06-12-12: A Day of Rejoicing!

Qavah's Bone Marrow Transplant took place this afternoon at 1:30pm. Qavah was pre-medicated with anti-nausea medicine. The hospital room was prepared with a crash cart, oxygen, doctors, and nurses.  However, none of the "emergency" equipment was needed.  There were no complications!  My mother said that, even before the BMT infusion began, the hospital room was filled with a peace that came from the Lord Himself.  Now, we pray and wait with "hope and patience" as the new blood marrow assimilates into Qavah's body.  That takes about twenty-one days.

Praise to the Lord the almighty the king of creation! 

Oh my soul praise Him for He is thine help and salvation! 

Let the amen sound from his people again. 

Gladly for aye we adore thee.

A Physical Miracle

Yesterday, I stunned the "pharmacy ladies" (as I like to call them) when I walked into the store to pick up a prescription.  The last time I had been in there was when I was using my walker, or even the wheelchair.  At that time, I was still contemplating whether I even wanted to follow through with hip surgery.  Exactly one month later, I was walking into the store with very little hip pain. 

Looking back to the day of surgery, I definitely think the surgeon was more nervous than I was.  He kept pacing the pre-op room, waiting for the OR to become available.  However, the Lord guided his hands and the surgeon performed the operation well with little complications.  For the first time, I returned home after surgery within the normal, scheduled time-frame (three days).  I began home health care right away with Gentiva Health Services.  While I only had a few sessions of occupational therapy, nurse care and physical therapy have filled up my days these past four weeks.  No complaints from me!  I've actually come to really look forward to seeing those medical professionals.  Everyone has been so kind, understanding, and patient.  Even the physical therapy exercises have been helpful enough that I plan to continue doing them on my own.  Pending any unexpected setbacks, this is my last week using Gentiva.  I will miss the home health team that helped me "get back on my feet"!

Normally, recovery from hip surgery does not go as quickly as my progress has been.  It has truly been a miracle from the Lord.  He has not only preserved my life yet again, but God has done above and beyond what I asked Him.  Before my surgery on May fourth, it had been January since I had walked with ease.  Really, I experienced a semester of continued debilitation.  In a matter of a two-week time span, I went from vacuuming upstairs and downstairs to using a wheelchair and living on one level.  Then, in almost the same span of time, I went from extreme pain to walking again!

Sometime in the future, I plan to write about the spiritual lessons I've learned from this experience.  However, for now, I just want to praise my Heavenly Father.  I was desperate, cried to Him for help, and He healed me (Psalm 30:2).  There has been one Bible verse that I continue to recall as I heal from this hip surgery.  It's a verse that I believe will become reality - in its entirety- in the weeks and months ahead:

"Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31.

Upcoming Surgery

God worked in awesome ways today!  My surgery date is scheduled for Friday, May 4 at 1pm (I'll have transfusions and platelets on that day, as well). The original date was for May 23. My pre-op tests (that I'm told lasts about 3 hours) takes place on May 1.   When I first learned of the original surgery date, my mother looked stunned and I burst into tears.  I couldn't help it - I'm so weary and couldn't imagine myself trying to live another month this way.  In addition to the pain, the oral pain medication has activated my Crohn's symptoms, making it so that I can only eat little bits of food a few times a day.  I've already lost ten pounds in one week.  

While the scheduler stepped out of the room, Mom prayed and called my father to ask him to pray.  After quite awhile, we could hear the surgeon and nurses making calls to my hematologists' office and working with other staff to find another surgery date.  When May 4 was announced, I felt relief inside.  I know the Lord will sustain me until then.  

For those who've asked, the plan right now is to replace the femur ball and remove any other "dead bone".  However, the surgeon said he suspects pressure build- up and deterioration of the surrounding cartilage, which would account for the severe pain.  As far as my leg circulation is concerned, he believes that I'm experiencing nerve spasms, again due to the pain.  If too much deterioration has taken place, then the surgeon will go ahead with doing a full hip replacement.  He won't really know until he is able to look inside my leg, how much bone has to be removed or replaced.  Either way, I may have a lot of relief right away and definitely more as my hip area heals.  In the end, after many weeks of recovery, I should be able to walk again! 

I so appreciate the prayers, cards, messages, visits, and other acts of love and friendship.  In fact, I'm designing a guest book journal, so that I can remember in years to come all of the kindnesses the Lord is showering me with right now by way of family and friends.

A Special Day

Happy Birthday to my niece, Annelise!  She's turning FIVE-years-old today!  Where has the time gone?? (Click on the collage to enlarge the pictures)

Tree House

Poems For My Mother

A MOTHER

A mother's hands are gentle,

as she wipes away our tears; 

a mother's arms bring comfort

as she helps us face our fears. 

a mother's heart is loving -

a true reflection of the
peace found in our Savior

and His everlasting love.

A MOTHER'S LOVE

Mother of mine, light of my soul, 

ever inspiring me to higher goal -

You who are so dear to me, 

when I look at you, what do I see?

I see a woman, yes, but more, by far, 

sunshine and moonlight and a star.

I see human feelings: joy, pain and fear, 

a gentle smile and a hidden tear.

I see strength, too and the courage to be meek; 

a helping hand to those who are weak;

a kindly word a spring shower, 

the song of a bird and a dewy flower.

I see a soul shining there

that can only be true and fair;

The soft music of a dear old hymn, 

a heart full of love blessed by Him.

I see sacrifices made for me,
and dreams imprisoned that mine might be free;

A mother whose motto o'er life's stormy sea is 

"Jesus, Savior, pilot me."
-Robert Church

Pulmonary Appointment Update

There were good answers to prayer at Monday's pulmonary appointment, which went very well.  Thank you so much for praying!  I'm quite relieved with what my pulmonologist determined after reviewing the ct scans taken two weeks ago. The pulmonologist believes that most of my breathing troubles are related more to bronchial and asthma issues rather than a serious lung disease.  The ct scan also showed that I did not have advanced pulmonary fibrosis as we first thought.  Instead, I have "non-progressive pulmonary fibrosis".  Again, the low pulmonary function test result I had in January was most likely due to asthma.  The two focal lesions (spots) I had on my lungs three years ago are still there, but have not grown in size. Since the Qvar inhaler wasn't effective, I'm now trying Symbicort.  I have a follow-up appointment in two weeks.

Psalm 8

I like trying to read through the Psalms in a month.  It's actually pretty easy to do.  There are thirty days in each month. If you read five psalms a day beginning with the the current date, you would read through the Psalms in a month.  Begin with the current date and read the corresponding psalm. Then add 30 to that date and read that psalm. Keep adding 30 until you have read five psalms.  Since Psalm 119 (which falls on the 29th day of the month) is long, I suggest that you read only this Psalm on the months that have 31 days (January, March, May, July, August, October and December).  Similarly, you can read the entire book of Proverbs in a month by reading the proverb that corresponds with the date.  

So today, I read Psalm 8, 38, 68, 98,128 and Proverbs 8.  I was especially excited this morning, because Psalm 8 is one of my favorite psalms.  And after enduring a cloudy and dismal Monday, I awoke to blue skies and bright sunshine.  

 O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.


When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?


Yet you have made him a little lower than the [angles],
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.


O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!


-Psalm 8:1-9 ESV

Holly Jolly Blog Hop Pictures - Part 2

Hopefully I'll have time to do a real post before Christmas, but I thought I should at least post a couple more pictures of the decorations and some of last week's snow storm.

This is on the shelf above our washer and dryer:

We've had these carolers for years.  I get excited every time I find them in our Christmas decorations' tub.  I like staring at their little faces and I always imagine I'm one of them.

Now onto the snow pictures, just in time to have more snow!

A final picture - the front of our home from the outside:

Welcome!

I decided to participate in my friend Kristin's, Holly Jolly Blog Hop which is basically a virtual open house, showcasing Christmas decorations and traditions.  This is Part one of the home tour. 

When decorating, we try to keep in mind that our home is a replica of a Victorian farmhouse.  For the past few years, we have only displayed our most favorite Christmas decorations. By doing so, our home is less cluttered and we're better able to focus on the real meaning of Christmas, the birth of Christ. 

These Victorian ladies and a Christmas wreath sit atop a hutch in our Eating Area:

The Jesse Tree and lyrics to "He Made A Way In the Manger," reminds us of how Christ fulfills humanity's need for a Savior:

 

This year, we decided to put our Nativity set in the Music Room:

  

This little tree is placed in the Music Room, too.  I like the miniature gold balls:

Our Library is also the grandchildren's playroom.  So, in addition to displaying Christmas-themed books, we added a bit of whimsy:

Several years ago, my family created a very unique gingerbread house and I have many happy memories of that time we spent together.  Since the house is non-edible, we're able to display it every year:

Our fireplace is located in the Dining Room and is home to these two trees.  At Christmas, we decorate the trees with large, Victorian balls and white lights.  (The painting is of my mother as a little girl):

Finally, here is a picture of the Christmas tree, which is located in the front hallway.  For the past two years, we've decorated the tree with only gold ornaments:

 

Thank you for stopping by!  I'll post part two in a few days.

Being Productive

My father has been home from work on vacation since Thursday.  In that time, we've celebrated Thanksgiving, removed a rather old and ugly grape arbor, taken down two trees, pruned bushes, burned trash, and decorated the house - inside and out - for Christmas.  I'm just amazed at how much my family can accomplish when we all work together.  The Lord really blessed each family member, including little Qavah, with enough strength to help.

Tomorrow, we go to church.  I'm looking forward to the first Sunday of Advent.  After the service, we are meeting my grandparents for lunch. They will be celebrating their sixty-fourth wedding anniversary on Tuesday, so we wanted to do something special with them before my dad returns to work on Monday.  I'm so grateful for these healthy and joyous "bonus" days!  

Tuesday's Treat

Last Fall, while shopping at Wal-Mart with my mother, we found a glass, pumpkin-shaped bowl for $5.00.  We were delighted with our "bargain".  I thought we would fill the dish with seasonal treats, like candy corn, but my creative Mama had a better idea in mind...

...make a Jello-O pumpkin of course!  By using Kraft's Orange Jell-O and Cool Whip, Mom cooked up a festive dessert.  This edible Autumn decoration is also a real conversation piece, not to mention a lot easier to "carve" than a real pumpkin.

Election Day 2010

Since I am legally blind and cannot drive, I have the option of voting by absentee.  This is the first year I actually cast my ballot using that method; the process was so easy that I plan to do it that way in the future.  It was strange this morning, though, to wake up and realize that I didn't need to go to the polling place first thing.  However, since I could stay home, Mom and Dad were able to leave Qavah with me while they voted, which was a help to them.

Yesterday, I had an extended family member forward me the picture posted below.  It's a real photograph, taken in Arizona, using a Kodak 33 mm film camera.  All I could think of was the Bible verse from Psalm 33:12 that states, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance".

Prayer

Several Sundays ago at church there was a video shown on the topic of "prayer".  By the time the video ended, I knew I had to post it on my website. I'm not going to type anything else, because I believe the quotes that are displayed speak for themselves.

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

               

Where The Buffalo Roam...

This afternoon, my family visited the quaint town of Paint Bank, where the buffalo really do roam the open fields. The weather was warm, the sky was clear, and the sun made the Fall leaves glisten with colors of lemon, auburn, and pumpkin. There were several pretty and unique bed and breakfasts, including a refurbished caboose that reminded me of The Boxcar Children. After getting our exercise by taking in the outdoor sights, we decided to enter the Swinging Bridge Restaurant and General Store for some tasty treats to enjoy later.  And yes, there really is a suspending swinging bridge inside the restaurant that I did walk across.

Even the ride home was an "event" in itself. The colors on the leaves changed by the minute as  twilight appeared.  It was a feast for the eyes!  Considering tomorrow is the first day of November, the Lord really gave my family a bonus day filled with many joyous memories. I had fun snapping one picture after another. Below is a short slideshow, although if you really want to experience some of the same delights as I did, I suggest visiting Paint Bank, Virginia in mid-to-late October.