My mom

For the past few months my mom has been having some health problems. She had an appointment on Thursday morning with a prestigious neurologist at the U of U hospital. Trevor and I had already planned on going to Lake Powell with his family from Wednesday-Sunday. I worried about going because I wasn't sure what to expect from my mom's appointment, but both my mom and dad assured me that there would most likely be no diagnosis and that we should go to Lake Powell.

We decided to go to Lake Powell, so we headed down on Wednesday. On Thursday afternoon Trevor and I put my iPhone in a ziplock bag and rode the wave runner to the channel so that I could call my parents and get an update on my mom's appointment. I was shocked when my parents told me that my mom was diagnosed with ALS. I was overcome with sadness and anger. After hanging up the phone Trevor and I cried together in the middle of the lake for thirty minutes. When we went to turn on the wave runner, it wouldn't work. We then had to flag someone down and they kindly took us back to our houseboat.

I immediately pulled Jeanette aside and told her the devastating news. I felt so trapped being so far away from family without cell phone coverage. I laid on my air mattress on top of the houseboat sobbing. I was grateful to have Trevor there to mourn with me. Jeanette came up a few minutes later and told me she had worked everything out so that we could go home right then. We packed up our stuff and rode to the dock and headed home. I was so grateful that Jeanette worked everything out so that we could be on our way, so grateful for the Squires for driving us to the dock, and to Jodi for letting us borrow her car. Everyone was so wonderful to make that happen.

We made it home safe and sound and have spent the entire weekend with family. I'm so grateful for my family.

I am devastated by this diagnosis. I feel like I haven't had any major trials in my life since my family moved to Korea when I was twelve.This diagnosis and what is to follow is going to be a challenge for me for the rest of my life. Besides Trevor, my mom is my best friend. I can't imagine my life without her in it.

Trevor has been so supportive. I am so grateful for a husband who loves my family as much as I do. He has been my rock.

I'm grateful for such a wise father who continues to remind us that it is okay to be sad and mourn for a little while, but then we are going to be brave and make the best of this challenge. We are going to make these last years as happy as we possibly can.

I'm so grateful for my mother's incredible example. She is the best woman I know. She is facing this challenge with so much faith and hope. I am grateful that at this time in my life I am finished with school, I don't have a job, and that I live nearby. I want to do all that I can for my mom.

The return missionaries from the Korea Daejeon 2001-2004 Mission, as well as many others of us will be fasting for my mom next Sunday, July 31. I look forward to the opportunity to put forth my faith in her behalf. If anyone wants to join, please feel free.

My mom wrote about her diagnosis on her blog, you can read about it here.