Be Still

This has been a week for catching up with long-lost friends and hearing from people from my past. They say good news travels fast, but I say bad news travels even faster. As the news of my breast cancer has spread through the grapevine, I have begun to receive messages of encouragement from so many wonderful friends, relatives, and even acquaintances with whom I had lost touch. I find it quite amazing that, in the family of God, you can go years without seeing a friend, and when you do meet up again, you are able to pick up right where you left off. Sharing a common faith and future binds us together forever.

This week I am feeling pretty good, although I continue to be so tired. By the time I get home from work and have dinner - I'm toast. I doze on and off until bedtime, then start the process over again the next day. I have one new side effect that I'm not too happy with -- mouth ulcers. I don't mean an irritating ulcer like you sometimes get, I mean one entire side of my mouth is covered and it hurts to talk, it hurts to eat, whine, whine. You know, the chemo destroys the bad cells (yay!) but also some of the good, and that's where this mouth issue comes in. Apparently this is a common side effect. My doctor gave me a prescription for a liquid I can swish in my mouth to help with the pain, but it's seriously called "Gross Cocktail" -- if that gives you any idea how it tastes!

I am beginning to see that with each chemo treatment I am slowing down more and more. I have been going along, living my life as usual, living like I'm not sick. But I am, and I am understanding the importance of slowing down and letting my body rest. So here is my new verse for this week. I didn't search the concordance for it; it just came to me as I was sitting here contemplating my need for rest: "Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

Wow. The Lord just told me that I need to be still, slow down - and let HIM be in control of my life. Of my cancer. Of my side effects. OF MY HEALING.

I'm pretty certain I am not the only one racing through life today, trying to do it all, pretending there's not really anything wrong, needing to just BE STILL and allow God to be Lord of my life. So join me this week and let's be still in God's presence. I look forward now to a peace-filled Friday at chemo, knowing I am going to be spiritually prepared. I'll let you know how it goes.

Wonderful News!!

We received such wonderful news today!! I had an appointment this afternoon with my oncologist, Dr. Juvvadi, and she confirmed that the tumor has significantly shrunk in size after only two rounds of chemo! We are just ecstatic. Keith's prayer that the chemo would be "hard on the cancer and easy on Val" has been answered.

Before my treatment began, the doctor told us that this particular cancer drug is very effective on my particular type of cancer, and that it was possible that my tumor would completely disappear. Well, we are on our way to that end.

This news does not change the treatment plan long-term, but it encourages us that the chemo is effective and that the cancer is being eliminated.

God has blessed me in so many ways - I am experiencing minimal side effects to the chemo, and now this good news. Please join me in thanking our Lord for answering our prayers. I continue to be blessed beyond measure by your prayers.

"On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many." 2 Corinthians 1:10-11