Five years ago today, October 18th,2006, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 lobular breast cancer. Not what I wanted to hear. Not what I had prayed for. Not what I wanted to fight. Survivors call it " getting in the club that no one really wanted to join".
Five years. Wow.
There's SO much more I could say...but, really, it comes down to this...
...I am very grateful.
Thankful for one more day. Thankful to God for His mercy and love that is 24/7. I'm thankful for my precious husband, the true modern day Barnabus. I'm thankful for our beautiful children and their strength over the past five years. I'm thankful for my parents, sisters, mother-in-law, brothers and sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews and...SO many friends scattered near and far (and I mean far!) all around the world. Even strangers, people I've never ever met have written and told me that they've prayed for me. So much love and so much support...it has been incredible!
SO...today, this October 18th, I choose to celebrate this five year mark with a grateful heart. It is a day to celebrate the way God redeems all the hard, difficult days and brings good from them somehow. God has faithfully walked with me hour by hour, minute by minute. Today...I will celebrate and praise His Name all day long.
Thank You, O God, thank You!
I'm still here. The battle is still going on but I know that You will not leave my side. Whatever is ahead, I trust You, Lord, to teach me and to go with me.
Thank You for today. This is the day that You have made and I will rejoice in it!
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Faith is...
Here's the update... I got my lab results back, some on Monday, some yesterday.
First, the CBC numbers:
WBC - 3.7 (sept) to 4.0 (oct) (normal 4.10-10.9)
HGB - 11.2 (sept) to 11.6 (oct) (normal 12-18)
HCT - 33.9 (sept) to 34.1 (oct) (normal 37-51)
Platelets - 158 (sept) to 169 (oct) (normal 140-440)
All 4 of them improved! Praise God!!! Platelets were in normal range last time, but improved. The other 3 moved up. SO...that's great!
Second, I heard about the tumor marker results yesterday afternoon. In September the number had elevated to 40 (normal range of 0-31). They said "let's just check it again in October." Well, it stayed at 40. The nurse that called sounded very encouraged. I said "this doesn't sound good, right?" and she said "No, this is good. We are pleased with the marker staying the same. Something has happened to stabilize your body, and there has been no increase, so we are fine with that number." Okay.
Something stabilized it? I suspect Someone stabilized it. I thought "Lord, I'm glad it has stabilized but I had hoped that it all would be in the normal range. That's what we were praying for...specifically." (last blog)
But I thought about the story of Jesus healing the blind man, in Mark 8:22-25
This is an amazing story! Jesus, the Son of God, stopped to heal the blind man...but it didn't happen immediately on round number one. How could that be?! Then Jesus "once more put his hands on the man's eyes" ... they were opened. Why did it take Jesus TWO tries? I don't know. But what I learn from this story is that it is possible to be "in the process of healing". The blind man could see partially, not completely. Then Jesus completed the healing with the second laying on of His hands.
Sometimes healing comes immediately. Sometimes it takes longer. Sometimes healing has to be pursued. It may be a process. Whether it is minutes, hours, days, weeks...that's God's call, not mine. I can tell you honestly...I always prefer "immediate,let's-see-it-today" prayer answers. But...I know that if I am truly trusting the Lord to heal me, then I have to trust Him with how and when. That is His call.
SO...I am thankful and praising Him for Monday! The CBC numbers are moving up and one is already normal. The tumor marker is "stabilized". A friend of mine said "Lisa, 40 is a very biblical number! Let's just pray for 7 next time." :-) I love that.
Total restoration and healing haven't come yet...but I see the process of healing happening. So...I keep walking in faith for the part that I cannot see...until my eyes see what my heart has hoped for all along.
I surrender my time agenda for healing to You. Thank You for the good results from Monday and for Your continued faithfulness to walk me through this journey. I love You. I put my trust in You more than I put my trust in numbers ...or chariots. :-) I've never ridden in a chariot, but I guess they must have felt powerful and invincible. You alone are the Powerful and Invincible One.
I will trust in You.
Your daughter,
Lisa
First, the CBC numbers:
WBC - 3.7 (sept) to 4.0 (oct) (normal 4.10-10.9)
HGB - 11.2 (sept) to 11.6 (oct) (normal 12-18)
HCT - 33.9 (sept) to 34.1 (oct) (normal 37-51)
Platelets - 158 (sept) to 169 (oct) (normal 140-440)
All 4 of them improved! Praise God!!! Platelets were in normal range last time, but improved. The other 3 moved up. SO...that's great!
Second, I heard about the tumor marker results yesterday afternoon. In September the number had elevated to 40 (normal range of 0-31). They said "let's just check it again in October." Well, it stayed at 40. The nurse that called sounded very encouraged. I said "this doesn't sound good, right?" and she said "No, this is good. We are pleased with the marker staying the same. Something has happened to stabilize your body, and there has been no increase, so we are fine with that number." Okay.
Something stabilized it? I suspect Someone stabilized it. I thought "Lord, I'm glad it has stabilized but I had hoped that it all would be in the normal range. That's what we were praying for...specifically." (last blog)
But I thought about the story of Jesus healing the blind man, in Mark 8:22-25
They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.
This is an amazing story! Jesus, the Son of God, stopped to heal the blind man...but it didn't happen immediately on round number one. How could that be?! Then Jesus "once more put his hands on the man's eyes" ... they were opened. Why did it take Jesus TWO tries? I don't know. But what I learn from this story is that it is possible to be "in the process of healing". The blind man could see partially, not completely. Then Jesus completed the healing with the second laying on of His hands.
Sometimes healing comes immediately. Sometimes it takes longer. Sometimes healing has to be pursued. It may be a process. Whether it is minutes, hours, days, weeks...that's God's call, not mine. I can tell you honestly...I always prefer "immediate,let's-see-it-today" prayer answers. But...I know that if I am truly trusting the Lord to heal me, then I have to trust Him with how and when. That is His call.
SO...I am thankful and praising Him for Monday! The CBC numbers are moving up and one is already normal. The tumor marker is "stabilized". A friend of mine said "Lisa, 40 is a very biblical number! Let's just pray for 7 next time." :-) I love that.
"Faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see". Hebrews 11:1
Total restoration and healing haven't come yet...but I see the process of healing happening. So...I keep walking in faith for the part that I cannot see...until my eyes see what my heart has hoped for all along.
"Now this I know:O God,
The LORD gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." Psalm 20:6,7
I surrender my time agenda for healing to You. Thank You for the good results from Monday and for Your continued faithfulness to walk me through this journey. I love You. I put my trust in You more than I put my trust in numbers ...or chariots. :-) I've never ridden in a chariot, but I guess they must have felt powerful and invincible. You alone are the Powerful and Invincible One.
I will trust in You.
Your daughter,
Lisa
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Praying Specifically
Monday, October 10th, I will go again for treatment. (That means...bone strengthener, Zometa, and the anti-estrogen med Faslodex.) I do not see the doctor Monday, but I will have lab work done. They are checking my regular CBC counts but they are also checking a tumor marker test.
This is my prayer request...that all who are praying will ask for my blood to be in the normal range. There are 5 areas I know they will check on Monday...maybe there's more, but these are the ones I know for sure:
White Blood Cells (normal range 4.10 - 10.9)
Hemoglobin (normal range 12-18)
Hematocrit (normal range 37-51)
Platelets (normal range 140-440)
Tumor marker (normal range 0-31)
Normal...that would be wonderful.
Holy God,
We are Your children. You said "let the little children come unto me".
So, here we are, coming to You with our hearts and with our requests.
We love you, O God, and we thank You for listening to our hearts. We are anxious to see Your mighty works.
In Jesus we pray,
Amen.
This is my prayer request...that all who are praying will ask for my blood to be in the normal range. There are 5 areas I know they will check on Monday...maybe there's more, but these are the ones I know for sure:
White Blood Cells (normal range 4.10 - 10.9)
Hemoglobin (normal range 12-18)
Hematocrit (normal range 37-51)
Platelets (normal range 140-440)
Tumor marker (normal range 0-31)
Normal...that would be wonderful.
Holy God,
We are Your children. You said "let the little children come unto me".
So, here we are, coming to You with our hearts and with our requests.
We love you, O God, and we thank You for listening to our hearts. We are anxious to see Your mighty works.
In Jesus we pray,
Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)