Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Wednesday Update

It's hard to believe that it has been exactly one week since I learned 'the news'.

Let me first say that you guys are an awesome prayer team.  I told Larry on Sunday that I really feel great, covered in prayer and almost like I’m floating.  I know that is the result of your prayers and God’s covering, so thank you! 

Medical Updates: 
  • 5/1 Thursday; surgeon appt
  • 5/1 Thursday; CT/PET scan (yes, a busy day)
  • 5/5 Monday; back with Dr. N the oncologist

At work I'd like you to know I report up to some amazing people that are super supportive.  They could not have been more kind and thoughtful, and I'm not just saying that because they are subscribers (ha!).  Truly remarkable folks.  I'm so thankful for them!

Since I don’t know exactly what the next steps will be after  my Monday appointment, I feel like I’m rushing to get a few ideas out there before I get into a situation where I maybe don’t feel so hot physically.  


I’ll share one today and then another on Friday.

Today’s idea is not really my own, I’m borrowing it from my friend Cindy, I have a feeling she won’t mind a bit.  Cindy just finished writing a bible study and sweetly sent me an early copy HOT off the press!  


I have discovered that praying for people at night often ends in me falling asleep before my prayers are actually completed.  Cindy solved this problem by going on a prayer walk.  Did you know you are 99.9% less likely to fall asleep while walking than when laying/lying (ugh, I thought I knew the difference) in your nice comfy cozy bed with all the lights off.  Weird huh? 

So the next FUN thing is to Walk it out Wednesday.  If you have some physical limitations that will keep you from getting too far, maybe ask someone to take you for a quiet ride for a few minutes.  Otherwise get outside into the great spring weather and walk, oh you could run too if you really wanted to, but it should be just for FUN.   

Look for some kind of beauty in the way our great Creator made things, the way rose petals unfold, how the bluebonnets are pollinated, brightly colored ground lizards. 

Sunday out on our country road there was a 6” long lizard that lost a race with a car and ended up on his back, tongue out and ants all over him.  When Kathy and I stopped to check him out we found he had four vertical stripes of blue (two different shades) on his belly.  We were both curious as to what sort of lizard this was so she flipped it over with the toe of her shoe (she’s braver) and we found it to be a plain brown ground lizard, completely unremarkable on the top side, but on the underside bright brilliant colors. 

A few steps later there was a rustling on my side of the road we both eeked and reached for each other (it’s snake season already—she’s had two already and L found a 6’ long skin in the shed) and moved toward the other side of the road when something on her side skittered away into the tall grass/weeds and we eeeked again.  Of course we cracked up and walked faster. 

Find a walking buddy, or go it alone, but get outside and take a walk, even if it is just to the end of your block.  Look for the natural beauty.   It is out there, you just need to notice it.  Thank God that he created such a beautiful place for us to live. 

If it doesn't work out to walk on Wednesday (especially since I'm posting this so late and most will read it on Thursday) you could toddle on Thursday, frolic on Friday, saunter on Saturday, stroll on Sunday, march on Monday, totter on Tuesday (isn't alliteration fun?).   I think you get the idea.  :)

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Sugar Free Sunday

I have no additional news, but I wanted to share the first "FUN" idea I had for those near and far.  It may not be fun to anyone else, but I'll share it anyway because when I couldn't sleep Wednesday night, this was actually one of the things that came to mind while I was not sleeping and contemplating what in the world I would blog about (after I decided that too).

I've read and also heard and extended report on a radio talk show about how bad sugar is for our bodies, yeah yeah, everyone's heard that, but everything in moderation, right?  So sometimes we (I) am a little less moderate than others.  But this information was different.  

The radio show that sticks in my head the most is a nutrition guy who was not hawking some snake oil to make you skinny, make your hair shiny, increase your love life, or solve all the problems in your life.  He took the perspective that if he ever found himself in the position of having cancer, that he would do this handful of things.  

Top of his list was to stop eating all sugar, because cancer cells thrive and grow faster on sugar.  He also included fruits in this list too, because fructose is also one that feeds the cancer too.  

Thursday/Friday Update

This is a repeat of the email I sent out yesterday, just posting it on the blog.  

Friday, April 25, 2014

The NEWS


These were the results after a routine mammo showed calcificaitons.  That led to a better mammo that showed I needed a biopsy.  That happened on Monday the 21st.  Results due in Wednesday.  Here they were.  You can already tell it wasn't 'all clear' becuase who takes the time to set up a blog about that?!?!
 
Here is the message I sent to a few folks who had been following along becuase I see/talk to them regularly:
 
Well let me start with saying that God is good all the time. 

Unfortunately, my body has Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, yep Breast Cancer.  It is well differentiated, which is a good thing (so the doc tells me), it is positive for estrogen (which means that it will respond well to treatment) and they do a really good job of treating it these days. 

I’ve left a message with an oncologist to try to get in for an appointment this week so I can get some more answers.  Missed their office scheduler today by five min. 

Does this have anything to do with the crazy shakes I’ve had?  I don’t know. 

What can you do?  Please pray for wisdom for Larry and I as we walk down some crazy path we hadn’t planned on and for the doctors who review things and help guide our decisions.  For Jake to not be too scared as he has to see it all happen too.  You know I’ll ask for what I need, I’m pushy and bossy that way. 

Am I nervous, yep.  But I know that I have wonderful God who loves me unconditionally and Nothing is impossible with HIM. 

It is in Him that I put my trust.