Paging Dr. Ethan…
He got a lesson on how to give a tummy shot since I refuse to give myself a shot. Not sure who was more scared, him or me. hehe j/k He actually didn’t do bad at all! After he got over the fear of hurting me and the “I’m gonna pass out” look across his face, he injected my tummy and it was done! We’ll see how he does today without Dr. Dad in the house…
ps. I should’ve screamed or grabbed his hand right before he got near me just to break the ice 
I’m thankful to be home and recovering just in time for Thanksgiving.
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I am thankful for the Bible verses that were important to my mom, that I can hold on to today as I face a major and life changing surgery. From the very beginning of my cancer journey, which has been very short thus far, God has been gracious to allow me to experience this journey with my mom even though she’s been gone for 11 years. The verse that she held on to during her own journey still resonates within me since the first week after my own diagnosis.
Now as I sit with her Bible, I find the only verses that are highlighted and bookmarked since she last used it many years ago. It’s as if she knew that I would one day pick up her Bible to find those verses.
Psalm 37:3-5 (NIV)
3 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him and He will do this.
As I face the days beyond surgery/recovery and cancer, I will hold on to three things.
PS. By the time you are reading this (auto-scheduled) blog post, I will hopefully be out of surgery and recovering in my room for the night. Thank you for the prayers and love everyone has shown my family and especially me.
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Click here to view the Ormeo’s Thank-full 2011 edition
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I am thankful for the “Night of Worship” with Watermark Church. It was just what my heavy heart needed. This week as my family and I prepare for surgery, I can’t help but worry about how my family and home will flow as I recover, and more importantly where God will take us from here.
But as I listened to each song, I was reminded that God is who He says He is and will never falter.
“Oh my God He will not delay. My refuge and strength always. I will not fear, His promise is true. My God will come through always. I lift my eyes up, my help comes from the Lord.”
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Click here to view the Ormeo’s Thank-full 2011 edition
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I forgot I don’t like Gatorade. But now I have definitely been reminded.
Today I am so thankful for two things…yes two in one day because I was so excited about it! First thing I’m thankful for is the warm and toasty blanket they give you at the hospital that’s fresh from the warmer…it’s so cozy when you’re waiting forever! and second thing I’m thankful for today…eeeks YAY!…wait for it….I remembered to shave the part of my arm they stick the IV in and load up with tape! You don’t know how thankful and excited that made me (and my hairy arm)!! hahah oh what a difference it makes when it’s time to take the IV out.
Toasty blanket + shaved arm + 4 hr IV infusion = HAPPY JOYCE!
Thank you Lord for the little things =)
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Click here to view the Ormeo’s Thank-full 2011 edition
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I’m thankful for a great CT scan. Even if doctors still have to wait till after surgery for a final pathology report, I am grateful that there isn’t anything out of the ordinary that we have to worry about prior to surgery next week.
It’s awesome how God knows just how much we can handle and when we can handle it. Through out the last few weeks, things come to us piece by piece. I know God doesn’t want us to worry and wants us to completely trust Him, but He knows just how much I can handle and that I need little absurd things to freak out without being overwhelmed or crushed.
Really, if you knew the little things that I stress about, you would laugh because I worry about the stuff that doesn’t even matter…like the CT scan smoothie (NASTY NASTY stuff), my arm getting a free wax every time they put medical tape to hold IVs in place…I know, I know, petty worries when I could worry about bigger things.
This week my worry is the daily shots on my stomach that Toots will have to give me for 10-14 days after my surgery. I REFUSE to administer them to myself! Ya hear that medical community???? K someone needs to tell my doctors and nurses that. ugh!
For someone who HATES needles and shots and blood work, I sure have seen more of it in the last couple of months than most people do in their lifetime!
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Click here to view the Ormeo’s Thank-full 2011 edition
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I am so thankful that God has provided me with a great oncologist. For the couple of weeks we had to wait for a referral, we always prayed that God would give us a great oncologist (and not just have to settle for one) that would be able to the right procedure quickly. I was secretly praying for the robotic hysterectomy because of all the positive reviews I have read and heard from others, compared to the traditional abdominal hysterectomy.
God knew just the right oncologist to give me. Dr. Buckley is one of the main oncologists/surgeons that perform the da Vinci Hysterectomy at our local hospital. This news clip is of him talking about Gynecologic Awareness month, which was back in September (I didn’t even know they had that!) and the robotic procedure. At my first appointment with him, before I could even ask about the robotic surgery, he started our conversation off with why he didn’t see a reason why he couldn’t do the robotic surgery! What a relief and definitely an answer to prayer!
So we continue to pray that the surgery will proceed as planned on November 22nd and the entire surgery will be successfully completed using the da Vinci robot. It’s still major surgery and any type of surgery is scary, but I have to admit, the machine looks pretty cool! It kind of reminds me of Dr. Octopus from Spiderman 2.
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Remember how the other day I was in panic mode because of CT scan contrast drink? Well I did manage to down most of both bottles within a decent amount of time (decent enough even though one of the nurses kept telling me to hurry up and chug it down…YUCK!). AND I downed it without it making a reappearance (with lots and lots of prayers with every gulp)!
What was cool though was the nurses that God placed in that morning shift! The first 3 nurses that worked with me all recognized Toots from church and playing in the worship band. It was funny because he was like a local celebrity! hahah j/k But I did have to be on my best behavior and not be a whiner since they go to our church =} It was nice to feel the comfort of familiarity even though I didn’t know or recognize the nurses. Guess it was God’s way of giving me a huge hug the entire day!
The IV nurse was nice enough to let me keep my IV line that they used for the CT scan so that I don’t have to get poked again for the iron infusion appointment that I had right after my CT scan. Now THAT was the LONGEST ‘lunch’ ever…
Somehow I was given the wrong info when they were scheduling my infusions. I was told the infusion would take 2 hrs then I could go. ummm No. Infusions towards the end of the 6-8 weeks of treatment will eventually dwindle down to 2 hrs. However the first dose would take 4-5 hrs. But of course that is based on when the drip actually starts. So we were there from 9am – 4:30pm! But I did get in much needed (involuntary) naps due to the meds they give before they start the iron infusion.
I really did freak out for nothing. CT scan really wasn’t all that bad even with the nasty smoothies. And how does anyone complain about a long infusion when you get to squeeze in naps? I did however, because of all the freak out I did the day before and the morning of my appointments, forget to shave the part in my arm they like to cover with mucho mucho tape. Even the nurse was laughing at me and said I really should do that since I’m having to do this weekly. At least the last tape they used was paper tape, which is way better than the monster hospital tape they used for the actual IV.
This morning I woke up in a frenzy and panic. I sat up in bed partly ready to hyperventilate as I was thinking through my hematology appointment today and a CT scan tomorrow. As I sat there for a few minutes trying to find the courage to get out of bed, I receive a text message from a number that wasn’t in my phone.
I am thankful for the messages God sends through other people to remind me He is always there. I totally picture God laughing and getting a kick out of my surprise text this morning. He’s got a sense of humor and He laughs at me a lot…God knows what I need even before I do, and I definitely needed that text this morning
Job 37:5 (NIV)
5 God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; He does great things beyond our understanding.
ps. I’m not worried about the CT scan in the way you might be thinking. Well maybe a little but you know what my hang up is?? That nasty contrast stuff you have to drink! UGH! The thought of it makes me gag, I remember my mom having to drink two bottles of it for one of her CT scans. I’m a wimp when it comes to food and beverage, sometimes I wish I was like Ethan and Toots when it comes to food (trust me, only sometimes…like once in a blue-never sometimes). I’m too picky hehe
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Click here to view the Ormeo’s Thank-full 2011 edition
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