February 1
Categories: Caring Bridge Journal
I’m home and doing pretty well so far. I have several things I want to share, so forgive me if this is extra long.
1. I am very appreciative of and encouraged by folks who say things like, “You are amazing, you are so strong, you are so faithful, you are inspiring,” etc. But also, it makes me extremely uncomfortable. You see, I really don’t want the credit right now.
IT IS GOD WHO IS AMAZING; GOD WHO IS STRONG.
I am working through a Bible study book called “Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted” by Priscilla Shirer. I think this part of my life definitely qualifies as a life interruption (which she calls a divine intervention) and I am going to directly quote her:
“Giving God a position of significance in your daily life is of paramount importance. In the tale of your life unfolding right now, He, not you, must be the One in the spotlight.” AMEN!
People, don’t be amazed by me. I’m in all ways ordinary.
But GOD – GOD is AMAZING and HIS PEACE is BEYOND UNDERSTANDING. Be amazed at what God can do.
2. Thank you to all who’ve passed on the “Cleaning for a Reason” information which offers free house cleaning once amonth for cancer patients. However, thanks to the extreme generosity of a man I call my “big boss” at STAR Physical Therapy, Regg Swanson, and thanks to my sweet co-worker Alison Jordan who worked out the details, I am getting WEEKLY house cleaning! I was going to decline Regg’s offer until Alison, as well as the nurses I’ve seen, reminded me how important avoiding germs in general is right now. Wonderful Theresa came today and cleaned while I was in chemo, and WOW. Seriously, my house has never been so clean and she did it in 1/4 the time it would have taken me. I’m amazed by how much she got done in under 3 hours. WOW.
3. Another WOW – thank you to the “Believers” class at church for the iPAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah, iPad. What?!?! Uh-huh. THat was my reaction. What?!?!?! I don’t want to be braggy at all, but seriously, who can get too whiny about this cancer thing when right now it feels like Christmas? I don’t have a CLUE how to work the thing yet, but they thought it would really come in handy for passing the time in chemo and I can see how it will. Thank you guys so very much. I’m seriously still in shock.
4. I know many of you want to know about how chemo went today. Well, because I’ve already typed too much and I don’t want you or me sitting at our computers too long and getting cervical disk bulges and low back pain (sorry, PT coming out in me – now sit up straight!) 🙂 I will write more about it in the coming days. But for today, know that I’m feeling pretty good so far. No nausea, able to eat fine so far today, no big troubles at the clinic (a few little issues, kinda funny stuff, I’ll share soon). The biggest thing I’m dealing with currently is I feel pretty jittery. Not mentally anxious, just got a weird kinda muscle twitchy, antsy, jittery feeling. Called the nurse about it- she said it could be the steroid they give me to help with nausea. Not a super common side effect but not unheard of and she thought it would be better tomorrow. She said I may have trouble sleeping tonight, but maybe the sleep aids I already have will be sufficient to get me some rest. Oh well, leave it to me to have a different side effect than most. I’m thankful that that’s the worst thing I’m dealing with so far. At least if I can’t sleep, maybe I can catch up on reading this guestbook. You all continue to inspire me!
Oh, and more on this later, but I was totally NOT AFRAID today. I was fired up! My old fierce-competitor-in- basketball/softball-nature from my younger days was back and I was ready to, as my sweet friend Kat said, “Start kicking cancer’s booty!”
I just simply cannot end a post without again thanking you all for the prayers. I know they are carrying me through – glory to GOD!