My great little weekend

It's really weird how the pain is. It is almost as if you get it under control and then--BAM! from out of the blue, it is something else. Or, this seems to be how mine is, but my nurses have said as the cancer grows, that is just how it will be. The hospice service is wonderful. What a gift these women are. They are literally a phone call away, and come by to check on me often. Just pray I can keep my pain in check. That's a biggie!

Everyone seems to be holding together the best we can. You know God can do anything! This weekend, with the kids at home, I was a little nervous. It was the most peaceful time together. The kids seemed to get along so well--and get this--my sister got to come to Jonesboro! What a gift. We climbed up in that bed and my mother got to take care of both of us in one place! You could tell that was what she had been wanting to do from the beginning. Mark has my oxygen mask tethered together so when I feel like it, I can get around the house. He did tell me he draws the line at me being able to reach the Mall. I love you all sooo much. Everyday, new fears and strange thoughts invade, but I'm trying so hard to just keep my eyes on Jesus.

Love to all,
Kim

In trying to make sense of this

A poem I read this morning during my devotional spoke to me.

Does Sorrow lay his hand upon your shoulder,
And walk with you in silence on life's way,
While Joy, your bright companion once, grown colder,
Becomes to you more distant day by day?
Run not from the companionship of Sorrow,
He is the messenger of God to thee;
And you will thank Him in His great tomorrow--
For what you do not know now, you then will see;
He is God's angel, clothed in veils of night,
With whom "we walk by faith" and "not by sight."

I'm so overwhelmed by all of your love! Thank you to my sweet friend for allowing me to spend yesterday with my sister. I wish there was someway I could tell you how much that meant to me. As Mark and the kids walked into church yesterday, "Everlasting God" was the opening song. The special music was Mercy Me's "Jesus Bring The Rain."

I don't really have to say much more do I?

Love to all.
Kim

Home from the hospital

I got to come home from the hospital yesterday and oh what a good feeling getting to take a shower in my own bathroom and sleep in my own bed. Oh the little things. I had been scheduled for a chemo on Tuesday and just was not in any shape to take it, and according to all the scans, it wasn't working anyway. My doctor felt the best place for me was to try to get a little stronger in the hospital. I was having a lot of trouble with weakness and catching my breath. After reviewing all the scans, they have started me on radiation to try to shrink some lymph nodes in my lungs so the air can pass through a little better. The radiation will last about 2 weeks.

I can't tell you how much all your love, prayers and support have meant to my family. When I came home yesterday and read all the posts, I felt so much love, I just cried.

It is really weird where I find myself right now. It seems almost not real but I know it is. It is funny how I guess you picture your life and so many times it just doesn't turn out the way you thought it would. I guess the most difficult part now is I'm such an active person, and it is very weird when you're worn out just getting to the bathroom and back. It gives you a lot of time to think. God's ways are sure not ours, but when you get to this place all you can do is trust Him. Trust Him with all your fears and that my family will somehow be very strong Christian men and women because of this.

I would also like to thank you guys for all the love you have showed for my sister. Her surgery is Monday and I think she is anxious to get it over with. My parents are doing great and will be heading up there Sunday. I will do my best to keep posting. There is no doubt in my mind that God has been in this from the beginning and I know He is not going to leave me now. Continue to pray for me and my family. I don't even know what to tell you to pray, but God does, so just leave it up to him.

I pray God will touch each one of you today in a way you can have no doubt it was him.

Love to all,
Kim

Hospital stay update

It's amazing what a little bag of fluid pumped into the body can do for you! Kim is feeling much better today. She got zapped with her first of 14 days of radiation to shrink the lymph nodes around her windpipe. It should make breathing easier. She's getting good rest and we're hopeful she'll be feeling much stronger when they release her tomorrow.

Kim gets the "K-LOVE encouraging word of the day" by email and today's was the Scripture at the top of this webpage (2 Cor.) We're always amazed when we see God's I.V. drip his assurances into our life.

We're blessed by the many thoughtful words and prayers you've extended to our family. Thank you.

Mark

Update on Kim

Kim is not having much success with chemotherapy, so the doctor has taken her off it. The lymph nodes in her throat are causing her breathing problems, so she's been checked into the hospital here (today, Tuesday 14th) to run tests and prep her for radiation on those nodes, which will hopefully ease those problems. She should only be in for a couple days.

I'll try to post more when I know more.

Mark