The Journey Continues: Week 14 after transplant

It doesn't seem that long ago that Richard received his bone marrow transplant.  I know he thinks that time has went in slow motion.  He is tired of low blood counts and not being able to do want he wants but he is thankful that he is alive.  He is tired of going to the Dr.s every week and not hearing what he wants to hear.  Well yesterday he did hear a few things that made him smile.  It was so great to see him smile and he actually let out a small chuckle while at the Dr.s office.

He is 99.5 percent en grafted!!!  The Dr. was very pleased with this. He is going off of one of the medicines today that does mess with his white blood counts.  They think that in a few weeks things will be going much better.  We were told that the en grafting is one of the tough times of the process. Hopefully this process will soon be over.  His white counts were very low and he got a shot.  Will get one today, tomorrow and Monday plus blood work Friday and Monday.

He is tired, cranky, stubborn and bullheaded but he is still amazing.  He has worked every hour that he can and is looking to the future.  He does appreciate all the prayers and so do I!!

Matthew 11:28

New International Version (NIV)

   ²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

  

The Easy Button??

Would it not be nice to have an easy button.  Click the easy button and I am back to a healthy weight. Click again and my books are best sellers.  Click and I will always have the right words to say or write.   The world paints a picture of easy buttons.  It wants us to believe that if I take this pill I will lose at least 2 pounds a day.  If I follow a certain person I will know exactly what to do to have abundant wealth. Just takes these algae pills and my health will be restored.

I know that no matter what pill I might want to take there could be side effects.  Some of those side effects could even lead to death.  I could follow a person's teaching that might lead to wealth but there would be certain things I would have to do.  It would not be easy.  It would take time and effort.  Sometimes the road of the world can lead to destruction.  

I have learned that life is not easy.  There is no easy button to push but I have Something in my life that helps me through the toughness of this world.  I only have to whisper and I have Strength.  I only have to cry out and I have Endurance.  Sometimes I don't have to do anything and I sense Comfort.  

What I have in my life is BETTER than an easy button!!  Do you have what I have??

Psalm 28:7  (NIV)

⁷ The LORD is my strength and my shield;
   my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
   and with my song I praise him.




  

Good Morning! A new day to do better!!

This weekend was hard.  I wanted so bad to slip back into my old way of eating.  I wanted to forget eating healthy and watching my portions.  It is so easy to slip back into the old way.  Why does the new way of living seem so hard?  I am not saying that I didn't slip a bit and have that chili, cheese coney but I did still stick to that unsweet tea.

I know that when I eat right and exercise I feel so much better.  My arthritic joints thank me when I weigh less and eat right.  Why does eating right have to have such bright green, yellow and white colors??  Why can't they have the lovely colors of fried, salty and chocolate??

A good friend of mine sent me an email recently and it just simply said: I Saw That--- GOD.  She struggles with the eating and exercise and has made that email her screen saver.  It reminds her that yes, GOD does see whatever we put in our mouth or if we exercise.

This is a new day, a new chance and GOD does see us no matter what we do.  GOD also gives us second, third and lots more chances.  Today is a good day for me to start over and and do better.  I will do better with HIS help!!!

Psalm 46

 ¹ God is our refuge and strength,
   an ever-present help in trouble.

  

A reminder and my books and future books!!

I have been in the mood to write a lot this last week and thought this might be a good time to remind everybody that sometimes the things I write may not make any sense at all.  Sometimes maybe one sentence might and sometimes maybe one word will.   Thanks though for reading and wading through the words and hopefully there has been at least one word or two that you have understood.  I have looked back at some of the blogs and thought to myself  I am not quite sure what I was trying to say.

I did want to remind everybody that I do have a children's book that I wrote called "Jungle Friends, Leo the Lion and the Big Bug Dilemma".  It is available through any bookstore, amazon, barnesandnoble.com, tate publishing or if you want a signed copy message me.

My second book should be available soon and it is called  "Jungle Friends, Mack the Missing Monkey".  I received an email that the book is heading to marketing.  I also have cute little finger puppets for each character in the book.  Check out my Jungle Friend page on facebook.

I am working on several others.  One of them James and the Wiggle Monster is based on a true story and another that I been stuck for a while is based on a few true fact but mostly fiction is Malachi and the Magic Glasses.

I have an idea for one about raising children but not the way I did and one about growing up in Wellston.  I promise all the names will be changed to protect privacy unless you let me know that you don't mind your name being used.  I have had these ideas for several years and I need to get them written.


Thanks so much for your words of encouragement and prayers.  Your words mean alot to me!!!

1 Corinthians 1:4-5

New International Version (NIV)

Thanksgiving

 ⁴ I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. ⁵ For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge—

Red Light, Green Light, but what about Yellow?

The traffic in this town that I live is crazy.  You have a mix of slow and fast drivers.  I always seem to get behind the slow ones.  Then there are the ones that just stop for no reason. I wonder if they are trying to get hit?  I have seen people turn across traffic and make rolling stops.  Right now my biggest pet peeve is the traffic lights.

Red light means stop, green light means go but what does the yellow light mean?  From observing yellow light behavior in this town it seems to me that most people think it means gun it as fast as you can and get through the light.  I was thinking that the yellow light is a caution light and if you are in the intersection when it turns yellow go on through but if you are coming to a yellow light slow down and stop.  I have seen  many blow  through a yellow light as it turned red.  People have  honked at me because I stopped when the light turned yellow. My daughter has even told me to go on through the yellow lights because everybody else does.
Traffic lights are like rules, green means go, red means stop and yellow is caution.  Sometimes failure to follow these rules can results in a crash or even death.

What about the rules inside us?  The ones that God has given us. The ones in the Bible?  Do we obey when He gives us a green or red light? What about the yellow light?

Luke 11:28

New International Version (NIV)

He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”




  

Sacrifices

It seems like everyday now I am hearing more news of soldiers dying.  This is very distressing news. This morning I just heard that there was an eighth soldier from Oklahoma that died.  I am lifting up prayers for the families.

I can only imagine the pain and distress that the families are feeling.  I had a marine, army and national guard but they are out of the service now.  I remember the relief I felt when each one served their last day.

I also remember the day that my army son reached enemy land.  It was  hard and during that first deployment I had many dream and nightmares.  I dreamed of being there with him.  In the dreams I was always trying to protect him but in one vivid dream I remember that as I tried to protect him, he stepped in front of me with his gun drawn.  I realized that was why he was there.  He was serving to protect me and you.

This is a poem I wrote during my sons first deployment.

                                        My Nightmare

                                 Dreams flood my sleep
                                 Tossing and turning like wild waves
                                 My son is tall like the American Flag
                                 Running like a caged rat I look for him

                                 Glimpses of helicopters and desert fatigues
                                 Camels and veiled women float by
                                 Past the convoys and gun fire
                                 I see him giving muffins to little children

                                Yelling I am proud of you
                                 I sense him very close
                                 Reaching out to touch
                                 But instead I awaken to the door bell


Thank-you to all the men and women serving.  Thank-you for your sacrifices and protection.  I am sending up many prayers on your behalf.  Right now I am sending up prayers for the families of those that have made the ultimate sacrifice.

The Journey Continues: Week 13 after transplant

This Wednesday was another day of waiting, of course. LOL  Richard has been really tired this week.  He took lots of naps over the weekend.  He has been coughing and throwing up but he says that he is throwing up the phlegm.  He has a rash that has slowly became worse.

Today the PA didn't come in the room to see him until she got the blood work.  I think she also mentioned that she didn't want to give him the news. He needed a shot again for low white counts.  He also will need at least two units of red cells tomorrow.  He was not happy.  They are still saying the low counts, the rash is all part of the host/graft and it will pass. They did say if he didn't use the ointment the rash could get worse and maybe not ever go away.  I think he will be using that ointment.

We left the city after four and stopped by the hospital when back in Enid.  They needed to cross type him again.  We stopped by Walgreens on the way home. We  didn't make church this Wednesday but I know that those there are praying for Richard.  They are praying for his healing and patience.

Psalm 106

 ¹ Praise the LORD.^[a]   Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
   his love endures forever.