2014 has been quite a year, with so many changes. If you told me last December I would be here right now, I would have laughed at you.
It all started with putting my house up for sale. Two weeks later I sold my car, and I had 2 buyers for the house. Three weeks later, a cancer diagnosis. September brought the sale of my house and a big move. October brought unemployment.
These last few months have been difficult, life-changing, and a major learning experience. The Lord has brought me through so much, and He continues to be my rock and my strength.
I know I am right where I'm supposed to be, and I'm excited to see what 2015 will hold. I'll continue to take each day as it comes, as the Lord leads.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Bye Bye PICC Line
Yesterday I was able to get my PICC line removed, after having it for over 2 months. It's been nearly 2 months since I've needed a blood transfusion, so the doctor agreed I could get it taken out. What a relief! That thing required a lot of maintenance.
To explain, a PICC line is a "Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter". It is a small flexible tube that gets inserted into a peripheral vein, in my case it was in my upper right arm, and goes up the arm and to the chest until it reaches into a large vessel near my heart. An ultrasound was used to guide the line through the vein and into the chest. They also did an x-ray of the chest to confirm the placement of the PICC catheter. The procedure took about 20 minutes, and was relatively painless.
The PICC line had to be flushed twice a day with sodium chloride. Dad always did this for me because I couldn't do it with one hand. The dressing had to be changed once a week. Also, you can't get the PICC line wet, so at first I took baths. After about a month of baths I was ready for showers again, so my arm had to be wrapped up tight with plastic wrap and tape.
I'm just so glad it's gone!
One step closer. My next step is to try and schedule another PET scan, so we can see what's going on.
To explain, a PICC line is a "Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter". It is a small flexible tube that gets inserted into a peripheral vein, in my case it was in my upper right arm, and goes up the arm and to the chest until it reaches into a large vessel near my heart. An ultrasound was used to guide the line through the vein and into the chest. They also did an x-ray of the chest to confirm the placement of the PICC catheter. The procedure took about 20 minutes, and was relatively painless.
The PICC line had to be flushed twice a day with sodium chloride. Dad always did this for me because I couldn't do it with one hand. The dressing had to be changed once a week. Also, you can't get the PICC line wet, so at first I took baths. After about a month of baths I was ready for showers again, so my arm had to be wrapped up tight with plastic wrap and tape.
I'm just so glad it's gone!
One step closer. My next step is to try and schedule another PET scan, so we can see what's going on.
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Trials
No one knows what you're going through when you have cancer. It's not possible for anyone to understand unless they have walked there and experienced it.
Restless nights, nausea, tiredness, wearing diapers, constantly changing pads, multiple trips to the bathroom, hospice nurses, hospital visits, loneliness. There's so much to deal with each day.
I am in a fight for my life. Every day I have to win the fight. Every day I have to say NO to the darkness that tries to come. I fight by keeping the devil run off. I fight by holding every word and every thought captive. There have been days when I have felt tired of fighting. There have been days when I just want to go to sleep and never wake up again, to be with the Lord at last. But I have to fight through these things. The Lord has a work for me to do, and I've got to win this so I can go on with the work of the Lord. I was reminded just yesterday that the Joy of the Lord is my strength. In John 16, verse 33, Jesus tells His disciples that they will face tribulations in this life, but He instructs them to be of good cheer, for He has already overcome the world. Even when no earthly human being could understand where I am walking, the Lord does. He knows ALL things.
My hospice nurses shake their heads in amazement each time they come to see me. I have none of the symptoms they expected to see: swollen legs, pain, bleeding, etc. I think the Lord chuckles at those moments, because He knows what He's doing.
And so do I ;)
Restless nights, nausea, tiredness, wearing diapers, constantly changing pads, multiple trips to the bathroom, hospice nurses, hospital visits, loneliness. There's so much to deal with each day.
I am in a fight for my life. Every day I have to win the fight. Every day I have to say NO to the darkness that tries to come. I fight by keeping the devil run off. I fight by holding every word and every thought captive. There have been days when I have felt tired of fighting. There have been days when I just want to go to sleep and never wake up again, to be with the Lord at last. But I have to fight through these things. The Lord has a work for me to do, and I've got to win this so I can go on with the work of the Lord. I was reminded just yesterday that the Joy of the Lord is my strength. In John 16, verse 33, Jesus tells His disciples that they will face tribulations in this life, but He instructs them to be of good cheer, for He has already overcome the world. Even when no earthly human being could understand where I am walking, the Lord does. He knows ALL things.
My hospice nurses shake their heads in amazement each time they come to see me. I have none of the symptoms they expected to see: swollen legs, pain, bleeding, etc. I think the Lord chuckles at those moments, because He knows what He's doing.
And so do I ;)
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