Hi, Friend,
I had the chance to take my son to church camp in the hills of Watsonville for a couple of days last week. My daughter was already there. What a wonderfully peaceful and relaxing time. It was fun to watch my kids and their friends play and work together, and worship God as they learned more about Him and themselves. There was an incredible worship band, too, and they sang this one song with us, called Hosanna. One of the lines talked about worshipping the Lord as we pass from earth into eternity, then moves into a chorus of Hosannas. As we were singing, my husband's aunt, who has fought a battle with cancer for a long time, came to mind. She had just been moved to a Hospice facility, so we knew her time was near the end, and for some reason, I began to picture her as she entered the presence of her Lord, and how she would soon have the chance to worship Him in person. This morning, on her birthday, she lost that battle with cancer. She left behind a body that was full of disease, that couldn't support her, that was full of pain, and entered the presence of the Perfect One, the Healer, the Creator.
I need you to know that that is what keeps me going. It's called hope. I grow weary of the fight, the things that go with it, never giving up, but just weary sometimes. It has become part of my life, and for the most part, something that I don't overly dwell on, but at the same time, it never goes away. However, through it all I stand on the hope that comes only from a relationship with Jesus. I know that in the good and in the bad times, He is with me, He never changes, He is enough to see me through. This is just life on earth, wonderful at times, but nothing compared to what is in store for us in Heaven. I am sad at the loss of our aunt, but so very happy that she is whole and complete and with Jesus.
As an update, I am in the third week of this seventh round of chemo. I started school last week, still job sharing the position but with a new partner, and really like my class of 26 kids. I'm feeling well, overall, with no new side effects but several regular ones that are irritating, and an overlying feeling of being tired all the time. Matt and I will head to UCSF on September 14th, where I will have CT scans in the morning, and see the good doctor that same afternoon to go over the results as well as those of my blood test. I feel your prayers on a daily basis, and am thankful for those of you who have made me a permanent name on your prayer list. I will ask that those of you that know my husband's family will prayer for his mom and her two sisters as they face the loss of their sister, and for the families as well.
Walking in Hope,
Danene
August 25, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
In the Nick of Time
Hi Friends and Family,
My mom and I were at UCSF yesterday to see the good doctor for a check-in appointment. It was her first time to meet him, and he was in a fun mood. We were just consulting on the results of my latest blood test, which had no new surprises. My thryoid TSH level is even lower now (.01, with a normal range being .3-5), so we are pretty much playing a waiting game for it to fail outright. Apparently there is no rush on our part! The extreme of how my thyroid is acting would explain a few of my side effects, though. He took pretty extensive notes (with the help of another 'trainee') on all of the side effects I had this last time, and again they are all expected, just varying from time to time in the degree. I also took the CD of my last scans, which he hadn't seen yet. We looked at them together-very strange as it is like you are looking at yourself through the middle from head to toe lengthwise. It took awhile to get the perspective, but my mom and I finally figured it out, and saw the little specks in my lungs. The doctor was glad to see the scans for himself, as he thinks they don't look as badly as the report led him to believe. In fact, he thinks that the larger 'irregular opacity' might not even be a tumor, but an infection. The next scans in 6 weeks will be very interesting to compare. So...I start my 7th round of chemo (9 full months, now) on Thursday. I was also told, and expected to hear, that the year mark is not a magical number. It's a wait and see time as to what will come after that. God is good, as I was prepared to hear that.
My mom and I went to the Ferry Building after the appointment, as it was gorgeous, walking-around-in-shirtsleeves weather. In San Francisco, I can park free in most places with my handicapped placard, so we found a place on the street, checked that it was okay with the parking gal who rides around in the little cart giving out tickets, and left, not needing to buy a metered tag for the windshield. Well, after we ate and checked out the shops in the Ferry Building, we were strolling back towards the car with our Peet's, and I look ahead and saw that my car and all the others around it were surrounded my tow trucks! Now to get to the car, I had to cross a double-wide street with a train running through the middle of it. I made it to the last part, but the traffic light would not change, and only my car was left for them to tow...and they were loading it up! Finally, the cars passed, and even though the light hadn't changed, I went running. I told the officer in charge what the situation was, and he informed me that the magical hour of 3:00 had passed, and all cars were towed after that time...and that it was posted on the place where you buy your pass, and on street signs. Well, I shared (very respectfully) that I had checked with the meter gal, and that since I hadn't needed to buy one of those passes, I didn't know the magical time, and the sign nearby was hidden in the trees. I really hadn't seen it! He was very firm, but also very gracious. He told me I would get my car, and no ticket, but to be aware the next time. Folks, my car was already hooked to the truck and they were ready to drive away when I ran up. God is so good. Without even knowing, my mom and I were in the right place in the nick of time to avoid who knows what hassles that would have resulted. I have been thanking Him ever since. Isn't this proof that He cares for even the details in our lives?
Humbly,
Danene
August 4, 2009
My mom and I were at UCSF yesterday to see the good doctor for a check-in appointment. It was her first time to meet him, and he was in a fun mood. We were just consulting on the results of my latest blood test, which had no new surprises. My thryoid TSH level is even lower now (.01, with a normal range being .3-5), so we are pretty much playing a waiting game for it to fail outright. Apparently there is no rush on our part! The extreme of how my thyroid is acting would explain a few of my side effects, though. He took pretty extensive notes (with the help of another 'trainee') on all of the side effects I had this last time, and again they are all expected, just varying from time to time in the degree. I also took the CD of my last scans, which he hadn't seen yet. We looked at them together-very strange as it is like you are looking at yourself through the middle from head to toe lengthwise. It took awhile to get the perspective, but my mom and I finally figured it out, and saw the little specks in my lungs. The doctor was glad to see the scans for himself, as he thinks they don't look as badly as the report led him to believe. In fact, he thinks that the larger 'irregular opacity' might not even be a tumor, but an infection. The next scans in 6 weeks will be very interesting to compare. So...I start my 7th round of chemo (9 full months, now) on Thursday. I was also told, and expected to hear, that the year mark is not a magical number. It's a wait and see time as to what will come after that. God is good, as I was prepared to hear that.
My mom and I went to the Ferry Building after the appointment, as it was gorgeous, walking-around-in-shirtsleeves weather. In San Francisco, I can park free in most places with my handicapped placard, so we found a place on the street, checked that it was okay with the parking gal who rides around in the little cart giving out tickets, and left, not needing to buy a metered tag for the windshield. Well, after we ate and checked out the shops in the Ferry Building, we were strolling back towards the car with our Peet's, and I look ahead and saw that my car and all the others around it were surrounded my tow trucks! Now to get to the car, I had to cross a double-wide street with a train running through the middle of it. I made it to the last part, but the traffic light would not change, and only my car was left for them to tow...and they were loading it up! Finally, the cars passed, and even though the light hadn't changed, I went running. I told the officer in charge what the situation was, and he informed me that the magical hour of 3:00 had passed, and all cars were towed after that time...and that it was posted on the place where you buy your pass, and on street signs. Well, I shared (very respectfully) that I had checked with the meter gal, and that since I hadn't needed to buy one of those passes, I didn't know the magical time, and the sign nearby was hidden in the trees. I really hadn't seen it! He was very firm, but also very gracious. He told me I would get my car, and no ticket, but to be aware the next time. Folks, my car was already hooked to the truck and they were ready to drive away when I ran up. God is so good. Without even knowing, my mom and I were in the right place in the nick of time to avoid who knows what hassles that would have resulted. I have been thanking Him ever since. Isn't this proof that He cares for even the details in our lives?
Humbly,
Danene
August 4, 2009
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