Prayers for Christie

Christie was admitted to the hospital yesterday and will stay in for another night.  She is getting a much needed dose of hydration and TLC. 

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Detour

It's been a week since chemo#3 and somehow all the plans I made to make this better backfired. I was getting worse by the day and called Doc this morning. I lost weight (absolutely forbidden in  chemo-land), couldn't walk without panting like a sick dog and would collapse at the drop of a hat. Doc gave me the eyeball test, ( said I looked like hell.) And then admitted me to the hospital for some fluid and antibiotics. That's when the adventure really began. They put me in the urology unit at 1:30. Because my husband  kept making calls, I finally got an IV at 5:30.  Tommy and Katie came to visit just in time to help me move to the oncology wing where I am being well cared for. I will probably go home tomorrow after Doc gives me the thumbs up. Thanks for all the hugs and prayers.

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Happy New Year!

While the rest of the world celebrates New Year's Eve, my husband and I will be celebrating our wedding anniversary.  This year is definitely more special, as our gift to each other is my life. 

So today represents the end of a difficult year, but a year that has been full of blessings.

It represents a deep love of husband and wife.  We are still as mushy, romantic as ever .... he still opens the car door for me.
 
And, the fact that I'm a cancer survivor.  I am still wrapping my brain around that one.  The anvil is still over my head and it will probably take time for that feeling to subside.

I don't think that my life will now be a bed of roses, but I sure have learned a lot about myself and the people that are in my circle.  Most of all, I have learned so much about what faith really means in our broken world. 

Last year, I had made a new year's resolution of de-cluttering.  Thanks to my daughter and husband, they were key in making this happen.  Now, it seems that I want a more substantial proclamation.  I have been praying about it and I'm close to putting it into words.

Until then, my friends, may this day be safe, happy, fun, light-hearted, loving, inspired, and may you find many blessings in the new year to come!

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Celebrating the Holidays Despite a Cancer Diagnosis

It is my pleasure to post this message

from a husband and wife who wanted to share

their experience with you ~

By: Cameron Von St James

My wife gave birth to our only child, Lily, in August of 2005. We were already looking forward to the joy that the winter holidays would bring. I have always looked forward to the opportunity to spend the holidays celebrating with the ones I love. I have always been thankful for being blessed with so many amazing people in my life. Heather and I had already started talking about the holiday traditions we wanted to pass on to our little one, and the new ones we would start as a family.

Unfortunately, our holiday spirit and excitement were stamped out just three days before Thanksgiving, when Heather was diagnosed with cancer. Our daughter was less than four months old at the time of the diagnosis. We learned that Heather had malignant pleural mesothelioma, and in an instant our focus shifted from turkey and holiday shopping to fighting a rare and very deadly form of cancer.

I was filled with anger and fear after the diagnosis. Everything that had seemed so positive, everything I seemed so sure about disappeared in an instant. I tried my best to remain positive and hopeful, but my mind went straight to fearing for the worst. I had thoughts of losing my wife and growing old as a single father. I felt that I had little to be thankful for that year.

Despite the horrible news, we did have a Thanksgiving and Christmas celebration with my wife’s family. The family discussed all the ways they would support us in this trying time.  I had been dreading this discussion for days.  We talked about money and childcare. Heather and I had previously both been working, but we were now reduced to living on my income alone, and the diagnosis brought with it a wealth of unexpected expenses that we were not equipped to handle.  Heather’s parents went through our finances with us and helped us figure out what we could liquidate to stay afloat, as well as what they could afford to help us pay for.  I was mortified and embarrassed, and once again I felt that I had nothing to be thankful for. It would be years before I could look back on that day with anything but shame.

Now, however, I can see how very mistaken I was to look at it that way.  Looking back, I can see how truly blessed we were to have such a strong and loving family supporting us through our tough time.  My pride and my fear blinded me to that at the time, but now I can see how very much I had to be thankful for that season.

This holiday season, I will not let go of that memory of our family gathered around, communicating and helping each other. I will keep in mind everything that I have to be thankful for. I have more than many people will ever have; I am surrounded by kindness, love and good friends. Lily is healthy and as usual, this year will revolve around surrounding her with fun holiday traditions.

In the end, with the love and support of our incredible community of friends and family, Heather beat her mesothelioma. She beat all the odds stacked against her, and we have celebrated numerous holidays together since her diagnoses. We are looking forward to many more together in the future.  We hope that our story of success can help all those currently fighting cancer find something in their lives to be thankful for this holiday season.

Husband of Mesothelioma Survivor Heather Von St. James
Read more:  
http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/cameron/

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Getting Ready for Chemo

Chemo # 3 is Thursday and I've been reading a lot about what I can do to make things go just a little smoother.

I would highly recommend this book, Just Get Me Through This by Deborah A Cohen, a breast cancer survivor. The information clarified many concerns I've had about chemotherapy. For instance, she suggested eating a  Popsicle or ice chips during the 10 minute infusion of Adriamycin, which will minimize mouth sores. It seems that this drug damages all tissues but won't harm the mouth when the blood vessels are constricted. Now I know WHY the nurse asked if I wanted some crushed ice.

I need to do everything possible to drink at least 64 ounces of fluid EVERY day, not just the first three days after chemo. It seems that when I had that Queasy episode a week after my second chemo it was just dehydration. I actually remember that day at school. The water fountain was being replaced down the hall from my class; I didn't wanted to get water out of the bathroom and didn't make it to the cafeteria. By the time I got home I was feeling nauseous. Then I was awakened at 3 am with painful spasms down my spine; another symptom of dehydration.

The chemo chemicals cause the body to dry up; that includes my skin and eyes. I've been using Alveeno body wash, body oil and lotions along with Burt's Bees facial moisturizers and lip balm for about 4 weeks.
My vision has been blurry and my eyelids feel like sandpaper. Doc said I can use lubricating eye drops.

I've found that sour and spicy foods cut through the bad taste in my mouth which only lasts about a week. We bought cans of frozen lemonade, lemon pudding, lemon drops, a big jar of pickled cauliflower, and a bottle of hot sauce (sounds like pregnancy cravings)!

I used to love drinking a cup of plain hot water (check this post to find out why). But my son recently taught me that if the water is cold and I use a straw I can get it down quickly without the taste buds interrupting my effort.

I also decided I needed something to look forward to as soon as I was feeling better. So I made an appointment for a massage right before we start back to school in January. I'm going to have a pedicure after my 4th chemo. I'm also going to make time to visit with friends.

While I'm recovering this weekend I am planning on coloring Mandala's. I use to do this a few years ago and found it very relaxing. Read this article about how the Creative Process Helps Cancer Survivors With Overall Well-being.

Laughter is the best medicine so I'm going to watch some funny movies on Netflix. 

What movies would you suggest I order?

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Christmas Eve

 

Christmas Eve ~ a special night

Candlelight service at 8pm with special music, sermon and communion.

The reason for the season

Sunday service was special as the children and choir presented a Christmas play.  They did a fabulous, fabulous job.  I wish we can do an encore!

Here is a picture of the manger (none of the children, not on public web)

 

May this Christmas bring blessings and deep peace to you and yours!

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Prayer

I created a form on my blog for folks who would like me to pray for them. 

 

I'm a prayer warrior!

If you would like me to pray for you, just click on the image on my side bar, or you can click on the praying hands below.

Once you click on the praying hands, it brings up this form:

Your message comes directly to my e-mail.  Your request is private and I do not put it on my blog, or facebook etc.  I ask for your e-mail so I can type out my prayer and send it directly to you. 

For me, prayer is powerful. Prayer is a way to talk to our Father and to bring our praise, our worship and our burdens to Him.

I received so many prayers from others and would be honored to do the same for you.

And I do it in Jesus' name ~

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Letter to Santa

Friday was the last day of school and now it's time to get ready for the Holidays. I got home just in time for the Lazyboy delivery of a replacement cushion. I first met Bill in October when he repaired my recliner. We had discussed how he learned to sew, which lead to my job as a home ec teacher (gasp! I said the word) and then to other job related topics. He was easy to talk to so today I pointed out my new head gear and he shared that his aunt and mother are breast cancer survivors. I should be keeping tally every time I hear about survivors because it's a lot!

Lora, Christie, Aleena, and Katie
getting ready to play in the kitchen.

Lora and her daughter arrived shortly after and we spent several hours visiting, making and decorating cookies, making pizza and just hanging out. Aleena brought me some warm socks (she found out I asked Santa for a pair) and a copy of a letter she wrote to Santa. It's the most precious wish and I am so blessed to have them both in my life.
We agree that it was divine intervention when I got my first teaching job back in 1987.  At that time, Lora was 8 years old when her mom lost her battle with leukemia. A few years later Lora entered my classroom and my life. I am honored that she calls me her second mom.

Aleena explained that when she wrote this at school she didn't know that I was her "adopted grandma".
She thought I was her "real" grandma. How sweet is that ?

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Day after Port Removal

Well, guess I will get back on that Coumadin until I see doc Jan 15.

Ouch!

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One Year Anniversary

Dec 20, 2011 was my lumpectomy surgery. It almost feels like a lifetime ago. It is hard to wrap my brain around surgery, 6 rounds of chemo, 33 days of radiation and 17 IVdrips of Herceptin.

Not to mention 3 MRIs, 3 ultrasounds, 1 bone density screening, 2 blood transfusions, 2 echos, hospitalization due to multiple blood clots, followup appointments and just to throw into the mix, a neurologist specialist.

At 8:00am, I was scheduled for my port removal.  The doctor was the same one that had put the port in my arm last January 5.  I had an added bonus of dissolvable stitches, so I won't have to go back and have them pulled and cut out.  The doctor asked if I felt a sharp pain and I said yes ... so she gave a little bit more numbing on the area.  The only other person in the room was a nurse.  The doctor held a conversation with me as she worked and had several questions.  It was a good distraction.

"How did your life change after going through cancer treatment?" she asked.

I have been asked that before.  "I have grown closer to God."

She nodded. "I have heard that before many times from patients."

I explained that my faith has always been strong, but now I got to experience "the peace that passes all understanding" as in

Philippians 4:7

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gentle, deep peace wraps around my whole being and removes any anxiety and worry I held on to all my life.  This peace cannot be explained by mere words, it can only be experienced.

 

Once the port was finally removed, doc stitched me up with dissolvable stitches.  So glad I don't have to go back to get them removed.  No bruising yet. Do you remember the last bruise when it was put in? Oh, yeah, and the "multiple" blood clots it created.

 

 

 

After the procedure, I went back to the lobby waiting room.  This is also the day my mom is getting her kidney biopsied.  I waited for my brother in law to bring her.  The place was getting busy since my early morning appointment.  Filling up with patients, wheelchairs, canes....

 

This broken world filled with broken bodies. 

 

How many with broken spirits?

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