My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings. Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh. Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:20-23

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Happy New Year!

We arrived at Fort Morgan Saturday night after a 12 hour drive, the last of which was in the rain. It rained Sunday, too, so we went to a movie and dinner. Monday was sunny and 65 degrees, so we sat on the beach and read (bundled up) for most of the day and then went to dinner at Lamberts', a restaurant famous for its' "throwed rolls" and country cooking. My dad brought some firewood, so we had a bonfire on the beach for New Year's Eve and did some star-gazing. We shared memories of 2007, and it surprised me how many events surrounding my diagnosis, surgery, and treatments were in some way positive memories for my family. We watched the ball drop in NYC - it happens at 11:00 where we are - and we "hit the hay". New Year's Day has involved watching bowl games, reading, napping, hiking, and shopping. I was the reader and napper!
We are supposed to have record low temps the rest of the week, but we plan to do indoor activities - a museum, an aquarium, etc. I am praying that I will have the energy to do these with my family, even if I have to resort to a wheel chair. I cannot do much walking yet.
Please be in prayer for my lymphedema. I am waiting for garments custom-made for me from Germany, and in the meantime I am wearing loaner garments that are not a great fit. My hand remains swollen despite my best efforts at massage and I wear the garments from the moment I wake up until I go to sleep. The lymphedema specialist has found a hard spot on my forearm, which means at that site the condition is irreversible. Please pray that I can get this under control and that the current damage will be reversible. Also pray that the new garments will arrive quickly and that they will be a good fit.
Also, tomorrow I will be 3 weeks out of chemo. I am looking forward to seeing what happens in the next few weeks - regained energy, less pain, swelling subsiding, hair growing. It is hard not to be impatient at this point to start to return to my "old self", although I know I will never really be my old self. I can't think that anyone who goes through this process is ever the same.
I am SO grateful that I am not going to chemo tomorrow!
Thanks for continued prayers.
Jan

3 comments:

Laura in KY said...

Happy New Year, Jan! Praying for a year of health and healing for you!!

Anonymous said...

Jan,
Happy New Year and keep the faith!!
We are continuing to lift you and your family up in prayer. We had a dear friend here that I babysit for have a lumpectomy yesterday. She is 40 and just had her first mammogram a month ago. Her tumor was the size of a marble and they took a golf ball sized hunk out of her. She is now facing chemo, radiation and then tomoxifin(sp?)
Do you have any encouragement that I might pass on to her?
Love, Lisa

Jan Veal said...

Lisa,
Just tell her to take it one day at a time. If she thinks about all that is ahead at one time, it is too overwhelming.
I would also tell her to trust in God completely to bring her through. When something like this happens, there is no other solid ground.
Jan