Yesterday I went to chemo alone for the first time. Jeff was unable to go with me due to a meeting at work. It was no big deal, since I have no reactions and none of my medications make me sleepy so I can drive. It's just kind of nice to have someone sit with you to talk to.
Anyway, I was in one of the rooms with 4 chairs and I chose the window seat. The chair next to me was taken, but the patient was away when I arrived. After the nurse got me started, the other patient returned. We struck up a conversation. Carl was quite a bit older than I as we talked I found out about his cancer and his grandchildren. We didn't talk the whole time during our treatments, but just pieces of conversations thru the couple hours we were there together. He said his wife accompanies him to doctor appointments, but not chemo.
Carl recently was diagnosed with esophagal (spelling???) cancer that has spread to his stomach and liver. His chemo regimen is much different than mine. He not only comes to the hospital for treatment, but has to get treatments at home thru a home health nurse.
As our conversations continued, we began to talk about our attitude and our faith. We promised to pray for each other and to put each other on prayer lists. So here is my request to you, my faithful prayer warriors out there.......please pray for Carl too.
Maybe I'll see Carl at the hospital again sometime. I'll let him know I kept my promise.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Attitude
ATTITUDE
By Charles Swindoll
"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than the past, than educations, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company....a church....a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past....we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude....I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you....we are in charge of our Attitudes."
Jeff had me type this quote for him and frame it for his office when we lived in Montana. We have carried it with us through the years. Mr. Swindoll is a Christian writer best I can find out. I have not read any of his books, but I do think this quote of his says a lot. Attitude is a choice. I choose every day to be who I am, no matter what happens. I've always lived by the thought that no matter what happens to me today, someone else out there is worse off than I am. I am blessed beyond measure and should not complain.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
THANKFUL
I am thankful for so many things!! These are the first twenty things I thought of (not in any order):
1) My family has not been to the doctor in the past few weeks!
2) Being a mom
3) Having a loving husband
4) Great Health Insurance (the charges for cancer treatment are very expensive and I thank God every day that we are blessed with good benefits with Jeff's job)
5) Family/friends that are willing to do anything to help us
6) Family/friends that love us
7) Family/friends just because
8) Prayer
9) Computers
10) Sunshine & rain (we really need rain!)
11) Good health (other than cancer)
12) House
13) Clothes, shoes
14) Children's smiles
15) Sight
16) Ability to read and write
17) Electricity
18) Running water
19) Ability to provide healthy food choices for my family
20) My Bible
Psalm 72:12-14
"For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight."
1) My family has not been to the doctor in the past few weeks!
2) Being a mom
3) Having a loving husband
4) Great Health Insurance (the charges for cancer treatment are very expensive and I thank God every day that we are blessed with good benefits with Jeff's job)
5) Family/friends that are willing to do anything to help us
6) Family/friends that love us
7) Family/friends just because
8) Prayer
9) Computers
10) Sunshine & rain (we really need rain!)
11) Good health (other than cancer)
12) House
13) Clothes, shoes
14) Children's smiles
15) Sight
16) Ability to read and write
17) Electricity
18) Running water
19) Ability to provide healthy food choices for my family
20) My Bible
Psalm 72:12-14
"For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight."
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
This week
Yesterday was my long day at chemo since I also got Herceptin. My appointment wasn't until 1:30 pm, so we didn't get done until after 4. Everything went well and I feel great today.
I mentioned to the nurse that even though I had tried Tylenol PM one week and Simply Sleep another week, I still couldn't sleep more than about 2 or 3 hours the night of chemo. She called my oncologist, who called in a script for Restoril to help. IT DID! Yeah! I took it at 8 pm last night and fell asleep sometime before 10. Only awoke once around 1 am, but was awake for good about 4:30 am. I didn't get up til 5:45, but still, about 7 hours sleep is much, much better than 2 or 3!! My doctor also decreased my dosage of steroids so I think contributed a lot as well. I wasn't as hyper when I got home as I usually am.
Still no side effects other than fatigue so I have no complaints. I still pray that everything on the inside is working like it should. I think I mentioned on the previous blog that we'll get the results of the CT Scan and MUGA scan on June 17. The scans will be done on June 10.
Thanks again and again for your prayers, emails, blog comments, cards, etc.
My dear friend Kathy in Montana cited this one for me back in February. It's always been a favorite, but took on new meaning during that time. I don't remember which Bible version I copied this from in my notebook of favorite scriptures. It's either NJKV or NIV.
So, the scripture for today:
Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
I mentioned to the nurse that even though I had tried Tylenol PM one week and Simply Sleep another week, I still couldn't sleep more than about 2 or 3 hours the night of chemo. She called my oncologist, who called in a script for Restoril to help. IT DID! Yeah! I took it at 8 pm last night and fell asleep sometime before 10. Only awoke once around 1 am, but was awake for good about 4:30 am. I didn't get up til 5:45, but still, about 7 hours sleep is much, much better than 2 or 3!! My doctor also decreased my dosage of steroids so I think contributed a lot as well. I wasn't as hyper when I got home as I usually am.
Still no side effects other than fatigue so I have no complaints. I still pray that everything on the inside is working like it should. I think I mentioned on the previous blog that we'll get the results of the CT Scan and MUGA scan on June 17. The scans will be done on June 10.
Thanks again and again for your prayers, emails, blog comments, cards, etc.
My dear friend Kathy in Montana cited this one for me back in February. It's always been a favorite, but took on new meaning during that time. I don't remember which Bible version I copied this from in my notebook of favorite scriptures. It's either NJKV or NIV.
So, the scripture for today:
Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
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