“But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more” Psalm 71:14

Hallelujah

Thank you so much for your prayers for my friend Kristy.  She is currently in remission!  PRAISE GOD!!!!  She has set up her consults with her surgeons and hopefully will complete her last step in beating cancer soon.  Please continue to pray for her upcoming surgery and recovery.  Thank you- you’re the best!

“The Lord will fight for you, you need only be still.” Exodus 14:14

This verse has been such a blessing to me.  It turns up everywhere I seem to look.  Pinterest, Facebook, my devotions, friends sending me cards or gifts without even knowing how God is using this verse.  There have been many days that I have felt so weary- God just keeps reminding me that I need to be still and let Him work.  Sometimes, that is easier said than done, but I am so thankful that He speaks to me through His word.

Praising God during the storm

Last Monday, I had a CT scan of my chest to see how the lesion was responding to chemo.  Afterwards, I had an oncology appointment to discuss the results with my doctor.  He entered the room stating that my numbers looked great although the lesion hadn’t shrunk like he had hoped it would.  However, my tumor markers were now considered normal-no more choriocarcinoma. PRAISE GOD!!!  I was in shock.  He stated that they always over-treat to make sure nothing microscopic is floating around.  So, my remaining chemo treatments would only be two more rounds of each regimen- just four remaining treatments over the next four weeks instead of eight.  He told me that I could just use the PICC line for the rest of the treatments and not have to have another port put in.  Another praise!

The lesion could be one of two things according to my oncologist.  It could be dead cancer cells and tissue from chemo that didn’t “melt” away or it could be another kind of cancer that doesn’t respond to this type of chemo.  I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t begging God for the former and terrified of the latter.  He stated it would be odd for it to be a different kind of cancer since choriocarcinoma doesn’t originate in the brain.  Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing if it is another cancer until the PET scan once my chemo treatments are finished.  He urged me to remain positive.

He stated that even if it was another type, it didn’t change the treatment plan.  The plan was chemo and then surgery to remove anything that remained in the lung.  If necessary, the surgery would be all I’d need if clean margins were able to be obtained.

In January, I have a brain MRI to check my brain and then determine if radiation will be necessary there.

The longest day

I was scheduled to do in-patient chemo this past Wednesday.  Baptist usually calls me to let me know my room is ready around 7:30 am.  I didn’t sleep well the night before and was a little anxious about the PICC line placement.  We finally called at 8:30 since we hadn’t heard from them- my name wasn’t on the list for a room.  A call to MD Anderson and more waiting led to information that there weren’t any rooms but there would be that afternoon.  The charge nurse called me to tell me that I should have a room by four and that the PICC nurse could do my line as long as it was before six.  I was excited because the charge nurse is one of my favorite nurses- I started praying that I’d have her.

God knew I needed some time before heading in to the hospital for this stay.  Craig and I snuggled up and watched a movie- and tried to take our mind off of the upcoming days.  It was a nice distraction and such a blessing.  Oh how I love that man!

We finally got the call that the room was ready.  We headed up to the hospital around 3:45.  We got settled in and the in-patient oncologist came in to see me.  She wanted a regular IV put in so they could start my fluids to get my PH where it needed to be to start chemo. My nurse, the charge nurse that I love, called the IV team to put one in.  I was praying against the clock knowing that I needed to start chemo before seven if she was going to be the one administering it.  Unfortunately, that wasn’t what happened.  The PICC nurse came around 6:00 to put in my PICC line.  That was no fun.  I had to be in the room by myself with the nurse because it is a sterile procedure.  Thankfully, Jesus was with me.  I could feel His presence- something I was praying hard for. Finally, it was finished right around shift change.

A nurse I’ve never had before entered with the charge nurse.  The charge nurse told her that I was starting chemo and the new nurse was going to come back with some meds and things needed to check my PH levels.  I didn’t see her again until 9:00 pm.  One of the chemo meds I’m on is a 24-hour drip.  I was anxious to start it so that it could be over at a decent time the next day and I could rest.  When she returned I told her about checking my PH and she informed me that it wasn’t necessary since I wasn’t on a constant drip of one of my chemo meds- yes, yes I am.  Worry started to creep in.  She finally got my premeds (these are absolutely crucial to chemo treatment and make the days of and following chemo bearable).  After checking my PH, she started my premeds.  She had so many bags hanging from my IV pole I have no idea how she wasn’t confused at to what was what.  After those, she hooked me up to my one-hour drip and then followed that with the 5-minute IV push drug, all starting at midnight.  I knew I wasn’t going to sleep that night since there are so many medications that stop and start over a period of 4-5 hours.  She started my 2 hour bag of the 24 hour medication around 1:00 am and the 22 hour bag at 3:00 am.  It was one of the longest nights of my life.  When morning came and shift change was happening, I could hardly move from exhaustion and extreme nausea.  My most favorite nurse “J” walked in and wrote his name on my board.  I have never been so excited!  God heard my prayer!  I told him about my night and he looked at my IV pole and saw that she had only given me half of my premeds; let’s just say he was a little upset.  He immediately went and got anti-nausea medications and pushed them through.  He then informed my doctor of what transpired the night before.  She came in for rounds to check on me and apologized for the care I had received the night before.  I was just thankful to have made it through and prayed that the upcoming days would be better.

“J” is an amazing nurse- I know I’ve said that before, but truly God is using his abilities to help those in need, namely me this week.  He did his best to get me to feeling better and managing the nausea induced from lack of premeds.  He limited the visitors in and out of my room that day.  Unfortunately, the nurse was back that night and since she was a charge nurse, she had me again.  So, she had to come in several times once the chemo was finished and then to give the other two chemo medications.  Again, a long night that could have been avoided had we started chemo earlier.

“J” was back for my third day in patient.  God knew I needed someone I had confidence in and that would take care of me.  He again limited the visitors and I was able to get some rest during the day.  Unfortunately, once the nausea train leaves the station, it is hard to catch up with and get in front of.  I was able to walk only a few laps around the floor, something I usually don’t have trouble doing, but was wiped out afterwards.  The night nurse was nice and only came in twice, thankfully.

My oncologist came and told me that my numbers were good on Saturday morning and that I could go home; home health care would contact me regarding PICC care at home.  Craig and I were both so tired and so excited to go home.  Lunch in my bed followed by a nap sounded amazing- minus the lunch part, lol.

The home health care nurse came yesterday for my in-take and day 1 of flushing my PICC line.  She was very nice, knew that I am extremely nervous about infection, and talked me through everything she did.  She stated that she would see me every day that she worked- I was thankful that God had sent another nurse to provide care for me and ease my fears.

It has been a long weekend and Monday.  I am still pretty exhausted, weak, and nauseous.  I am praying hard that I can regain some strength tonight and tomorrow before my next chemo treatment on Wednesday.  The amazing thing is that God will give you just the strength you need to make it through each day.  That has been the truth through this journey so far and I know He will continue until the finish line.

“Rise Up and Pray” Luke 22:46

I’m not sure about you, but I am so thankful that I can cry out to God and He hears me.  Prayer has been as essential as breathing and I am so grateful that God provided a way for us to have a relationship with Him that involves prayer.  There have been many times where words fail me, but the Holy Spirit intercedes for me.  Your prayers are truly carrying me through this difficult time- praying for others is the MOST we can do and I’m so grateful for yours on my behalf.

Can I ask you to pray big and ceaselessly for some specific things?

-Will you pray that the lesion remaining in my lung is dead cells and not an active, different cancer?

-Will you pray that my PICC line will remain complication-free, infection-free, and work perfectly for the next 17 days?

-Will you pray that the next 17 days will be set-back free and that I can finish chemo on January 3 as planned?

– Will you pray for my PET scan that is coming up in January- that there will be zero cancer found?

-Will you pray that the side effects from chemo going forward will be at a minimum and that God will give me the strength, mentally and physically, to get through each day?

– Will you pray for Craig, my girls, and our families that God will give them the strength they need to walk alongside me and carry me when necessary?

Thank you God for all your many blessings and answers to prayer!  Our pastor defined hope this Sunday as a confident expectation- as believers we can confidently expect God to keep His promises and be faithful.  This song has been on the Fry family’s heart and has been sent to me by many friends.  I pray it blesses you as it does us. Praying that He continues to move the mountains!