Last Year: Chemotherapy; This Year: A Garden!

The idea started last June when Debbie and Chris came over to help us move in to the new house. When my little new-house tour led to the backyard, I commented that I did not know what that little 9-by-11 boxed-in area, covered with wood chips and a pile of dirt, was for.

They suggested tomatoes!

They said it with such hope and enthusiasm and conviction. They had a vision of a garden!

I, on the other hand, could not even imagine if I would be here this summer.... almost a whole year away.

But the seed of the idea had been planted, and it grew.

My dad grew up on a farm, and kept a garden in our backyard when we were growing up. I did not really help, but I do remember fresh warm tomatoes. I began to see it. Then I began to taste it.

So when our local English Gardens advertised a one-evening class, "How to Grow Your Own Food", I showed up, notebook in hand. Our teacher's name was Jennifer, and she really seemed excited to encourage a new gardener. I took lots of notes and agreed it is a good idea to start simply. I came away knowing that my first step was to have my soil tested. As with anything, a garden needs a good foundation.

Of course, my dreams mean work for John! So he cleared off the top stuff and dug out some soil samples and we dropped off the soil back at English Gardens. And we met George. George talked with us for a while, and I took more notes.

We returned last Friday for our results and to see George, our new "old friend", who spent even more time talking with us. He said our soil's pH is 8.0 (alkaline), which is in a viable range, but that it needs organic matter plus calcium. So we bought a bag of cow manure and a bag of Organica #3.

I had also been thinking about and researching composters, so also asked George about that. I wanted something off the ground that would not invite critters. One in particular that had caught my attention (from another store's ad) was a round ball that could roll around either on the ground, or on its stand, which made it look like a big spider. Since that one would take longer to get and much longer to assemble, we came home with a barrel-shaped tumbler-style composter that day. Between rain and John's full schedule, we finally set it up today! (In the meantime, we gathered and cut up our yard waste and kitchen plant matter.) I am pretty excited about our new composter!

It was simple to assemble too!
(One step at a time, with maybe just a bit of back-tracking.)

Waking Up

Today, like many days, my first thought was that I did not have enough sleep. But I was awake, so I would just have to try again the next night.

However, then I walked around the corner, and WOW!

Morning sunshine streamed into my house!

What a morning!

AND, to top it off, there was a newspaper on my porch!

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23

Lawn Hair

Hair is kind of like grass.
We want it to grow,
and then we think we have to cut it down...
to manicure it neatly.

If you saw me right now,
you might need to take a second look to make sure it is me,
whether you remember me with longer hair,
or whether you are thinking of the bald days
(months - ok, pretty much year).

Right now, it seems kind of poofy,
sort of curly-wavy-ish.
In transition.
Last month, it had kind of a petite well-tapered look.
But now.... it seems to be having such a good time coming in,
celebrating growing.
I don't quite have the heart to cut it back yet.


"Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Do not be afraid...."
Luke 12:7

Yes! A New Season

It is springtime, and Wednesday was my first oncologist appointment since December.

Dr. Malviya said it is time to move on and address issues for the quality of my future life, such as bone density. ("Future life" has a rather musical sound, I think.)

Since it has been over a year since my hysterectomy, we need to watch for signs of osteopenia (bone thinning) or osteoporosis (porous bone). So he prescribed, and I scheduled, a Dexascan ( for Monday. Wait, do I need insurance pre-approval, as I do for a CT scan? Too bad I did not think of this before the weekend. I will have to find out.)

He also emphasized that I need to make sure I am getting enough calcium (such as a combination of one 600 mg tablet, plus two glasses of milk per day). (I have been doing this.)

Plus - Exercise. Weight-bearing exercise, to try to keep those bones strong!
I still need this to be more consistent!

Another reason for exercise:
We are still watching a small hernia, just above my navel. Hopefully, it will not get bigger. He said, if we need to repair it, we will, but we certainly want to avoid surgery if we can (and greater risk for infection without my lymph nodes). So, for the next year, I need to concentrate on wearing elastic over it. (Just do it, Laura.)

AND... he did not say this, but I must be more consistent with stomach muscle exercises, specifically!

Everything is looking good. He re-checked a urine sample (as follow-up from a December test), and that was fine too.

That bursitis is better too! I took Naproxen for about a week, and my shoulder feels so much better!

So, my next CT Scan is July 27 (remember to wait 1 1/2 hours after drinking the contrast), and my next appointment with Dr. Malviya is August 5.
Summertime.

John and I were in our car on the way home by 8:00 pm. Yes, we were there about nine hours. John worked at his computer, and I walked about an hour (three times around the hospital campus) and did some reading/homework, and drew pictures (Ha!) with Nicole the art therapy intern that I just met. A day to celebrate and focus on the quality of life.

Choose Life
"This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that
I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.
Now choose life, so that you and your children may live,
and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice,
and hold fast to him.
For the Lord is your life,
and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
Deuteronomy 30:19-20
as quoted in Prayers and Promises, When Facing a Life-Threatening Illness by Ed Dobson
Given to me by Janey (Trudell) Hennesey


From an Armenian Poem:
"What's left for me on earth?
Only what I have given to others."
From my notes, a translation
from a poem used by the Rev. Fr. Daron Stepanian
at the funeral the father of classmate Mike Mousigian 3-26-09

CT Result

I just talked with Gail, Dr. Malviya's nurse, who gave me the result of my March 11 CT scan:

"No evidence of recurrence or metastatic disease."

Hallelujah!!!
I am so thankful for this health!

I am reminded of a song:
"There may be times when I have everything life offers,
There may be times there's nothing I can claim;
In poverty or in abundance I will praise Him
With my last breath, I will praise His name."
(Part of "Yet I Will Praise Him" by G.Gaither/J.Gaither, B.Smiley)

I think of that attitude, because I want to trust God consistently, whatever my situation.
And yet, and yet...
I am so thankful for this particular situation today!


More Joy - Outdoors
The day of my CT scan, March 11, was also the day I saw my first robin of the year.
I was walking around outside the hospital after drinking my CT contrast,waiting, and there, on the iron fence post, sat the robin! Beautiful!

More Joy - In Study
Resurrection
In our Disciple study last week, as we studied I Corinthians, I read the assurance of the disciple's experience:
"... Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ...
he was buried, ...
he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and...
he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred.... Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles and last of all to me...."
(I Cor. 15:3-8 excerpts)

That reminded me of a song as well:
"I've Just Seen Jesus"
(Also by G.Gaither/W .Gaither, D. Daniels)
I love the beauty of both the message and the music!

"I've just seen Jesus, and I will never be the same!"

Happy Girl

I saw a primary care physician today, had some x-rays on my sore shoulder, and was told that - good news! - it seems to be an ordinary ache, probably bursitis. I stopped by the pharmacy, got the Naproxsen, and stopped on the way home for food and water to go with my first pill. Ahh, I might be starting to feel better already!

CT Scan Day

Today was my CT scan day. I prepped for two days, so was so hungry that food was mostly what I thought about. Yes, I also prayed that my scan will be clear. But then I thought about making an omelette when I got home. An omelette with onions, mushrooms and cheese. Maybe it was more of a frittata. It was Sooo good!

It is possible to worry at times like this, especially with the recent death of another former "Calvary" church dear person, Jan M., from a similar cancer.

But I try to concentrate on what I can do, not on what I have no control over. So I pray and I think about food. And then I drank water and chocolate milk and cranberry pomegranate juice and cranberry apple herbal tea to wash the iodine (contrast) out of my system.

As for the CT scan, my doctor wanted me to drink the contrast (thick liquid) and then wait an hour and a half, longer than people usually wait, just to give the contrast a better chance to work its way through my body for better visibitity. I also walked most of that, mostly outside around Providence Hospital. It is another cold windy day in Michigan, but lovely and sunny.

This is the first time I have had a male tech for a CT scan. His name was Murray, and he was kind and reassuring. Also, surprisingly, this was the first time, a rectal contrast was not ordered (something extra. The other two contrasts are the drink and the IV I have when I am in the machine that makes me feel warm).

I do not know when I will know the results. I will know at least, by my doctor's appointment in two weeks.

Also...
I have been using an email "signature", an automatic printing of my name and blog address link, with the date of the most recent posting, along with the phase, "My journey - Cancer Chapter." This week, after posted all the fun photos of vacation, I changed the phrase to "My journey - "Live your life!", which is what my doctor told me. "Live your life, " he said, "and then if something comes up, we will deal with it."

Today, I live my life with gratitude.