God's Abundant Blessings

I go through times when I have nothing to report and then it seems I'm over flowing with things to say. God just continues to bless me and my family. I took my third treatmeant this past Friday, and as of Saturday night, I've never felt better. I get to take this next week off. I'm very excited about that. In fact, almost as excited as winning the freezer of food at charity ball last weekend. For thoes of you who don't know, Mark and I won a freezer packed with over 90 different kinds of food items. Can you believe how good God is? As a friend said, "See, God even cares what we have for dinner."

Still not sick!

I had my second treatment yesterday and did not want to tell the world how great I felt for fear of how I would feel today. So, I am happy to report this morning I still feel good. Not sick one bit. In fact I had a big breakfast in celebration of just how great I do feel. I'm so grateful to God for another day. I did start thinking to myself "is it working?" Maybe I'm feeling so good because it's not working. Satan starts to flood my mind and then I remember God's silence does not mean he is not working.

As Satan was flooding my mind with thoughts of this chemo not working, I have been reminded this week of things going on in people's lives that makes Cancer seem so insignifiacnt. My children are outside playing in the snow as happy as can be. Not one concern in the world. I find myself thinking how nice to be a child again with no worries or concerns. 20 degrees outside and they could not be happier. Heck, even if they get sick, I'll be there to tuck them in to bed, bring them chicken noodle soup and tell them it is going to be alright.

The thought as clear as day comes to mind. I have a Father who wants to do the very same thing for me. He told me he would tuck me in (Psalm 91:4 "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart."), said he would bring me Chicken noodle soup (Matthew 6:31 "So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or even What shall we wear? For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.") and even tells me it is going to be alright (Psalm 34:4 "I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.")

Let's let God be our Father and take care of us the way he wants to!

God answers prayer!

Well, this past Friday I was able to receive my first of 6 chemotherapy treatments. I am going to have one next Friday and the Friday following that. I will get to take a break the week of Feb. 26th. and then start back up for the next 3 weeks in a row. After that I will go back to M.D. Anderson and they will monitor how the cancer is reacting to the chemo. Hopefully, it will be good news, and to be honest, I don't know what they will do next. I figure they are going to want to do some radiation. We will see. Right now I am taking it one day at a time, trying not to worry, but finding joy in today. O.K., does that make sense to you ? I'm not sure it does.

Now the part I love. Is God awesome or what! He has answered so many prayers. The latest one. I have not been sick even for one minute the whole weekend. I keep wondering if I am going to start to feel bad. So far so good. Next week may be a different story but today is great. Keep praying the chemo will get rid of all cancer cells in my body and my strength will continue. I will continue to pray for each person who reads this blog. He knows who you are and all your needs even before you do. As I read in one of my many books--and I'm sorry I don't know who said this but--Shut up and pray! It works we have seen it.

Love,
Kim

Sorry it took so long!

What a day! M.D. Anderson had a few little details they wanted me to take care of today. So, after getting in late last night I had to be in the hospital first thing this morning and was there most of today. As far as I know, I think I'm ready to start my treatments. I see Dr. Scroggin on Friday and he may start then. I am so thankful to God for answering our prayers. The cancer is still localized and they have a drug that they can give me here in Jonesboro. As far as how I am going to react to this particlar treatment, I don't really know. They have such good anti-nauseau medication and medications that can be taken to combat the side effects, I feel cofident I'm going to do fine. I am a little nervous but am going to try very hard to find the joy in every day. (please remind me of this in a few weeks).

God has brought good from this in so many ways. I'm still believing in complete and total healing. It may not have come in the form of a miracle, but it will come through very dedicated Doctors and medications and the prayers of 100's of people. We have seen God reveal himself many times through this. Look what we have seen him do. God wants to reveal himself to every single person who is willing to accept it and he does not want it to be in the middle of a crisis before we get it.

Thank you guys for being such caring, wonderful people who have done exactly what God intended us to do "to love your neighbor as yourself!"

Stand-in Blogger

Kim and I got back late last night from Houston and spent most of our time touring Texas airports, so she hasn't had much time to let you know what's going on. Here's where I come in. Just the facts, the scripture revelations, I'll leave to her.

Generally, we got a very good report. The cancer is still localized in her shoulder, with no sign of spreading. The better news, for us, is that we're going to be able to take the first round of chemo here in Jonesboro. Kim is at the Surgery Center right now (around noon) having surgery to repair her port (it's not going the direction it needs to) so she can begin the treatments immediately, we think it will start next week.

The treatments will be every week for eight weeks. Then we'll go back to Houston for another round of scans to see what effect the chemo had on the cancer that is still there. Depending upon that-- surgery, radiation and possibly another follow-up chemo treatment will be on the horizon.

On a side note, apparently Kim's thyroid gland had stopped working at some point. The doctor said that in the patients MD Anderson has seen that have had this happen (not very often, only a very few), the response to chemo has been dramatically better and they're just now trying to figure out why. This, Kim declares, is a "God thing."

Thank you again for all of your prayers and concerns. We're seeing it at work in our lives daily.

Mark

Mark and I went to see Joel.

We just got back from a pep rally for God. I made Mark go to Lakewood Church tonight to see Joel Osteen. He was there and did a little prep work, but his sister preached. The music was AWESOME. (Almost as good as home.) What you don't see on television is the congregation rockin out. One of the songs we sang--your not gonna believe this but--was the words from the verse Isaiah 40:31. As I write this I'm thinking I have gotten that verse in some form or fashion just about everyday I have been here.

I better go, tomorrow is a long day!

testing, testing, testing...

This place is so incrediable! Yesterday I met with my Doctor and he seems very hopeful. He ordered a battery of test to be run over the course of the next few days. I will meet with him again on Tuesday of next week and we will go over all the results of these test. Tomorrow is going to be a long one, the first CT scan starts at 7:10. I really don't know anything more today than I did when I got here, but will know a lot more on Tuesday after I have seen my Doctor and all the test have been completed.

I just want to say Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone. All your concern and prayers will never be forgotten. I wish I could hug every single one of you. My prayer is that God will bless you as you have blessed me. I'm sorry I did not blog this yesterday I got so excited about the woman from Equador! I miss home and can't wait to be back. Will blog soon.

Much love,
Kim