Hello, Everyone,
I thought I would catch you up on what's been happening since I went back on the chemo. I actually only have four days left in this round, which seems to have passed rather quickly. That's good!
The last time I blogged, I had just finished working at the church Easter weekend, and my feet were having some fits over being stood on all day. Then I also heard from the endocrinologist that I would need to keep on the steroids. Since then, my hands have started to ache when I grasp things, and if I put pressure on any part of them, it will hurt for a few days, then get better. I have to watch any heat on them, as well, which is a great excuse to get out of washing the dishes!
As a part of being on the chemo and on the steroids, I have to check my blood pressure a couple of times a week. This past week I started to notice it rising steadily, until it reached what is considered a hypertension level. This isn't good for anyone, but my sister-in-law has assured me it is really not good for someone in my situation. So after checking it for consecutive days, then putting in a call to my nurse, I am now also on high blood pressure meds. It seems to be helping a little, but is still high. (We all laugh at my little pill container-no offense to anyone out there but there are daily morning and night parts to it, and we call it my 'old lady' pill sorter!)
Last weekend, I went to Sutter Creek for a ladies retreat with my church, and on the last day each of us wrote a verse of encouragement for someone else at the retreat. We all put our cards in a basket, then the basket was passed and we randomly drew one out. Before the basket got to me, I prayed that whatever card I drew out would in some way be exactly what I needed for that moment. I really wanted a word from the Lord. I had suffered with my feet burning all weekend, and it was getting to be a little depressing and annoying. Well, God heard! This is the verse on the card I drew from the basket: 'but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.' (Isaiah 40:31) Since then, my feet just haven't hurt as much. In fact, overall I'm feeling pretty well. God hears our prayers, God speaks encouraging words through others and His Word, God cares. Don't you just love that about Him? I sure do.
Have a great week,
Danene
April 26, 2009
P.S. I just read this and thought it was fantastic: "God has never looked over the balcony of heaven and said,'Oops!'" Nothing is ever a surprise to Him.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Steroid Dependent
Hi Friends,
Just a short blog to let you know that Dr. Rushakoff, the endrocrinologist who performed the cortisyn test on me on Monday, just called. He said that my cortisol (adrenal function level) was a 3. I asked what normal was, and he said anything over 18. So that pretty much sums up the fact that my adrenal gland is not functioning. He said there could be a few possibilities: it could have been damaged during the removal of my kidney, it could just plain not be functioning, or it could be that it has sustained so much trauma from surgeries and meds that it has shut down. We could pursue that possibility in the future by retaking the test and seeing if there is a different result. So in the meantime I remain on the steroids, which is really not a big deal, and order a really cool medic alert bracelet. Things could be much worse.
Since the last time I shared, my feet are doing much better. I just needed to get off of them for an extended period of time. I do have to watch my blood pressure a little more closely as it was pretty high when I visited Safeway to check it this time. Again, not a big deal as long as I monitor more often.
Thank you again for your continued prayers and encouraging words for me and my family. I'll share again soon.
Danene
April 16, 2009
Just a short blog to let you know that Dr. Rushakoff, the endrocrinologist who performed the cortisyn test on me on Monday, just called. He said that my cortisol (adrenal function level) was a 3. I asked what normal was, and he said anything over 18. So that pretty much sums up the fact that my adrenal gland is not functioning. He said there could be a few possibilities: it could have been damaged during the removal of my kidney, it could just plain not be functioning, or it could be that it has sustained so much trauma from surgeries and meds that it has shut down. We could pursue that possibility in the future by retaking the test and seeing if there is a different result. So in the meantime I remain on the steroids, which is really not a big deal, and order a really cool medic alert bracelet. Things could be much worse.
Since the last time I shared, my feet are doing much better. I just needed to get off of them for an extended period of time. I do have to watch my blood pressure a little more closely as it was pretty high when I visited Safeway to check it this time. Again, not a big deal as long as I monitor more often.
Thank you again for your continued prayers and encouraging words for me and my family. I'll share again soon.
Danene
April 16, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Instead of Me
Hi Friends,
Today I celebrated the resurrection of my Lord Jesus. What a wonderful day! I continue to be humbled that God so wants to have a relationship with me, with all of my flaws and imperfections and sins that deserve death, that He sent His Son to die instead of me. Not just for me, but instead of me, so He could offer me a way to be with Him eternally. My God is a God of grace.
Tomorrow my mom and I will head to UCSF to meet with Dr. Rushikoff, an endocrinologist, to find out if the adrenal gland I still have is working. Through an IV, he will stimulate my pituitary gland to see if my adrenal gland responds. If it does, I might be able to forego taking steroids everyday. I'll let you know what I find out.
I've been back on chemotherapy for about 10 days and overall all is well. I had the privilege of working at our church during the Easter weekend, helping with food for our services, and it was so rewarding. I am paying the price just a bit with my feet, as the pads on the balls of my feet have already started to thicken, and being on them for hours at a time set off the burning. But you know, it was well worth it.
I hope your Easter weekend was as rewarding as mine was. I spent time with Matt's family, and with my parents and my brother and his family, as well as talking with my oldest brother. My children and my husband were in the kitchen with me at the church, serving others. And people all over the world celebrated a risen King. Do you know Him? He wants to know you so badly that He made a way for anyone, even you, to have a relationship with Him. I can tell you, firsthand, that it is the best decision I ever made. If you want to know more, just ask me.
Because of Him,
Danene
April 12, 2009
Today I celebrated the resurrection of my Lord Jesus. What a wonderful day! I continue to be humbled that God so wants to have a relationship with me, with all of my flaws and imperfections and sins that deserve death, that He sent His Son to die instead of me. Not just for me, but instead of me, so He could offer me a way to be with Him eternally. My God is a God of grace.
Tomorrow my mom and I will head to UCSF to meet with Dr. Rushikoff, an endocrinologist, to find out if the adrenal gland I still have is working. Through an IV, he will stimulate my pituitary gland to see if my adrenal gland responds. If it does, I might be able to forego taking steroids everyday. I'll let you know what I find out.
I've been back on chemotherapy for about 10 days and overall all is well. I had the privilege of working at our church during the Easter weekend, helping with food for our services, and it was so rewarding. I am paying the price just a bit with my feet, as the pads on the balls of my feet have already started to thicken, and being on them for hours at a time set off the burning. But you know, it was well worth it.
I hope your Easter weekend was as rewarding as mine was. I spent time with Matt's family, and with my parents and my brother and his family, as well as talking with my oldest brother. My children and my husband were in the kitchen with me at the church, serving others. And people all over the world celebrated a risen King. Do you know Him? He wants to know you so badly that He made a way for anyone, even you, to have a relationship with Him. I can tell you, firsthand, that it is the best decision I ever made. If you want to know more, just ask me.
Because of Him,
Danene
April 12, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
Choose Hope
Hi All,
Today Matt and I attended the funeral of a godly friend who in a moment of despair chose to take his own life. As I journey through this thing called cancer, I am struck by how many people share the journey with me through phone calls, this blog, prayers, and so many other ways. I've chosen to make my struggles very public overall. When I heard the news of this friend, I was overwhelmed by the fact that I am probably surrounded by people in their own struggles, and am not at all aware of them. I don't mean that I don't care, but that many people, in the midst of their struggles, keep it to themselves, perhaps put on a good face, or don't feel free to share. And in those moments of despair that inevitably come with struggles, the despair wins, instead of hope. I urge you, whatever you might be going through with health, work, money, children, marriage, or even simply how to make things work day to day...choose hope. It is a daily choice for some of us, and Satan would like nothing less than to wear us down and take our eyes off of Jesus just long enough for despair to win. Choose hope, reach out and share hope, hang on to the truth that is Jesus.
On a much lighter note, I started the next round of chemo last night. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers as I continue on my journey in the hope of being a 5% survivor.
Fondly, Danene
April 4, 2009
Today Matt and I attended the funeral of a godly friend who in a moment of despair chose to take his own life. As I journey through this thing called cancer, I am struck by how many people share the journey with me through phone calls, this blog, prayers, and so many other ways. I've chosen to make my struggles very public overall. When I heard the news of this friend, I was overwhelmed by the fact that I am probably surrounded by people in their own struggles, and am not at all aware of them. I don't mean that I don't care, but that many people, in the midst of their struggles, keep it to themselves, perhaps put on a good face, or don't feel free to share. And in those moments of despair that inevitably come with struggles, the despair wins, instead of hope. I urge you, whatever you might be going through with health, work, money, children, marriage, or even simply how to make things work day to day...choose hope. It is a daily choice for some of us, and Satan would like nothing less than to wear us down and take our eyes off of Jesus just long enough for despair to win. Choose hope, reach out and share hope, hang on to the truth that is Jesus.
On a much lighter note, I started the next round of chemo last night. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers as I continue on my journey in the hope of being a 5% survivor.
Fondly, Danene
April 4, 2009
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