June 7
4:30 not sure why I woke so early. Skin hypersensitive. Muscles stiff and throbbing immensely. Nerves stinging. Eyes watery. Exhausted.
Song on mind – 🎵 Blessed Be the Name of the Lord 🎵
Proverbs 19-21; Psalm 90:2
Played wholetones music to help me fall back to sleep. Slept until alarm rang.
8:00 hit snooze three times. I’m so tired. Time to get moving. Rae is going to help me paint the rest of kitchen. I’m going to give her some money for helping.
2:30 finally done with second coat of pain – lol. I meant paint. It does pain me to work so hard but I save tons of money doing so. I’m exhausted and going to lay down for a bit while the paint dries. We want to get the kitchen back together before Joe gets home.
3:00 decided to play wholetones music (Key of David 444mhz) while resting. Alarm set.
It’s hard to believe that my Bubba is married.
Slept for about 20 minutes then woken by phone call. If only I’d remember to put it on silent.
5:00 dinner is loaded burger bowls with sweet potato fries. It was okay, but I’d rather have taco salad.
6:30 decided to post prayer request about upcoming chemo port surgery and treatments across prayer/ministry pages. Multiple responses that people are praying for my family and I. Made a new friend🙂, named Becki. She went through breast cancer treatments and finished up about 9 months ago. She reached out to me and told me I could talk. I messaged her and we had conversation back and forth for couple hours. She gave me good tips to check out and I was able to share some things with her as well. Even cooler is her husband is pastoring at one of the church’s Joe candidated at several years ago.
9:30 I’m tired but not sleepy. Going to bed with Joe so we can pray together.
Ugh! I feel like princess and the pea with my skin being hypersensitive. I’m changing sheets tomorrow. Can’t stand feeling everything. It feels like sharp razors cutting my skin, but I know it’s not. I’m quite sore and hurting from today. Body feels like I did an extensive workout. Pain level at 7.
June 8
5:01 not sure how long I’ve been awake. My arms are throbbing immensely and I feel hot like I just broke a fever or something.
Song on mind: 🎵Since Jesus Passed By🎵
Proverbs 22-24; Habakkuk 3:19; Hebrews 10:15-18
I’m a bit nervous about the surgery tomorrow. I know the surgeon explained it to me, but a few details are fuzzy.
https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/patient-education/your-implanted-port
https://www.webmd.com/cancer/chemo-technology-assistance
8:00 attempted to figure how to register for online patient portal but couldn’t figure it out.
8:23 called cancer center. Lady trying to help figured out my email was spelled incorrectly. Should receive email invite soon.
9:00 called Surgeon’s office to ask about tomorrow. While on phone her nurse called me so I answered her call. Somehow they missed drawing blood and getting EKG at last appointment. Nurse asked me to come in for pre-op and get those tests done.
10:00 Out the door we go.
Never received the email. Nurse doing pre-op asked a bunch of questions. I was glad I brought the cancer binder. When she saw my medication list, she was amazed. Wished all her patients were that organized. Gave lightning strike story. I liked that they allowed Dezirae to join me except in the treatment room (which didn’t take that long).
*Need to add my surgeries to the medical list.
Once pre-op was done, went to oncologist office to check on email situation. Nurse said she was able to correct issue but it’ll take 48 hours to get the email. Ugh! I want results of testing before tomorrow. They instruct me to go to oncologist surgeon’s office.
Once at Dr B’s office, I explained to nurse what was going on. She apologized and went to talk with Dr B directly. Dr B said she would fit me in. I hope it doesn’t take long bcuz Jordon has appt at 2:00.
Dr B apologized for the oversight and shot Dr G a message letting him know. Dr G answered telling her that he’d get it taken care of. Dr. G office to contact me with follow up appt. If I don’t hear anything by Friday’s appt I’m to inquire.
Praise: all that testing showed that the cancer is only in my left breast and left lymph node under the arm. It’s considered localized. Praise God!!!
1:15 home in time to drink fresh veggie juice, grab some pecans and bottle of water, and back out the door to take Jordon to dentist.
3:52 received phone call from a friend. She’s been taking about me with her boss. Her boss is a breast cancer survivor. She asked several questions to which I gladly answered. I don’t get many friends calling to check on me. I’m happy to talk with anyone. I enjoyed the phone call. Her boss offered friendship if I need to talk. I thanked her and told her I may take her up on offer in future.
4:18 pit stop at ollie’s to grab the shelf for church. I received coupon in email that expires Sunday. Yay! Jordon helps me get shelf. I’m already feeling not being able to take supplements or medication. Nerves are on fire, muscles are throbbing intensely, and I’m slightly hungry and exhausted. Home at 4:18. Laying down to rest. I’m exhausted.
5:00 trouble with muscles cramping easily. Pain level at 6 now. What energy I did have is waning quickly
6:26 I cannot push any more. Pain increases and I’m exhausted. I lay down for a bit to rest.
6:57 recvd automated phone call from Dr G’s office that I have an appt on Monday, June 13. That’s not going to happen. Some didn’t read the file. Will have to get it corrected. Ugh. Dezirae leaves for camp on Monday.
7:30 I need to make my juice for tomorrow because I know I won’t be up to it tomorrow. Make enough for 5 juices.
Need to rest a bit before bathing.
8:30 showering is difficult. Had to ask Joe to help me so I wouldn’t fall. I’m exhausted and arms are fatigued.
Need to take nail polish off two of my nails. So sad. I just had my nails done for the wedding.
9:30 nails off. I’m exhausted. Center of chest sharp stabbing pain. Lord please ease my pain. I have headache but can’t take anything. God please help.
Thankful for…
1. Good report that the cancer is localized and no where else in the body.
2. God answered a thought prayer. Joe’s boss allowing him to take me and go to work afterwards.
3. A friend called to check on me that I haven’t talked to in a while.
June 9
4:00 not sure how long I’ve been awake. Pain in body keeping me awake.
1 Kings 5-6 (Haha – the first wood flooring was in Solomon’s temple -“and covered the floor of the house with planks of fir”6:16); 2 Chronicles 2-3; Nehemiah 1-2; Acts 12; Matthew 7:13-14
As I was reading my Bible, the 444mhz sound from wholetones music began playing in my mind.
Center of chest sharp stabbing pain – it’s the costochondritis flaring up from lack of rest and stress.
Morning shower with special soap done. I’m exhausted. Teeth brushed. Not able to take any of my vitamins or supplements. Listening to the Clark Family Radio on Spotify to fill my mind with good music before going to hospital.
6:00 Muscles in arms burning throbbing. Mild headache. Tired. Random hiccups. Legs ache. Feet tingling and stinging. Lacking energy. Sinuses congested.
6:50 arrived at hospital a few minutes later than expected. Check in nurse had to print two new bracelet tags bc y’day nurse misplaced them when transferring my papers from red folder to blue folder. Since I did preregistration y’day it was quick check in. They were waiting for me on second floor. Once taken back to surgery prep area, I had to do urinalysis for pregnancy check (that’s a negative 😉), brush teeth and tongue with antiseptic and do oral rinse, swab inside both nostrils with an Iodine solution, then wipe down top portion of body with warm bathing wipes.
Bp 110/67; hr 86; ox 98; wt 193
Ivy put in my right hand. That stung. I mentioned that I’ve never had one in my hand before. Nurse was trying to explain in laymen’s words when anesthesiologist began explaining in technical jargon. When he was part way through, I commented “Oh, your explaining why the stick in the hand. Thank you for explaining.” The stick began to sting more as the nurse was taping it down. Naturally, my focus switched to my hand.
When the anesthesiologist stopped talking, I replied Ok to whatever you were saying. I appreciate your explanation, but it kind of hard focusing on what you were saying when my hand was being poked and hurting. He walked away and the nurse chuckled. I told the nurse, “He’s so serious. I was going to tell him it was okay to smile but he walked away too soon.” Nurse chuckled some more.
Nurses and anesthesiologist asked me several questions. Had to sign consent forms. Nurse commented on how small I wrote. Told her it’s only been that small since my lightning strike. She asked me the story.
Dr B came in to check on me. I asked her if she has a good night’s sleep. She said she did. I told her that I had prayed for her to. She said your prayers worked because I slept very well. Thank you. She asked how I slept. I told her not very well. She asked if it was because I was anxious. I told her, “No, it was due to my not being able to take my vitamins. They help control the muscle spasms and pain.” She told me I could take them when I get home. I told her I’d much rather take vitamins and supplements to control the muscle spasms and pain than prescription meds. She said good for you. 😊
A little later one of the anesthesiologists (he was in green scrubs) asked about allergies -he noted that several of the allergies were bp meds, blood pressure, and acid reflux. I made comment that those were only since my lightning strike. Of course, he also inquired about the lightning strike and I obliged. They said I was fortunate to be alive. To which I replied God spared my life.
The next thing I knew I was waking from the anesthesia.
When I was waking from the anesthesia, I had the chorus playing in my mind
🎶”Even in the valley God is good
even in the valley he is faithful and true
he carries his children through
like he said he would
even in the valley God is good🎶
I think I may have even been singing it out loud😊.
Surgery went well. Dr told Joe & Dezirae that it went smooth as butter. Surgery sites are quite sore. I’m in good spirits and home resting. Have to take it easy for 24 hours.
Thank you for your prayers. They were felt and appreciated.❤️
11;00 I’m exhausted so I’m going to take a nap. Took 4 ibuprofen for the pain. Playing wholetones music.
2:11 called Joe for help to get up in order to use restroom. Rt upper side hurts like crazy – kinda feels like I got sucker punched in the base of my neck.
Told Joe I needed to drink some of my juice. He disappeared after I sat back down on the bed. I got up slowly and walked to the kitchen holding onto the wall. I asked what he was doing. He told me to go back to bed. He was getting my juice for me. What a sweet heart.❤️
Drank Juice, took more v
