Monday, September 26, 2011

Pursuit, Presence & Progress

As most of you know I was scheduled to receive my last Chemo infusion the week of Sept 11th. Something I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of for months. The week leading up to that I had been having severe pain in my hip and ride side. Concerned that it may be my appendix, an apt. was made for the following morning to rule out any serious issues and treatment was postponed. I barely made it through the night into the next morning at 7 for my apt. at St. Joes. When I arrived the tech took one look at me and said "honey the test I am about to conduct will not show me your appendix"...seeing how uncomfortable I was she sent me to the ER. I was wheeled to the ER where they immediately gave me a mask and took us to a secluded room in the back. The Dr was fantastic and prompt. It was the best ER experience I have ever had. And its sad to say, I have had way too many to count.

In the back and forth during the testing I lost my mask. Once in my room Brian asked the nurse outside who was stocking the rooms, if she could find me another mask . After explaining that I was receiving Chemo she quickly found me another one. When she brought it into me, she had the sweetest and most genuine look on her face. We talked for a little bit and she took my hands and began to tell me that this evil did not belong in my body and had no right to consume me any longer. She could tell I was tired and weary from the toll this was taking on me. She assured me the Lord will never leave me and that I need to cling to Him and not be afraid. Asked me if we attended Church anywhere and then hugged me like there was no tomorrow. Crying and praying for what seemed like minutes. She then gave me some very specific verses to read and told me to say those very words back to Him. Holding my hand tightly she says to me "I love you" and walks out of the room. Chills.

Now for some this may seem whacked out and just plain weird. But to me it was as plain as day what was happening. God was in that place. There was no disputing it. I was at an all time low that day and those words and actions could not have come at a more poignant time. After she left I looked at Brian with tears in my eyes astonished at what had just happened.


After all scans turn up good, I was sent home with antibiotics to cover an abdominal infection just in case. I was only able to take three days of it. Just too much for my system given the toxic overload it was already under. Over the weekend the pain subsided in my side and by the time my apt. on the 21st rolled around I was virtually pain free! The Dr. was astounded given the pain I had been in the previous week. I also learned that day the CT and MRI showed even more shrinkage of the lesion on my hip! So much so that the Radiologist was skeptical to even tie the word cancer to it. If he had not known of the previous Bone Met in that location, he would have called it benign! My Dr.'s and I were thrilled with this news!!!! In other words its basically gone and looks completely harmless!

All of my numbers and labs continue to be really great! I received Avastin that day and returned Fri for my LAST Chemo! I am scheduled to have more scans Oct. 14th. I fully expect them to be fantastic!!!! I am ready to move on to the next chapter of my life!