the countdown has begun...

Hey all - wow, it's been a while since I posted last!! A lot has happened since then! Well, I had rounds #8 and 9 of chemo...round #8 threw me for a loop and really sent me to bed for a few days. I am grateful that it has taken this long for it to catch up to me, but man, when it did, it was not fun! I still didn't get nauseous or anything, just really really fatigued and achy. Round #8 gave me a migraine, which I have never really had before. I tried to be tough and go out for dinner with a bunch of our friends that night (we had a sitter lined up and I was sooo looking forward to it!), but I ended up not feeling very well at dinner and almost passed out! Yikes...not fun. So, I was pretty nervous going into round #9, which was last week. Mike was going to be gone for teachers convention, so I knew I was going to need more help. Mike's mom came and stayed for the week, which was such a blessing...she was able to take care of the kids while I slept the days away. Even today, which is Tuesday, 6 days after my last treatment, I'm still achy and have a headache...I guess this is to be expected that the fatigue will build up over time.

So, I only have 3 more treatments of chemo to go, then radiation, and then I'm done!! Yay! I'm starting to get anxious about a few things, so these are things that I need prayer for: First, I'm nervous about when I have to go back to work, and how that will go after being off for 6 months...back to nights and juggling work/children/house etc. Secondly, I'm anxious about how radiation is going to go...there is a lot of things not finalized yet because I haven't met with the radiation oncologist yet, but I"m thinking I will have radiation for 4 weeks, 5 days a week of my neck and chest starting in January. This is supposed to cause more fatigue, and because of the area of radiation, puts me at a greater risk for breast cancer in the future...great. So, I get to start having mammograms at the age of 30. Also, the radiation can cause a lot of burning of the esophagus and skin on the chest, so let's hope and pray that doesn't happen. And lastly, I'm still battling with doubt over being fully healed after all of this...every pain in my chest is starting to make me freak out to the point where I feel like I'm having a panic attack....crazy how your brain can mess with you!!!

Anyways, sorry to vent a little, but I would appreciate more prayers as we are in the home stretch. Thanks!!! :)

The pictures are from Monday when I went to the zoo - our zoo here in Milwaukee is absolutely gorgeous in the fall. Have a great week!

Quote

So I was reading the newsletter from Mike's old high school today, and the principal (who also happens to be the dad of one of our friends) was just diagnosed with CLL (lymphoma of a different kind than mine). He had this quote from Henry Blackaby in his newletter and I thought I would share it with you all - it really hits home.

"I have come to the place in my life that, if the assignment I sense God is giving me is something that I know I can handle, I know it probably is not from God.
The kind of assignments God gives in the Bible are always God-sized. They are always beyond what people can do, because He wants to demonstrate His nature, His strength, His provision and His kindness to His people and to a watching world. This is the only way the world will come to know Him."

I hope and pray that all of you can see that my strength, my hope and all of the provisions in my life are from God and God alone - none of it is my own doing. Have a great weekend everyone!