Catchin' Up

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.