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Tuesday, February 24, 2009

God is Good All the Time

Today was the second chemo treatment and though not as anxious as the first time, I was hoping it would be better since I came armed with the "magic pill" to make the nausea better. Because the chemo makes your skin very sensitive they advise not to wear a scarf on your head rather than a scratchy wig. So I donned the scarf on my skinny head and put on a hat. While walking from the parking garage to MD Anderson the wind blew my hat off and left me with only my skinny head. While I was chasing the hat, I was sure all eyes were on me. But of course they weren't. (Isn't that something we are supposed to grow out of by about age 16? :)
We saw Dr. Baidas, the oncologist, first and he answered some questions that I was concerned about. He is such an intelligent man. English is not his first language but many of the things he says reflect a deep understanding of our language. I asked him if the chemotherapy drugs crossed the blood brain barrier and if not what was to stop these "floating cells" from going to the brain. He said though the chemo doesn'nt cross the barrier the cancer cells don't usually "seek sanctuary" in the brain first. Carl and I both commented later at the "seek sanctuary" comment. Many of us who have spoken English all of our lives aren't that descriptive. Dr. Baidas is very soft-spoken man and answers our questions kindly but very honestly. I like that.
Then we went upstairs to start the chemo. They draw labs and we wait for all the results to come back before they start the treatment. I asked when I should take the "magic pill" and she said wait until the labs get back because we don't want to waste it if the labs are bad. This time Carl had a good book to read and was able to take actually relax enough to read it. Guess, we're settling in :)
They came in and said we were good to go. I took the "magic pill" and prayed it would make a difference and the drugs started. About 10:30 my dear friend Ann came over from Winnie Palmer. She spent an hour visiting with Carl and I and it was such a blessing for both of us. It never ceases to amaze me how she can find an hour out of her very busy day and make it seem as though she has nothing else in the world to do. Thank you Ann.
Treatment was finished and I went home to rest. Eric had his play-off game at 6:45 pm and I wanted more than anything to go to it but I also knew how it was at 6:45 after the last treatment.
But 6:00pm came and I was just slightly nauseous. Armed with my Ritz crackers (thank you Jim, Petra and Alyssa) I started off for the game. As I was driving through Winter Garden I was praying aloud in my van. I thanked God that I was feeling good enough to go tonight, I thanked him for blessing me with wonderful doctors and medical facility he had picked for me. I thanked him for the blessings of friends who had called throughout the day to see how we were doing. As I was talking to God, a voice came into my head very clearly. But it wasn't God's voice it was Eric's and he said "if you don't slow down God is going to bless you with a speeding ticket." I looked down and noticed that I was going 52 mph in a 35. I laughed out loud. Guess the next time I pray aloud I'll look at the speedometer a bit more often :)
The game was so exciting and Dylan and Jayda were there so I was double blessed. As it turned out they were scheduled to play a second game at 8:45 but I really felt the nausea coming on stronger so I took Dylan and Jayda home and got to see baby Cooper awake with his eyes open. I think that grandchildren could take the place of any anti-nausea medicine if you could be with them constantly. But they had to go to sleep and I had to get home.
I headed home and prayed along the way (looking at the speedometer regularly). It's funny how 3 months ago I took so for granted being able to go to Eric's games. Tonight I thanked God for allowing me to feel well enough to go to this one.
God is Good all the time and all the time God is Good.