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Monday, August 15, 2016

Days 99, 100, 101 Weekend With Cousins, Chemo 1 of 12 Started, and God's Blessings

I have had a happy weekend with cousins, Pam and Todd Parmenter! They came from Peoria, Illinois all the way here just to see me and it was good for my soul to see them and be with people I love so much! All we  really  did was relaxed and talked and ate for 2 days, plus we did go see a movie in Dayton at the Victoria Theatre. Sadly we did not get to kayak (my happy place) due to too much rain! Boo. I wanted to do as much as possible while I feel energetic enough, considering it's usually only been a few days now of feeling well. And I don't know what to expect with this new drug, plus it will be administered weekly, so I expect to be even more limited in my 'feel good' days.

This week I have woken up a lot during the night because my hot flashes have started again. Twice now, I got up at 3 a.m. and sat in my wilderness room and turned on my small evergreen tree with twinkle lights and read my Bible. I have read Titus a couple times and Ephesians and God just lights up Scripture as I read now-a-days! So thankful for that.

Today I had the first of 12 weekly chemo treatments with a new drug, Taxol. Thankfully, I did not feel it going in my brain like the others! This is a huge thanks to God! My friend, Doni Owens, brought me to my chemo appointment and bless her as she waited with me for 4.5 hours! Whew, this can take more time than I anticipated, but she was so gracious and had set her day aside for me. Again, this is proof of God's provision in my life. We talked about how God is changing my heart and growing me in all this. So much good has come from my hearing about Dr. Mary Neal and her miracle! (If you haven't watched her video I posted, please do as it might encourage you too. https://youtu.be/fHXW1erHMtg) God has used her life to shape my understanding of my cancer, help me trust in His plan for my life like never before, and give me an outlook on my eternal perspective in a fresh,  new way! Life changing! Then after chemo and lunch with Doni, I took her to John's wood shop and gave her a little tour, then took her on a Gator ride in our woods! Yes, I felt just that great!

And tonight, my sweet daughter, Sarah Jean called me just to see how my chemotherapy went today. Many others did too, mom and sisters and friends, but to have my daughter call ONLY to see if I was ok meant so much to me. When your children remember and care about those little details, it blesses a mother's heart deeply.

Then to top off my day, my dear friend, Holly B, just texted me and I have seen her faith in God grow ever since we met. I hear her heart and it trusts and believes in God's working in her life more and more. I believe that, though our time to work together was so very short at the dental office, it was God's working in her and my life as He blessed us with a friendship that goes way beyond work and she holds a very special place in my life and heart. I see that ripple effect of my cancer and am more thankful than ever. God is good and has a plan for all of us, and is closer than we sometimes realize.



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