28 Days

It's Friday again! I decided a few days ago that you know you've been in the hospital too long when you open your second family size package of toilet paper. :-) Hopefully I'll make it out of here before the third.

This week of waiting has managed to pass rather quickly. My family has been kind to visit frequently and help keep me entertained. Wednesday we celebrated our third wedding anniversary. My husband ordered Outback to go and we actually had a really nice dinner here in my room. I had a migraine but apparently I'm in the right place for those, because they were quick to give me Darvocet and anti-nausea meds and I spent the entire day feeling quite mellow. Last week I spent an evening pouting when I realized I wouldn't get to celebrate my anniversary the way I wanted to -- I had been so determined to make this year special -- but you have all helped to give me a lot of perspective. I ended up focusing on being thankful that I'm able to celebrate this anniversary, which is a gift in and of itself, and that I have my spouse by my side. I spent the day praying for all of you whose spouses are overseas serving our country. Such a sacrifice you are asked to make everyday.

Yesterday I received platelets, and had a slight reaction to them. Thankfully nothing major, but it shook me up quite a bit and made me nervous about today's blood transfusion. It's been going for about an hour now, and so far so good. I'm thankful for yet another evidence of God's mercies. My doctor said this morning that hopefully yesterday was the last time I will need platelets. He is very optimistic, which he said is a good thing because oncology isn't a field for pessimists. I am really excited to find out my results next week. I know that there will be grace for the outcome, and God has given so much peace.

I've had three mail deliveries so far today! I'm starting to receive so many cards from those of you I have never met. How you bless my heart! I just sit here and cry with each one. Know that you encourage my family as well, and that you are giving me so many opportunities to share my testimony with the staff. One of the nurses said we're going to have to start hanging them on the ceiling.

I'll end with a song that has often been on my heart and tongue:

Thy mercy, my god is the theme of my song
The joy of my heart and the boast of my tongue
Thy free grace alone from the first to the last
Hath won my affection and bound my soul fast

Without thy sweet mercy I could not live here
Sin would reduce me to utter despair
But through thy free goodness my spirit's revived
And he that first made me still keeps me alive

- John Stocker