Quick Update

Today's treatment went well - again!  Praise the Lord!  My blood counts are about the same as last week - borderline.  Thanks to all of you who helped us pray that they would be high enough for me to get the treatment!

The Dr. said the hypothesis is that my body metabolizes the chemo slower than most people so that is keeping the counts low.  I could have told them I have slow metabolism!  I'm over 40 aren't I?  Oops - that would be over 60 now!  And why else, for years, have I had to workout daily just to maintain my weight?  That's no hypothesis - that's a fact!  So, what he says makes sense to me.:-)  He also said that since the drugs are slower to leave my body, they are slower to work on any bad cells that might be in there.  So, that's a good thing!  The Dr. isn't as optimistic that the counts will rebound before next week's treatment, but I'm scheduled to go in for the 3rd one in this cycle on Tuesday, the 29th.  So, you can help us pray that my counts will be high enough that I can get that treatment.  The Dr.'s optimism (or lack thereof) isn't taking into consideration all the prayer that goes up for my bone marrow and blood counts!

I thank God that the symptoms of the chemo continue to be minimal.  It's a miracle - an answer to prayer.  I admit that my knees wobble sometimes, and I carry my little nausea pills with me everywhere I go, but overall I am blessed beyond my expectations. Oh, and I don't have hair.  I hope that's a side effect and not heredity!!!

Across the years I had learned in church that God's mercies are new every morning. (Lamentations 3:23)  But, now I KNOW that!  His blessings are never early, but they aren't late - they are new every morning. Today's mercies are for today's burdens.  Tomorrow's mercies will be for tomorrow's problems.  It's easy for me to wonder (Steve would say I worry!) about what will happen tomorrow.  But, this time of health crisis is helping me to trust God for his mercies that come day by day.  He didn't tell us to pray "give us this week our weekly bread"!  It's daily!  God gives us what we need today.  If we needed more, He would give us more.  When we need something else, He will give us that as well. (paraphrased from Ray Pritchard's The God You Can Trust)

This week I was finally able to honestly thank the Lord for my diagnosis and the lessons I am learning.  I am praying that I learn them well.  When we teach elementary students to be good readers and writers, we talk about "noticings".  I always loved to hear the kids talk about their "noticings". The most important noticing for  me in this experience is God's love.  He IS love and I'm learning to be more consistent in resting in that love, knowing that "all things are working together for good".

Thanks again for your prayer and your support..  It is invaluable and highly valued! (Was that redundant?  You know what I meant!)