From The Past: May 15, 2009

I asked Mom to express to you in her own words what her treatment will be. This is what she wrote:

Hello, I just wanted to pass on my health info. I have been feeling really good but the blood work alarmed me. I just knew that it wasn’t right. So I had the Bone Marrow Biopsy on Wednesday and it wasn’t painful but I was sick from the anesthetic the rest of the day. The Oncologist had my results back the following day even though I had been told that it would be three days to a week to get results. He called me yesterday and gave me the news and he wanted to see me at 2:30 this afternoon. I was determined not to let it get me down. I told the Lord that I would still praise Him and I sang songs of praise to Him. But this morning when I woke up, I was depressed just thinking of being admitted to the hospital for maybe up to 5 weeks. It’s just depressing and I miss my family and it’s scary.

Anyway, I was surprised that the doctor gave me 5 choices of treatment. I selected the following and it is a new treatment: I will get a PICC line inserted on Monday. On Tuesday, I begin outpatient chemo for 8 days. Following this, I will have another Bone Marrow Biopsy to see if the chemo puts the leukemia into remission. The doctor thinks that I have about a 40% chance of it going into remission. If it doesn’t work, we will look at other options.

I am just so relieved that I didn’t have to be admitted. I feel like a load has been lifted. I don’t know what the 8 days of chemo holds for me or the days thereafter, but I’m willing to try. I think of the song “I don’t know about tomorrow, but I know who holds my hand.” I felt so lighthearted when we left the doctor’s that Dennis & I went to Sears and I bought an outfit! Then we took my sister Patt to eat at the Olive Garden. It’s been a good afternoon! Thank you for all your prayers. They are so very much appreciated. I love the verse from James 5:16: Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.