Walking Through Faith in Challenging Days
September 10–11, 2022
Walking through faith during extreme trials means learning to carry physical weakness while clinging to spiritual truth. These entries reflect a few days in September 2022, capturing the balance between pain, fatigue, family life, and trusting God throughout it all.
September 10
Woke around 6:00 a.m. Stomach pain and overall discomfort have eased to about a 4/10 from a 9/10 last night. Considering using my prescription pain reliever for a short period to function better, while also hoping to support my body naturally. Neuropathy is increasing, so I’m considering trying alpha-lipoic acid, which helped before.
I really need to get the resources page figured out for my blog because it would help me to locate information because I forget a lot or get information mixed up in my brain especially now that chemo brain seems to get setting in more. I’m hoping and praying this only temporary while undergoing treatment.
Scripture & Reflection:
“O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” —Psalm 107:1
Ezekiel 40–43; Isaiah 46:4
By 9:00 a.m., I pushed myself to go grocery shopping with Dezirae. Used a wheelchair, gloves, and a mask to take precautions. We divided tasks to make it manageable.
Received a message from a friend who had been praying for me—a reminder of God’s care through others. Mom checked in with a cup of ice, reminding me to rest when needed.
1:30 I’m getting very tired and feel a crash oncoming. Decided to go to bed to take nap. Turn on wholetones music.
Woke just before 5:00pm to the sound of the Neulasta device clicking on my arm. This means the medicine is slowly being released into my body. Once it stops clicking and green light stops, we can take it off. Yay!
5:40 working on cooking dinner. Had to ask for help. I’m really starting to feel weak and exhausted.
Helps for cancer
How to Detox after Chemotherapy and Radiation | MarnieClark.com
https://marnieclark.com/breast-health/8-ways-to-build-a-super-strong-immune-system/
8:30 just remembered I needed to finish the bulletin. Glad I started working on it earlier this week. Still took me couple hours to finish and print.
Spices on chicken for dinner left a horrible taste in my mouth. Couldn’t even finish the chicken. Did eat the veggies. Only drank 68 oz today. Not very hungry or thirsty today.
After finishing bulletin, decided to work on blog a little bit. Posted a hymn story then added scheduled posts on my healing journey.
I’m starting to feel very chilly all over to the point of shivering. Night vitamins taken. Under covers trying to warm up. Extremely tired but awake. Stomach hurts
Thankful for: Unexpected blessings
September 11
6:45 a.m. — Woke to use the restroom. Slept most of the night, but still have a horrible taste in my mouth, like I might be nauseous. Drank some purified water to see if it would help, but it didn’t. Remembered I needed to put a turkey breast in the crockpot for lunch—never cooked just a turkey breast before. Looked up the cooking time: 6 hours. Ugh. Got up, put on medical gloves to handle the turkey, and got it in the crockpot. Feeling tired, I went back to bed to rest.
Song: “Leave It There” comes to mind. I wonder if I can play it on the piano? I’ll have to try it later.
Heart pounding hard. Horrible taste in my mouth. Whole body aches deeply (like I’m sick), but not too too bad yet. Since Fall season is just around the corner, I’ve been taking Zyrtec for couple weeks now for my allergies. I’m hoping it’ll help minimize the bone pain from the Neulasta injection. For obvious reasons, just taking it for 5 days hasn’t been working. I’m exhausted and feeling wore out.
Scripture & Reflection:
Psalm 121:1–8; Ezekiel 44–45; Psalm 145:18
“The LORD is near to all who call on Him.”
Asked for saltines thinking that would help. Yuck! The table salt on the crackers tastes like chemicals. We switched to Himalayan salt only years ago for Joe’s health. Trying a ginger chew now.
I have a bruise on my lower right chin about 8″ up from ankle. There’s a slight red spot on skin but to look at my leg you wouldn’t know it’s there. It sure does hurt though when I touch it. I’m freezing cold. Bundling up until I get hot. Playing wholetones music while I rest. Fall asleep quickly. Sleep for a good 45 minutes. Wake to arms and hands tingling. Heart pounding.
Filled medicine and vitamin containers for the week. Noticed that my B12 levels were low on my last labs. I was out for a while so I’m adding B complex back into regimen. Curious to see how they read next blood draw.
Manage to muster up enough strength to get the mashed potatoes and corn ready for lunch. The turkey smell is turning my stomach. I’m quite nauseous. Laying back down till they get home.
Jordon gives me a big bear hug. I almost want to cry. I’m glad to see him, but I feel so awful right now. Trouble with constipation today. Haven’t had that trouble in long time. Joe’s glad bcuz that means I’m not dehydrated. I tell him it’s not good bcuz my stomach hurts bad. Family helped finish getting lunch ready. Could only eat one bit of turkey. Able to eat the potatoes and corn. Tell Joe that Dezirae is going to need help with kitchen duty bcuz I don’t have it in me today and I need to go lay down.
Received “happy mail” today. Three packages. First one had water bottle and probiotics. Second PKG had silver earrings. Third PKG has tangerine ginger chews. That’s a comforting sight on day that I feel so nauceous. Thank you, Lord.
Sucking on a ginger chew to ease the nausea. I feel so worn down as if I’ve caught a flu bug but without the sniffles, runny nose, fever, etc. Having trouble drinking fluids.
Thankful for:
- Family support and presence
- Thoughtful gestures and “happy mail”
- Small moments of comfort and connection
