CATCHING UP

IT'S BEEN A FEW DAYS SINCE I'VE BEEN ABLE TO UPDATE EVERYONE, SO I HAVE A LITTLE CATCHING UP TO DO . I HAD MY SECOND CHEMO TREATMENT ON THURSDAY MARCH 31st, JUST 3 WEEKS FROM THE FIRST ON MARCH 10th. ARTIE HAD TO WORK THAT DAY, SO MY SWEET DAUGHTER & GRANDKIDS TOOK ME TO THE APPOINTMENT IN FRESNO & WERE GOING TO HAVE TO HANG AROUND FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS IN THE WAITING ROOM WAITING FOR ME TO GET DONE. THE INFUSION ROOM WHERE YOU RECEIVE YOUR CHEMO, IS A LARGE SUNNY ROOM ON THE CORNER OF THE BUILDING WITH LOTS OF BIG PICTURE WINDOWS & LIGHT. THERE IS A NURSES STATION ON ONE SIDE SURROUNDED BY A LOT OF RECLINERS & IV PUMPS, ETC. KIDS AREN'T USUALLY ALLOWED IN THE TREATMENT ROOM BUT SINCE MOST OF THE OTHER PATIENTS WERE ALREADY GONE FOR THE DAY, THE NURSES MADE AN EXCEPTION & LET REBECCA & CALEB & BEN COME IN THE BACK & KEEP ME COMPANY FOR THE LAST HALF OF THE TREATMENT. ARTIE EVEN POPPED IN FOR A WHILE TO SEE HOW I WAS DOING. WE FELT VERY PRIVELEGED &  VERY SPECIAL. THE KIDS EVEN GOT TO SHARE AN EMPTY RECLINER, EACH HAVE THEIR OWN HEADPHONES, & WATCH A MOVIE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TIME. THE PHARMACY TECH BROUGHT IN A BIG BOX OF TEDDY BEARS & LET 4 YEAR OLD BEN PICK WHICHEVER ONE HE WANTED TO TAKE HOME. HE WAS HAPPY TO ACCEPT & TOOK HIS TIME CHOOSING A CUTE MULTICOLOR BEAR THAT SUITED HIM TO A TEE. CALEB GOT THE SAME OFFER, BUT DUE TO HIS VERY MATURE 9 1/2 YEARS, CHOSE TO  DECLINE. I WAS EVEN ABLE TO TRY MY FRIEND GRETCHEN'S  SUGGESTION OF SUCKING ON ICE CHIPS DURING CHEMO, TO PREVENT THE MOUTH SORES FROM COMING BACK THAT HAD CAUSED ME SO MUCH PAIN & DIFFICULTY AFTER MY 1st TREATMENT. GRETCHEN WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER 2 YEARS AGO & HAS BEEN THROUGH EVERY STEP IN THE PROCESS. SHE HAS HAD MANY VERY PRACTICAL TIPS TO HELP GET ME THROUGH THIS. SHE & OTHERS AT CHURCH HAVE OFFERED MUCH LOVE & SUPPORT, WHICH HAS BEEN BOTH SPIRITUAL  &  PRACTICAL TO THIS UNIQUE PROCESS. THE LORD ALWAYS KNOW WHAT WE NEED & PROVIDES EXACTLY THAT. IT'S BEEN 4 DAYS NOW SINCE CHEMO & NO SORES IN SIGHT. PRAISE THE LORD!

FRIDAY APRIL 1st- I WAS SO TIRED THAT DAY ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS NAP. I DID A LOT OF SLEEPING & EVEN SLEPT WELL THROUGH THE NIGHT. I MUST HAVE REALLY NEEDED IT, BECAUSE I FELT MUCH BETTER THE NEXT DAY.

SATURDAY APRIL 2nd- I PERKED UP ENOUGH FOR A TRIP TO VISALIA WITH BECKY. WE WENT TO JOANN'S CRAFTS TO PICK OUT SOME YARN, SO BECKY COULD KNIT ME A CUTE HAT I HAD FOUND IN A KNITTING BOOK. IT'S GOING TO ADD TO MY SMALL COLLECTION OF HEAD COVERINGS NECESSARY TO COVER MY NOW ALMOST COMPLETELY BALD LITTLE HEAD. I HAVE 2 WIGS,  3 SCARVES THAT I'M LEARNING TO TIE IN PRETTY WAYS, AND NOW AM TRYING TO ADD SOME HATS WITH  GOOD  HEAD COVERAGE. IT'S KIND OF FUN TO TRY SOME NEW THINGS. WE ALSO NEEDED A FEW THINGS FROM COSTCO & SO, BECAUSE I WAS STILL FEELING SEMI OK, I WALKED IN TOO, FIGURING I COULD ALWAYS SIT DOWN IN THE FOOD COURT & REST IF I DIDN'T MAKE IT TOO FAR. YOU KNOW THE OLD MOTTO OF SHOP TIL YOU DROP? I DECIDED I'D PUT IT TO THE TEST. NEVER FEAR THOUGH, MY DAUGHTER WOULD HAVE STOPPED ME IF I NEEDED IT. FORTUNATELY WHEN WE WALKED IN, THERE WERE THESE RIDE ON SHOPPING CARTS RIGHT THERE IN THE FRONT. WE BOTH SAW THEM AT THE SAME TIME & THE SAME THOUGHT POPPED INTO BOTH OF OUR HEADS AT THE SAME TIME. IF I EVER QUALIFIED FOR RIDING ONE, NOW WAS THE PERFECT TIME TO TRY. I HOPPED ON, SENT OUT AN ALL POINTS BULLETIN TO WARN OTHER SHOPPERS, AND FIGURED THE THING OUT WHILE HAVING A BLAST AT THE SAME TIME. SHE & I GIGGLED A LOT, BUT BOY DID IT SAVE A LOT OF ENERGY. WHAT GREAT FUN! AND MOST OF THE OTHER SHOPPERS LEFT THE STORE IN ONE PIECE. WHAT A GREAT BUT LONG DAY OF SHOPPING.

SUNDAY APRIL 3rd- WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY! I FELT UP TO GOING TO CHURCH, ALTHOUGH MY HUBBY DIDN'T. HE STARTED COMING DOWN WITH A COLD. REBECCA & THE BOYS WERE MORE THAN WILLING TO TAKE ME TO CHURCH. THEY'LL BE MISSING MY SON-IN-LAW JON, WHO WON'T BE ABLE TO COME UP FOR HIS USUAL VISIT THIS WEEKEND OR THE NEXT. HE IS SUCH A GOOD DADDY & HUSBAND. WORKING DOWN SOUTH & DRIVING 4 HOURS TO VISIT ALMOST EVERY WEEKEND  TAKES A GREAT DEAL OF LOVE & SACRIFICE. I REALLY APPRECIATE HIM A LOT! CHURCH WAS GREAT AS USUAL. YOU CAN REALLY FEEL THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD THERE. THE PASTOR HAD SPECIAL PRAYER FOR DEBBIE, WHO COLLAPSED A FEW WEEKS AGO IN THE GYM. SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A BRAIN ANEURISM & IT'S A MIRACLE THAT SHE SURVIVED. LESS THAN 1% DO. SHE WAS WEARING A BIG FLOPPY HAT TO COVER HER SHAVED HEAD AFTER SURGERY & SLOWLY MADE HER WAY UP TO THE FRONT USING HER WALKER WITH HER TEARFUL FAMILY CLOSE BY HER SIDE . SHE'S COME A LONG WAY, BUT STILL HAS A LONG WAY TO GO. THE PASTOR HAD EVERYONE PRAY FOR HER & THEN ASKED EVERYBODY TO STAND WHO HAD CANCER FOR SPECIAL PRAYER. I STOOD UP & MY FRIEND LISA STOOD UP & THE WHOLE CHURCH PRAYED FOR US ALL. IT WAS QUITE A BLESSING. GOD IS REAL & IS WORKING & TOUCHING LIVES EVERY DAY & ALL THE TIME. YOU JUST HAVE TO LOOK AROUND TO SEE. I KNOW WE ARE ALL GOING TO  HAVE A LOT MORE STORIES TO TELL BY THE TIME HE IS DON WITH US. GOD IS SO GOOD!

MONDAY APRIL 4th- HOW DID IT GET TO BE APRIL ALREADY? MY HUSBAND, ARTIE, IS STILL A LITTLE UNDER THE WEATHER, BUT PLUGGING ALONG AS USUAL. MY DAUGHTER BECKY IS ALSO FEELING LIKE SHE'S CATCHING A COLD. MY SON, DAVID, & GRANDKIDS & I ARE ALL TRYING OUR BEST NOT TO CATCH ANYTHING, (WE HAVE QUITE A HOUSEFUL RIGHT NOW, INCLUDING 2 DOGS).  MY SINUSES FEEL LIKE THEY ARE FILLING UP AGAIN & GIVING ME A BAD HEADACHE & FEVER.  I ALREADY HAD AN APPOINTMENT SCHEDULED FOR TODAY WITH MY ALLERGY DOCTOR, WHO I LOVE. HE USED TO WORK AT CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL LIKE ME, HAS A WELL ROUNDED EXPERIENCE, AND A FAMILY HISTORY OF BREAST CANCER WITH HIS AUNT & MOM & SISTER, SO HAS A LOT OF COMPASSION & UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE I'M AT RIGHT NOW.  HE WAS ABLE TO CHANGE UP MY ANTIBIOTIC & BREATHING TREATMENT REGIMEN TO HOPEFULLY ERRADICATE THIS PESKY SINUS PROBLEM THAT KEEPS TRYING TO TAKE OVER AFTER CHEMO SHUTS DOWN MY IMMUNE SYSTEM DOWN SOME MORE. PLEASE PRAY THAT 1.)MY INFECTIONS WILL CLEAR UP COMPLETELY,  2.) MY FAMILY WILL GET BETTER & STAY HEALTHY (WHICH WILL HELP ME TOO), 3.) PLEASE PRAY THAT MY LIVER TRANSPLANT DOCTORS WILL ALLOW ME TO STAY AT A LOWER DOSE OF MY IMMUNOSUPPRESSION MEDICINE THAT I'M CURRENTLY ON. (FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, I HAD A LIVER TRANSPLANT TOO, ALMOST 12 YEARS AGO. THEY'RE CONSIDERING UPPING MY MEDS A LITTLE BECAUSE MY LEVELS WERE LOW WITH MY LAST LABS. THE MEDICINE KEEPS MY BODY FROM REJECTING THE RELATIVELY NEW LIVER BUT MAKES ME MORE SUSEPTIBLE TO INFECTIONS ALL THE TIME. ACCORDING TO MY ONCOLOGIST OFFICE, I'VE HAD AN INITIAL STRONGER REACTION THAN SOME TO THE CHEMOTHERAPY BECAUSE OF BEING ON MEDS TO SUPPRESS MY IMMUNE SYSTEM FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS SINCE MY LIVER TRANSPLANT. ANYWAY, YOU CAN EASILY GET A VICIOUS CIRCLE GOING THERE WITH ONE TREATMENT CANCELLING OUT ANOTHER. 4.)PRAY THAT THE LORD WILL HELP THEM COORDINATE MY CARE & TREATMENT IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE FOR WHAT I NEED. 5.) PRAY THAT I WILL CONTINUE WITH MORE GOOD DAYS THAN BAD DAYS. 6.) PRAY THAT THE LORD & I CONTINUE TO HAVE BEAUTIFUL TIMES TOGETHER LIKE WE DID THIS MORNING. HE IS SO GOOD & I AM SO GLAD HE LOVED ME ENOUGH NOT TO LEAVE ME THE WAY I WAS. HE IS CHANGING ME THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE INTO SOMEONE WHO KNOWS SHE IS LOVED, & CARED FOR. SOMEONE WHO IS PURSUING GOD, SOMEONE WHO ISN'T RUSHING THROUGH LIFE AT 90 MILES AN HOUR JUST SURVIVING. SHE'S GOING TO SURVIVE & SHE'S GOING TO THRIVE. IT'S ALREADY HAPPENING. PTL!