The Journey Continues: Month 5 and 10 days from transplant.

Yesterday we got to Richard's appointment at 9:40.  He was to be hooked up to the IGG infusion at 10:00 or so we thought.  It was 12:30 before they finally got him hooked up but that was not without lots of griping from my ever so patient husband.  He was upset because he couldn't figure out why they had to do blood work again for this procedure when they already had blood work from Friday that showed he needed it.  He finally griped so much that the nurse told him that she was surprised that the Dr.s were still treating him. LOL She said that normally when a patient has such gripes they let them go.  She also told him that it was up to him to take the treatment, that he could refuse anytime.  I told her that one DR. just gave it back to him and the other one just ignored him.

He did have to have a bag of potassium for low levels and a shot for his low white blood counts.  His red counts are right on the edge of needing a transfusion.  He did have some good counts though.  His kidney counts are normal and his cmv cells are moving down.  Richard did apologize to the nurse and she accepted.

She really was very patient with him.

The Dr. he seen seemed pleased with his results and he will go back in two weeks.  She is cutting the steroids again and will see what happens whether they can be cut more next time.  He has lost 18 pounds since his last visit so the fluids are coming off though his feet and lower legs still swell after being on them.

Hopefully we are moving in the right direction and next time more results will be on the good side.

Thanks again for the prayers.  It would be hard to make it without them!!!!

John 17:9

New International Version (NIV)

⁹ I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.

How's your bloom?

This is a plant I received in 2004 from a family that was in my childcare.  I had childcare in my home for five years.  This family was moving to another town and gave this plant to me on their last day.

For those of you that know me well, you probably are very surprised that I somehow have kept this plant alive.  This is a plant that likes water so all I have to do is give it water.  I have never given it too much water.

You may notice the beautiful bloom and the green leaves though the branches do look a bit twisted.  This plant only produces blooms at certain times of the year but when they bloom this is what they look like.  Please don't ask me when they are supposed to bloom because I have no idea.  I do know they have bloomed at different times of the year. The blooms last about a day and then they fall off.  Even when it is not time for the blooming I still have to water the plant.  It still needs the water and the green leaves.

There have been times that I have forgot to give this plant water and that is when the limbs became twisted and dried.  There was even one time that it was time for a bloom and the pod was in place but the bloom never happened.  The pod just dried up and disintegrated.  When I finally remembered to water the plant the limbs stayed twisted.

My life in Christ can be like that.  When I can see the blooms and the flowers I  stay in the word and pray but sometimes when I can't see the flowers I get discouraged.  Sometimes I let the prayer and bible reading go.  Then I feel like that pod.  I feel like I might dry up, become twisted and disintegrate!!

My dry spell may even leave a mark on me.  I need to remember that I don't have to see the blooms to blossom. Blooms can fade but the word of God will be with me forever!!

Isaiah 40:8

New International Version (NIV)

⁸ The grass withers and the flowers fall,
   but the word of our God endures forever.

1 Peter 1:24

New International Version (NIV)

²⁴ For,
   “All people are like grass,
   and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,

Fair weather fan?

I am an OU fan!!!  I thought it was funny that some people thought that I would be in mourning, just because OU lost their game Saturday night.  I did stay up to the very end watching.  I do love it when they win but I am not going to be depressed when they lose.  I am a fan whether they win or lose!!!

I grew up in a house that was full of OU fans and it was hard not to be a part of the excitement of those games. I remember being planted in front of the T.V. watching those games with my dad and brothers.  I remember, even then, I knew names of the players and being a girl I even thought I was in love with one of their quarterbacks.  Steve Davis didn't even know I was alive.  He was a very good quarterback though!!

OU has been through some good and some bad years since I became a fan of theirs but I have continued to be their fan every year whether they won or lost!!  There are some people though that jump from team to team, rooting for them as long as they win but the second the lose, they are rooting for the next winning team.
Have you been jumping from team to team?

I know ONE who roots for me.  He roots for me whether I am winning or losing.  He gives me strength when I am down and is there when I am happy.  No matter what is going on in my life there is ONE that is closer than a brother!!

His name is Jesus!!   Do you need HIM today?

Proverbs 18:24

New International Version (NIV)

 ²⁴ One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
   but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Happy Birthday, Brianna

To my sweet, adorable Brianna, Happy Birthday!!  You are the best granddaughter that anyone could every have!!!  I love you and miss you!!!  I wished we all lived in the same town where I could see you all the time!!

Eight years ago today, one of the best things that has ever happened to me was born!!! That was you!!!
                             HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! SWEET, SWEET BRIANNA!!

I love you!!!! Memaw

The Imitators

Have you ever imitated anybody?? I have!!  I worked at T.G.&Y. headquarters in the late 1970's and early 1980's.  For the most part I liked my job and I liked the people I worked with and most of the time I liked the bosses that I had.

There was one boss in particular that was always smiling and every morning he would walk down the row of employees in our department and tell everybody "Good morning" and ask them how they were doing.  The week that he went on vacation I decided that I would imitate the boss.  Every morning that he was gone I walked down the rows of people and told them "Good morning" and ask them how they were doing.  It was all fun and we had a few laughs.  The Monday that he came back I was in my seat talking to the person next to me when the boss came up to my desk and thanked me for 'taking care' of things while he was gone.  Then he smiled and went on to the next person.  I was busted and I knew it.  I also knew that no matter how much that I imitated the boss I was not the boss.

My boys, when they were small, were always imitating somebody from transformers to their favorite ball player.  My daughter was a princess or a ballerina.  They all had fun imitating their favorite cartoon character,  ball player or movie star but at the end of the day they went to bed as themselves.  No matter how hard they might want to become a favorite person they could not achieve it.  They could only imitate.

In the late sixties I watched a movie called "Imitation of Life" and even though I was young it made an impact on me.  It was a movie where a singer pretended to be white.  No one knew that her family was of African American heritage.  If they tried to speak to her and someone came around she would talk to them like they were servants.  She was an imitator but at the end she received word that her mother had passed away and she ran to the funeral procession out into the street.  She grabbed onto the horse drawn carriage that was carrying her dead mother and screamed out in anguish, "Mom, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."  It was to late.

We all are imitators and at times we are trying to be somebody else or something that we are not.  There are people that you might want to imitate but there is One that we should always imitate!!.  His name is Jesus.  Not only should we imitate Him we need to embrace Him and accept Him and follow Him.  Don't wait until it is to late!

Who are you imitating today?

1 John 4:17

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁷ This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.

1 Corinthians 4:16

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ Therefore I urge you to imitate me

Hebrews 13:7

New International Version (NIV)

 ⁷ Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

Happy Birthday, Sarah

Happy Birthday, Sarah!!! I am so blessed to have you for my daughter.  You are a precious gift from God and I thank God for you daily!!!  I have watched you growing up from the 8 week early, preemie to a young lady and I am so proud of you!!!  I wish I could keep you forever but I know that God has plans for you and I am fairly sure that doesn't involve living at home the rest of your life. :)

Most people know that I was married for 17 years to the boy's dad and I thought my baby days were over.  Then life and Divorce happened and I never wanted to get married again.  I was doing fine with just me, the boys and God.  Then I met your dad and we became friends even though I thought he was a male chauvinist.  He still is sometimes. LOL  We had been friends for over a year when he ask me for a date and I thought why not? The rest is history.

You were born 14 months after we married and yes you have the oldest mother in your class but I am so glad that God allowed me to have one more baby!!  You completed our family and I think you changed everyone from your dad and me to your brothers.  What a blessing you were and still are!!!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful Sarah!!!  I love you most!! and yes I do have a verse for you!!!

Colossians 3:20

New International Version (NIV)

 ²⁰ Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

The Journey Continues: Back home again, last day for home health.

I have been waiting to post an update until we got lab results.   The results were called to Richard on Friday but I have been either running or too tired to look at the computer much less type on one. LOL

Richard's white blood counts were down to 700 and he did have to get shots Friday, Saturday and today.  He will be doing the IGG infusion once a month at the Doctor's office. He also had to take a 24 hour sample of urine out put to the hospital lab today.  Don't tell him that I posted this.  He thinks that is too private.  He is feeling a little stronger but he hasn't touched the computer in weeks.  The urine sample from Wednesday did show protein and that is why they wanted more, over that 24 hour time frame.  He will be doing blood work every other day at the hospital in the mornings.

I hooked him up to his last IV medicine this morning!!!!  No more getting up an hour early!!! The home health nurse came this afternoon and took the power port needle out and had him sign release papers from them.  She kept saying that if we need them to just call.  I am hoping that we will never need them again and I know Richard is too.  He is still on about ten medicines, by mouth, a day but I can handle that.  It is so much easier than hooking up to the IV.

Richard still has quite a bit of swelling but is planning on going to work tomorrow.  We made a quick trip to the shoe department in K-Mart to get him a bigger pair of safety shoes.  He can't get his work boots on.

This journey has been so much longer than ever anticipated but God has given the strength and endurance to   keep going.   Richard has felt at times like this journey will never  end and that God was not hearing his prayers but then he would get a call, a visit or a card.    He has sent angels to lessen our burden and He has wrapped His loving arms around us!!  God will give the strength and endurance to finish this journey!!

Colossians 1:11

New International Version (NIV)

¹¹ being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,