Intestinal Surgery is Scheduled
I have come to the end of my Breast Cancer treatment plan (kind of).
I finished chemo (kind of).
I finished surgery. (Cancer removal portion anyhow, reconstruction won't be until 2019 and intestinal surgery is coming up.)
I now have also finished radiation.
I have healed up from the radiation burns and am now just dealing with the fatigue that comes with radiation exposure. It's just crazy. I have been done with radiation for weeks but I still have to pace myself. I have lots of days I wake up feeling great and make plans to "get things done" finally. Most of those days end with me exhausted to the point of feeling nauseous and I really haven't done much, at least compared to what life was like before cancer treatment.
It's a blessing to have this much of the process behind me.
The Lord has been incredibly good to me and my family through all of this. I keep writing everything down because I still deal with chemo brain/radiation fatigue brain, or a weird combination of both currently.
It's been a growing season, a good growing season when I look back but definitely a growing season.
A season I'm learning to remember above all else, to keep my eyes on the Lord.
I know.....so silly and basic.
Not to give in to the frustrations of not being able to 'do' everything I use to do or everything I want to do.
I feel a bit vulnerable sharing this as it shows how nasty and selfish my heart was before. It shows what my flesh gives into and did and still struggles to want to give into.
A season of learning it's not all about me and what I want to do but praying about and focusing on what the Lord wants of me. To trust in Him and His plan for my day, His plan for our children, His plan for our home, His plan for the time I've been blessed with and how to use it.
He's blessed me with more time which I am incredibly thankful for and pray I can use it wisely.
When already busy days are cut short due to lack of energy it's important (it's always been important, this is just a lesson the Lord has been working in me through this) to be wise and use the time how He wants me to.
To remember His priorities are important, not just my to do list.
To remember relationship with the Lord, my husband and my children are the priority, in that order.
If there is time available after that to be thankful and ask the Lord how best to use it, how to bless others.
When I say I have kind of finished chemo, technically I am no longer receiving chemo drugs though I will continue to get an infusion of Herceptin every 3 weeks to prevent a reoccurrence of the HER2+ cancer. The only side effect I deal with really has been itching just on my arms and shoulders, it's so weird. It apparently is not a common side effect and they are stumped but still trying to help me figure out what we can do to help with it as it's incredibly annoying day and night. We've found a steroid that helps some for almost a week, at least it did last Herceptin treatment. We are trying it again this round and see how long it helps this round.
I met with my surgeon and we have schedule my intestinal surgery for August 20th. This is to remove a rather large (noncancerous) tumor that they found during testing after my chemo to see where my breast cancer stood and how it reacted to the chemo. Please pray with me that the intestinal surgery goes as smoothly as my mastectomy did.
This surgery causes me some concern as the radiation stage did due to family history problems with similar procedures/experiences. My sister years ago ended up having to have her large intestine and colon removed and had complications afterwards. Mine is not that intense or invasive as it's just a section they are cutting out and resectioning back together. Please pray with me this surgery goes off without any complications.
I am looking forward to getting all of this behind me to enjoy the rest of 2018 without what has felt like constant doctor appointments.
Our women's ministry at our church is currently offering a series we are doing titled 'Embrace'. I am thankful the Lord has helped me to embrace this season. It's had it's moments I really never want to do again. At the same time though there has been an incredible amount of blessing that has come with it that I wouldn't trade for anything and am thankful for.
The last women's gathering we were asked to draw a picture of what embracing what the Lord has allowed in our lives. I got the visual of a bobble head ;-) with HUGE eyes looking up to God. I have felt a lot like a bobble head with getting bounced here, there and in every direction over the last 11 months but even with all the craziness.....if I can just keep my eyes on Jesus, all is well!
I have had my moments where I feel as though God isn't there. He's silent. When really I KNOW He is there! He is always with me. He just wasn't doing what I wanted in the timeframe I wanted.
There are so many verses in the Bible that have spoken to me in those seasons of doubt. If I can just learn to keep my eyes on His promises in His word and not be ruled by how I feel, or how I think things should go.
1 Thess 5:18 In everything give thanks with a grateful heart.
I finished chemo (kind of).
I finished surgery. (Cancer removal portion anyhow, reconstruction won't be until 2019 and intestinal surgery is coming up.)
I now have also finished radiation.
I have healed up from the radiation burns and am now just dealing with the fatigue that comes with radiation exposure. It's just crazy. I have been done with radiation for weeks but I still have to pace myself. I have lots of days I wake up feeling great and make plans to "get things done" finally. Most of those days end with me exhausted to the point of feeling nauseous and I really haven't done much, at least compared to what life was like before cancer treatment.
It's a blessing to have this much of the process behind me.
The Lord has been incredibly good to me and my family through all of this. I keep writing everything down because I still deal with chemo brain/radiation fatigue brain, or a weird combination of both currently.
It's been a growing season, a good growing season when I look back but definitely a growing season.
A season I'm learning to remember above all else, to keep my eyes on the Lord.
I know.....so silly and basic.
Not to give in to the frustrations of not being able to 'do' everything I use to do or everything I want to do.
I feel a bit vulnerable sharing this as it shows how nasty and selfish my heart was before. It shows what my flesh gives into and did and still struggles to want to give into.
A season of learning it's not all about me and what I want to do but praying about and focusing on what the Lord wants of me. To trust in Him and His plan for my day, His plan for our children, His plan for our home, His plan for the time I've been blessed with and how to use it.
He's blessed me with more time which I am incredibly thankful for and pray I can use it wisely.
When already busy days are cut short due to lack of energy it's important (it's always been important, this is just a lesson the Lord has been working in me through this) to be wise and use the time how He wants me to.
To remember His priorities are important, not just my to do list.
To remember relationship with the Lord, my husband and my children are the priority, in that order.
If there is time available after that to be thankful and ask the Lord how best to use it, how to bless others.
When I say I have kind of finished chemo, technically I am no longer receiving chemo drugs though I will continue to get an infusion of Herceptin every 3 weeks to prevent a reoccurrence of the HER2+ cancer. The only side effect I deal with really has been itching just on my arms and shoulders, it's so weird. It apparently is not a common side effect and they are stumped but still trying to help me figure out what we can do to help with it as it's incredibly annoying day and night. We've found a steroid that helps some for almost a week, at least it did last Herceptin treatment. We are trying it again this round and see how long it helps this round.
I met with my surgeon and we have schedule my intestinal surgery for August 20th. This is to remove a rather large (noncancerous) tumor that they found during testing after my chemo to see where my breast cancer stood and how it reacted to the chemo. Please pray with me that the intestinal surgery goes as smoothly as my mastectomy did.
This surgery causes me some concern as the radiation stage did due to family history problems with similar procedures/experiences. My sister years ago ended up having to have her large intestine and colon removed and had complications afterwards. Mine is not that intense or invasive as it's just a section they are cutting out and resectioning back together. Please pray with me this surgery goes off without any complications.
I am looking forward to getting all of this behind me to enjoy the rest of 2018 without what has felt like constant doctor appointments.
Our women's ministry at our church is currently offering a series we are doing titled 'Embrace'. I am thankful the Lord has helped me to embrace this season. It's had it's moments I really never want to do again. At the same time though there has been an incredible amount of blessing that has come with it that I wouldn't trade for anything and am thankful for.
The last women's gathering we were asked to draw a picture of what embracing what the Lord has allowed in our lives. I got the visual of a bobble head ;-) with HUGE eyes looking up to God. I have felt a lot like a bobble head with getting bounced here, there and in every direction over the last 11 months but even with all the craziness.....if I can just keep my eyes on Jesus, all is well!
I have had my moments where I feel as though God isn't there. He's silent. When really I KNOW He is there! He is always with me. He just wasn't doing what I wanted in the timeframe I wanted.
There are so many verses in the Bible that have spoken to me in those seasons of doubt. If I can just learn to keep my eyes on His promises in His word and not be ruled by how I feel, or how I think things should go.
1 Thess 5:18 In everything give thanks with a grateful heart.
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