Job's story has to be one of the strangest in the Old Testament. I just finished reading it, not for the first time. As I was reading it I felt knowledge, wisdom and intimacy growing along with questions... loads of questions. We are separated by time, culture, gender and so forth but Job and I understand each other. We don't need words. Eye contact will do. We are experiencing the same emotions. Job understands bewilderment. He knows that many times life just doesn't make sense. It gets even more perplexing when you think you are on the path that God directed and then things start going wrong. This seems to happen a lot. If I figure it out, I will let you know.
Anyway.... Greg and I have encountered more obstacles than success so far on this part of the journey. I have not been able to maintain the plan or try some of the therapy that was recommended. Last week, we drove to San Diego to have another catheter inserted into my stomach. It became infected almost immediately and I suffered a week with it then the doctor decided it needed to come out and sent me back to Saddleback Memorial Hospital where I have been since Wednesday. They are pumping me with IV antibiotics. I will be here until Monday and they are thinking of sending me home with the IV. We are confused. Do we need to extend the trip so I can have more consistent treatment? Do we find something else or stick to the plan? Do we give up? We definitely need wisdom to make some decisions but much of this has been out of our control. We are more grateful than ever for your prayers. If any of you are thinking like Job's friends, I have not sensed it. The bottom line...
"For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold and not another. How my heart yearns within me." Job 19:25-27
Friday, March 10, 2017
Saturday, March 4, 2017
Streams in the Desert
We have literally seen streams in the desert as California has not had this much rain in many years and everything looks green and there are wildflowers blooming along the roads. We still believe this is the path onto which God led us but it has been a difficult one with all sorts of obstacles. I have been wanting to update for awhile but one of our difficulties is there is no way I can be here by myself and Greg has had to stay with me. He is trying to keep up with his workload on this shared computer so I have tried to let him get on with it. I am ultra thankful he is here. He is a wonderful nurse and caregiver.
When we first got here there was a terrible wind/rain storm and many flights were canceled but ours made it by God's grace and we have been relying on His grace to get us through all the subsequent storms. Instead of getting treatment, I ended up in Saddleback Memorial Hospital for three days to try to get the intestinal blockage under control. It is still not fixed but it has improved I am able to eat a little solid food now. I began the drug regimen Thursday, February 24th. We are usually at the clinic from 9:30 - 3:30 every day. It takes hours to infuse the drugs and there are a lot of patients. We have met some really nice people. What I am getting right now is selicinium to kill off the cancer cells and mistletoe to repair DNA and build up immunity. They keep on increasing the mistletoe until there is an immune response. (like a low fever means your body is fighting) I also have probiotics and alkaline water and other drugs. My stomach began to swell up and be very uncomfortable so we ended up having to drive 85 miles to San Diego to have another catheter placed in the abdomen. That was Tuesday. Wednesday I was really bad all day but Thursday I made it to clinic. The incision site is very sore. This catheter also allows the mistletoe to be injected right into the abdominal cavity so it can fight where it needs to fight. Greg gets to do that for me on the weekends. I am in a lot of pain but I don't think that is totally bad. There will be pain from the die off of the cancer cells and healing of the incisions. Just trying to manage it as best we can.
I had an unpleasant experience yesterday with my first time in the hyperbaric oxygen chamber. They put you in a closed capsule like a little space ship and pump it full of 100% oxygen. It is pressurized so it causes your ears to pop like on an airplane. It lasted 45 minutes. It was not too bad at first but as time went on I started to panic a bit and thought I couldn't breathe and that they were not going to let me out before my air ran out. I don't think I will be trying that one again.
It is getting difficult emotionally for me. I have not had many good days lately to boost me up. I appreciate all your thoughts, prayers, verses, videos, etc, sent to cheer me. The battle feels intense. We visited a little church with friends the first Sunday we were here and, if the Lord allows me, we hope to go there again tomorrow.
The gofundme account did pretty well, although we have still not reached the goal. I believe with what was sent in and some private amounts given directly to us, we have reached $20,000. which is fantastic. We pay as we go here so it is working out so far. Please keep praying and sharing that we get just the amount we need.
#cancersurvivor #faithandspirituality #ovariancancer
When we first got here there was a terrible wind/rain storm and many flights were canceled but ours made it by God's grace and we have been relying on His grace to get us through all the subsequent storms. Instead of getting treatment, I ended up in Saddleback Memorial Hospital for three days to try to get the intestinal blockage under control. It is still not fixed but it has improved I am able to eat a little solid food now. I began the drug regimen Thursday, February 24th. We are usually at the clinic from 9:30 - 3:30 every day. It takes hours to infuse the drugs and there are a lot of patients. We have met some really nice people. What I am getting right now is selicinium to kill off the cancer cells and mistletoe to repair DNA and build up immunity. They keep on increasing the mistletoe until there is an immune response. (like a low fever means your body is fighting) I also have probiotics and alkaline water and other drugs. My stomach began to swell up and be very uncomfortable so we ended up having to drive 85 miles to San Diego to have another catheter placed in the abdomen. That was Tuesday. Wednesday I was really bad all day but Thursday I made it to clinic. The incision site is very sore. This catheter also allows the mistletoe to be injected right into the abdominal cavity so it can fight where it needs to fight. Greg gets to do that for me on the weekends. I am in a lot of pain but I don't think that is totally bad. There will be pain from the die off of the cancer cells and healing of the incisions. Just trying to manage it as best we can.
I had an unpleasant experience yesterday with my first time in the hyperbaric oxygen chamber. They put you in a closed capsule like a little space ship and pump it full of 100% oxygen. It is pressurized so it causes your ears to pop like on an airplane. It lasted 45 minutes. It was not too bad at first but as time went on I started to panic a bit and thought I couldn't breathe and that they were not going to let me out before my air ran out. I don't think I will be trying that one again.
It is getting difficult emotionally for me. I have not had many good days lately to boost me up. I appreciate all your thoughts, prayers, verses, videos, etc, sent to cheer me. The battle feels intense. We visited a little church with friends the first Sunday we were here and, if the Lord allows me, we hope to go there again tomorrow.
The gofundme account did pretty well, although we have still not reached the goal. I believe with what was sent in and some private amounts given directly to us, we have reached $20,000. which is fantastic. We pay as we go here so it is working out so far. Please keep praying and sharing that we get just the amount we need.
#cancersurvivor #faithandspirituality #ovariancancer
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