Day 188

Well Hello! I am so happy to be able to finally write and tell you that I have completed the high dose chemo and have received my stem cells back! I would have written during the time in the hospital, but it was a lot more than I really expected. I was pretty sick during the high dose chemo and also had a allergic reaction to an antibiotic that was infused. I was connected to an iv contraption on wheels that was connected to my CVC catheter in my chest the entire time. I had so many types of medicines being infused everyday all day that sometimes I slept all day except when my Mom or sister in law would try to get me to eat something. After the chemo I lost my taste buds and everything smells and tastes like perfume so I cannot stomach a lot of things. I know now what it is/was to be a baby and how they do not likes many things and have to eat pretty bland foods and drinks. Most smells nauseate me, but it is getting better each day. I wanted to thank each and everyone who have been there for me either encouraging me and checking on me.💜 I could have never made it without you and your support! My Mom, sister in law Louetta, my husband Roland, Dad and Patsy and Trish Cummins were there for me everyday or every other day helping me to get through this storm and I will forever be indebted to you!😇 I love y'all so much!❤
God is so good and I am grateful for His grace and mercy. He is in control of this am I am in complete Faith that He has my back and will bring me ALL the way through! There is a purpose for this and I am sure in time I will understand what and why I have gone through this someday. Thank you Lord for everyday that I get to share here on earth! 🙏
I got out of the hospital on July 4th...what a great celebration that was for me!🇺🇸 I am currently at the apartment close to the hospital until my doctor releases me to go home and recuperate until my 100 day check up. I have been to a few appointments for check ups and I am doing good except that my calcium level is high. My doctor has been in vacation this week so I will find out next week what we will be doing for the situation. I can't wait to go home. Thank you again for being such caring friends! 🌺 I will try to write to update sooner this next time! Have a Blessed Day!

Day 153

All of the stem collection is completed. I had written a blog and I hit it erased all of it several days ago. I am blogging from my phone.
I went home for my Birthday and for Haylee's graduation on May 31st. It was great and I had a wonderful and emotional weekend. I am so proud of her and so blessed to have such great family and friends. This is what it is all about.
They (MD Anderson) did the random draw to see which method if the chemo I will be getting. I got the long draw which is the new research where they give me Busulfan and Mephlan and it takes about a week longer in administering the drugs then going back and doing the transplant (giving cells back.)
I started the test dose this morning at 8am and will be here until 10pm. They have an IV for the hourly blood draws they are doing to see how my body is reacting with the drug Busulfan. They have already administered the chemo (Busulfan) and will continue to take vitals and blood until 10pm. After they gather all blood and data they will go back and custom make my doses that I will receive next week during the high dose chemo portion of this process.
I will be admitted to the hospital on Tuesday...I will get my room and unload my clothes since i will be here for 3to 4 weeks. I then will go down to Beauty Shop and shave off the rest of my hair since they told me once the high dose chemo starts I cannot go to Beauty Shop because of health risks. The final thing for that day will be to hydrate me by IV fluids. I will up date as I go along.
Thank you everyone for the continued prayers. I so grateful for all of you!❤
Lord, please watch over my friends and family as they go about their day to day work and/or places they will go. Lead me to the people You want me to encounter and give me Your words and/or thoughts. I want to be the best steward for You. Thank You for Your grace and mercy.
In Jesus Christ name
Amen

Day 131

Since I last posted I have still been collecting stem cells each day. The first day of collection I collected 1.6 million stem cells which was good, but the second day I only collected .74 so Dr Korbling called in for a medication (shot) of a drug called Mozobil. He first had to get BCBS approval since each shot is approximately an arm and a leg per shot. $16,000-$18,000 per shot. The nurses and the doctor told me what they have seen in Multiple Myeloma patients is that when they go from a high stem cell collection to a much lower collection like what had happened to me is that it only goes lower each day being that it already hit it's peak and only declines more. My body needed something to push the cells out of the marrow and the drug Mozobil was going to be the answer. It was approved and I got the first shot Friday night. The shot made me very sick and I was up all night miserable.
I have to check blood counts every morning to determine whether or not they will give me Neupogen shot or shots 45 minutes before collection, this is determined by my white blood count. The next thing I do is I get hooked up and am on the stem cell collection machine for @ 4 hours. I had my second shot last night and it was even worse! I was and am so miserable all last night and right now it's hard to bare. My stomach is cramping and twisting so much I will be so glad when this cell collection is over and I can just get some real rest.
I have known that I would not feel good a lot of the time while going through this healing process, it's just now so real!
I have met so many people here going the same thing I am going through and will be praying for them and their families all along the way and on in the future. Definitely I am blessed to live even as close as I do to MD Anderson because some people are here from all over America and have to sacrifice so much just to even get to be here, besides having to fight the fight if their lives to get to live. This hospital is one of the best in the world and I feel so fortunate to be able to be treated here. Thank you Lord for your favor in allowing me to be here and be with the best doctors and nurses in the world. When I feel a little better and am off this machine I would like to tell you more about some of the people I have met here and their stories of how they found out their diagnosis and found their way to MD Anderson. It is amazing how God works! He is truly Awesome!
Thank you for your continued prayers, I so appreciate them and your love. I thank You Lord for my Mom and my Sister in law, without them I could not make it each day! They are so wonderful, caring and loving and have so much patience. I just thank You for them!
I ask this in Your Sons precious name .
Amen

Day-127 Collection of Stem Cells

Well hello! I have been so busy here at MD Anderson doing tests from 7:30 am til around 5:30pm each day that I am so worn out by the time I finish, all I do is eat and go to sleep. Today I started the collection of my stem cells. I am in the Aphresis department at MD Anderson hooked up to this machine that circulates my blood then separates out my stem cells. I will be connected here for four hours each day of collection. I am not sure how many days will collect for, but probably four or five days. After this I will get a rest week for my body to recover.
I feel pretty good so far. It is cold or I am cold with my body circulating my blood out and through a machine and back into my body.
I am going to rest while this Maxine does its work. Thank you for continued prayers.

Day 116

I have been doing tests and re-tests all this week at MD Anderson. I met with my doctor, Dr Nina Shah and she said that she may change up the program and start giving me chemo as soon as next week😂 Needless to say I am not a fan of that idea. I had a bone marrow biopsy done last week, Thursday and the results from that will determine whether she gives me chemo before I do my stem cell collection or not.

I am praying that I have gotten almost or all of the Myeloma out of my marrow and follow the original plan of action and time frame. My next meeting with Dr Shah is this Wednesday. I have more tests all week again and I get my port implanted on Friday morning. I will start getting Nupagen shots on Friday as well. Going forward my journey becomes more challenging. I have had my wonderful sister in law, Louetta with me the whole week and I so thankful for her! She is definitely a blessing!

I will update more during the week as I get the news. I had trouble with the post last week. It didn't publish until Tuesday when I had posted on Friday. I will double check to make sure it publishes right after I post.

Thank you for your continued prayers.
Lord-
Thank You for Your love and understanding. Please continue to guide me in the direction in which You want me to go. I pray for continued knowledge and wisdom for the doctors and nurses who are working with me and other patients at MD Anderson. Thank You for my complete healing in advance and everyone who has helped me during this challenging time. I pray You would bless them. You are truly an amazing God! I pray all of this in your precious son's name, Jesus Christ.
Amen

Day 108

Wow! Today was a wonderful day! I was so touched by everyone that attended the benefit. I am so grateful for such caring and loving friends. It was awesome! I can't thank everyone enough for the kindness.
I finished up my fifth round of chemo and am ready to begin my journey/the stem cell transplant. Monday I will begin this process at MD Anderson. I will be staying in apartment very close to the hospital since they said I need to be within 10 to 15 minutes to it. The whole stem cell transplant process will take about 8 weeks with a lot of tests at first then collecting the stem cells, freezing them, getting the high dose chemo, transplanting the stem cells back into my body and then waiting for my immune system and cells to start working again. I will be staying in the hospital during the time from when they give me the high dose chemo and will stay until my body and immune system are working. Even after I get out I have to stay at the apartment close by for approximately another two or three weeks. When I go home I have to stay away from the public for about 90 days. All of this time I have to have a caregiver with me 24/7. So that about sums up the stem cell process. I am going to lose my hair and will not feel good some of the time. I am so looking forward to the final outcome of being completely healed and being able to get back to somewhat if a normal life. This has been trying and I couldn't have made it this far without my friends, my family and The Lord! I have a ways to go and will update regularly since I will not be able to work during this part of the journey.
Lord,
Thank you for giving me such wonderful and loving friends. Thank you for the sun shining today. It was beautiful! Thank you for the healing. Thank you for this journey through this wonderful life.
In Your precious sons name, Amen.

Day 91-Last Round Before Transplant

Today went really fast because I had so much to do. First off I had to drop my puppy at the Animal Clinic to get neutered. Blessing knew he was doing something very serious. He wasn't playful like he has been the two times when I drop him off at groomers. I wanted to cry. Poor little baby boy. Once I got him settled there I ran by office to do a few things then run out to look at work orders for proposals. Had lunch with a great Manager and friend. I really am so thankful for my friends, they are helping me through this time with encouragement. Shortly after l had a Doctors appoint where we started my 5th round of chemo before the stem cell transplant. I also got a bag of Zometa, CBC, and met with Dr. A. He told me this would be the last round before stem cell transplant and that after this round I will be in Dr Shah's hands at MD Anderson until the whole transplant process is over and she has me go back to him for maintenance. I finished up there at 4:30 and went home where Roland had just picked up our baby boy from the animal clinic. Blessing is pretty groggy still and he just wants to lay around and sleep. All in all it was a very successful day today.
Lord-
Thank you for this glorious day. Thank you for guiding me through the day. I pray for my friends that are fighting this battle with cancer.
For Dawn Jonas who is doing her stem cell transplant at this time in San Antonio. Heal her body completely from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Be with her and comfort her. Be with her family also comforting and making sure everything is taken care of during this whole process.
Heal and adjust Jo Edwards enzymes to a completely normal level. We know you have healed her and thank you in advance for lining her body up fully.
Please bring Roland's sugar level down and help him with his will power in eating the foods that will get h to a normal level.
I love You, praise You and ask You in Your precious Son's name...Amen. ❤

Day 90 - Getting Ready for Stem Cell Transplant

I have been so busy with all that I have to do before my transplant process that I have neglected updating my blog and I am sorry for that.
Since I last blogged I finished my 4th round of chemo and tomorrow will be starting my 5th and final round before my stem cell transplant. I will also finish my last round of Revlamid on April 30th because I have to be off Revlamid for at least two weeks before they can collect any of my stem cells. I will start the process of running tests and prepping on May 6th and continue up til May 20th when they will collect my stem cells over a week. After I finish collection I have to rest for a week which I will get to go home and also get to go to graduation .... Yay! I have been hoping I would get to see Haylee walk across and graduate especially because its on my birthday also. She is excited that we all get to be together.
Our dear friend Mark has graciously offered us one of his units to use during the 8 weeks. We are so grateful for his thoughtfulness and generosity. We will make the unit ready completely both for my stay and for the next renter for the unit. I can't express how grateful I am and this also shows how God takes care if everything. I have been stocking up on items that I will need and not be able to run out to the store and get once I am released from hospital and after I go home. I will have to stay at home away from the public and confined to my house. I have so much to do before May 6th. I am falling asleep as I write this so I will go for now and try to write tomorrow too. I took a.Benadryl to help with the allergic reaction from the Revlamid and now am very sleepy. Thank you for all of your prayers and support.
Lord,
Thank You for Your grace and mercy. Thank You for always having my back. Thank You for leading and guiding me in the way You want me to go. I praise You and give You all the glory. Amen

Day 70 - Testing for Stem Cell Transplant

I am finally back! I have had so much go on. I recently did all of my initial tests at MD Anderson. I did all of the tests I had done in November and December along with additional tests on my heart and lungs completed to send to Blue Cross Blue Shield to get approval for the stem cell transplant. I received a phone call from my assigned RN from Blue Cross Blue Shield, she indicated that they assign her to the patient once they are approved for the transplant, so I guess I am approved for the transplant. I will feel better once I get the letter from BCBS officially. The RN said she is there to help in getting me everything i need through the process in working with Blue Cross Blue Shield. My tentative start date is May 6th, but I will find out for sure April 15. I think I am going to call my physicians assistant tomorrow and find out if possible. I have to have a place to stay within 10 minutes of the hospital since some of this will be out patient. I called some apartments for a short term lease and each month before furniture, electric, water and other necessities was $2,555.00 per month. I looked into the hotel that is connected to MD Anderson called Rotary House owned by Marriot which only allows MDA patients and their family members to stay. The cost for a room with 2 queen beds a kitchenette and a small table and chairs is $134.00 a night which really isn't bad at all except I need to rent for 56 days. It's all going to work out...I just know it! I will feel more comfortable being that close to the hospital not to mention I will not have to worry about driving to and from anywhere.
I receive a mini manual and a CD manual in everything I need to know about the transplant. My wonderful girls at my office Nancy and Brenda printed the CD manual out for me and put it in a binder so I can refer back to it all during the day. It is overwhelming how much I have to know. We took a class with an instructor last week on Transplantation. Roland, Linda (my Mom) Louetta (my sister in-law), Roxi and Johnny Bernardo took the caregivers class which had an instructor / psychiatrist that only took the caregivers and the patient cannot attend. No one that attended could have ever had cancer either. I will have to have a caregiver with me 24/7 during out patient times and when I leave to go back home. I also will be back to " newborn status" where I will have every single immunization that I have ever had in my entire life since birth.
I will be shaving my head right before i am admitted to the hospital or the week of collection of my stem cells to avoid the depression of seeing it fall out in hand dulls. The manual even recommends it as well. I will give my hair to Locks of love.
Yesterday I started my fourth round of chemo back at Dr. Abramowitz's office at Hermann Memorial. They are going to keep me on chemo and all of the iother medicines until my transplant. I am so excited that I went from 80 percent Multiple Myeloma cells in my bone marrow to only 10 percent in it since starting treatment January 15th, 2013. I am looking forward to the day I am completely clear. God has had his hand in this entire wild event. I am just curious why, but I know I will serve Him and praise Him through it all because He does have a plan for me and someone He wants me to run into or help from this journey. .

Lord, I love you! I can't thank you enough for everything that has taken place. You have plans and a future for me and I am excited to wake up each day and be apart of this wonderful glorious world that you put me in. Continue to guide me and direct me in the way you want me to go. Please lift up all my friends who are still battling this terrible disease and comfort the families and friends that need comforting. Give me the wisdom and knowledge that I need to go through each day fighting the battle and still working full time right now. Lord, you are so awesome! I ask this in Your precious son's name, Jesus name, Amen.

Here's a pic from yesterday getting my meds at Dr. A's office.

Day 51 - Happy Days

So it's been 8 days since my last post...a lot has gone on. I went with my friend Stephanie to look at wigs and what a fun and hilarious time we had! We were only going to try on 3 and then the girl who ran the store, another lady in the store, Stephanie and myself got into it and began trying quite a few on. I have picked out 3 to buy so I will have a variety to chose from daily! I will need these after my Stem Cell Transplant. I will lose all my hair, but this will be so worth it! I WILL become Cancer Free! Can't wait for that day to be here! I worked the rest of the week and had chemo on Friday...Haylee was on a field trip with her EMT class and after visiting the Spring Branch Fire Department they went to the Mall at Memorial City which is connected with the crosswalk that leads right to my Doctors office so she met me at my appointment.that was great because I got to show her around the office and afterwards we grabbed a bite then made our way home. Saturday was filled with housework and laundry. Sunday was a
great day at church with a great message on how God only responds to faith and when asking for miracles and blessings we should be specific in what we ask.
Monday I had a busy day with work then an event with CAI for the Premium Partners and new Business Partners. It turned out good and felt great to see people I haven't seen in two months. Tuesday was busy with work then back to Doctors office where I did the whole round of tests and of course chemo. Wednesday today was busy with work, eye doctor visit the I went to HAA Ambassadors where again I saw people at that group that I haven't seen in a couple if months. I figured I wanted to see people and friends before I go into the hospital where I will be there for at least a month then when I get out I won't be able to leave the house for few months while my body rebuilds its immune system after being zapped with unbelievable doses of chemo to kill off any and all of the Multiple Myeloma left in my body...putting back the good stem cells they took out and froze then waiting for my body to build back up. I know I will be blogging every day when I go into MD Anderson...definitely! Working full time and everything else i do daily then coming home doing things I do when I get home... I usually fall asleep sitting straight up!!
I wanted to catch you up on everything. Thank you and continue to pray for Gods
will to be done.
Lord,
Thank you for the opportunity to seek you each and everyday. Seeing and being a part of this wonderful life here is such a blessing. I ask for You to continue to lead me and guide me in the way You want me to go doing Your will. I love you and ask this in your precious son's name, Amen.

Day 43-Still Feeling Great!

Hi and I am sorry for the delay in blogging....I think I now can finally do this from my computer.  I have been having a time trying to get to my blogger from my laptop.  I think I got it now.  I created by mistake another blog thingy and it has been a small nightmare fixing what I did, LOL!

This past week has been super busy with work, HLSR BBQ Cook Off for our clients and then taking Jesse to meet his Sargent for the Army on Sunday.  Monday I got to see him inducted at the MEPS builiding off of San Jacinto in Houston.  That is pretty exciting and I am sure he is a little nervous since they were leaving out to go to the airport and then to Ft. Jackson, South Carolina for boot camp right afterwards.  Jesse is such a wonderful person and has always been a great child.  I wish him all of the best and I will be praying for him each and every day for safety, strength,wisdom and knowledge.

Today was the beginning of my third round of chemo and I am still feeling great!  I did my CBC and I have some of my blood counts are even back up in the normal ranges and that makes me so happy!  Dr. Abramowitz said that I have gotten about 60 percent of the Multiple Myeloma out of my system. He gave me another graph that shows where I started and where I am now.  It is so exciting to see it.  He thinks I will probably only go this 3rd or possibly 4th round of chemo before the stem cell transplant, but he said it will be up to Dr. Nina Shah at MD Anderson to determine after running all of the tests that are going to be completed on March 18th and 19th.

I got a bag of Zometa (bone medication) and my Velcade (chemo) today at the docs office.  The overall visit was a good visit.  My nurse, Linda was on vacation so I had a substitute nurse named Robin...she was so nice and very pretty too.  Everyone there are like "Angels."  I feel like I am at home!  I met a very nice woman today there while getting my treatments named Kris and they do not know what she has yet.  She found out she was anemic and no matter what she does she can't hold any iron in her body or I think it was the B vitamin also.  They have tried all sorts of remedies and even had her swallow a tiny camera that videos all the way through.  Prayer warriors please pray for this to be a small deficiency of some sort so that she can take something to fix it.

There were so many things that I didn't fully listen to completely and now I listen to every word that comes out of peoples mouths.  I really want to be in "the here and now" when I am talking with someone.  Understanding what others are going through and sharing the good news of Hope, Faith, and Loving the Lord is something I now hold near and dear to my heart and want to share with everyone.  We have so much to be thankful for each and every day.  God is so Good.  He healed my friend Jo Edwards, she got the  news last Tuesday that she is CANCER FREE!!! Yay!  She is such an inspiration to me and if you get a chance to read her blogs:  cancer2curedjourney.blogspot.com

Dear Lord,
Thank you for your grace and mercy on me.  Thank you for ALL of my wonderful friends and angels that you send my way.  Please lift up my friends that are fighting this battle with cancer and my new friend who doesn't really know what battle it is yet.  Thank you for your miracles and thank you for healing Jo.  Thank you for my mother, for her always being there for me every chance and anytime I need her!  I love my mother and she is my "light!"  My sister-in-law Louetta who has always been there for me and is already planning for the visit to MD Anderson. I love my sis!  Thank you for showing me the areas that I need to grow in You!  Thank you for your precious Son and I love You Lord!  I ask all of this in Jesus Christ name, Amen.  

Day 35-Loving Life

Well hello! I hope all is well with you. I feel more normal this past last week if my 2nd round of chemo than I have the entire time. I can't tell you how that nausea medication really helped me out. It was a real life saver. My doctor gave my referral to MD Anderson for the Stem Cell Transplant. They told me to be expecting a call to set up the initial meeting to get things going with the transplant in setting up with my insurance, etc. It is all becoming so real, just the not knowing everything is what makes me nervous. I am excited to get "cancer free" just the going through the whole process seems like I have a long road. There is a reason for this and I am trusting in The Lord to walk with Him each day through the healing and where He wants me to go i will ho. I am grateful for His mercy and grace.

This week is " no chemo" week! Yay! So I get to rebuild my blood and blood platelets! I still take the steroids and the Revlamid just not the chemo. It is a busy week with work and then our client night at the HLSR BBQ Cook Off on Saturday. On Sunday we take Jesse to check in for his boot camp for the Army. I hope everyone has a great week and I will try to blog as much as I can. Thank you for your prayers! It means so much!

Thank you Lord for all of the prayer warriors. Please bless them in the way You know is best for them. Thank you for the time I have here with You and this wonderful and beautiful world we live in. I love you and praise You! In Your precious name, Amen.

Day-29 Tuesday, February 12

You know I just love Sundays! I love going to my church, Texas Cowboy Church in Orchard, Texas. Great family of friends! I felt pretty good and going to fellowship with everyone there lifts me up even more! Pastor RO Murray had a great message this Sunday...You know it really doesn't matter where you came from...It matters where and how you are going somewhere with God. Trust Him with all your heart. When you ask God to Bless you ask Him to Bless you in the way He wants to Bless you. He knows how and the best way to Bless you. "Bless me oh Lord the way You want."

Oh that you would Bless me indeed and enlarge my territory. Let Your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain. I Chronicles 4;9-11

I thought about that and the way God is Blessing me really is the best way for me. I am finding out really just how Blessed I am. I have so much to be grateful for and am thankful for His mercy. A lot of times we get so busy with just the day to day stuff, work, children, grocery shopping, cooking dinner....at my house it is mostly getting home by 7:00pm or so feeding the animals, eating a little something and get settled in to bed because our days start at 4:00am. So with all the hustle and bustle we forget to spend REAL quality time with The Lord. It is just like you as a parent...you want to spend time with your children enjoying them and teaching them and really knowing your children don't ya?The Lord as our Father wants that time with us and we can do that by reading and studying His word. Roland and I pray every morning together and I have always listened to an audio Bible or listened to a audio message or Christian novels that my my Pastor's wife and I trade back and forth, but until now did I really set aside time to study the Bible except for 15 minutes here and there. I am now making it my goal to spend time each day with Him so that I can understand something's I have questions about but mostly to have a super close relationship with The Lord. There is just so much I have to learn and I am excited!
I feel good and today's Doctor visit went great! The Doctor brought me this graph of the Multiple Myeloma where we started
And where I am now. The Multiple Myeloma has decreased by over 50 percent in my body in the last 3 weeks. He said that was great and we are moving right along and that I am doing good! All my levels in my blood came up a bit which was good too. So, I am happy all the way around.

Thank you for praying for my friends it means a lot. I hope everyday brings you joy and love. Speaking of that Thursday is Valentines Day..maybe send someone you care about some love by maybe calling them and telling them you care about them. I really feel so different than I did before. I always loved people and cared for them, but not like I do now AND I really listen to everything they are saying and are not saying if you know what I mean!

Lord, thank you for friends, fun and laughter! Thank you for Your Blessings Your way! Thank you for discernment too. I love you, in Jesus precious name, Amen

Day 26 - Going Good!

I started my second round of chemo this Tuesday and I think we have it down with the nausea and yucky stuff. I got a bag of the bone medication Zometa given to me through the IV and a bag if the nausea medication Zofran through IV on Tuesday along with my Velcade (chemo) injection. I felt really pretty good afterwards and also on Wednesday. It makes me tired which is to be expected, but I am so glad I didn't feel nauseated like before. When I went for my Velcade shot yesterday I went ahead and took the nausea pill that the doctor gave me. It worked and I had no nausea, YAY! I was sooo tired that I came home and basically went straight to bed at 5:30 pm though. I guess my body just needs the rest to heal itself. So I have another week if the chemo and then round two will be over. I haven't got a meeting set up yet for MD Anderson to meet with the doctor that will be doing my stem cell transplant, but that will come soon enough. I am so thankful that I feel good and am not experiencing what I did in the first round. God is so good!
I have several friends that are going through tests and treatments that I would like you prayer warriors to pray for and I will be praying: Jo - my wonderful friend that has helped me tremendously has finished all 12 rounds of chemo for colon cancer and is now going through her re- testing of everything to make sure she is cancer free. Please pray for a complete healing and great results. She is such an Angel and has been so helpful to me understanding things about cancer and learning about foods to eat, etc. I am so grateful to have her as friend!
Janet- my dear friend that has battled breast cancer and now different cancers that have now tried to bring her down. Please pray for a miracle from God to obliterate the the cancer and to heal her body. Also please pray for comfort for her and also her family since she is now at home and having nurses come to the house to make her more comfortable.
Donald- friend and also our Sr. Vice President if our bank, her is battling Lymphoma and is being treated at MD Anderson three times a week. Please pray for Gods complete healing for his body and that it be a speedy recovery.
I am so grateful for each day that I have and know this was not what I would have thought of to make me appreciate life, friends and family more, but it has made me see that we waste so much time on little things that really do not matter. It's weird changing the way I respond to things from how I used to. I just can't continue to worry about stuff that us not going to fulfill the things that REALLY matter. Live, Love and Laugh....that really does mean so much now. I love my family and friends and am so thankful for all of you!
Lord, please watch over all of my friends and family. Also Lord please heal and comfort my friends that are going through cancer treatments or tests. Thank in advance for the healings and Your hand being on them during their trials and or tests. I ask all if this in Jesus Christ name, Amen.

Day 18 - I'm Back! 😃

Well Hello!! Last Saturday I was sick from the chemo all day. Yucky! I tried to get up and do something, but ended up on the couch most of the day. This week has been my off week from chemo shots so I have felt good! I still have been taking my Revlamid pills and the steroids as scheduled.

My Dad and stepmother (Buzzy and Patsy) came in town all the way Alexander City, Alabama to stay, visit and go with me to my doctors appointment . I am so glad they came to visit, it was such a blessing to me and actually ALL of us at my house!!! We love them! They truly are so caring and loving, I have missed them and this made me realize just how much I need that "family" time with them. The visit was too short but I am just so glad to have gotten to spend time with them. I got a prescription for nausea medication and
I start back on Chemo on Tuesday so I will let you know how that goes. 😃
Tonight is our Texas Cowboy Church Annual Chili Supper held at the Rosenberg Civic Center from 5-9pm. Chili, desert and drink for $10 for adults children $5. Great Chili, great singers, silent auction, desert auction and fellowship. I am so grateful for my church family. I am not sure that I could make without them. They lift me up and encourage me when I need it most!
Thank you Lord for all of the wonderful people you put in my life!! I am blessed and I am aware that you have a plan for me. I get excited each day to see the surprises you have in store! I love you and pray in Your name, Amen.

Day Nine- Feeling Pretty Good

The Doctors visit yesterday went good. I have him a list of all of the side effects or effects that the flu, etc may have been causing. The doctor still wasn't convinced the whole thing was flu either since it was my first week on chemo. He said if it happened again this week we would change up the dosages, but he really wanted to stick with the program if at all possible. He gave me an iv if nausea medication which made me feel better right off the bat!
This morning I woke up feeling good. I knew I would since I had taken my 10 steroid pills yesterday. I made the most of my day doing as many things as I could today :) I sure hope I feel this good tomorrow!! I got a lot done today. Love it!
I came home and ate the delicious home made chicken soup MJ made me! Yummy! Roland ate some too, we loved it!
It did the trick! I am sleepy and ready to hit the hay!
Lord, I love you!
Thank you for a wonderful day today. Thank you for the sunshine, feeling good and everyone you put in my path today!
Lord- Thank you for my wonderful friends! They are truly a blessing!
In Your Precious Sons Name I pray -Amen

Day Eight- Getting Going

Well I didn't make it to work yesterday, just couldn't stand up and keep my stomach. Laying down was the only thing that would settle it. I was so hungry that I had Haylee bring me a chicken fried steak and mashed potato dinner from Nancy's Steakhouse and it tasted good while eating it, but it didn't stay for long! I think I will stick to soup for the next few days until I get my stomach back.
I am going to go in to work this morning and see what I can get done and then go to the doctors office in the afternoon. I have a chemo treatment again. I am a little nervous since I am still not sure if I had the flu or if it was the treat mention that made me feel so bad. I take my steroids this morning and this afternoon. Wish me luck! :)

Lord-
I know you are in control of everything and I know you will not give me more than I can handle. Please be with me today to get through the day making headway with my work and also with my treatment. I pray for a smooth day filled with the people and events that you would like me to intermix with doing Your will for my life. Thank you for the strength to get up and get moving. Thank you for Your grace and mercy, Father God. Please guide and direct me all day with the Holy Spirit. In Your precious Son's name, Jesus Christ I pray- Amen

Day Six - I am still here

I can finally lift my head a little without that horrible nauseating feeling. I have been so sick the past couple of days I didn't think I was going to make it. When I stand up is when I feel dizzy, nausea and unbalanced. I went to the doctor on Friday....thank goodness for my sister n law Louetta, she was going to a wedding in Houston so she stopped by and picked me up and took me to my doctors office in Houston and waited for Roland to get there before leaving. She is wonderful! She helped me get dressed...I couldn't believe that lifting my head would be such a chore. I've never been this sick in my life. I have never carried a fever for days and sweat as much as I sweat. It was like out of the movies. The doctor didn't know if it was the flu or my treatment, he told me to keep taking the Tamiflu. I couldn't take one more of those pills...constant verge of puking is not a good feeling so this morning I decided not to take it anymore. I hope that I can stand up and walk around tomorrow since I have to work. So Friday when I was in the height of my sickness my phone never stopped ringing with work and people needing bids by Monday and there I was feeling like poo. I am hoping I feel good enough to go walk a couple of bids and get them turned in.

The only way I have made it through is by the strength The Lord gave me because I felt horrible.

Thank you Lord for the strength to make it just a little further. Thank you for sending little angels like Louetta when I need them the most. Thank you for giving me just what I need. I love you dear Jesus. Please be with Dennis's brother who was just diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma and his family to be the strength that he will need supporting him. I pray that the doctors have the wisdom and knowledge to obliterate it and cast it to hell never to be seen again. I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Day Three - Crashing

Well I woke up this morning feeling very achy. Complete turn from Wednesdays great feeling. No matter what I had to get up because I had a busy day ahead of me. I think the good and wonderful feeling from Wednesday came from the steroids I took on Tuesday along with all other meds. Now I had to muscle through it and get all my appointments done then come home and rest. The day felt like it would never end! I drove all over creation, even to LaPorte. I stopped off at Walgreens and bought a thermometer because I knew I had a fever. I was right, the fever got up to 102.5. I called the doctors office and they spoke with Dr. A and they called in some Tamiflu and told me to take it tonight and they would do another CBC tomorrow to see what all is going on. I finally made it home to Columbus, Texas to the house. Roland stopped off and got the medication for me and Haylee was a trooper and fixed dinner, love her for that!

Lord, Thank you for getting me home safely. Thank you for putting your hand in every area of my work today allowing things go smoothly even when it seemed like there was going to be a speed bump in the road, you took care of it, Thank you! I love you dear Lord and praise Your Holy name! In Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.

I am off to sleep:) Good night and sweet dreams! I am hoping I feel better in the morning.

Day Two - Battle Red, Warriors in Action

I woke up today and felt good! I think I even felt better than I did day before which amazed me. I only have lower back pain that has lasted all day. Doctor A said that he wants me to drink a lot of water to flush my system out while removing the Myeloma.

I have had a really busy day today. I had an CAI awards breakfast meeting, work, lunch, work, work, then a HAA Ambassador meeting. It was so uplifting that a lot of my friends wore Battle Red because I am in battle and they are true Warriors! My prayer warriors and warriors out to encourage my battle and fight this enemy! I am blessed to have such caring friends. All in all I had a good day and feel well! Thank you Lord for Your wonderful surprises! Feeling even better than I did before treatment was the best surprise I could have ever gotten!

Father God,
Thank you for your grace and mercy. Thank you for loving me and always taking care of me.
Thank you for always amazing me with your power! You give me just what I need each day! The surprise was a big bonus! Thank you!
Thank you and I praise You Lord!
In Jesus Christ name,
-Amen

Day One - January 15, 2013

Lisa Grimes

 

 

 

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Day One

Healing is on it's Way!

January 15, 2013 (1 photo)

 

 

Day One

Healing is on the Way!!

Today was my first day of treatment for Multiple Myeloma and it went well! I am so happy that I am on my way to a healing and a journey in which God is in control and has so many surprises!
The way I even found out that I have Multiple Myeloma was God looking after me as he always does. I thought that I had torn my rotator cuff sometime in September. Well I finally...Expand this post »

Day One

Healing is on the Way!!

Today was my first day of treatment for Multiple Myeloma and it went well! I am so happy that I am on my way to a healing and a journey in which God is in control and has so many surprises!
The way I even found out that I have Multiple Myeloma was God looking after me as he always does. I thought that I had torn my rotator cuff sometime in September. Well I finally went to my hometown doctor and he said that we would have to do an x-ray before we could do an MRI which needed to be done. I told him I was changing insurance companies in the next month and he said that I was due for some tests anyway so while I was over at the hospital to go ahead and get some blood test done there also. After almost four weeks I called them to get results. I found out that I needed to see a specialist and after numerous tests and two bone marrow biopsies I found out I am early part of stage two Multiple Myeloma. Although it was a shocker and after getting over that it was me that it was happening to and now, I know and can feel that God has a plan for me and that I will get through this with His help and guidance and a whole truck load of FAITH! Faith is an action and I am in action with Faith! I am positive that God does not give you anything you can not handle...and with God I can do anything! Every person that has helped me either nurses, doctors and x-ray techs have all been sent from The Lord! I feel the love and know by all of the caring and kindness that they are sent from Him.
Today was the first day of all of my medications. I have a cocktail of drugs that will work together to completely get rid of all of the Myeloma and then I will be ready to go to MD Anderson to do a Stem Cell Transplant. Jesus is the Miracle worker and I stand on the authority of His word Matthew 10;1.
Father, in the name of Jesus and the authority of Your Word, I believe in the miracle working power of God to heal my body and any other area that I may need healing. I believe and receive everything You have for me and I believe I am healed. My healing is from the top of my head to the tips of my toes, aligned up and whole. I honor the blood of Jesus and know it is by the blood you shed at the cross at Calvary that I am healed. Any sickness and or cancer cells must flee from me in Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.