Living life - been super blessed to be awol because I was visiting our Montana family!
Weight good, steady due to a few carbs
Sleeping more
Exercise - ok
Physically, everything is really pretty good - last chemo went ok, though never fun, and I was able to travel on that Saturday - though I was several shades of green!
This chemo has been fair - felt really nauseated last night and this morning, but the medicine reined it in...
PET scan coming probably early June
Mouth sores continue to be a big problem, making me sensitive to heat, cold, texture, spice and just about everything! Got a new steroid, swish and spit mouthwash to help take down the inflamation and it seems to be helping, not eradicating, but helping! It’s all part of the game I am playing, and it is painful but I am so thankful for the new medicine and the magic mouthwash that makes my mouth numb and helps heal it up. Baby oragel helps too~
So thankful for my volunteers who help me regularly! While in Montana, I realized my drivers were not set up for this week and even at short notice, they were gracious enough to arrange to help me! I also asked my bible study group for some Summer help as so many people travel, and several people signed up! God’s hands and feet! I am so blessed. Every time I go there are patients who are much weaker than I am, coming in alone. The alone part is very hard-just walking in alone is hard, but I cannot imagine processing what the doctor says (if anything new) and then going in by yourself, knowing how awful you are gonna feel! I am always so aware of those patients and thankful for my friends that shoulder this burden with me.
One of my cross country friends honored me and I am humbled!! She does not live locally, and has really wanted to be a help but was obviously unable to, other than her faithful prayers! She hunted around and found an organization that sets up rides for cancer patients who need them but do not have friends or family who can help them. After doing some investigating, she has signed up and is driving for cancer patients! When we spoke, she said that even if she could not help me, at least she felt like she was a part of my cancer journey and was blessing someone in the process of loving me! I am so thrilled and honored that someone was motivated to help others because of my story! Is there someone in your circle of influence that you can bless? Running errands - buying groceries - a costco run - providing a meal or even just a special snack - picking up medicine - - these blessings allow me to spend my limited energy doing something that is more fun or more necessary - what a gift!
On another note, while in Montana, I was blessed with an amazing thunderstorm and a lot of rain! Many would not think this was a blessing, but I miss the storms of the midwest and rainy days! Please remember this area of the country in your prayers tho as they are having a 100 year flood...the rivers were so swollen and overflowing and rain is forecasted and the snow in the mountains is still melting so it will probably get worse...
Another blessing of visiting big sky country is the fantastic food! I am not supposed to eat beef but one time a month— but I don’t count deer and antelope - lol! It was fantastic! I have developed a deep appreciation for good food and am eating organic and clean probably 90% of the time. The other 10% are when we eat out, are traveling or I feel like “sinning” and even then, my diet is not awfull - I choose fish or vegetarian and love my vegies— but the antelope and deer were fantastic!
The biggest blessing tho of my visit was family. Nothing can describe the joy I get from developing a relationship with my 3 1/2 year old grand daughter(which is hard to do when you are not local) . She exercises my brain in ways that lumosity cannot touch with an endless love of pretend play - that part of my brain has lain dormant for a long time! Reading books - making tents - creating storylines - crawling around on the floor all are powerful medicine and I am so thankful for the time! Her little sister blessed me with baby snuggles and giggles that were beyond compare! I am so blessed and thankful. Praying that this medicine proves healing!
For years we prayed for our future daughter in loves - knowing God would provide the special girl that would love Him and our sons! The blessing of seeing the answer to all those prayers is such joy. Our daughter in loves and their families are wonderful - we are so blessed and thankful.
Sorry for the extended time away from the keyboard -- I have been sleeping more and chipping away at projects that just seem to multiply. Decluttering is an ongoing task and having the energy to do projects, regular upkeep and play in the garden, travel and have guests has taken up my time. I don't feel like there is much news to report -- the joy of the last PET scan has given me a bit of freedom which I have been enjoying as best I can. We are so deeply thankful for this...
Life seems pretty normal except for this every other week intrusion that knocks me down...A friend asked me how I deal with the ongoingness of this...its' over a year now...Truthfully I try hard not to think about it...when I stop and think, it hurts and then I am in danger of a pity party. I try hard to be thankful for whatever little bit I can do that seems normal and brings joy -- and I am so thankful for my cocktail of anti nausea meds that keep me going...
God is so in the center of this journey - I cannot really explain how reliant I am on Him, and yet how I fail to thank him enough...He is the joy and strength that carries us, even when we struggle with exhaustion. He is the granter of all good gifts and we are so thankful for this reprieve-praying for another reprieve with the next PET scan!
The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save
He takes great delight in you.....and rejoices over you with singing. Zeph 3:17
Thanks for the prayers - they keep us going and thanks so much for checkin' in!
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