Dear Friends and Family,
I really do try to update this blog more frequently than I do but it seems on a busy day such as today it’s the first thing to get bumped off my list of things to do. I’ve had people ask why I’m so busy so I’ll give a brief summary of my day today. After getting up and getting ready for the day I probably spent about an hour getting Mark’s juice ready, preparing his breakfast, getting his supplements going and then cleaning everything up. I spent about 6 hours on the computer doing my real job with breaks in between to help Mark change his dressing where he is having leaking (will explain later) and doing about 8 loads of laundry do to all the leaking we’re having. Factor in fixing and cleaning up lunch, cleaning our bathroom and fixing dinner ( I did have help with the clean up :)) and then walking to Walgreens due to the snow to get more supplies because we’re having to change the dressing so often. It was a beautiful walk and I loved every minute of it. This evening it took about two hours to help Mark change his colostomy bag and the dressing on his fistula and then help him get cleaned up and change the dressing again on the nephrostomy tubes. From 7-8 I did something I love to do- I watched Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!
Five things I’m thankful for today (in random order) 1. that we didn’t lose power 2. that I have a washer and dryer 3. beautiful snow outside my window 4. people that share encouraging verses on Facebook and 5. time spent with my husband. Philippians 4:8 says Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. So no matter how long or how hard the day we can always find things, big or small, to be thankful for!
Mark is almost done with radiation – two more treatments – weather permitting he will go Thursday and Friday and be done – if not, we’ll finish up on Monday. Last week he went in for outpatient surgery to have two stents put into his kidneys. When they got in they were able to take out the stent in the left side and replace it with a more robust stent but the right side was just too blocked. They sent him to interventional radiation and they put they stent in thru the nephrostomy tube that was already in place. We thought we were going to be at the hospital until about noon but ended up being there close to 5:00 – a very long day. They capped the tubes and took the drains out but before we left the hospital the right side started leaking and so they put the drain back on. Before this procedure he was already having a lot of problems with edema in both his legs but since then the right leg especially is very swollen and it is like dead weight to him. I think he’s gained about 8 pounds in water weight just in his legs. We are trying lymphatic massage and after the massage his legs are much better but they quickly go back to what they were – we just need to get his lymph system working again so everything drains properly. Since coming home that day we have left the drain in the right kidney bc it kept draining and we didn’t want to get it all blocked up. After speaking with our urologist yesterday he said to cap off the drain to try to make the body start draining on it’s own. So we did and that’s when the leaking started – the doc said to just let it go so the body can try to eliminate the natural way and not give in and hook the drains back up (my own terminology). This means that after putting a dressing on it’s only a matter of time before it starts getting soaked and then goes thru his clothes, etc. So that’s why I’ve done eight loads of laundry today!
He still is having pain from the tumor but is seeing some relief – I wouldn’t say a whole lot but we’ll take a little over nothing! The edema in the legs is obviously a big problem – it takes him about a good 5 minutes to climb into bed – it wears him out just getting in and out of bed. A lot of this is due to the legs being dead weight but then he’s uncomfortable on both sides of his kidneys bc of the caps on them and then still having tumor issues and also the colostomy so he doesn’t have hardly any way to lay down comfortably. He has about 6 pillows to try to get everything right but I know it’s discouraging to him.
Sleep is still an issue – he is usually up at least 4-5 times per night – sometimes he can’t go back to sleep – this is when he catches up on “words with friends” and emails, facebook, etc so if you see he’s made a post at 3 in the morning you’ll know why. And I must put a disclaimer here – if he says or posts something outrageous just remember he is heavily mediated! 🙂
So, lots to pray about! Requests: 1. a complete miracle of being cancer free that only God can perform! 2. we will be a witness to those we come in contact with and use the testimony that He has given us for His glory. 3. A good nights sleep 4. for the edema to clear up and his lymph system to work properly 5. relief from tumor pain 4. kidney stents to work and to be able to get the drains out.
We are very thankful for all the prayer support we feel and so many that help us with rides, chores, etc. We are truly blessed by great friends locally who reach out to us so often.
Thanks for your continued prayers – we are VERY grateful indeed!
Mark and Lee
The song below resonates in my heart – “Blessings” by Laura Story
We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things
‘Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we have faith to believe
‘Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It’s not our home
‘Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the achings of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise
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