Thursday, May 19, 2011
God's Sense of Humor
God has a great sense of humor and finds very original ways so I do not forget his lessons. A few days ago I received a lovely card from Monica telling me she loved me and wanted me to be reminded she is praying for me daily. I recognized what a dear friend Monica is and then I remarked thank you God for showing me how to care for the sick so when this is past I will know how to love your children who are sick in deed and action. You see I am surrounded by such a circle of love it is truly truly remarkable. I shared this with Val at Chemo yesterday and I really believed that was the lesson attached to that card but there was more to it. This is when God’s sense of humor surfaced. I asked Val and John to look in my back-pack and hand me my bottle of water. They asked did I want it opened and my response was no. So with my left hand in the nurse's, as she was putting in the line, I placed the bottle between my legs and with the numb fingers on my right hand I opened the bottle and you can guess what happened, yes water all down the front of my pants. After much giggling and plenty paper towels I fell asleep. I woke later for my trip to the bathroom with my date (the IV pole). I pulled down the pants and they were wetter and colder on my legs than I thought they should be. So there I am in the bathroom having a conversation with God about that wicked sense of humor. Out loud I said You knew that recliners are tilted backwards, you could have reminded me the water would flow backwards but no. My lesson was to not only to ask for help but was to accept it when offered and not to deflect any of the love sent my way. There is nothing like walking to the subway on a rainy day with a wet bottom to cement a lesson in one's memory. I thank Monica for the lovely card which God used to teach me some valuable lessons. The first phase of my treatment is winding down with three more chemo sessons left. My oncologist is pleased with the progress so far. The next phase will be determined at the end of my last session. I thank you all for this circle of love around me and ask that you continue to keep me in your prayers. God bless you my sisters and brothers. Peace
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Good News
I received great news today. The CT scan shows healing of the cancer in the hip and a remarkable improvement in the lymph nodes and the breast. This scan was performed last week; just past the half way point of my chemo treatments. I am thanking God and praying others receive good news as well and have friends and family with whom they can share their good news. There was much joy and praises lifted up in the examining room as my friends Susan and John received the news along with me. Please pray for a former colleague I saw at Sloan today. Thanks for all your prayers and I ask that you continue to lift me up in prayer. God Bless you all.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
God is Faithful
Yesterday I reached the halfway point of my treatments. I was a little more tired than usual as a result of the night before. Plumbing problems caused a lot of anxiety. God however gave me quite a hug as I dicovered a bible reference written on a receipt as I cleaned off the dining room table that night. The reference was Jer. 29:11. When the plumber left it was almost midnight but the problem was only a clog in the main sewer line and not what I first feared. God continues to give me a hug whenever I am in dire need of one. I am so gratedful for all your love and prayers which contribute greatly to my peace as I live into the hope, both now and eternal. As we move into Holy week may you all look to the hope our faith makes possible. The hugs he provides via all of you keep me smiling and for that I thank God. Loads of love to all of you . Peace, His Peace. I ask your prayers for 8 year old Niamh and her mom Petra as Niamh undergoes extremly painful and difficult antibody treatment for stage 4 cancer. In his love. Margaret
Thursday, April 7, 2011
April 7, 2011
Yesterday, April 6, 2011 Margaret began Cycle #3 of her treatment! According to Margaret herself, Dr. Goldfarb was very, very pleased at the apparent response to the chemotherapy; there is certainly significant visual change to the area. Follow up tests including extra lab/blood work, CT scans, EKG, and an Echo are scheduled and will be completed before her next doctor appointment at the beginning of Cycle #4 on April 27th. Margaret and I both noted that it is amazing how time passes so quickly noticing with thanksgiving that 7 weeks of chemotherapy infusions have passed, only 9 more to go to the 16th week mark! I give thanks to the Lord for Margaret's continued strength and courage during this trial. Margaret continues to inspire me. Her faith, trust, and love for Jesus continues to support her in remarkable ways, and therefore she is such a magnificent witness to the Love, which is our gift from the most loving God. Thank you for your continued love, prayers and support. Lorraine
Friday, March 18, 2011
March 18, 2011
Hello Friends:
Margaret began Week#2 or Cycle#2 of her chemotherapy protocol this past week. On Wednesday, Week#2, began with a doctor appointment and of course the dreaded finger prick! -- thank the Good Lord for warm packs and kind staffers! Although Doctor Goldfarb was on vacation the doctor who saw Margaret was quite nice and was extremely impressed by Margaret's ability to navigate through and pronounce the medical lingo like a pro. The first infusion session of this second cycle lasted about 3 hours -- just as planned. After lunch, Margaret slept comfortably through the infusion.
On Thursday Margaret returned to MSK to have another lymph node biopsy. Margaret was so thankful and pleasantly surprised that the procedure was fairly painless. And certainly we celebrated that with a quick trip further uptown where Margaret and I indulged ourselves with a delicious and huge corn beef sandwich for St. Patrick's Day. Hopefully, with God's Grace, the results of this biopsy will confirm that her cancer is indeed HER2+ and she will remain in this clinical trial for a long time.
Thank you all for your love, support and prayers.
peace, and all good
Lorraine
Margaret began Week#2 or Cycle#2 of her chemotherapy protocol this past week. On Wednesday, Week#2, began with a doctor appointment and of course the dreaded finger prick! -- thank the Good Lord for warm packs and kind staffers! Although Doctor Goldfarb was on vacation the doctor who saw Margaret was quite nice and was extremely impressed by Margaret's ability to navigate through and pronounce the medical lingo like a pro. The first infusion session of this second cycle lasted about 3 hours -- just as planned. After lunch, Margaret slept comfortably through the infusion.
On Thursday Margaret returned to MSK to have another lymph node biopsy. Margaret was so thankful and pleasantly surprised that the procedure was fairly painless. And certainly we celebrated that with a quick trip further uptown where Margaret and I indulged ourselves with a delicious and huge corn beef sandwich for St. Patrick's Day. Hopefully, with God's Grace, the results of this biopsy will confirm that her cancer is indeed HER2+ and she will remain in this clinical trial for a long time.
Thank you all for your love, support and prayers.
peace, and all good
Lorraine
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
March 9, 2011 - Ash Wednesday
Greetings Good Friends and Pray-ers:
Today Margaret was scheduled for her 3rd chemotherapy appointment at MSK. On our way to the appointment Margaret and I first stopped at St Mary the Virgin at Times Square ( www.stmvirgin.org ) for noon worship, Eucharist and ashes. It was such a wonderful blessing to start today with the affirmation that though we are sinners we are so very loved. It is such a comfort to hear and know that our sins are wiped away and that there is such a deep joy in Jesus' saving help and grace.
So with that comfort we headed off to MSK for the completion of Margaret's first cycle of chemo!
Margaret's chemotherapy protocol cycle is three weeks long. The first appointment, or week one of a cycle, includes a doctor appointment and then an infusion of three different chemotherapy drugs which takes about 3 to 4 hours. Then the two subsequent weeks one chemotherapy drug is infused; therefore the appointment time is shorter, lasting about 1.5 hours.
Today when we arrived at MSK we were met by her sister Jackie and we chatted away while awaiting our turn. Finally, some time later, Margaret was called and lead into her room and was, as usual, pampered. With a warm blanket and a warm compress soon Margaret was sound and fast asleep (effect of the Benadryl). During this time I myself pretend to read but am usually bouncing between moments of sleep myself and prayer that these wonderful drugs are doing what they are meant to do.
When the infusion was over she was joyfully met by her loving and wonderful son Chris and daughter-in-law Nicole and handsomely adorable grandson Carter for a car ride home. I personally cannot express how deeply it warms my heart so completely to know and see how loved and supported Margaret is.
Next Wednesday Cycle#2 begins. First with a doctor appointment, followed by more blood work and then the longer chemo session of three drugs rather than one, followed by even more blood work!
On Thursday Margaret will be undergoing another lympnode biopsy to double check that her cancer is in fact HER2+.
On another note Margaret's side effects from the chemotherapy drugs were minimal this cycle and certainly we give thanks, a great thanksgiving for that gift. Personally, I pray that this great blessing continues and I humbly ask you join me in that prayer.
Thank you all for your love, support, cards, phone calls, emails and especially for your prayers.
peace and all good,
Lorraine
Today Margaret was scheduled for her 3rd chemotherapy appointment at MSK. On our way to the appointment Margaret and I first stopped at St Mary the Virgin at Times Square ( www.stmvirgin.org ) for noon worship, Eucharist and ashes. It was such a wonderful blessing to start today with the affirmation that though we are sinners we are so very loved. It is such a comfort to hear and know that our sins are wiped away and that there is such a deep joy in Jesus' saving help and grace.
So with that comfort we headed off to MSK for the completion of Margaret's first cycle of chemo!
Margaret's chemotherapy protocol cycle is three weeks long. The first appointment, or week one of a cycle, includes a doctor appointment and then an infusion of three different chemotherapy drugs which takes about 3 to 4 hours. Then the two subsequent weeks one chemotherapy drug is infused; therefore the appointment time is shorter, lasting about 1.5 hours.
Today when we arrived at MSK we were met by her sister Jackie and we chatted away while awaiting our turn. Finally, some time later, Margaret was called and lead into her room and was, as usual, pampered. With a warm blanket and a warm compress soon Margaret was sound and fast asleep (effect of the Benadryl). During this time I myself pretend to read but am usually bouncing between moments of sleep myself and prayer that these wonderful drugs are doing what they are meant to do.
When the infusion was over she was joyfully met by her loving and wonderful son Chris and daughter-in-law Nicole and handsomely adorable grandson Carter for a car ride home. I personally cannot express how deeply it warms my heart so completely to know and see how loved and supported Margaret is.
Next Wednesday Cycle#2 begins. First with a doctor appointment, followed by more blood work and then the longer chemo session of three drugs rather than one, followed by even more blood work!
On Thursday Margaret will be undergoing another lympnode biopsy to double check that her cancer is in fact HER2+.
On another note Margaret's side effects from the chemotherapy drugs were minimal this cycle and certainly we give thanks, a great thanksgiving for that gift. Personally, I pray that this great blessing continues and I humbly ask you join me in that prayer.
Thank you all for your love, support, cards, phone calls, emails and especially for your prayers.
peace and all good,
Lorraine
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
February 23,2011
Good Morning Friends and Pray-ers!
This morning Margaret is at Memorial Sloan-Kettering. She will start her day with a doctor appointment and then will be receiving her first chemotherapy infusion. She will receive chemo infusions weekly and will be re scanned and re tested in a few months. For now however, we pray and give thanks to the good Lord that so much progress has been made in the field of cancer research. We give thanks for the scientists and doctors and research assistants that have put their hearts, souls and prayers into the development of the drugs and thanks giving for the many people who have entered into clinical trials over the years so that so many others can benefit.
I pray today for Margaret that the medicines she is infused with will be hard and do battle with those nasty cancer cells yet I pray that they will be gentle with her good cells. I pray for her and for all the doctors, nurses, technicians, medical assistants, secretaries and the multitude of others behind the scenes at Sloan that they too will be blessed abundantly with peace and all good. I pray for the cancer patients that are alone today and feel unsupported or unloved through their trial.
Please join with me today in prayer for our friend, sister, and deacon. Let us lift her up in a cloud of loving prayer, may she feel the healing graces of God's love. Let us pray her through the day!
This morning Margaret is at Memorial Sloan-Kettering. She will start her day with a doctor appointment and then will be receiving her first chemotherapy infusion. She will receive chemo infusions weekly and will be re scanned and re tested in a few months. For now however, we pray and give thanks to the good Lord that so much progress has been made in the field of cancer research. We give thanks for the scientists and doctors and research assistants that have put their hearts, souls and prayers into the development of the drugs and thanks giving for the many people who have entered into clinical trials over the years so that so many others can benefit.
I pray today for Margaret that the medicines she is infused with will be hard and do battle with those nasty cancer cells yet I pray that they will be gentle with her good cells. I pray for her and for all the doctors, nurses, technicians, medical assistants, secretaries and the multitude of others behind the scenes at Sloan that they too will be blessed abundantly with peace and all good. I pray for the cancer patients that are alone today and feel unsupported or unloved through their trial.
Please join with me today in prayer for our friend, sister, and deacon. Let us lift her up in a cloud of loving prayer, may she feel the healing graces of God's love. Let us pray her through the day!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)