One of my favorite songs is "All I Want for Christmas". It is by a popular Christian musician, Steven Curtis Chapmann. I really enjoy some of his music and that song in particular is so wonderful. It is about children with no families or homes, he sings, "all I really want for Christmas is someone to tuck me in, a shoulder to cry on when I lose, a shoulder to ride on when I win...........all I really want for Christmas, is a family". The first time I heard it, I saw the video too. He shows pictures of Foster Children who are looking for homes. It is such a beautiful song. He also has a few others that just move me deeply. I first got interested in his music because I found out he has a ministry and trys to help people who adopt from China. He and his wife had adopted 3 beautiful girls from China and they truly want to help others, so I started reading his blogs etc while we were waiting for our court date for Rosie.
Anyway, on May 22, they lost their youngest (adopted from China) daughter in a driveway accident. She was 5 years old. I found out about it the next day and they have been on my mind and in my prayers. Please, if you are so inclined, check out their blog and remember them in your prayers:
http://chapmanchannel.typepad.com/inmemoryofmaria/?roi=farm-12766586-88803-14a570b25b795856f5a4b7c2b8067d5a&
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
My Health
Well, it has been a pretty crudy month for me, health wise. I was on session 6 (out of 10) on my radiation when I started to get pretty ill. They gave me some medicine to help with the nausea, but I kept getting worse. I was unable to eat or drink and by session 8, I was vomitting profusely and was getting very weak. I had session 9 on a Thursday and was up all that night vomitting and on Friday I called and cancelled for my last session, I was too weak to even get out of bed. On Saturday, wouldn't you know it, my mom had to leave for a week for a conference.
By Saturday afternoon, Robert was so scared he insisted we go to the E.R., which we did. They admitted me and just started filling me full of fluids. My Blood Counts were so low, they were surprised I was still alive. In fact, they didn't believe it and drew my blood again to double check it!! I can only say that your prayers kept me alive through this terrible time.
They kept me for about 4 days, my mom came home early from her conference (sorry mom, but thank you) and I tried so hard to eat and drink, but I just couldn't. Anything I tried to get down just came back up again. It was only a couple days before I ended up back in the E.R. again - this time for almost a week. It was really awful. I hope I never feel that sick again and I hope no one else ever has to go through that.
I just started to feel better this week - after I'd been home from the hospital about 2 weeks. I do feel much better now though and I thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers for me. A huge thank you to the sisters who brought food to my family the first time I was in the hospital when my mom was gone. Also, I'm sorry if I haven't emailed you in a long time. When I finally could get back on the computer again I had over 900 emails. Most of it was junk, but still, it took me forever to sort through it all.
Please don't ever take your health for granted. Give thanks each day that you wake up and feel good. Use your body - work hard, play lots, serve your family, friends and strangers. Oh, how I wish I could!!
By Saturday afternoon, Robert was so scared he insisted we go to the E.R., which we did. They admitted me and just started filling me full of fluids. My Blood Counts were so low, they were surprised I was still alive. In fact, they didn't believe it and drew my blood again to double check it!! I can only say that your prayers kept me alive through this terrible time.
They kept me for about 4 days, my mom came home early from her conference (sorry mom, but thank you) and I tried so hard to eat and drink, but I just couldn't. Anything I tried to get down just came back up again. It was only a couple days before I ended up back in the E.R. again - this time for almost a week. It was really awful. I hope I never feel that sick again and I hope no one else ever has to go through that.
I just started to feel better this week - after I'd been home from the hospital about 2 weeks. I do feel much better now though and I thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers for me. A huge thank you to the sisters who brought food to my family the first time I was in the hospital when my mom was gone. Also, I'm sorry if I haven't emailed you in a long time. When I finally could get back on the computer again I had over 900 emails. Most of it was junk, but still, it took me forever to sort through it all.
Please don't ever take your health for granted. Give thanks each day that you wake up and feel good. Use your body - work hard, play lots, serve your family, friends and strangers. Oh, how I wish I could!!
Miracle Part 2
We recently received another check from the Holly Walk-a-Thon. Apparently, they hadn't collected all the donations when they sent the first check. So, they just sent me the final check for another 900+ dollars. It is unbelievable!! Over $4,000 in all. This money came at such an opportune time for us too, how can we express how much we needed it and appreciate it. We were able to put some of the money toward bills, but we also used some to buy supplements for me that I really believe are helping me with the cancer and also to overcome some of the bad side effects of the chemo. We put a little aside to take a quick trip this summer.
Basically, we have all the frequent flyer miles that we had been saving up to go get Anastasia from Russia. So, we have enough for all of us to fly out West this summer. It is really important to me, because we still have family who haven't met Rosie yet. In addition, both Robert and I have relatives who are elderly and between my health situation and theirs we figured we should get there this summer. But, we didn't have enough money for eating and a rental car, so now we will be able to do it. How wonderful.
Finally, we used some of the money to buy a small, above ground pool. This is going to be wonderful for the children this summer and they are so excited about it. However, that isn't the main reason we purchased it. The physical therapist told me that my best exercise opportunity would be in the swimming pool, but it just seemed so hard, logistically, for me to go to the pool. I can't get dressed by myself and I'd have to keep an eye on Rosie and the boys - how would I be able to exercise etc. I just felt like I'd be overwhelmed and exhausted by the time I even got changed into my swimsuit, so, I never went. Robert came up with the idea of putting a little pool in our backyard. We aren't sure yet how I'm going to get in and out of it, but I'm sure we'll figure out something. My dad and stepmom flew out for a quick visit and my dad helped Robert and the boys get the backyard leveled out and ready for the pool. Robert just set the pool up a couple of days ago. Right now, it is about as cold as the arctic ocean but as soon as it warms up, I'll be in there every day, not only exercising but hopefully getting to do something fun with my children.
How grateful we are for the money and all the opportunities it gave us. Amazing that you could change my whole families lives with 2 checks - but you have. Thank you to everyone who participated in the Walk-a-Thon. What marvelous people you are.
Basically, we have all the frequent flyer miles that we had been saving up to go get Anastasia from Russia. So, we have enough for all of us to fly out West this summer. It is really important to me, because we still have family who haven't met Rosie yet. In addition, both Robert and I have relatives who are elderly and between my health situation and theirs we figured we should get there this summer. But, we didn't have enough money for eating and a rental car, so now we will be able to do it. How wonderful.
Finally, we used some of the money to buy a small, above ground pool. This is going to be wonderful for the children this summer and they are so excited about it. However, that isn't the main reason we purchased it. The physical therapist told me that my best exercise opportunity would be in the swimming pool, but it just seemed so hard, logistically, for me to go to the pool. I can't get dressed by myself and I'd have to keep an eye on Rosie and the boys - how would I be able to exercise etc. I just felt like I'd be overwhelmed and exhausted by the time I even got changed into my swimsuit, so, I never went. Robert came up with the idea of putting a little pool in our backyard. We aren't sure yet how I'm going to get in and out of it, but I'm sure we'll figure out something. My dad and stepmom flew out for a quick visit and my dad helped Robert and the boys get the backyard leveled out and ready for the pool. Robert just set the pool up a couple of days ago. Right now, it is about as cold as the arctic ocean but as soon as it warms up, I'll be in there every day, not only exercising but hopefully getting to do something fun with my children.
How grateful we are for the money and all the opportunities it gave us. Amazing that you could change my whole families lives with 2 checks - but you have. Thank you to everyone who participated in the Walk-a-Thon. What marvelous people you are.
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