First of all, thanks to mom and Lisa for keeping my blog up to date when I don't feel like writing or typing. Secondly, adding my family for their wonderful care giving and to Jesus Christ for his wonderous working/healng power and to all of YOU.....just because of all the things you do!
Yesterday, Steve had someone come to give us an estimate on changing out of the liner of our pool (got it out of the "what to do if you are bored" dummies book ha.). The man came in the house and I was immediately self-conscious of my hair and pjs. I immediately let him know that I was home sick and that I did not always dress like that. He said, "no problem" but then he started asking about my hair. After our initial response, he said, "I understand, I just got through my chemo from colon cancer." I haven't blogged since I've been in the emergency room but my nurse there was about my age and said his dad had just died of colon cancer a couple of years ago and he had colon cancer (we talked about our love of colonscopies) ha.. Now how coincidential is that? I don't believe it was a coincidence! We were able to share our stories and what helped/didn't help, etc. and the ultimate staying power of Jesus Christ.
So, God not only gives you protection...HE provides protection through people we do not even know so they can share their testimony. I'll be able to pay it foward pretty soon!!!. God is just good like that.
As Lisa and Mom already stated, I've not done very well the past couple of treatments. I keep getting symptons I've not gotten before and they don't seem normal. However, the doctors have sent me for all kinds of test and whatever it is doesn't seem to have affected my other organs. Praise God for that.....however, pray that whatever is causing the pain go away so I'm able to live without pain ane without narcotics!!!
I heard we had wonderful Revival services with Bro. Hernandez. My dad was really touched and felt that God was going to give him complete healing. For those that don't know my dad, he died on the operating table several times because of a bad heart and he walks with a cane because of his post polio condition. These are all areas that are very stressful for him. I pray through all this that God gives dad a healing too!!
Well, my chair and nap are missing me again. Today is the first day that I've even felt like getting on and blogging so I must be feeling better, huh? Your prayers are still greatly appreciated and greatly needed!
However, I know I can always count on YOU!!
Love always,
Leah
Friday, January 23, 2009
Standing on the Promises
Hello Everyone! You have not heard from me in awhile but I try to let Leah blog if she is up to it. I did tell her I would when she couldn't. Here is an update. Leah is slowly improving. As chemo. always does the condition can change from minute to minute. One fine the next not feeling well. The last 2 treatments have been very difficult and it is taking longer for her to start feeling better. She has been in lots of pain and as mom mentioned earlier she ended up in the ER. She is taking some new meds. to try and help. As with all medications it is trial and error. Some meds. over time have to have the dosage changed or the medication is not as effective and you have to try and figure out what is going to work best. There are side effects that the medication causes and the side effects of chemo. It all make one very sick and weak. Also, as the chemo. continues the symptoms get worse.
I can say through it all God has still protected her. She has not had to have any shots and they thought she would have to. That is usually the normal thing. If that were to happen it would get very bad. That is something to be thankful for.
I have been helping her with the medication and trying to figure out what is working and going to relieve the pain and get her on the road to recovery. She is starting to improve. She is still in pain but it seems to be under control more than it was. Thank you Jesus. I know that you will continue to lift her up in prayer.
Here is a song I thought I would share. It has been on my mind the past few days.
Jesus is the Answer
If You Have Some Questions In The Corners Of Your Mind
And Traces Of Discouragement And Peace You Cannot Find
Reflections Of The Past, They Seem To Face You Everyday
There's One Thing I Know For Sure That Jesus Is The Way
Jesus Is The Answer For The World Today
Above Him There's No Other Jesus Is The Way
Jesus Is The Answer For The World Today
Above Him There's No Other Jesus Is The Way
I Know You Got Mountains That You Think You Cannot Climb
I Know That Your Skies Have Been Dark, You Think The Sun Won't Shine
In Case You Don't Know
The Word Of God Is True
And Everything That He Promised
He will Do It For You
Jesus Is The Answer For The World Today
Above Him There's No Other Jesus Is The Way
Jesus Is The Answer For The World Today
Above Him There's No Other Jesus Is The Way
_______
No matter what your situation, be encouraged. Keep standing on his promises.
Thank you for all your prayers.
Lisa
I can say through it all God has still protected her. She has not had to have any shots and they thought she would have to. That is usually the normal thing. If that were to happen it would get very bad. That is something to be thankful for.
I have been helping her with the medication and trying to figure out what is working and going to relieve the pain and get her on the road to recovery. She is starting to improve. She is still in pain but it seems to be under control more than it was. Thank you Jesus. I know that you will continue to lift her up in prayer.
Here is a song I thought I would share. It has been on my mind the past few days.
Jesus is the Answer
If You Have Some Questions In The Corners Of Your Mind
And Traces Of Discouragement And Peace You Cannot Find
Reflections Of The Past, They Seem To Face You Everyday
There's One Thing I Know For Sure That Jesus Is The Way
Jesus Is The Answer For The World Today
Above Him There's No Other Jesus Is The Way
Jesus Is The Answer For The World Today
Above Him There's No Other Jesus Is The Way
I Know You Got Mountains That You Think You Cannot Climb
I Know That Your Skies Have Been Dark, You Think The Sun Won't Shine
In Case You Don't Know
The Word Of God Is True
And Everything That He Promised
He will Do It For You
Jesus Is The Answer For The World Today
Above Him There's No Other Jesus Is The Way
Jesus Is The Answer For The World Today
Above Him There's No Other Jesus Is The Way
_______
No matter what your situation, be encouraged. Keep standing on his promises.
Thank you for all your prayers.
Lisa
Thursday, January 22, 2009
ONE DAY AT A TIME SWEET JESUS,
THAT IS ALL WE ARE ASKING OF YOU!!
It has been a rough week!! We had to take Leah to the emergency room Tuesday night.
Chemo can damage the heart so they wanted to make sure that the severe chest pain is not caused from heart damage. From test the heart doesn't show any damage,
but the cause of pain has not yet been resolved.
Thank you for your continual prayers.
Mother
THAT IS ALL WE ARE ASKING OF YOU!!
It has been a rough week!! We had to take Leah to the emergency room Tuesday night.
Chemo can damage the heart so they wanted to make sure that the severe chest pain is not caused from heart damage. From test the heart doesn't show any damage,
but the cause of pain has not yet been resolved.
Thank you for your continual prayers.
Mother
Monday, January 19, 2009
No Matter What, God always has our back!
This chemo trip has been....quite a treatment. I've not felt good from the very first day. I'm not going to let it get me down. I may feel bad but God still has me under his divine protection.
Three more prayer requests: Debra Coker, the wife of one of the men Steve works with did go back to the doctor. She just finished with chemo and her lungs are full of spots. They are meeting with the oncologist. They initially gave her a 50/50 chance of survival with her breast cancer and now this....please pray for her.
Corey, the 31 yr. old father of two small toddlers just found out that his entire colon must be removed. Please pray for his family as well.
Thirdly, we just got a call tonight of someone else who works with Steve and his 47 yr. old wife has Alzheimer's. He was crying and asked about our support group. So sad, it seems every corner we turn, someone we know is coming down with a life and death survival situation.
God is able to supply and meet all our needs!! None of this is too big for our God. We must pray and be ready to meet him should our time come sooner than what we expect. It is the most important thing we can do. Someone sent this e-mail to me today. It is an e-mail from Rick Warren. I thought you would enjoy it.
You will enjoy the new insights that Rick Warren has, with
his wife now having cancer and him having 'wealth' from the
book sales.
This is an absolutely incredible short interview
with Rick Warren,'Purpose Driven Life ' author and pastorof Saddleback Church in CaliforniaIn the interview by Paul Bradshaw withRick Warren, Rick said:People ask me, What is the purpose oflife?And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity.
We were not made to last forever, and God wants us to be
with Him in Heaven.One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end
of my body-- but not the end of me.I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, butI am going to spend trillions of years in eternity.
This is thewarm-up act - the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice onearth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made by God and for God,and until you figure that out, life isn't going to makesense.
Life is a series of problems:Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, oryou're getting ready to go into another one.The reason for this is that God is moreinterested in your character than your comfort; God is moreinterested in making your life holy than He is in making yourlife happy.We can be reasonably happy here onearth, but that's not the goal of life.
The goal is to grow incharacter, in Christ likeness.This past year has been the greatestyear of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay,getting cancer.I used to think that life was hills andvalleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to themountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe thatanymore.Rather than life being hills andvalleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on arailroad track, and at all times you have something good andsomething bad in your life.No matter how good things are in yourlife, there is always something bad that needs to be workedon.And no matter how bad things are in yourlife, there is always something good you can thank Godfor..
You can focus on your purposes, or youcan focus on your problems:If you focus on your problems, you'regoing into self-centeredness, which is my problem, my issues, mypain.' But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to getyour focus off yourself and onto God and others.We discovered quickly that in spite ofthe prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was notgoing to heal Kay or make it easy for her-
It has been verydifficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character,given her a ministry of helping other people, given her atestimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.You have to learn to deal with both thegood and the bad of life.Actually, sometimes learning to dealwith the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of asudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made meinstantly very wealthy.It also brought a lot of notoriety thatI had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives youmoney or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life ofease..
So I began to ask God what He wanted meto do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me twodifferent passages that helped me decide what to do, IICorinthians 9 and Psalm 72.First, in spite of all the money comingin, we would not change our lifestyle one bit.. We made no majorpurchases.Second, about midway through last year,I stopped taking a salary from the church.Third, we set up foundations to fund aninitiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equipleaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate thenext generation.Fourth, I added up all that the churchhad paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and Igave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God forfree.We need to ask ourselves: Am I going tolive for possessions? Popularity?Am I going to be driven by pressures?Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven byGod's purposes (for my life)?
When I get up in the morning, I sit onthe side of my bed and say, God, if I don't get anything elsedone today, I want to know You more and love You better. Goddidn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's moreinterested in what I am than what I do.That's why we're called human beings,not human doings.
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEKGOD.Quiet moments,
WORSHIPGOD.Painful moments,
TRUSTGOD.Every moment,
THANK GOD.
Three more prayer requests: Debra Coker, the wife of one of the men Steve works with did go back to the doctor. She just finished with chemo and her lungs are full of spots. They are meeting with the oncologist. They initially gave her a 50/50 chance of survival with her breast cancer and now this....please pray for her.
Corey, the 31 yr. old father of two small toddlers just found out that his entire colon must be removed. Please pray for his family as well.
Thirdly, we just got a call tonight of someone else who works with Steve and his 47 yr. old wife has Alzheimer's. He was crying and asked about our support group. So sad, it seems every corner we turn, someone we know is coming down with a life and death survival situation.
God is able to supply and meet all our needs!! None of this is too big for our God. We must pray and be ready to meet him should our time come sooner than what we expect. It is the most important thing we can do. Someone sent this e-mail to me today. It is an e-mail from Rick Warren. I thought you would enjoy it.
You will enjoy the new insights that Rick Warren has, with
his wife now having cancer and him having 'wealth' from the
book sales.
This is an absolutely incredible short interview
with Rick Warren,'Purpose Driven Life ' author and pastorof Saddleback Church in CaliforniaIn the interview by Paul Bradshaw withRick Warren, Rick said:People ask me, What is the purpose oflife?And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity.
We were not made to last forever, and God wants us to be
with Him in Heaven.One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end
of my body-- but not the end of me.I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, butI am going to spend trillions of years in eternity.
This is thewarm-up act - the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice onearth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made by God and for God,and until you figure that out, life isn't going to makesense.
Life is a series of problems:Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, oryou're getting ready to go into another one.The reason for this is that God is moreinterested in your character than your comfort; God is moreinterested in making your life holy than He is in making yourlife happy.We can be reasonably happy here onearth, but that's not the goal of life.
The goal is to grow incharacter, in Christ likeness.This past year has been the greatestyear of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay,getting cancer.I used to think that life was hills andvalleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to themountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe thatanymore.Rather than life being hills andvalleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on arailroad track, and at all times you have something good andsomething bad in your life.No matter how good things are in yourlife, there is always something bad that needs to be workedon.And no matter how bad things are in yourlife, there is always something good you can thank Godfor..
You can focus on your purposes, or youcan focus on your problems:If you focus on your problems, you'regoing into self-centeredness, which is my problem, my issues, mypain.' But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to getyour focus off yourself and onto God and others.We discovered quickly that in spite ofthe prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was notgoing to heal Kay or make it easy for her-
It has been verydifficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character,given her a ministry of helping other people, given her atestimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.You have to learn to deal with both thegood and the bad of life.Actually, sometimes learning to dealwith the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of asudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made meinstantly very wealthy.It also brought a lot of notoriety thatI had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives youmoney or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life ofease..
So I began to ask God what He wanted meto do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me twodifferent passages that helped me decide what to do, IICorinthians 9 and Psalm 72.First, in spite of all the money comingin, we would not change our lifestyle one bit.. We made no majorpurchases.Second, about midway through last year,I stopped taking a salary from the church.Third, we set up foundations to fund aninitiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equipleaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate thenext generation.Fourth, I added up all that the churchhad paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and Igave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God forfree.We need to ask ourselves: Am I going tolive for possessions? Popularity?Am I going to be driven by pressures?Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven byGod's purposes (for my life)?
When I get up in the morning, I sit onthe side of my bed and say, God, if I don't get anything elsedone today, I want to know You more and love You better. Goddidn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's moreinterested in what I am than what I do.That's why we're called human beings,not human doings.
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEKGOD.Quiet moments,
WORSHIPGOD.Painful moments,
TRUSTGOD.Every moment,
THANK GOD.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
I got sacked last night but I'm still looking toward the goal line!
The chemo has hit me really hard this time and right away. Typically I'm able to get my chemo bag removed before it starts taking me down. This time it has appeared immediately and has taken me by surprise. Again, I refuse to let one battle win my war. I'm going to fight, fight, fight this stuff all the way to my touchdown of Victory.
I just got a call this morning of a friend that we are in touch with through others who was just diagnosed with colon cancer. Corey is in his late 20s and has 2 small children (you might know him as one of the Livingston singers....they have CDs out). They weren't lying when the cancer special on TV said that every other person would have some type of cancer by the time they die if we don't find a cure. 1 in every 2 men and 1 in every 3 women. It is heartwrenching to hear these stories but we know WHO holds our future, so I do not get down....it just makes me want to fight more. Please pray for this family. The word I hear is they are devestated, however we know a God much bigger than our circumstance.
I'm not going to blog much more right now, as I've been sick all last evening, through the night and this morning. I'm headed back to my recliner for the day.
Just wanted to get out the prayer request and thank all of you for YOUR prayers for me. As you bless others, God is going to honor each of you. God is truly an awesome God. How does anyone in this crazy world not live with the ulimate peace, joy, hope and love that you get from the Heavenly Father? Hard to imagine but we just have to continue to pray for each other and pray that this ray of sunshine shines upon those that are in need.
As always, love to all,
Leah
I just got a call this morning of a friend that we are in touch with through others who was just diagnosed with colon cancer. Corey is in his late 20s and has 2 small children (you might know him as one of the Livingston singers....they have CDs out). They weren't lying when the cancer special on TV said that every other person would have some type of cancer by the time they die if we don't find a cure. 1 in every 2 men and 1 in every 3 women. It is heartwrenching to hear these stories but we know WHO holds our future, so I do not get down....it just makes me want to fight more. Please pray for this family. The word I hear is they are devestated, however we know a God much bigger than our circumstance.
I'm not going to blog much more right now, as I've been sick all last evening, through the night and this morning. I'm headed back to my recliner for the day.
Just wanted to get out the prayer request and thank all of you for YOUR prayers for me. As you bless others, God is going to honor each of you. God is truly an awesome God. How does anyone in this crazy world not live with the ulimate peace, joy, hope and love that you get from the Heavenly Father? Hard to imagine but we just have to continue to pray for each other and pray that this ray of sunshine shines upon those that are in need.
As always, love to all,
Leah
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Well...Today was #10 Chemo treatment-God is still good!
Disclaimer: I have really bad chemo brain and this format does not provide spell check, grammatical errors, etc. I know I've gotten really bad remembering things and writing, "leave" for "live" or other variations of that. I try to find mistakes myself but my writing critiqueing skills have progressively gotten worse. It will come back but I apologize in advance. :-)
Please pray for our Missionaries, Steve and Barbara Willoughby from Singapore. They both received devastating news in 2008 that they are both battling cancer. He with brain cancer and I'm not totally sure about hers. However, the last update I've received is that they are in the United States trying to get treatment and their 3 children are still in Singapore. I really relate to them because when the effects of their chemos etc have been mentioned, they are the same as mine. How can they lead their church in that shape? God has a plan! We just have to pray for them physically and then spiritially on what direction God wants them to go in. It seems they have an awesome church family in Singapore. Hmmmmm.....maybe it is time for me to go.
I always felt led to be a Medical Missionary and go to the Philippines as a child and teenager but then I adopted my children and felt my Mission was home raising them to have a heart for God. Thus my mission field became Douglasville, Georgia at the Boyd home. Lord knows, we've done everything in my power to live and do right. I tell my kids, you have been raised right so if you choose to go to HEll.....it would be sad but I've decided that no matter what happens, that is not where I'm going. Kids get too big for their britches and think they might be doing something to hurt you and I remind them as young adults they ultimately hurt themselves. Thank the Lord all 3 of my children are living for the Lord!!! ;-0 It hasn't always been that way but I'm telling you, I know PRAYER works!!
I've been home a couple of hours and honestly I'm already starting to feel the effects of the chemo!! I don't feel well but I wanted to blog before I get to where I don't feel like moving at all.
Today started off as most days....they insisted that we be there at 6:45 a.m. for my appt. However, they do not open up until 7:00 am with one nurse who has to sanitize the area. They will never take patients in before 7:30 am. and then they take patients in first come first served. So, as we the patients were asking each other our appts after we had sat for a little while, we realized that everyone had the same story. Appt. at 7 am. but you may get in an hour later always. In fact, I had a 6:45 appt. and one of the other guys I was speaking to have a 7:40 appt., he was called back before me because he signed in right before me (6:50 am. signin vs. 6:55 am) . This is another area that I just accept that it is the way that it is and we are going to be there all day so as long as I get good service, I don't even say anything.
It made for a very interesting day as I met Dee, who works at Emory and she was getting some treatment also and just so happened to come to the LAB while we were all sharing our stories. She was concerned for all of us and decided to take it upon herself to figure out why it takes so long. The nurses explained after they get there at 7 a.m. (which is only 1 nurse) she begins cleaning the area. So we've learned that they don't typically begin before 7:30 am. and sometimes 8:00 a.m. so although it messes up all your other appts., which are also delayed....you just wait and wait.....so that is what we did. You wait over an hour to get in and then the process takes about 15 minutes to get you all hooked up and then you have to wait an hour on your lab for your next appt. and so they keep putting you further and further behind.
However, you know what the great thing is.....I only have 2 more treatments, however I do think the details are important in the journey because it gives me more to be thankful for when I don't have to go through the long days at the hospital. The nurses are so wonderful too! I will miss them. They all recognize me when I'm coming in and that is a good feeling and somewhat of a not good feeling because I realize that I've been down there tooooo long! There are lots of nurses because they see 100-150 a day and I believe that I have had every single one of them at some point.
I watched a young woman about my age across from me give 50 vials of blood today. She kept poking her from one arm to another. I never minded it before but I'm way over it today. No needless pain. She said she, her mother and sister all have the same issue. They produce too much iron and Dee, the friend that I met today is anemic and needs more iron. If we could all just find a way to hook up to one another so we could receive the benefits from another's body that you aren't getting and they yours! ha. Let's just pray for these ladies.
Dee asked for my blog address so I gave it to her so we can stay in contact. I love meeting people and sharing stories. So she told Steve that the new children's hospital across the street has the best cafeteria and also has Chic-fil-A. So those of you who have to visit Emory and want other options, it is on the first floor.
She also spoke about a friend who was given 3 months to live. She decided she had too much to do and starting doing the things she wanted to do. Unfortunately after 13 or maybe it was 18 years, she did eventually die but it was because she was hit by a bus in Madagascar!! She was out living life.....it was something unfortunate but she was doing the things she had a passion for. Too bad it wasn't going to reach out to the hurting, dying and lost but because I don't know her, I can't say.
However, I plan to leave to be a ripe old codger living for the Lord recklessly repeating my story over and over until everyone is just tired of it. God is good......all the time.
God and I are on the same carpet riding the big slide and we are almost to the bottom. I can't wait until I'm close enough to see your praying, cheering supporting faces at the end. I hear you but don't see you. Once we are at the end, I plan to see all of YOU! God is the most powerful gift that I can share, which most of all of you have, however we have to use that power or ......remember, "your eternal value will be just a waste".
We don't have to do a lot if we are all doing it together, "many hands make light work". We can work but still make a difference. We'll just have to figure it out.
Anyway, I think I'm going to retreat to a warm bath (shhh, I'm not supposed to with my chemo bag), put on my warm pjs, drink some peppermint and sack out.
Please pray over the next 2 weeks that my blood counts get better. They were low but not low enough they stopped my chemo. Any low counts make me feel worse and I'm feeling the effects already, which is unusual so if you don't hear from me, just know I'm thinking and praying for you and I will blog as soon as I can.
Yeah.....almost done! Please continue praying for the requests we see and don't forget to put yours on here.
Love to all,
Leah
Please pray for our Missionaries, Steve and Barbara Willoughby from Singapore. They both received devastating news in 2008 that they are both battling cancer. He with brain cancer and I'm not totally sure about hers. However, the last update I've received is that they are in the United States trying to get treatment and their 3 children are still in Singapore. I really relate to them because when the effects of their chemos etc have been mentioned, they are the same as mine. How can they lead their church in that shape? God has a plan! We just have to pray for them physically and then spiritially on what direction God wants them to go in. It seems they have an awesome church family in Singapore. Hmmmmm.....maybe it is time for me to go.
I always felt led to be a Medical Missionary and go to the Philippines as a child and teenager but then I adopted my children and felt my Mission was home raising them to have a heart for God. Thus my mission field became Douglasville, Georgia at the Boyd home. Lord knows, we've done everything in my power to live and do right. I tell my kids, you have been raised right so if you choose to go to HEll.....it would be sad but I've decided that no matter what happens, that is not where I'm going. Kids get too big for their britches and think they might be doing something to hurt you and I remind them as young adults they ultimately hurt themselves. Thank the Lord all 3 of my children are living for the Lord!!! ;-0 It hasn't always been that way but I'm telling you, I know PRAYER works!!
I've been home a couple of hours and honestly I'm already starting to feel the effects of the chemo!! I don't feel well but I wanted to blog before I get to where I don't feel like moving at all.
Today started off as most days....they insisted that we be there at 6:45 a.m. for my appt. However, they do not open up until 7:00 am with one nurse who has to sanitize the area. They will never take patients in before 7:30 am. and then they take patients in first come first served. So, as we the patients were asking each other our appts after we had sat for a little while, we realized that everyone had the same story. Appt. at 7 am. but you may get in an hour later always. In fact, I had a 6:45 appt. and one of the other guys I was speaking to have a 7:40 appt., he was called back before me because he signed in right before me (6:50 am. signin vs. 6:55 am) . This is another area that I just accept that it is the way that it is and we are going to be there all day so as long as I get good service, I don't even say anything.
It made for a very interesting day as I met Dee, who works at Emory and she was getting some treatment also and just so happened to come to the LAB while we were all sharing our stories. She was concerned for all of us and decided to take it upon herself to figure out why it takes so long. The nurses explained after they get there at 7 a.m. (which is only 1 nurse) she begins cleaning the area. So we've learned that they don't typically begin before 7:30 am. and sometimes 8:00 a.m. so although it messes up all your other appts., which are also delayed....you just wait and wait.....so that is what we did. You wait over an hour to get in and then the process takes about 15 minutes to get you all hooked up and then you have to wait an hour on your lab for your next appt. and so they keep putting you further and further behind.
However, you know what the great thing is.....I only have 2 more treatments, however I do think the details are important in the journey because it gives me more to be thankful for when I don't have to go through the long days at the hospital. The nurses are so wonderful too! I will miss them. They all recognize me when I'm coming in and that is a good feeling and somewhat of a not good feeling because I realize that I've been down there tooooo long! There are lots of nurses because they see 100-150 a day and I believe that I have had every single one of them at some point.
I watched a young woman about my age across from me give 50 vials of blood today. She kept poking her from one arm to another. I never minded it before but I'm way over it today. No needless pain. She said she, her mother and sister all have the same issue. They produce too much iron and Dee, the friend that I met today is anemic and needs more iron. If we could all just find a way to hook up to one another so we could receive the benefits from another's body that you aren't getting and they yours! ha. Let's just pray for these ladies.
Dee asked for my blog address so I gave it to her so we can stay in contact. I love meeting people and sharing stories. So she told Steve that the new children's hospital across the street has the best cafeteria and also has Chic-fil-A. So those of you who have to visit Emory and want other options, it is on the first floor.
She also spoke about a friend who was given 3 months to live. She decided she had too much to do and starting doing the things she wanted to do. Unfortunately after 13 or maybe it was 18 years, she did eventually die but it was because she was hit by a bus in Madagascar!! She was out living life.....it was something unfortunate but she was doing the things she had a passion for. Too bad it wasn't going to reach out to the hurting, dying and lost but because I don't know her, I can't say.
However, I plan to leave to be a ripe old codger living for the Lord recklessly repeating my story over and over until everyone is just tired of it. God is good......all the time.
God and I are on the same carpet riding the big slide and we are almost to the bottom. I can't wait until I'm close enough to see your praying, cheering supporting faces at the end. I hear you but don't see you. Once we are at the end, I plan to see all of YOU! God is the most powerful gift that I can share, which most of all of you have, however we have to use that power or ......remember, "your eternal value will be just a waste".
We don't have to do a lot if we are all doing it together, "many hands make light work". We can work but still make a difference. We'll just have to figure it out.
Anyway, I think I'm going to retreat to a warm bath (shhh, I'm not supposed to with my chemo bag), put on my warm pjs, drink some peppermint and sack out.
Please pray over the next 2 weeks that my blood counts get better. They were low but not low enough they stopped my chemo. Any low counts make me feel worse and I'm feeling the effects already, which is unusual so if you don't hear from me, just know I'm thinking and praying for you and I will blog as soon as I can.
Yeah.....almost done! Please continue praying for the requests we see and don't forget to put yours on here.
Love to all,
Leah
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Ms. Muffet on her Tuffet the day before Chemo #10
Another prayer request I just got this morning. Debra Coker was diagnosed with a very aggressive breast cancer in 2008 (just months before I was diagnosed with cancer). Our husbands have worked together for years so it was ironic that the two of us ended up with cancer just months apart.
She just went to the doctor yesterday and they are pretty sure it has now spread to her lungs. The doctor said he wasn't sure but with her cancer being so aggressive, he was pretty sure it is cancer. However, they would start her on chemo again....this time for her lungs. Please pray for her. They have just been through surgery and chemo, like me and now are having to go through it again.
I'm starting the last of my treatments (3 more to go, Yahoo). However, they will do testing at the end of my treatments also. I have 3 lesions on my lungs and kidneys that they are monitoring, along with the colon. So, please pray that these lesions will be gone through the chemotherapy that I've done and I won't be put through any more chemo regimens nor will I move to the last stage of cancer.
Honestly, I'm expecting a full recovery. I've had faith throughout this journey that God has it all in control and I won't be going through more than I've already been through. However strong my faith is....I know that I must still pray, learn to listen and obey God. He is my fortress and help in my storm. In HIM do I trust!!
The last couple of days I've felt more normal than the past week and half. I tend to get up and go straight to my recliner, turn up the heat on the heating pad, turn on my massager and there Ms. Muffet lays. I have learned to be content in my condition. I've learned that it isn't the worst thing to be suspended to my home. Home is actually quite nice. I have a wonderful family that dwells with me. I have so many things to look forward to. So, I don't worry as much about getting out. I do like to get out as soon as I'm able because it is better for my body physically to build up strength but my mind is okay no matter where I'm at. My mind was a real struggle at the start of this journey. It made me feel as if I weren't moving, I wasn't doing something. My life has always been about schedules and to-do lists. Too much to do, so little time. Now my motto is....I'll do what I can, when I can and life will still go on. Not everything has to be done immediately..some things just have to wait. If I didn't have such a great family, I'm sure I wouldn't be so content at home, day in and day out.
I was able to go to church Sunday. I haven't been able to go in the past couple of weeks so it was very refreshing! At the start of the service, there were motorcycles and 4 wheelers parked in front of the sanctuary. So, of course....it makes you wonder what the message is going to be. Our Pastor said one of the small children's eye lit up at the sight and remarked to his mother that there was possibly going to be a drawing at the end of church much to the chagrin of those who owned the Harleys', etc. :-)
The theme for this year is, "Wide Open", which was our sermon. Our Pastor stated how you might purchase a vehicle with so much power but yet are unable to use it because of the law limit restrictions, etc. Therefore having something with alot of power and no use is such a waste. He showed pictures of a farm in Portugal purchased by a couple going into retirement. They did not enter the barn at the back of the home prior to purchasing. This building was huge. When the building was opened, they were amazed because stacked as close as you could get them were vintage cars of all types (they were beautiful and unbelievable). There were Astons, all sorts of European and American vintage vehicles!! As you looked at all the dust and thought of the years these cars had been sitting in this barn, your first thought would be, "what a waste". However, this couples $50,000 investment turned into $35Million dollars!!!
If we take this and align our lives, you see potential in our lives that go without use. What a waste of our talents! He spoke of how we are young Christians or even small children who are not afraid to try anything or will go the extra mile to do anything but then we become restricted. We talk ourselves out of it or we find other things to do with our time. The same thing happens to a talent, just as a muscle that go unused....it becomes out of shape. If everyone just used one of their talents (skills) to help the Community, our Communities and families would be strengthened. We would all have some sort of testimony in our lives because we would all be doing for each other. People would feel the love of Christ through us and I wonder how that would effect crime rates?
Anyhoo-I know that my purpose has not been fulfilled. I know that I have talents (skills) unused to help others. I'm just working through this process so that I'm physically and mentally able to help others going through crisis'. I've always had a heart for people that hurt but sometimes until you go through a battle yourself, others can't always relate to you. I'm not sure in what form or format that I will be used but I'm listening to the heart of God. He will ultimately open the door, I just have to be willing and not look for a window to crawl out. We have to be willing, able and ready.
I've got my armour on through this battle and through your prayers, I've been able to make obstacles into stepping stones. YOUR prayers have been my strength. There is no way to put into words what it has meant. I know I'm about to go through the hardest treatments (per the doctor/nurses) but with your prayers, I'm going to win this battle too! God has claimed the war through HIS ultimate protection but I still have to win each battle until I reach the victory line. This is a marathon that will be won with YOUR cheering, praise and again, prayers!
Isn't life great? I love every day! God is so good!
Until then,
love to all,
Leah
She just went to the doctor yesterday and they are pretty sure it has now spread to her lungs. The doctor said he wasn't sure but with her cancer being so aggressive, he was pretty sure it is cancer. However, they would start her on chemo again....this time for her lungs. Please pray for her. They have just been through surgery and chemo, like me and now are having to go through it again.
I'm starting the last of my treatments (3 more to go, Yahoo). However, they will do testing at the end of my treatments also. I have 3 lesions on my lungs and kidneys that they are monitoring, along with the colon. So, please pray that these lesions will be gone through the chemotherapy that I've done and I won't be put through any more chemo regimens nor will I move to the last stage of cancer.
Honestly, I'm expecting a full recovery. I've had faith throughout this journey that God has it all in control and I won't be going through more than I've already been through. However strong my faith is....I know that I must still pray, learn to listen and obey God. He is my fortress and help in my storm. In HIM do I trust!!
The last couple of days I've felt more normal than the past week and half. I tend to get up and go straight to my recliner, turn up the heat on the heating pad, turn on my massager and there Ms. Muffet lays. I have learned to be content in my condition. I've learned that it isn't the worst thing to be suspended to my home. Home is actually quite nice. I have a wonderful family that dwells with me. I have so many things to look forward to. So, I don't worry as much about getting out. I do like to get out as soon as I'm able because it is better for my body physically to build up strength but my mind is okay no matter where I'm at. My mind was a real struggle at the start of this journey. It made me feel as if I weren't moving, I wasn't doing something. My life has always been about schedules and to-do lists. Too much to do, so little time. Now my motto is....I'll do what I can, when I can and life will still go on. Not everything has to be done immediately..some things just have to wait. If I didn't have such a great family, I'm sure I wouldn't be so content at home, day in and day out.
I was able to go to church Sunday. I haven't been able to go in the past couple of weeks so it was very refreshing! At the start of the service, there were motorcycles and 4 wheelers parked in front of the sanctuary. So, of course....it makes you wonder what the message is going to be. Our Pastor said one of the small children's eye lit up at the sight and remarked to his mother that there was possibly going to be a drawing at the end of church much to the chagrin of those who owned the Harleys', etc. :-)
The theme for this year is, "Wide Open", which was our sermon. Our Pastor stated how you might purchase a vehicle with so much power but yet are unable to use it because of the law limit restrictions, etc. Therefore having something with alot of power and no use is such a waste. He showed pictures of a farm in Portugal purchased by a couple going into retirement. They did not enter the barn at the back of the home prior to purchasing. This building was huge. When the building was opened, they were amazed because stacked as close as you could get them were vintage cars of all types (they were beautiful and unbelievable). There were Astons, all sorts of European and American vintage vehicles!! As you looked at all the dust and thought of the years these cars had been sitting in this barn, your first thought would be, "what a waste". However, this couples $50,000 investment turned into $35Million dollars!!!
If we take this and align our lives, you see potential in our lives that go without use. What a waste of our talents! He spoke of how we are young Christians or even small children who are not afraid to try anything or will go the extra mile to do anything but then we become restricted. We talk ourselves out of it or we find other things to do with our time. The same thing happens to a talent, just as a muscle that go unused....it becomes out of shape. If everyone just used one of their talents (skills) to help the Community, our Communities and families would be strengthened. We would all have some sort of testimony in our lives because we would all be doing for each other. People would feel the love of Christ through us and I wonder how that would effect crime rates?
Anyhoo-I know that my purpose has not been fulfilled. I know that I have talents (skills) unused to help others. I'm just working through this process so that I'm physically and mentally able to help others going through crisis'. I've always had a heart for people that hurt but sometimes until you go through a battle yourself, others can't always relate to you. I'm not sure in what form or format that I will be used but I'm listening to the heart of God. He will ultimately open the door, I just have to be willing and not look for a window to crawl out. We have to be willing, able and ready.
I've got my armour on through this battle and through your prayers, I've been able to make obstacles into stepping stones. YOUR prayers have been my strength. There is no way to put into words what it has meant. I know I'm about to go through the hardest treatments (per the doctor/nurses) but with your prayers, I'm going to win this battle too! God has claimed the war through HIS ultimate protection but I still have to win each battle until I reach the victory line. This is a marathon that will be won with YOUR cheering, praise and again, prayers!
Isn't life great? I love every day! God is so good!
Until then,
love to all,
Leah
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