The Journey Continues: Milestones and Fatigue

We passed a milestone, Sunday, without a thought.  There were no balloons, cake or ice cream.  Sunday was two months from the date of Richard's  bone marrow transplant.  We spent it at church, napping and looking at houses. There have been other milestones in this journey, one of which was going back to work.  Then there was going back to work without restrictions.  This milestone came with fatigue.

Now my husband was glad to get back to work without restrictions but it has been not quite the easy road that he thought it might be.  He would not change this but he has had to get out of the heat and he has had to rest.  He comes home exhausted, sore and cranky.

This should be a temporary situation.  He will continue to gain strength and feel better.  He does still have to see his Dr. each week and the Dr. will help him in his journey of returning to heath and strength.  Sometimes he doesn't like what the Dr. tells him but he needs to follow his instructions so that he will continue in the right direction.

We are all on a journey and we have a Dr. to go to for directions.  His name is Jesus!! He will instruct and send us the right way.  The road may not always be easy but we won't walk it alone! What directions are you hearing today?

Romans 5

 ¹ Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we^[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

The Journey Continues, Trying not to share germs!

My sinuses have been bothering me off and on for about three weeks.  I didn't really think to much about it until this week when the drainage started dragging me down.  I decided on Thursday that maybe I should see a Dr. to make sure it wasn't an infection.  I headed out on my lunch hour but was told they could not see me until 1:30.  I decided to wait to be seen.

After work I went to Urgent Care and was there about an hour and a half before they finally called me back.  The worst part was the scale but if you have read my blogs you know I am working through my bad eating and exercise habits with God as my trainer.   I have to admit that my blood pressure was really high after stepping on those scales and having someone see the results of my addiction, food.

The Dr. checked me over and decided that I have a bacterial sinus and ear infection with fluid behind the ear.  I was started on antibiotics and I am supposed to squirt salt water or saline into my nose while in the shower.  He also told me to rub the sore spots on the back of my head as this will help me heal faster.

The bad news is that he told me, yes, I was probably contagious.  I then, shared with him about my husband.  I told him about his bone marrow transplant and how his white counts had been very low the day before.

His advice for not sharing germs with my husband was common sense ideas, don't eat and drink after each other, wash hands, no coughing or sneezing without covering mouth or nose.  He also told me to be sure and not use the same bath towel or brush with his toothbrush.  Now I am not sure where this Dr. was raised but where I was raised we DID NOT use each others toothbrush or bath towel!!!

Richard is feeling some drainage today and I am praying that I have not spread my germs to him.

I am thinking that germs are a lot like Satin.  They sneak in and attack my weak points.  They can do damage and leave me sick and hurting.  Satin also likes to sneak in and deceive me at my weakest.  He definitely likes to leave me sick and hurting.

The germs that caused my infections led me to seek out a Dr. for answers and solutions.  I should seek out my God in all circumstances!! 

Don't share your toothbrush with the Devil.

James 1:16-17

New International Version (NIV)

 ¹⁶ Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

The Journey Continues: Almost normal but not quite!

Just a really quick update from Dr. visit.

Tuesday was eight weeks out from transplant date and everything still is going well.  Richard got a full work release but was told to use common sense.  If he gets hot, get out of the heat.  If he gets tired, take a break, etc.  He is very happy to be going back to his normal hours.

The medicines are still messing with his counts though and and his white blood count was really low and he was dehydrated.  He had to have one of those six thousand dollars shots(thank goodness, we have insurance) and be hooked up to an IV for fluids.  The medicine that can mess with his counts is one of the last ones he will be come off of.

He seen the PA yesterday and she seemed pleased with his progress and how is able to do work and do things around the house.

Exodus 15:2

New International Version (NIV)

 ² “The LORD is my strength and my defense^[a];
   he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
   my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

"It's Me Lord, All of Me"

Do you remember? I gave my life to YOU many years ago, back when I was young and skinny.  I remember that feeling of quiet peace after I ask YOU into my heart.  Seconds before I prayed, my heart was pounding and I was scared but YOU calmed me as the HOLY SPIRIT came to reside within me.

YOU have watched me LORD.  YOU have called my name.  YOU have convicted me and punished me.  YOU have watched as life happened and I turned to other things.  YOU have watched me use food for comfort.  YOU have seen me hide chocolate, then eat every piece.  YOU have still held me in YOUR HAND even though I didn't surrender all of me.

I felt that convicting SPIRIT several weeks ago, when I was talking with the Sunday School fifth graders that I help teach.  I was talking with them about our bodies being a Holy Temple. I tried to ignore IT but YOU kept sending me messages.

I read a blog written by Janelle Keith, who is a DJ for KLVV and the post that I read after that Sunday was titled "I Need Grace".  Janelle needed grace because she had started back down the path to tight jeans.  She even called herself A Big Fat Failure.  She has written several blogs since that talked  of second chances, starting over, actions speak louder than words and making U Turns.  Today she wrote of how hard it is to admit and forgive herself and how hard to know that she had hurt GOD.

GOD, YOU put those blogs and conviction there just when YOU knew that I would finally listen.  If actions speak louder than words, and they do, I have been sending the wrong message.  I need to treat my body like the temple it is.  It's not that I will ever be young and skinny again but I need to admit and surrender it to YOU!  Thank-you GOD for second chances and u turns.


                                       HERE I AM LORD, ALL OF ME!!!!

JanelleKeith.com

The Journey Continues: A look back at dirt.

When Richard entered the hospital in May he was allowed to shower but was told that at some point his counts would be to low to shower.  This information was greeted with disbelief and much arguing. The nurse said it could cause sickness and even death if he came in contact with mold or spores from the shower head.  Richard then proceeded to tell the nurse that she was nuts.  The nurse addressed this statement through pursed lips that he would indeed follow the rules or else.   I am not sure what the what else would have been.  Richard liked to call her Nurse Cratchet after that, but never to her face.

The day came when those counts dipped below the point of no shower.  Richard endured this news with a scowl but seemed to accept his fate.  Then nurse Cratchet brought in a big packet of what looked like thick baby wipes.  She had even heated them up for him but the smile on her face made me think she was thinking of the rules.  Richard's scowl got deeper but he took the wipes.  The bad thing about the wipes were they just didn't make Richard feel clean.  He said he always felt dirty.

Then came baths in ICU.  They didn't come close to the cleanings that the wipes had done.  The 'baths' were done by the nurses and were supposed to be done nightly.  When Richard was alert and knew what was going on, he told me that he felt so gritty and grimy that he couldn't hardly stand it.  He remembers that one night his face would be washed, the next maybe his feet but never his whole body at one time.   He got a spot cleaning that left him feeling filthy.

His first full day back in a regular room I helped him bathe from head to toe while he sat in a chair.  The water in the pan turned dirty and even though we scrubbed off lots of dirt he still didn't feel quite clean.  The Dr. had said he was to unstable to take a shower but after several days of physical therapy, even some by himself, he was ready for that shower.  After that shower he felt clean.  It was such a cleansing wash that even his countenance looked brighter.  I think this was a turning point in his relationship with Nurse Cratchet.  He discovered she was not so bad after all and I even saw him smile at her.  It is amazing what a cleansing, purifying shower can do for a person!

I find myself so dirty sometimes that even a shower doesn't work.  I need a different kind of cleansing.  I might look clean but deep down in my soul I can feel the dirt.  If I let it stay I am so full of filth I don't like to look at myself.  My smile becomes shallow and weak.  I know the ONE who will give me that cleansing.  I only have to ask and will receive that cleansing shower.  He cleanses the whole me, not just some spots. Then my smiles start on the inside!  :)

Hebrews 10:22

New International Version (NIV)

²² let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

The Journey Continues: At Work!

Another late Wednesday appointment  today and another day with Richard bargaining to go back to work.  He won today. The Dr. signed the release and Richard can go back as early as Friday.  He will go to his job tomorrow and start the paper work and they will figure out which day to start him back.

The Dr. said he looked good and his counts are good, so back to work he will go.  But with restrictions.  He has to stay out of the heat, no heavy lifting, no fumes or solvents.  Sounds like he will be pushing a pencil. :)

He still will have to come back ever Wednesday for a while to see the Dr. and have blood work.  Next week the appointment will be earlier in the day which is good.  I will be able to make it to choir!!  If Richard is heading back to work, it is time for me to get back to choir!!!!!  YEA!!!!

Psalm 9

 ¹ I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart;
   I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
² I will be glad and rejoice in you;
   I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.

The Journey and the Mask

This journey of cancer, chemo and stem cell transplants that my husband is traveling has been one where I have supported him, for the most part 100 percent.  There have been  a few points of contention though.  One of the main arguments has been the wearing of a mask.  After each transplant it has been made clear ahead of time that his immune system would be vulnerable and after leaving the hospital he would need to wear a mask.  You would think this would be an easy thing to do.  Right?

Apparently not!!   He says his counts are good, he doesn't need it.  His immune system, which seems to be a robust one, is still a recovering one.  One of the medicines that he is on can also wreak havoc on his system.  I know the mask makes it hot and can steam up your glasses but if it is for your protection my answer is wear the MASK!!

Richard says no!!  I know that he probably would be the only one wearing a mask and people might stare.  He might really look different because of the mask.  He wouldn't be able to blend in and someone might ask him questions.  But this is his protection!  What if that person talking to him is infected??  What then??

How about you?  Do you just blend in??(and I am talking to myself, also)  It is to easy to just act like everybody else.  Does anybody see a difference in you or me that might point them to the PROTECTION!!  Do you know my PROTECTION??  I hope that people can see the difference.  I would love to tell them where they can pick up their MASK of PROTECTION!  JESUS is my PROTECTION!!

Exodus 15:2

New International Version (NIV)

 ² “The LORD is my strength and my defense^[a];
   he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
   my father’s God, and I will exalt him.