Easter

We had such a great Easter. The girls all came and went with us to the 3:00 Saturday service, and we went to Olive Garden for dinner. Afterward, Emily and Katie went to a friend's wedding, and Sarah went home to pack up Oni to bring her out to the house. The girls brought a couple of movies, and we all watched together. Everyone spent the night - this is one of my favorite things, to have everyone under the same roof!
Katie and Emily put together breakfast casserole for the morning, and Bryan got up to put it in the oven, along with his famous "big daddy biscuits". We also had a fruit tray with the meal, after the girls were given their Easter baskets. No matter how old they are, they still like chocolate.
We went to Mom's for the afternoon for a delicious dinner - ham, deviled eggs, and lots of good side dishes. The younger ones had an Easter egg hunt, and we also celebrated some birthdays - Caden, Savannah, Jessica and Jarrod. It was a great time, but I had to stay home from pageant that night - too much fun had been had.
I have also missed a couple of nights this week due to losing my voice, but I will go Friday - the last night - voice or not. It has been fun, and I will miss it.
I am still waiting for my compression garments to come in - maybe Friday!
Jan

Remeasuring

I am being remeasured Tuesday -- this is really starting to get to me. Pray for a fit. The head of the business is measuring me this time, so hopefully it will go better.
Please pray for continued pain and fatigue. I am having a hard time visualizing being any different than I am right now. It has been almost 8 months since my surgery.
Jan

Asking for prayer for family members

My dad has been diagnosed with double pneumonia. Please pray for a full recovery! We are hosting a fiftieth wedding anniversary party for my parents on March 3oth - I would love for Dad to be well and be able to enjoy it.

Also, my niece, Savannah, age 3, has been hospitalized for influenza. I kept her until my diagnosis, and I love her as if she were my own. Please pray also for strength for her parents, Jennifer and Van, and for protection for her brother, Hudson, from getting influenza, too.

My sleeve was shipped yesterday from Germany, and should arrive Wednesday or Thursday - I'm praying for a perfect fit!

One more prayer request: Katie needs to make her final decision about college and mail her scholarship acceptance papers before May 1st. It is now between Anderson University or UL. Please pray that she will choose wisely and then will be content with her decision.

I am singing backstage at the Easter Pageant, and tonight was Guest Night - a dress rehearsal with guests. Tomorrow is the actual opening night. It takes all my energy to do this, but it helps me to feel "normal" and that I am returning to something that I did before my diagnosis.

As always, thanks for your prayers, cards, calls, etc.

Jan

Last Radiation Tomorrow!

At 10 am I will finish the last of 33 radiations. I will miss the girls who give me my treatments - they have been so kind.

The next step is to get this lymphedema under control. I think radiation has aggravated it, so I am looking forward to seeing what happens as the effects of radiation leave my body.

I am hearing from others that six months to a year is the expected time for full energy to return after radiation.

I was listening to the birds outside this am, and I realized that I have spent almost a full year in this process. I first found the lump on May 15, and I have spent almost four seasons in treatment so far. My recovery will go into the fall. It has been a long road, and I am glad to be so far along on the path.

Please pray for my arm - it is the most difficult part of this for me to deal with right now. It is also the reason I do not write as much - the bandaging makes it difficult to type.
Thanks, Jan