the people who may not have gotten encouraging news that day. Not just because we legitimately want them to get well but also because we both know that with a disease like cancer, things can turn on a dime, and a good visit with the doctor now does not necessarily mean there will be a good visit down the road.

Obviously, we're praying for continued good news on the health front and will go into the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays feeling extremely blessed, all things considered. For me, it's all part of the "resting in the moment" thing I'm trying to learn. It's slow-going, but progress on that front, too, is at long last being made.

SEE ALSO: To read my previous Caregiver's Diary entries, please click here.