People Watching

It is so nice to have a valid excuse to be up in the early morning! One med has been increased to prior levels because of my skin issues, and it makes me run round the clock. I'm enjoying watching all the shiny, pretty things in London this morning!

Things are going well at the apartment. I stay near former President George W's house, so we found the entrance to it using googlemaps and enjoyed driving through the neighborhood. I'm sure I'm on a Secret Service list now. They will get either very bored watching me or get very suspicious because I'm staked out so well.

I have been completely pampered this week. I'm hoping to see the children at Van's mom's house today and/or tomorrow, but one had a runny nose yesterday. We'll see what happens with that. Praying.

Wow, look at that fashion statement of a hat! These royals can live it up.

+25

All is well. My friend Marilee from near Utopia is here in Dallas, cooking homemade lasagna (which I could taste very well, thank you very much) and exercising with me at the leasing office gym. I decided that this month/couple of months may be my opportunity to get buff-ha! I got another good report at the doctor's office today. My labs continue to improve. The only irritating issue is the skin on my face is uncomfortable. This means that I had to slightly increase one of the medicines instead of decreasing like hoped. It is a small thing, and will improve with some time, but it is annoying.

There's nothing Van enjoys more than a good tornado, so he and Mom and Dad watched the lightning and a wall cloud from the front porch go over Lake Waco about 9:00 while our children slept. He tried to wake up Cade to see the lightning, but he was out--what a change from when he was a baby! Van assures me that he would have put the children in the bathtub if needed. (We don't really have an interior room in our home anyway, so they were probably just safest in their room.) That man should have been a weatherman. We have tried to see more tornadoes in our marriage than Storm Chasers. Praying for Groesbeck. That is no fun.

+22 Special Visit

Dad, Mom and the kiddos came to the apartment today! I had bought some crazy-Target-Christmas-clearance toy items for no reason months ago, so Van brought those up in anticipation. The kids played and played, and hopefully Mom and Dad got a break. There is a great pool here. Almost a third of it is 6 inches, so Van took the kids swimming while the rest of us enjoyed the shade. There are some fountains attached to the pool that the kids whacked with fun noodles. Very fun. We worked on puzzles in the afternoon, and Zane amazed me with his imagination. I piled pillows on him on the couch--Van came and took one a second later, and Zane said, "Hey, why did you break my castle?" That kid cracks me up. Avi was all cuddles and very TWO, and Cade was simply adorable and talkative. It was so good to see my parents, too. Easy cheesy day that was beautiful. It was hard to say goodbye, but at least I will see them next Saturday. I was able to tell Cade that the worst was over and that we would get to see each other more often now and for longer periods.

My health is evening out. I still am amazed that I didn't need any platelet or blood transfusions and that my new bone marrow is mine and making the good stuff for me. The numbers on the lab reports continue to improve slowly, slowly. Each doctor visit is so long, dull, and encouraging. The skin around my eyes has been annoying, but we're working on it. I slept for the first time last night in a long time--at least 6 hours. Van said a sweet prayer over me, so you better believe I'm going to ask for that again tonight. One of my meds has been reduced, so I hope that is the one that is giving me grief. All the others I'll be on for a few months at least. I lost 10 pounds from Monday to Friday. That will make a person feel better!!!! I wore jeans for the first time today, so I'm feeling more like "me". I tease that I'm carb-loading for a marathon, eating every noodle and cereal in sight. I still am trying to figure out fitness and nutrition. The guidelines I'm used to just don't apply quite yet, but I had better figure something out soon because surely HGTV, noodles and my cute new jeans won't fit together long. The hardest thing is staying indoors and out of the sun. Couple that with avoiding crowds, and it can be tricky to know how to fill the day without completely boring my caretaker. I plan on using the sewing machine for a little project this week--we'll see if the energy holds out.

Our dear friend from near Utopia is coming tomorrow to spend the week with me. It will be great. Van and I are planning on finding an on-line church tomorrow to celebrate resurrection--so strange not to be a part of a community to celebrate, but I'm trying to walk in the Spirit (Romans 8).

I looked over the blog posts around +11 and a few days. I don't remember writing most of them! What a ride. That was rough, and I'm glad to be in today and not then!

So thankful for all the prayers, friendships and facebook/emails! It really helps us to stay connected. Important stuff.

+18

Evidently some of Van's enthusiasm to get me off of the couch has rubbed off onto my sister. I went to my amazingly non-eventful appointment yesterday (+17), and was exhausted. I had expected to get some platelets and blood, was reclined in the curtained room with a warm blanket (these people are NICE), when after a few hours, the PA decreased some of my medicines, and sent me away. My levels were borderline, and she wants to check again on Wednesday to see if the engrafting is going whole-hog on me. I wanted that boost of energy so badly that it is still hard to be grateful not to need the transfusion, but I'm TRYING to see the big picture and see that this means I can recover more wholly and quicker--and that this whole process is WORKING, Praise God.

My sister picked me up and we (me) rested at the apartment while she heated up food for me. I'm still struggling with tasting anything, but she is finding good ways of varying things up with heat, cold and textures, so it doesn't just taste like salt because my mouth tastes like salt. As I mentioned before, my sister is a genius with making food look good, so I am eating very well and regularly. We tried to go for a walk around the apartments, but it was HOT. I have to keep my skin covered up, so we opted for a drive around downtown. She is so brave, and we did not hit a single trolley car or pedestrian.

Closer to the apartment, we found a Lowes. I put on my little mask, located some patio furniture in case I needed to sit, and we walked around probably for 20 minutes in the cool looking at sinks and appliances. Trish has had to do quite a bit of home repair lately, so this was very enjoyable and valuable.

She made me one of my favorite sandwiches, and it was so nice to have a vegetable and some different textures. I rested (again) while she scoped out the apartment complex. When it finally cooled down about 8:00, we took a stroll and found some neat things that I'll write about later.

The real reason I am writing today/tonight is on behalf of my friend, C, that is recovering from a stroke in Houston. I can't describe what a sweet influence he and his wife have been on Van and I for years and years(not to mention hundreds of others), and we hate seeing his family take a step forward and some inches back over the last few months. Please pray that he will continue to make progress and not have any more bumps in the road. Dear Jesus, please send your mighty angels with flaming swords to guard this sweet family, and may they continue to look to you as their Bread of Life.

+16 & life's miracles big and little

Van stretched me a bit this morning, and took me to a park. I'm still so very weak, but he found a shady spot and kept me steady. The park had a nice array of ducks and low-flying airplanes. He's really looking forward to taking the kiddos there, which, if I get the go-ahead could be on Good Friday. I was very nervous, but thankful to be outside. I went into almost full-panic mode when we heard the mewing of a kitten. Some of you know our heart-ache with trying to find homes for our neighbors kittens a few months ago. I got on Van's fancy phone trying to find a nearby shelter, while he held the precious little orange ball and asked around at the rec center at the park. A squirrel stayed completely still on the trunk of the tree trying to figure out what was going on. It was obvious that the kitten's home was nowhere near. On a whim, Van put the noisy little thing on his lap and went across the street to the Junior League where one of the lady employees took it from him, expecting the great nurturing experience. We were so relieved. It is no small thing to find a home for a cat in less than five minutes, and I thank God for this miracle of the heart.

I'll spare you my discomforts, but they are small and predictable. My sister again took the reigns this afternoon and took me for a drive and a small walk. She'll be here for a few days. I'll have a long doctor's appointment tomorrow likely with platelets and blood transfusions. I'm still shocked when I look in a mirror, but this is temporary. I'm so glad to be in the apartment, and able to get some extra rest and independence. I can't imagine how weak I would be if I would have had to stay in the hospital much longer. Keep praying for engrafting, and all signs are good. All is going well. It is a long road.

My heart was so happy for the success of the Autism Walk that my little friend was a part of, and Happy Birthday to her little sister! I am also encouraged but not a bit surprised with the generousity of our church with the Walk and with the demonstration of love for the orphans of Ghana. What a wonderful day.

Day +15

About a week earlier than expected, I am settled into a nice apartment listenening to laundry and enjoying samplings of groceries, of which I can taste either salty or sweet--it will come. Van has helped me figure out my deluge of medicines. Tricia will take over for awhile. I am so weak, but I have noticed improvements just today in independence. Aside from being worried that I will mess up my medicines, I am very anxious about sunlight. I have to wear sunscreen to go out of the house, and too much sunlight can trigger a very bad reaction. I'm hoping that the need for the extra caution will be unnecessary in six months or so. In the meantime, I'm really enjoying the space in the apartment, and I'm so weak that I don't feel like doing much of anything. I don't look much like myself, but I know that will return in a few months, too. I expect to go to the doctor's office about 3 times a week for blood levels and for transfusions. So far, my complaints have been small compared to most, but it is still hard. I'm so thankful for the caretakers and the people (like Van and all the other family) that shuffle things around to make this work.

Day +11

Did you know that the little colored dots (bubbles) along the side of a skein of fabric are the colors in that fabric that will go with others? Handy. I thought they were a bar-coding something from the company.

All 3 little ones have aches and pains, so there Daddy left back to give some TLC to them--after my coaching (with some sympathy) session. Van's mom took her leave, and I'm hoping my parents stay away until we're sure what the culprit's are. We need all of the household to be in tip-top shape so that we can keep the germ-enemy at bay. I'm down to one channel out of 5 of my IV pole. It looks so slim and svelte. It is a possibility that I could go to the apartments ahead of time, but there still needs so much to happen before that could happen. I'm waiting for my special platelets on Friday. The other numbers are engrafting well with not too many tricky side effects.

For although I am definitely week, I am motivated, and the nurses and staff have always acked that they would be thrilled to be my walking partner. So sweet.

When I ask Van on a work day (or this day), He is sure to say, "ERADICATING PESILANCE and DISEASE." I've already offered to make him a costume, but he's decined. So let that be our prayer today, That the Lord would shine His light so brightly, and that His glory is so apparent that our cells rise to praise Him." I borrowed that last bit from a conference that was able to enjoy.