Two more rounds to go!
It's funny what can be exciting in our lives as we get older. Right now I am most excited at the thought of John having only two more rounds of chemo ahead of him. We got through round four this past week. The weekend was still tough for him, but the new anti-nausea med (Emend) took the edge off the really severe nausea throughout the entire weekend. We were thankful for that. Round five is scheduled for the last three days of December. (Happy New Year!)
John has felt bad for so long, I get excited just thinking about him being in remission and the possibility of him feeling good again. Feeling normal is something we all take for granted. It's hard for me to remember the last time John felt good. It's definitely been a while. And seeing him feel so bad certainly has an emotional impact on me as well. The last few days, he has had some pain in his back that he says feels a lot like what he experienced just prior to discovering he had a kidney stone. He has a doctor's appointment Wednesday afternoon to check on that. Please pray that whatever it is, it's not another kidney stone. It would be dangerous for him to have to have a procedure and spend time in the hospital right now when his immune system is so severely compromised.
I haven't had much energy to post on my blog lately. I don't have a lot of energy for anything, to be honest. I think I'm mentally and emotionally drained. My tree is not up yet and I really don't care. I haven't even begun to Christmas shop. I'm not feeling down or bah-humbug at all. I'm just kind of blah. I think it has everything to do with John's chemo. Not only is there a lot of stress and worry as the caregiver, but it takes a lot out of you just watching the person you love go through something so challenging. I believe he is tolerating the treatment well and there is every reason to believe he will get a good response. Nevertheless, there are plenty of hard days. Sometimes I don't post because I don't want to sound like I'm whining.
Life has been busy and my days are full. I don't feel like I'm accomplishing very much. However, I am trying to make time for friends. My calendar was laying open on the kitchen counter yesterday. John looked at it and said, "I see your social calendar is full this week, darling." Yep.
Other than volunteering at the church on Monday and Thursday, the events on my calendar are "Lunch with..." and "Coffee with...." Today I met my aunt and some of the ladies from her prayer group in Hopkinsville for a two hour lunch. Tomorrow is an early lunch with one friend and afternoon coffee with another. Friday's entry is another lunch. I am so thankful for my friends. I don't know what I'd do without them. It's a real blessing when there aren't enough free days in the month to spend time with all of your closest friends. I am very thankful.
It was really special being with my aunt's prayer group again today. These are the same ladies who prayed for me back in January and greatly inspired me to start writing my book. Today they anointed me with oil and prayed for me again - right there in the booth at O'Charley's. I couldn't help but think how cool it was that none of us felt the slightest bit of discomfort with that. There was a time in my life when I would not have been as comfortable with that as I am today. These women are such a blessing and I felt strength from their prayer, as well as just being with them.
God has been so good to me. Yes, John and I are going through a trying time in our lives. I never would have anticipated that just six short years into our marriage, one of us would have cancer and be going through chemotherapy. I wish we weren't. But God is right there beside us and He takes care of us in ways we don't even realize. I'm tired and lacking in energy, but I have joy and peace in my heart. I am sometimes afraid, but in the next moment, God reminds me that I can trust Him and I have nothing to fear.
John has felt bad for so long, I get excited just thinking about him being in remission and the possibility of him feeling good again. Feeling normal is something we all take for granted. It's hard for me to remember the last time John felt good. It's definitely been a while. And seeing him feel so bad certainly has an emotional impact on me as well. The last few days, he has had some pain in his back that he says feels a lot like what he experienced just prior to discovering he had a kidney stone. He has a doctor's appointment Wednesday afternoon to check on that. Please pray that whatever it is, it's not another kidney stone. It would be dangerous for him to have to have a procedure and spend time in the hospital right now when his immune system is so severely compromised.
I haven't had much energy to post on my blog lately. I don't have a lot of energy for anything, to be honest. I think I'm mentally and emotionally drained. My tree is not up yet and I really don't care. I haven't even begun to Christmas shop. I'm not feeling down or bah-humbug at all. I'm just kind of blah. I think it has everything to do with John's chemo. Not only is there a lot of stress and worry as the caregiver, but it takes a lot out of you just watching the person you love go through something so challenging. I believe he is tolerating the treatment well and there is every reason to believe he will get a good response. Nevertheless, there are plenty of hard days. Sometimes I don't post because I don't want to sound like I'm whining.
Life has been busy and my days are full. I don't feel like I'm accomplishing very much. However, I am trying to make time for friends. My calendar was laying open on the kitchen counter yesterday. John looked at it and said, "I see your social calendar is full this week, darling." Yep.
Other than volunteering at the church on Monday and Thursday, the events on my calendar are "Lunch with..." and "Coffee with...." Today I met my aunt and some of the ladies from her prayer group in Hopkinsville for a two hour lunch. Tomorrow is an early lunch with one friend and afternoon coffee with another. Friday's entry is another lunch. I am so thankful for my friends. I don't know what I'd do without them. It's a real blessing when there aren't enough free days in the month to spend time with all of your closest friends. I am very thankful.
It was really special being with my aunt's prayer group again today. These are the same ladies who prayed for me back in January and greatly inspired me to start writing my book. Today they anointed me with oil and prayed for me again - right there in the booth at O'Charley's. I couldn't help but think how cool it was that none of us felt the slightest bit of discomfort with that. There was a time in my life when I would not have been as comfortable with that as I am today. These women are such a blessing and I felt strength from their prayer, as well as just being with them.
God has been so good to me. Yes, John and I are going through a trying time in our lives. I never would have anticipated that just six short years into our marriage, one of us would have cancer and be going through chemotherapy. I wish we weren't. But God is right there beside us and He takes care of us in ways we don't even realize. I'm tired and lacking in energy, but I have joy and peace in my heart. I am sometimes afraid, but in the next moment, God reminds me that I can trust Him and I have nothing to fear.
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