Lastest on Payton

Terry has updated his blog. It's so sweet and heart-wrenching at the same time to read this daddy's thoughts on his son's condition.

By the way, Payton loves getting mail. If you want to send him a card or note just let me know and I'll email you his address.

Update on Payton

Payton's tumor was removed this morning and it appears to be malignant. The official lab results will be available later today.

Please continue to pray for Payton as he recovers this week. The doctors will meet with Robin and Terry next week to plan their course of action.

As I look at G, who is 2 months older than Payton, I try to imagine what it would be like for him to have surgery, to have a tumor. It's agonizing.

Terry posted this on their blog yesterday, explaining how he felt about the upcoming surgery. Please take the time to read it.

**Update from Robin this afternoon:

The doctors say the tumor looks malignant. They were unable to remove the whole tumor because it is too close to major veins and such so they only did a biopsy. They will know more next week and find out the treatment plan. No sign of any other tumors.

Please Pray for Payton

My precious friends, the Chumbleys, are serving as missionaries in Prague. They have 5 boys and Robin is pregnant with a little GIRL, due in October. Payton is almost 3 1/2 and needs our prayer. The following is a message from Terry:

Payton was diagnosed with a tumor in his chest earlier this week. He has been through many tests and the results have been about as good as they can be. The tests showed no additional tumors. His bloodwork was clean and the bone marrow test came back negative as well. He is scheduled to have the tumor removed this coming Monday morning and will be admitted at the University Hospital in Motol (Prague) Sunday afternoon. Try to envision what you think a communist hospital looks like and you have Motol. It is colorless and old, but the care that Payton has received has been very good. All of those tests were run in the morning and the results were back after lunch, very efficient. They are very conservative with their healthcare and Payton will have to stay a minimum of 5-7 days, if additional treatment is needed it could be longer. The doctors have been great and impressed with the 'spirit' of both Robin and Payton. Of course the news was devastating, but we are blessed to have a peace that passes all understanding. The doctors commented on how most parents become angry, pass blame and can really lose control at a time like this. They have been calling Robin 'Supermom' because she has not fit into any of those categories. It is a great opportunity to let our faith shine.

The response we have received has been incredible. As I said before, we have had no way to communicate with our family in the states for most of the week. I was able for a small period of time to Skype Robin's parents and have them notify our family of what was going on. Four hours after I sent that Skype, our French teacher came to the school and wanted to know how Payton was doing. She had received an email message from the International Mission Board in Virginia about a prayer request for a 3 year-old in Prague. WOW!!!!! What a testimony to prayer and prayer warriors. Please continue to pray for Payton and his family this week. Say a special prayer for Robin as there are certain parts of the hospital she cannot be in. One of those areas is the children's oncology department. We pray that we avoid that department, but if the tumor is malignant, Payton will be transferred there and Robin can have no contact with him for possibly the rest of her pregnancy (early Oct.) We will cross that proverbial bridge when we get there.

We have also received requests about medical expenses. To be honest, we have no idea how much this will cost. Our insurance will cover much of it, but I have not received the final notice from them of how much will be covered. If the tumor is benign we hope that is the end of it, otherwise we are looking at a long term situation. We will try to keep you posted as we find out what is going on.

Thanks for your support and prayers...........we definitely feel them.

The Czech Chumbleys

Special Visitors

Hubby's mom and niece surprised him by showing up for his 40th birthday party. It was a wonderful visit, but way too short!!!

Mother's Day

A tribute to the women I come from - I love them so very much and they have influenced me more than I can express.

Happy Mother's Day!

This is Mimi, my maternal grandmother, and my mom.

This is my mom, pregnant with me in 1968!

This is me with my great-grandmother, my aunt, my grandmother and my mother! This is one of my favorite pictures. I'm sure my aunt and mom cringe when they see themselves in the 70's clothes, but I love how Mimi looks in her rhinestone-studded glasses and pointy collar!

It's funny, even though I'm 38 years old, when I think about my mom and her picture pops up in my mind, this is the face I see. The 30-something face - not the 60-something face. Don't get me wrong, my mother is a beautiful 60-something. Maybe that face is what I see because it's the one that mothered me, corrected me, nurtured me, shaped me.

Makes me wonder what face of mine my boys will remember!

Bedtime Snacks

Tonight was baseball night. That means concession stand food at best for dinner. After the game the boys go straight to the bathtub, then they have a snack supper. Tonight I went all out and served cereal.

D chose his standby, Corn Chex. Here's how my conversation went with G:

Mom: G, do you want this kind? (Chex)

G: No

Mom: Do you want O's?

G: No

Mom: Well, what kind do you want?

G: I want the chicken kind!

Mom: (with disgust) What??!!

G: I want chicken cereal!!!

Mom: What on earth is chicken cereal??

G: (louder) I want chicken cereal!

Mom: (light bulb moment) Do you mean Corn Flakes, the kind with the chicken on the box?

G: Yeah!

Mom: Sorry, we don't have that kind anymore.

G: Ok, I'll have D's cereal.

As BooMama says - "Oh mercy, Mama needs a nerve pill!"

Cha-Ching!

Wouldn't it be great to get this for mother's day? Not just as a token, but as a real check!!! But, I have to admit, I was disappointed there was no category on the list of mother's jobs that included "reading blogs"!! Maybe my hours would more closely match the national average if I didn't sit on my behind reading what's going on in other people's lives!!!