1 more to go!!

When we went to pick up Mom from the airport on I had a BIG surprise. My Daddy came back with her!! I had no idea and was in shock the whole way home. I just kept saying, "My Daddy's here!" It's been so nice to have him here.

The Lord has brought me through another round of chemo. Now I have a 20 day break before my last one and I don't go in for labs until Wednesday. I did need to have a blood transfusion right before leaving. 

One of the many blessing God gave me in the hospital was a Nurse Practioner who was available to do my IV. He uses an ultrasound machine to help him find good veins. He's one of 2 people in the whole hospital who knows how to correctly use this machine. So it was a HUGE blessing that he was there to help. Oh ... and he was moving the next day, because he's going to work on his Ph.D. Now,  I know you guys know I asked for any other names those who knew how to use the ultrasound machine. That was the first question I asked after he told me he was leaving. You'd better believe it! Anyway, Danchenko (the Nurse Practioner's name) was able to get a pretty good vein. He warned me it would take a little longer just because he wanted to be sure before he stuck me. All around this guy is just a big blessing. I'd say a miracle to have during my stay. It was nice to have my Daddy's hand to hold through the process too!

Another blessing, I hope I was, was when the doctors and nurses would come in for rounds. The last couple days they were all surprised at my numbers and how good everything looked. I just kept telling them it was because of God. I pray that every single time I say "because of God" it causes each one to question their faith and how God is working in their own life. Oh how I pray my mountain and journey, whatever God brings my way, is a light to shine His glory and nothing else.

Oh...oh I have another one! I gained a lb! Woo Hoo! The oncologist told me to eat breads and pasta to try to help. Aside from the nausea, I would've said, "No problem!" But my nausea really messes up things up with appetite.

Like last month, I made it out of the hospital by Friday evening. I was able to sleep pretty well with being back in my own bed, next to my husband, and not having to get up to use the bathroom 5 (not kidding) during the night.

So there's round 3 update for you. God did quite a bit, eh? Jesus is still my Healer and I thank him every single time I swallow any pills or simple things like that. Everyone should just take a second and either sing or look up Steve Fee's Glory to God Forever. That's my theme song this past round. I should have one for each round! Stay tuned. With chemo brain, I might forget.

I can't believe I only have one more treatment left! God has been so good to me!!

Quick & Short

On my way to hospital for round 3 of chemo. I'll be there until Friday or Saturday, so that means I won't be back on until then.

Things to pray for ...
- that we can have everything done like last time (using port instead of IV), same dosage of chemo for each one (I have 3 different ones), they had lowered the 2nd days' dosage for toxicity reasons and my liver count numbers weren't the best.
- that me, my Mom and Dad, and Andrew will be able to communicate with the doctors & nurses in an understandable way
- my continued witness to a nurse named Ferrio. 

Through the Storm

We've had a lot go on to keep me from blogging lately. I know last post I talked about continuing with chemo. That's still the plan. My next round should start on the 16th.
My numbers from labs continue to do what they did last time ... so everything's normal. One of my favorite things about the week before chemo is no Nupegen shots!! That means I don't have to dread 9:00 at night. Yet, Mom has learned that poking the needle in rather than slowly pushing it in doesn't hurt. Now we know for next time.
I've had platelets at my last lab visits ... Friday, Monday, & today. I was given blood on Friday but not any other visit. There's this cream called LMX that is a numbing cream with lidocaine in it and I put that on my port site an hour before. I used it once but didn't have it on long enough, so I didn't think it worked. I tried it again and yay! i didn't feel the poke! Woo Hoo! Oh ... and I gained a lb. but can seem to get over 100. It's very frustrating!
Friday night we had a really bad storm. It looked like a hurricane outside. Andrew had me and mom in the bathroom and was trying to get a signal on his emergency radio because we had lost power. That storm put us on the news, along with millions of others who were without power. The Lord was looking out for us because we were only without power for Friday night and all day Saturday. Thank you Jesus.
Something exciting we did this past weekend is try out a church called Church of the Redeemer out. One of the women in our apartment complex told us about it. I really enjoyed his sermon on finances and his preaching style. Jonathan cried, so Andrew missed a lot of the sermon.
So I have this coming week off with Andrew and then will start chemo on the 16th. Here are things to pray for.

Weight gain - yep ... still an issue
3rd round of chemo

God is good and I'm so glad He's taking care of me. He's taking care of you too!!