Chemotherapy #4

Long day. Good day.
I have completed the 3rd cycle of treatment, and begun the 4th.

Tomorrow I go back for the Neulasta shot, the bone marrow booster.
Tuesday, May 13: It is time for a "post 3rd cycle" CT scan to see that the drugs are doing what they are supposed to do.
May 21: Post chemo blood work.
June 2: Pre-chemo blood work.
June 4: Chemo # 5, combined schedule with appointment with Dr. Malviya.

At the end of May, we hope to go up north to visit my folks and to celebrate my Dad's 75th birthday, which is May 30!

I continue to pray (thanks for praying with me),
Blessed are you our Lord our God, king of the universe...
Who brings healing and new life...
Please help this chemotherapy to find all the cancer...
to effectively destroy all the cancer...
and to help my body and life to be so healthy no cancer will be able to grow back.

Saturday with Dr. Malviya

Today was my pre-chemotherapy check-up with my doctor.
I will have my next blood draw on Tuesday morning, and I will schedule a CT scan for later this month.

Questions
I always type up a sheet of questions, and I had a couple about my future.

1) Last week when I saw my parents, my dad (who motorcycles and plows snow and a garden and drives neighbors to 2-hours-away-doctor's appointments and whose 75th birthday is May 30) mentioned something about "When you are in your 70's...."

I must have assumed that I would not be here in my 70's. But now that I thought about it, I wondered if I should make assumptions either way.

2) John and I have been leading an intensive high-commitment Bible study this year. It is the time of year to start making plans if we are going to do the same thing next year in the new place (if that fits into their programming). So what about next year?

Dr. Malviya's Response
Dr. Malviya said not to make assumptions, and to go ahead and make plans for my future. If "something unforeseen" comes up, then we will deal with it.

But go ahead and make plans for my life.

I can't tell you how many kinds of tree blossoms I noticed on the way home.

But a lot, and they were beautiful.

"For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord,

plans for your welfare and not for harm,

to give you a future with hope."

Jeremiah 29:11

Friday in Northville

Wednesday, classmate David Mayhew and his wife Jan, who live a couple towns away from my parents, came over to my folks' for a lively visit.

Thursday, John and I took a quiet walk in the woods with my dad, looking for turkey dustings and morel mushrooms (which I did not touch) and everything else, including how his new trees are doing in spite of the yellow-bellied sap-suckers. I also stopped in at my mom's church sewing group to see the quilts the women were working on for the Northern Michigan Relief Sale.

Then John drove us home to Northville, where I finished my monthly classmate email newsletter. Wherever I move, I like that these people have an email connection.

The one stressful part of the vacation week was when John received a call from the Conference that "local" moves need more than one estimate from different moving companies. We have never done that before, and had thought we were all set. The woman who had already come to look in all my cupboards and closets was very soothing and comforting. She had the confidence-inspiring attitude that their company would take care of the work and worries. So John quickly (before my next chemo and "nadir") scheduled someone from another company to come and look over everything for another estimate. That estimate will be Monday, and John rearranged his appointments to be home.

In the meantime... Saturday is my next doctor's appointment and blood draw. I think Dr. Malviya may do a Pap test every month, as I have been receiving (negative) test results reports in the mail. So far, so good.

I will keep in mind:
shapes of trees and the orange-red of tiny hemlock berries;
the bright-yellow goldfinches at my folks' feeders;
deer behind my folks' house at night looking through the window at me;
hugs and laughter of friends;
kind spoken and written-words of encouragement of both friends and of people I do not even know;
cards and prayers from the 4th grade Sunday School class... including- but not limited to...:

"My name is Emily and I am a good friend of your husband. I hope you feel better soon."

"I am so sorry that you have cancer, but I know that you are wrapped up in God's blanket of love.... Love, Claire"

"I'm praying for you at home that you're going to be ok. I'm from Sunday School in 4th grade. I wanted to tell you our class is praying for you. Sorry you have cancer. I know you're going to get better. God is with you every step of the way, with you every moment. Love, Ellie"

Tuesday in Traverse City

Yesterday, John and I traveled to what was our family's home-town for 8 years, Traverse City. We saw a few friends and the blue-green bay. We ate well and slept well, and will soon be headed back to my parents' at Comins, about 2 hours east of here.

The home-town feelings stay with us.

Sunday in Comins

John and I went to church this morning with Mom and Dad at Comins Mennonite Church. (We noticed there were more people in their "little country church" than in the larger churches we have been visiting on our trips to Philly.) What a nice service ("Compassion" theme) and Sunday School, and what a feeling of community. It was also very welcoming to hear them say that they have been praying for me. Thank you.

Reading. I just finished reading a book that my mom had found, called Flame of Anger (by Eric Clark), an African missionary novel written in the 1960's. It is always interesting to see different perspectives of different times.

Up North

Thursday, John and I came up north to my mom and dad's place near Mio. We are spending a week of John's vacation with them. Monday, we will make an overnight trip to Traverse and will see a a couple friends there, then come back here. It is beautiful to see spring blossoming out. We got to walk in the woods today. We talked about choosing a tree for next Christmas.

Pollyanna

One night when I couldn't sleep, I looked for a book that would be simple and pleasant to read before I tried to sleep again. I choose Pollyanna (by Eleanor H. Porter), remembering not all the details, but that the main character was a little girl who made a game out of looking for something good in every situation.

That reminds me of some thoughts on moving. I had not considered it a game, but a way of organizing thoughts. Over the years of moving, I have found two categories: the grieving category and the moving on category.

Moving is always hard. So it helps to consider both. The Grieving Category begins with some obvious things that make me glad to be here: "I will miss....my friends and my first-floor laundry."

The Moving On category includes things that loosen my hold on a place: "I will not miss ... ." So there can be purpose in recognizing what I will not miss, in that it helps free me to move on to the next place.

Of course, at the same time, I can begin to think of the good things to come.