An Embarrassment of Riches

 

A new book surprises me in yesterday's mail, a kind card the day before. A comforting dinner is brought to our door, my brother arrives to spend a chemo day with me. A new coloring book (what a good year to be handed more downtime) and Downton isn't over yet. On the prayer chain in my home church in Iowa, and another friend's prayer team, also in Iowa. A call from down under. And from my Valentine cd, a new Cactus Blossoms fave http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRbA4h-la6A&sns=em

The outpouring of support has been humbling, encouraging, strengthening, and healing. Every kind expression is such a beautiful contrast to the meanness and negativity so prevalent in much current news. One of the many (ha!!) books in my stacks is Dallas Willard's The Allure of Gentleness. One descriptor of the book uses the phrase 'born on the wings of grace' and as we are the recipients of such kindness, I am drawn anew to grace, positivity, and a spirit of generosity.

In a brief bit of TMI and news of the weird, I should also be grateful for the pictured on-body shot I am wearing for the next 28 hours or so. I don't have to go back in for a shot! (The nurses say that with such enthusiasm.) That's part of the embarrassment of riches, I guess, but for someone who really, really dislikes needles, to wear one is just strange. To remind me it's working, a green light blinks regularly. Warning to my women's retreat roommates, yes, there will be a blinking light glowing in my sleeping bag . . . Ahhh, technology. To be positive about it 😉 this neulasta shot minimizes the number of days when my white counts drop dangerously low and keep me home bound, so it's a good thing. Three of the 4-drug chemo rounds are done . . . Onward!

 

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TMI 5

The thyroid node is benign. So no need to think any more about that!

The piece my brother wrote on facebook, and which many of you read in December, is on the Runners World website today. (Way to write, Pete.) I never imagined I’d see my photo there. However, I was recently musing that the marathons he and I ran together are proving to be helpful training for this little endurance event.  http://www.runnersworld.com/other-voices/next-steps

Blanketed

When I was young, my parents were fairly confident they wouldn't need to worry about me and drugs. Needles make me faint and until I was far older than I should've been, my mom had to grind baby aspirin between two spoons to get me to swallow them. Or any pill. So, no, I was not excited about today's fine needle aspiration biopsy on my thyroid. Rather anxious actually. As I've been scanned and tested in recent months, I'm learning that those darn scans turn up other things too. Like a nodule on my thyroid. Scientist Jon came with me and found it rather interesting. I just close my eyes, pray, and distract myself until it's over. Truly the fear of it is far worse than the procedure itself. True of so many things.

That said, whoever came up with the heated blanket idea is brilliant. At all of these tests, and during chemo, the warm blanket is always offered. Physically and emotionally comforting, those thin little threadbare blankets really work for me. As I grasped the blanket's edge today, trying not to think about needles going in and out of my neck (!), this verse came to me: . . . For she said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” Luke 9:21-22 Each warm blanket going forward may be the touch of his cloak, the hem of his garment. The warm love and prayer that continues to uphold me in so many ways brings comfort beyond words.

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