A new day

A new day...a new way to look at things.

Yesterday I had to go for a phlebotomy, and after trying 4 veins and getting only 50cc
of the needed 250cc the nurses decided to call it quits. My veins it seems, are old and tired. Like the rest of me some days.

While I was there, a nurse called my hemotologist's nurse and she said an appointment would be set up for me soon to have a Picc line put in. This gives long term access to a vein near the heart and the sight for putting that in is usually the upper arm. You nurses will know what I'm talking about.

I've known this was coming, so why did it affect me the way it did? Because while we say we know something might 'some day' come, when it's reality, it's a different story.

While I was at the cancer center, I commented to the nurse that all you have to do is look around to find someone in worse shape than you are. Her answer to me was "but then again, most cancers are treated and people go on with their lives ... when you have a chronic, life-long condition, it's often harder to deal with" ...

Chronic and life-long ... that's what I have, two conditions actually. Sometimes I wish that chemo or radiation could help them. Then I could get on with my life!

But it is what it is and while I've prayed and asked God to take them away, or at least make them less bothersome, the answer I get is that His grace is sufficient. And I can honestly say that I am learning that for perhaps the first time in my life. And it isn't my life I need to get on with either...it's living to bring glory to Him. That's all that matters. When I am weak, then I am strengthened with His grace and that's all I need.

Today is a new day...His mercies are new this morning! He gives strength for us when we need it, not before. And how would we ever know we need it, if we weren't weak?

Blessings friends! We're almost Home.

Prayer need...

Another prayer need:

My cousin David and his son Jason. Jason has severe lupus and has been hospitalized for the past two months, getting home yesterday. He's a young man, unable to work due to health issues.

Prayer needs

Additional prayer requests:

Don in Ky - Going to a doctor in Lexington today, Oct. 14, think he may have had a stroke
(This is my Mom's brother-in-law)

Mildren in Indiana - Having another skin graft on her leg
(Mom's half-sister)

Norma in Kentucky - Dealing with cervical cancer

Brian in Michigan - Admitted to hospice - Dementia; pray for his wife Pauline also

I'm back, thank the good Lord.

Dear Ones,

What a journey I've been on since I last wrote anything.

As some of you know, I suffered a stroke, actually bilateral strokes, on July 10. The day I came home from the hospital from the first time I had been there. I was admitted on July 5 for the pain. On July 7 I had a scope put into my stomach to see what was going on there...turned out I had non-erosive gastritis; then the spinal nerve block on July 8 to help with the foot pain (and it did, praise the Lord!).

I was released July 10, had been home about 3 hours, and while my husband went to the market I called my Mom. And just like that, I couldn't talk....it happened so quickly. She knew what was happening, and called our son Shawn who lives just 4 houses from us. He called 911 and then went to get his Dad. His wife stayed here with me.

The next thing I knew the fire rescue squad was here and they took me to a local hospital. I was transferred last that night to Henry Ford Hospital downtown. I can remember some things, others not so much.

An MRI was done late Sunday nite and it showed bilateral strokes, with things going every-which way in my brain. I couldn't talk and my right side was affected...I didn't know the severity of it and I'm glad I didn't.

There is so much I could write and perhaps I will, later on. I am blessed to tell you that I have regained my speech, albeit slowly at times. But that' s okay...slow is good. My speech therapist said that we have a tendency to talk too fast anyway. After leaving the main hospital, I was transferred to Wyandotte Rehab and spent a full week there. Most of my body has returned...some parts are numb and weak, but I can live with that also. "When we are weak, then He is strong" ... I've truly learned what that means.

As I said, there is much I could write, but mostly I want to share prayer requests with you:

#1. My neighbor, MaryAnn, is battling 3 types of cancer
#2. Tony & his wife Margaret & their daughters ... a rough family situation
#3. My nephew Jason...is still on drugs, please ask the Lord to free him and bring him to faith in Christ.

I will close for now. Hope you are all well.
Blessings!

Thursday

It's been a difficult day ... severe headache pain and I've not taken Lyrica since yest. morning .. wondering if that was the cause after all ... I just don't know anymore ... am so very tired again ... didn't sleep well last nite ... will call neurologist tomorrow & see if I can get in to see her next week ... having difficulty eating again ... not much of an appetite, nothing sounds good today.

Will it be this way forever? That's what it feels like right now. I'm just weary.

Thank you for praying for me.

Wednesday

Not doing too well today ... much pain from headache. I talked with neurologist earlier and she said Lyrica can cause headaches and told me to stop taking it.

Foot pain is worse also this week. Just when you begin to think things are easing up, something else comes along. Why? I don't know. Probably never will know this side of heaven.

Hope you are all well. My love to you all. I'm going to lie down for awhile.

Tuesday afternoon

Hi all,

Just to let you know I'm still around. Had a good week-end then yesterday and today I'm dealing with a bit more pain.

Anyone out there know if Lyrica causes headaches? How about Vicodin? Does that cause them? Not sure what's going on, just that I'm having headaches daily and I'm not a headache person. I have a call in to the neurologist and will talk with her about it when she calls. The headaches didn't start until after I began Lyrica.

Hope this finds you all well and enjoying the weather. I'm going to go lie down for a while.

Thank you again for praying for me.