Some Fun Encouragement :)

Update
I am feeling better and better each day!  The aches and tingly feelings are very mild.  I have gotten out of the house twice this week to see my daughter cheer and it has been wonderful!!  I have also been able to see some friends at these games!  The goal for this weekend is to make it to Sunday School and church although now the weather might interfere with that.  We'll see!

My hair has not started growing back yet.  Neither have my eyebrows or eyelashes.  I tried to wear false eyelashes to one of the games that I went to.  It took me 45 minutes to get them on and then they looked terrible!! I almost washed one of them down the drain and by the time I was done with it, it no longer looked like eyelashes.  Needless to say, I did not wear the eyelashes!  

Video
I want to share this short video with everyone.  It is some of my students and coworkers having some fun.  They made it for me in hopes of making me smile and brightening my day which it definitely did!!  I am so blessed to work with these caring people!  They have gone out of their way to make me feel loved and missed and cared for and supported.  Truly a blessing!
I hope you will watch!  Even if you don't know anyone in it, consider how much joy it brought to me!  Such a kind gesture!  I haven't been able to see these people in months so it was truly a blessing!  I know they had fun putting it together too :)


1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.

God is SO Good!  All the Time!

If you cannot view the video try clicking here:  Woodlawn Video :)

Surgery is Scheduled

I am really starting to feel good since my last treatment!  I had a couple of really down days where I had a lot of aches and tingling in my arms and legs.  Last Sunday (16th) I did not even get out of the bed other than to use the bathroom.  I still watched the live streaming services for church (which were wonderful!) but all I wanted was to lay down and rest (or sleep).  Monday was a little better.  I at least made it to the couch!   On Tuesday (18th) I had my consultation with the surgeon.  Although I still wasn't feeling the greatest on this day, the appointment went as ideal as I could have asked for it to go!!  I will explain a little later!  That night was a rough one with the aches and pain.  It was the first time throughout this entire process that I have taken Ibuprofen to get some relief.  I think it was from the amount of walking and standing I had done the day of my appointment.  Under normal circumstances it really would not have been a lot, but one week after a chemo treatment it was a great amount and I felt it during the night!  Wednesday I began to feel a little better and it has improved with each passing day!  Today (Friday) I still have mild aches and tingling but I am at least able to move around and get some things done.

Consultation with the Surgeon
My surgery is scheduled for Wednesday, March 19.  I know that is a long time away but they wait several weeks after your final chemo treatment in order to give your body a chance to recover and blood counts to get back to normal.

My surgeon recommended a mastectomy even though I have responded well to the chemo.  Mostly because of the type of cancer that I was diagnosed with.  We discussed reconstruction and plastic surgery and I have opted not to go that route.  It would add another 6-9 months to this whole process and I am just not interested.  I want things to be done and I am okay with having the breast removed.  This led to discussion about the other breast.  She asked what I wanted to do about that and I said to have it removed also.  So this means a double mastectomy without reconstruction or plastic surgery.  Yes that means I will be as flat as a board.  I have had a lot of time to think about what I would want and to prepare myself as much as possible.  I can change my mind anytime before surgery but I really don't see that happening.  Even years from now I can go back and have plastic surgery done, but again, I don't see it happening.   It will be an adjustment for sure but there are a lot of products out there that I can wear to feel 'normal' if I choose to.  I think my peace of mind will be greater as far as lowering my chances for the cancer to return or develop in the other breast had I chosen to keep it.  This may not be what a lot of people would have chosen for their body but in the end it is my choice for my body and it was not made hastily.  I have prayed throughout everything for guidance and direction.  Discussion and decisions that happened at this appointment felt so comfortable and right that I cannot help but feel it was how I was being led to discern things.  I will continue to pray about it and I know that if it is not the right decision that God will reveal it to me.  So far I am very much at peace and sleeping wonderfully!!

The surgeon also still wants me to have radiation.  She said that would be about a month after surgery.


We continue to be amazed at how much love and support we have been given through everything!  We are so thankful for the prayers and still welcome them during this next part of the journey!

Praising God for His steadfast Hand guiding us and holding us every single second of this entire process!

I know Who goes before me
I know Who stands behind
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side.
The One who reigns forever
He is a Friend of mine
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side!

And nothing formed against me shall stand
You hold the whole world in Your hands
I'm holding onto Your promises
You are faithful
You are faithful
You are faithful!


The God of angel armies is always by my side.
(Whom shall I fear)

God is SO Good!  All the Time!

LAST CHEMO TREATMENT!!

Well the day finally arrived!!!  My LAST chemo treatment!  HALLELUJAH!!  What a wonderful day this has been!  Somewhat emotional too!!  Everything went great and I got to ring the bell!! (Video below).  Then on my way home from St. Louis my wonderful Woodlawn school peeps gave me a wonderful surprise!!!  I bawled the whole time! (2nd video below!!).  I have also included a 3rd video of mainly screenshots of snapchats, text messages, and some facebook posts.  (My daughter has dubbed me the queen of screenshots...I won't deny it!!)   These are not nearly all that I have received (or screen shotted!) but I picked out some for this video.  I did not include any facebook messages or comments and there have been many of those too!  I wasn't going to put other people on this blog but I just couldn't help it!!  So many have been so supportive and wonderful!  And again, there are SO many more messages that I have received!!  (Please don't be offended if I didn't include you or a message you sent!)

It has been a true blessing!!  Army of prayer warriors!! And....I just want to add that I pray for you warriors!!  My last couple of regular posts (before today) on facebook (not blogs), have received a lot of 'likes' and comments.  I just want you to know that I prayed for each person individually and specifically.  It took some time, but I have had a great deal of time :)
I tell you this not so you will always like my posts (because I always pray for ANYONE who is supporting and praying for me and my family!!), but instead just so you know that someone has spent time in prayer just for you!!  I know how good it is to hear that someone has thought of you and prayed for you!
Today's response has been overwhelming!!  I absolutely plan to spend some time in prayer for each of you showing the support!!  Again, not trying to get 'likes' haha!!  Just thankful, soooooo thankful for you all!!

What's next?
In one week I will have a consultation appointment with my surgeon.  That is all I know right now regarding the next step!!  I am assuming that we will discuss options and schedule a date for surgery which should be fairly soon.  I also have a follow up appointment with my oncologist in six weeks, assuming I have had surgery by then.  That appointment could change.

It has been a long chemo journey so far (1st treatment was on October 8th), but now we are moving on to the next part of the journey.  I know you are all on this journey with me and my family!  THANK YOU!!

God is SO Good!  All the Time!


Here are the 3 videos!  I hope you will watch all 3 if you have about 11 minutes :)

RINGING THE BELL!

*** If you had trouble viewing this video, try clicking here: 
 Ringing the Bell!

WOODLAWN SCHOOL SURPRISE :)

***If you had trouble viewing this video, try clicking here:

    Woodlawn School Surprise :)    

          

SOME PICS THROUGHOUT DIAGNOSIS  & CHEMO    :) 

***If you had trouble viewing this video, try clicking here:
Pics Throughout Diagnosis & Chemo

An Update and An Overdue Thank You

I am,
Holding on to You.
I am,
Holding on to You.
In the middle of the storm,
I am Holding on,
I am!

Update

It has been almost 2 weeks since my last treatment.  I have one more week until I go again.  I am scheduled to have a treatment on Tuesday, February 11th which is supposed to be my LAST treatment!!  Yay!!!  Do you notice how I am leaving things open?!  I am getting better at being ready for anything that might cause scheduled things to change!  But I am still very hopeful that everything will go as scheduled!  I am ready to ring that bell :)

For the most part I have been doing really well for the last 2 weeks.  The first few days I was on steroid pills so I felt good.  Around day 4 after the treatment though I felt very achy and tingly in my arms, legs, and back.  It didn't last long in my back thank goodness!  But it has taken longer to lighten up in my arms and legs.  Today it is still there but not nearly like it was.  I feel good enough to be up moving around and even doing some laundry!  With each day that passes it seems to get less and less which is a good thing.  I am hoping that means that my blood counts are getting better and better!

Within the last 2 weeks though I have pretty much lost my eyebrows.  There might be 8 hairs on each side! My eyelashes are thinning as well.  I would not be surprised if they are all gone in a week when I go back for that final treatment.  My thoughts about all of this?  Well of course it stinks, but it also means that the treatment is working and doing what it is supposed to be doing!!  That is what I try to keep as my focus.  The chemo is working!!!  The hair will grow back and I am lucky that it took so long before my eyebrows and eyelashes were affected!

About a week ago I called to check on the roommate I had while in the hospital.  She was doing well and should have gotten her 2nd chemo treatment last Thursday (Jan 30th).  I am hopeful it went well and will probably call her again soon.  She was still so thankful for all of the support from my wonderful army of prayer warriors!!

We have been very blessed with support, kindness, and prayers from so many people!  Thank you friends!

God is SO Good!  All the Time!

Overdue Thank You!

Love like this, Oh my God to find!
I am overwhelmed what a joy divine!
Love like this sets our hearts on fire!

I am sorry it has taken me so long to post about this but I really want to thank my coworkers and students at WGS along with the communities of Woodlawn and Sesser!
On December 18, 2013 they planned a Pink Out basketball game for me with BBQ dinners and very nice raffle gift baskets.  Keep in mind that this is one week before Christmas when things can be crazy busy and these people gave of their time and of their money!  Woodlawn sponsored the event but the Sesser community donated a raffle basket and many also came to eat the dinner and participate in the Pink Out.  I have truly been touched at the generosity of so many people!!  Although I was unable to attend the event, I was able to FaceTime during the dinner and see so many friends which was wonderful!!  I also received several pictures and snapchats of the event so I could still "participate" and feel like I was there!  This was so wonderful and I cannot even say enough about the generosity of these people!

I have kept things somewhat general by not showing pictures of the Pink Out or giving the names of people who worked so hard at putting it together.  Throughout all of my blogs I have not named people specifically because 1) I would want their permission first even though I doubt anyone would mind, and 2) I don't ever want the possibility of inadvertently leaving someone out!
So instead I am just giving a HUGE shout out of thanks to those who were involved in any way!!  They know who they are and they know how AWESOME I think they are!  I am very fortunate to have such giving coworkers and students, and to work in such a caring community!!  Thank you again WGS, Woodlawn, and Sesser!  (and anyone else involved!!)


I am still hooked on the David Crowder song so I am sharing it again!
The link and the lyrics! :)

Click here to hear the song :)

"I Am"

There’s no space that His love can’t reach
There’s no place that we can’t find peace
There’s no end to Amazing Grace
Take me in with your arms spread wide
Take me in like an orphan child
Never let go, never leave my side.

I am,
Holding on to You.
I am,
Holding on to You.
In the middle of the storm,
I am Holding on,
I am!

Love like this, Oh my God to find!
I am overwhelmed what a joy divine!
Love like this sets our hearts on fire!

This is my Resurrection Song
This is my Hallelujah Come
This is why it's to You I run
This is my Resurrection Song
This is my Hallelujah Come
This is why it's to You I run
There’s no space that His love can’t reach
There’s no place that we can’t find peace
There’s no end to Amazing Grace!

This song makes me want to do a Hallelujah happy dance!

Listen to it!  It will put a smile on your face and hopefully a peaceful feeling in your heart :)