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

Friday, July 31, 2009

Facebook

I now have a Facebook acount, so you can find me there. If I would have any medical issues arise, I would get the word out through my Facebook account,
We had a wonderful time at the lake. The sun and water were so good for me. It was extra-nice just to be with family. My dad and I cried and hugged just because we both made it back there. Thanks again for your support over the last two years.
Love and Prayers, Jan

Monday, July 13, 2009

July 19th is Two Years Cancer-Free!

I will be celebrating my two-year anniversary at the lake with my family.

I was released from my plastic surgeon today. I will have one more visit each with my surgeon and my radiologist. I will continue to see my oncologist for seven years to monitor my meds and to do bloodwork.

I am continuing to see my LE therapist once a week. I go for water therapy 2-3 times a week, and I try to fit in my MFR therapy each day.
The "souvenirs' of BC for me are chronic pain and fatique and, of course, the lymphedema, which is also chronic. I am sure that no one is interested in continual updates on these topics. Chronic conditions just don't know when to go home!

It has been so good to connect with everyone and have your support the last two years. I couldn't have survived without so many thoughts, prayers, and physical acts of kindness.

I would ask that you continue to pray on my behalf - every time you see an apple, which is the shape that I now am due to swelling - would you continue to ask God that He take this lymphedema, and the pain and fatigue, from me if it is His will?

Updates on other issues: My dad is doing great! He is skinny, but healthy, and does whatever he wants. Kennedie Grace, my great-niece, still is dealing with the hemangeoma on her trachea. They are trying a new med to shrink the tumor. Hunter and Emily are making wedding plans, Sarah and Paul are enjoying their first year of marriage, and Katie is excited to return to Anderson soon. Thanks for your interest in my family.

Fall holds a class in library science for me, a Bible study at the church, and I may try to take up my mandolin lessons again. Add that to the mix of therapy and wedding planning, and I think my life will be pretty full again.

I plan to close this blog in the very near future. You can reach me at jan.veal@juno.com, and it is even possible that I may give in and start a Facebook account.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

An Anniversary

Tomorrow, June 19th, will be the second anniversary of my diagnosis of breast cancer. I could not have imagined at that time that it would change my life forever.
I am cancer-free and grateful to have seen Sarah and Paul's wedding, Katie's transition to college, Emily's graduation from college and her engagement to Hunter.
I still grieve the loss of my "old body". The lymphedema in my arm, back, chest, trunk, and abdomen is painful and tiring, and limits many of the things that I loved to do before. My fatique is still with me - I still rest after showering and dressing before I continue with my day. My day-to-day lifestyle is totally different than what it was before.
Also, during my illness, all of my girls left home and I finished 17 years of homeschooling, so as I began to recover, many of the constants in my life were gone.
I am still praying and searching that God will show me some purpose for this new body with all its limitations. I believe I was saved for a purpose, but I am not sure what that purpose is.
I am planning to take one course online towards my MLS this fall and see if I think that God still has that in mind for me. I also have some writing - homeschooling and fiction (not in the same manuscript!) that I plan to continue working on.
Thanks so much for your love, support, and prayers over the last two years. I could not have made it without the kindnesses of so many people.
Jan

Friday, June 5, 2009

Our Family Vacation

We had a great time in the Tetons, Yellowstone, and Jackson, Wyoming last week. There were four of us: Emily, Katie, Bryan and me. We hiked a couple of days, took a raft 10 miles down the Snake River, rode to the top of one of the mountains on a tram, took in a cowboy dinner/show, saw the geysers and the falls in Yellowstone and lots of wildlife everywhere. We stayed in a cabin in the Tetons, which was roomy and a good quiet option - no TV, phone, internet for a week. I had a great time, but it wore me out! I am just recovering in time to go to the beach with my mom, sisters, and the cousins tomorrow. Hopefully I will rest more there.
I am struggling alot with truncal swelling. I have stretched the fascia, but the swelling still goes to the point where it is painful. It is frustrating and I am trying to find ways to cope with it, but I have had a difficult week with it this week. I think part of my frustration is fatique from the last trip. I plan to continue my exercises at the beach and my water therapy to try to get it under control. I struggle with hope as there seems to be no end to the lymphedema and the fatique and pain it causes.
Jan

Sunday, May 17, 2009

My Niece, My Dad, My Daughter, Me

Little Kennedie Grace had surgery yesterday morning in Cincinnati again. The tumor had grown back by 50%. They are inserting a tube for a few days to try again to block regrowth. Kennedie will be in ICU for a few days. Please pray for Jessica and Jarrod, her parents, and for my sister, Becky, and brother-in-law Wendell, the grandparents. Jessica and Jarrod were told that this could be a pattern until Kennedie reaches nine months. She is five months old now. Prayers for total healing and no regrowth would be appreciated, although we know that everything is in God's hands.

My dad got baptized today, just a few days shy of his 75th birthday. He was baptized years ago, but he has been studying Scripture very diligently since his cancer, and he felt that he needed to do it again. I am so happy for him and Mom.

Sarah called from Williamsburg this weekend. She and Paul are there for Paul's sister's (Laura)graduation from college. Sarah and Paul have turned it into a mini-vacation, touring Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown, Newport News, seeing museums, hoping for a beach day tomorrow. Paul found a really interesting historical B&B, which Sarah has loved. He is very good at researching and finding interesting places to travel.

Finally, about me. I have been off my narcotic pain med for 2 1/2 weeks, and it has been harder than I would have ever thought. I still have fatigue and depression, and of course, I have pain that I was not aware of on meds. Please pray that I will be able to keep up with my family next week as we go on vacation. We are going to the Tetons, Yellowstone, Jackson Hole, and I want to be able to have the energy and positive mindset to enjoy this special time with my family. It will be Emily's last family vacation with us before she marries, so it is especially important that I do well.
Thanks for continuing to check this blog and share in the lives of my family. Thanks for your many prayers on our behalf. We never had any illness in our family until my diagnosis, and now it seems to be a part of our lives for the moment. Thanks for lifting us up!
Jan

Friday, May 15, 2009

Emily is Engaged!

Hunter took us to lunch last week to ask for Emily's hand and to show us the ring, which is beautiful and just what Emily wanted.
Emily and her three roommates left Tuesday on a road trip to Estes Park in the Rockies to celebrate their graduation from UL. Hunter flew out there and surprised her. Her roommates took her hiking on a trail, and he met them along the path. He took Emily to a field where he had a picnic and roses waiting. He read I Cor. 13 to her, then got down on one knee and proposed. They knelt together and prayed, and then the roommates rejoined them. They had been videoing from a higher spot. Emily and Hunter called last night to let us know. I am excited about getting another good son-in-law! No date has been set, but they have been talking about May 2010.
Jan


Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Graduation/Mother's Day

We attended several events for Emily last week. She graduated magna cum laude Saturday with a history major and a religious studies minor. She and her roommates left today for a trip to Estes Park in CO for almost two weeks.
We celebrated Mother's Day by having Jean spend the night with us after graduation. Sunday she went to her church. Bryan, Katie and I went to Sojourn, Paul and Sarah's church, along with Paul's parents. Afterwards, we had a cookout at my sister Jennifer's house. We usually do the field, but Jen and Van have an inground pool at their new home and the younger cousins wanted to swim.
I am starting to come out of the depression and fatique that is a result of withdrawal from narcotics. I am two weeks out. It takes 30 days for the full effect of the med to be out of one's system. My LE is giving me fits right now, but I am fighting back by doing my home program and going to the pool when I am able. I don't swim, just float to get the compression for my trunk.
Katie is home and I am enjoying her company. She did very well her first year at Anderson, and is already looking forward to getting back to school.
Jan

Monday, April 27, 2009

Updates on a variety of topics

I am feeling much better since returning home from PA. I do a home program which takes an hour a day, but it really helps with the pain. I am extremely fatigued, which they told me would happen, and I am weaning off narcotics, which is a bear! But I think I am making progress.

We adopted a 3-year-old mini-schnauzer named Lucy from a family leaving the country for mission work, and she is a doll. She and Tatiana seem to get along well. She has a black body, with a silver face and legs.

My little great-niece, Kennedie, has been having a lot of trouble with her trachea and with her breathing over a period of at least a month. She is now at Cincinnati Children's Hospital being treated for a benign tumor on her trachea that was cutting off most of her breathing! They have lasered the tumor and are using other methods to completely destroy it. Jessica and Jarrod will probably be there with her through next weekend. She is such a tiny sweetheart, and we can't wait to see her enjoy her little life without struggling for air.

Katie ran the Mini-Marathon with Bryan Saturday. She completed the 13 miles and is ready for her next challenge! Sarah, Becky, Mom and I had fun cheering them on.

Finally, for those of you who have followed Emily's boyfriend, Hunter Cantwell, you know that he was not drafted yesterday. Bryan and I turned off the TV and quietly tried to eat some dinner. Emily called within minutes to tell us that he had signed as a priority free agent with the Carolina Panthers. He will fly there on Thursday. I am happy that he gets to continue to play football, and who knows, maybe there will be an engagement soon?

Sorry I have not written for awhile. My fatigue gets the best of me much of the time.
Thanks for prayers,
Jan

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Update from PA

I finished treatment early today, so I have a little time to write.
I am seeing big improvements in my level of pain, and the therapists tell me that it will take a month or so for my body to integrate the changes that have been made, so I should continue to see improvements after I am home. I am not pain-free, but my pain is lessened so that I can breathe deeply without chest pain, and I am not pushing through pain to do daily activities. I have also been able to go to the treatment center without wearing my truncal compression, although I will continue to wear it to clean house or if I am doing much standing or walking.
The treatments sometimes feel good; at other times they are painful. The work on loosening the facsia in the area of my chest is painful, but it yields good results so I am glad to endure the pain.
I felt good enough this weekend to drive to Lancaster on Saturday and see the Amish farms; on Sunday I went to see Valley Forge. I did not spend a long time out; I usually left my "home" around noon and returned by six after eating some dinner. But the ability to drive and do those things is good for me.
The therapists tell me that I will need to rest and take it easy for the next month, focusing on my home program and listening to my body, stopping before I get tired.
There is also a component of this program that deals with the mind: practicing forgiveness, letting go of personal failures, relaxing and dealing with relieving stress, etc., all of which can contribute to illness and tightness of the facsia.
In addition, there is a focus on thinking positively about oneself and visualizing having successes; for example, I would picture myself doing some of the things I want to do again and I would be smiling, looking happy while I engaged in those activities. I have been encouraged to journal about the things we talk about during the day, which I am doing, and I am finding that my attitude towards my future does make a difference.
Thanks so much for your prayers and support for me during my time here. I appreciate it very much!
Love,
Jan

Friday, April 3, 2009

Greetings from Pennsylvania!

I finished my first week of therapy today, and I am glad to have a couple of days off. I feel great while they are treating me, but soreness kicks in a few hours later and I am worthless for the rest of the evening.
I have noticed big changes and I am very hopeful for pain relief and flexibility.
They are teaching me a home program that I will need to follow daily. I will spend 45 to 60 minutes each day doing this program for continued progress.
I may not be 100% at the end of next week, but I am pleased so far with my progress, and expect great gains next week, too.
I am also learning alot about self-talk and attitudes that can affect our healing. Without realizing it, I had become fairly negative about my healing process and out of touch with my body, tuning out things that I need to be aware of to continue to treat myself at home.
Thanks so much for your prayers and support! I brought the cards that people sent to me the weeks before my trip, and they are on my bulletin board here, so I feel like you are with me.
God Bless,
Jan

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Please Release Me

As most of you know, I have suffered from chronic pain since my surgery. Chemo and radiation intensified the pain. I have been on pain medication continuously for the last 20 months.
My doctors have told me that I would just have to live with this pain, but when I started seeing my new lymphedema specialist, she told me that she thought that much of my pain was due to trauma to my fascia, the connective tissue that covers the bones, muscles, and organs of the entire body. There is a form of therapy called Myofascial Release that stretches the fascia to relieve pain. The founder of this type of therapy is a PT named John Barnes, and he has clinics in AZ and PA. I have made arrangements to go the PA clinic right outside Philadelphia. I will leave March 29th and return April 10th. I will be undergoing a two-week intensive program with multiple therapy sessions - 3 or more hours a day - Monday through Friday. I will be sent home with a home program to maintain the results. People come from all over the world who have pursued many other methods of pain relief, to find that this treatment has been their solution. I am investing alot financially, physically, and emotionally in the hope that this treatment will work for me. I am asking for prayers for travel safety and effective pain relief.
Jan

Sunday, March 1, 2009

A Life Well-Lived

Bryan and I drove to West Virginia Thursday night after I gave a talk at my home on transcripts and the college admissions process. I still love hanging out with homeschool moms, and I got to catch up with some moms I had not seen for awhile.

We went to attend the funeral on Friday morning of my great-aunt, Leva Roberts Whaling. My grandmother, Velma Roberts White Lowther, was the 8th of 14th children born the mountains of West Virginia, and Aunt Leva was the "baby" of the family. She was my grandmother's "pet" when they were growing up. After a life well-lived for 103 years (yes, 103, that is not a misprint), Aunt Leva passed away on Monday, February 23rd at about 9:15 a.m. She had enjoyed her 103rd birthday party last Saturday, February 21st, but had a fall that evening from which she did not recover.

Aunt Leva was "all dolled up"; her family had dressed her in a flattering dress with a lace collar, and she was beautiful. Her worn Bible was in the casket beside her. My mom told me on a recent visit that Aunt Leva had her Bible in her lap. She could no longer read it, but she sat and held it and quoted passages from memory.

Several boards were filled with photos of Aunt Leva's life. One board held old black and white photos with her brothers, sisters, mother and father, and scenes from her early life, while later color photos showed her in her nineties at the beach and walking miles for charity in her eighties.

The service was a wonderful tribute, as two of her former ministers spoke of Aunt Leva's life and her faith. Memories were shared by my mom and my cousin, Don Banfield, Aunt Leva's grandson. After the service at the cemetery, we all gathered at Mary and Edsel Whaling's church, the First Baptist Church of St. Albans, for an exceptional meal provided by the church.

Aunt Leva was interviewed on her 100th birthday, and the interviewer asked her what was the best thing about being her age. Aunt Leva responded, "No peer pressure!" She had a great sense of humor.

It was so nice to be in West Virginia again. I had missed several trips planned during the last couple of years due to my treatments and other setbacks. I visited with cousins I had not seen in decades, but with whom I had shared childhood memories. We drove by my two grandmothers' homes where I had spent time in the summer and during holidays growing up, and memories flooded my mind. Ask Bryan - I talked non-stop about it all the way home.

Katie met us at home Friday night on our return. She brought a friend, Olivia, and we enjoyed having them both for the weekend. Sarah and Emily joined us Friday night for dinner, and Emily came back last night for dinner, a movie, and an overnight stay. We enjoyed breakfast casserole and fruit tart (Katie's requested breakfast) before she and Olivia headed back to school around noon. I always love having "my girls" around!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Dad Passed His Test!!!

My dad finally passed his swallow test. He can now drink clear liquids and have ice cream. He had coffee and tea yesterday, and today he was planning to go for either a root beer float or a Frosty. Small stuff to us, but not to someone who hasn't had a drink since the end of August. I am thrilled that he can eat and drink normally again. I told my mom she needs to watch it in public when she gets really excited and says, "Dad is drinking again!" The man spent eight hours yesterday using his chainsaw to cut down trees. I think he is doing alright!

I'm still compressing, massaging, swimming, etc. I am trying a new pain med called Neurontin, which is used for patients with chronic nerve pain, which is what I seem to have. I have to build the dose up gradually, but it seemed to me that today it took the edge off my pain. I don't know if it really did, or if I just wanted it to so much that I believed it did. I had less pain, whatever the reason! If this works, I can get off narcotics, which I am still taking, unwillingly but not having a choice until now. Please pray that Neurontin will work, and that I will be able to wean off the other pain med - it is not supposed to be an easy thing to do and will take some time and patience. My fatique would also be helped if I was not continually fighting against pain.

Sarah and Paul are going away for the weekend to celebrate Paul's birthday on the 22nd. The destination is a surprise, so I will not give anything way! We are babysitting Oni, Sarah's and Paul's whippet.

My new great-niece, Kennedie Grace, is adorable. She was at my mom's today, and I got to give her a bottle. I love babies!!!

Katie is working hard at Anderson and trying to get home for a weekend soon. It is hard to believe that she is so close to finishing her freshman year.

Emily visited Hunter in Southern California a couple weekends ago and they had a great time in spite of the rain. She may get to see him when he comes to Indianapolis for the NFL Combine. Katie's school is close by, and Emily may stay with her. Emily is preparing to graduate from UL May 9th. Time flies!

Bryan ran in a breast cancer research marathon in Jacksonville last weekend. He ran for me and for Delphine Brand, Emily's mentor's mom, who has recently been diagnosed with BC. Prayers for her and her upcoming surgery.

Prayers, too, for a good friend, Katie, who has been told that her chemo is no longer shrinking her tumors, just maintaining them. She plans to continue chemo as long as she can, but the news is difficult. She has been an incredible role model to me.

It is funny; I knew of people with cancer before my dx and tx, but I have come to know many people in different stages of fighting the disease. As difficult as it is to meet and come to know a cancer patient or survivor, these people have enriched my life in many ways.

Two women I had prayed for passed away this past week from bc: June Hicks and Julie Bengart. Please remember their families in prayer. Thanks so much for remembering me and checking out this blog!
Jan

Sunday, February 8, 2009

New Treatments - New Hope

I am learning alot about treating my lymphedema, and it is keeping me busy! The new therapist gives me hope about learning to live with the condition. She is very knowledgeable, and has a very comforting personality. I don't think she is much older than I am, but she almost feels "motherly" to me. I enjoy going for therapy. Right now I see her twice a week for 45 minutes and she works on my trunk and back primarily, teaching me massage techniques for my home program. Bryan has gone with me and has learned how to do the massage treatment on my back, which feels wonderful. He does this every night for me. I do massage on all the other areas everyday at home. In addition, my whole trunk is in compression down to the tops of my legs, as well as the arm that was originally compressed. I also have a left sleeve to wear when I clean, travel, garden, or do anything strenuous. I am limited to 15 lbs. lifting. The therapist is also using kinesio tape to relieve some pressure and pain (you've seen it on the women's volleyball team at the Olympics - they wore kinesio tape and not much else!). I am also doing skin care - specific lotions daily to soften the damaged skin - and drinking 6 - 8 glasses of water daily to dilute the lymph fluid.
Three days a week I go to the water therapy class for 45 minutes. I usually go right after the therapist's, because they are located close to each other. On the days I do therapy and water exercise, I am zonked! I plan to begin attending monthly support group meetings with other lymphedema people.
Right now I am trying to fit this all into a manageable schedule that still allows me to have a life. I have re-applied to graduate school for the fall of 2009, so I hope to have my routine down pat well before then. I am still fatigued from treatments and still have chest pain, so those are ongoing prayer requests. I have really good days, and then I have days where I don't know how I can live like this long-term, but I keep telling myself "one day at a time". I know it is in God's hands and He has a timetable for all of this.
Jan

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Mom and Dad

Mom and Dad both had good results from her colonoscopy and his PET scan. What a huge relief! Prayers for Emily as she flies to Southern California today to visit with Hunter, where he is training. She returns Sunday night.
Thanks for prayers for my parents.
Jan

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Monday, Monday

My dad has a cyst on his pancreas. He is having a PET scan Monday at 9:00 am to see if there is cancer in his body. They may also perform a biopsy of the pancreas (not Monday).
My mom has a "suspicious" colon. She is having a colonoscopy Monday at 9:00 am to see what is going on.
My dad is driving himself, and I am driving my mom, because she will be sedated for her procedure.
Please pray for our family. I am a little overwhelmed with both of these things happening at the same time, and still working through this lymphedema issue. Please pray for good news for each of my parents!
Thanks,
Jan
BTW, Emily's D-Group leader's mom has been diagnosed with invasive lobular mammary carcinoma - my same initial diagnosis - and I will be speaking with her this weekend. I am asking God to give me wisdom to say to her what I should say, and to be a good listener, too.
Thanks,
Jan

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Dad is Having Some Tests

My dad is having some tests tomorrow, Wednesday, January 28th. He is experiencing pain in his abdomen and he has lost about 10 pounds. Please pray for peace for us all, especially Dad, and for good test results. I will post results when we know them.
He is also undergoing the therapy to shock his swallow reflex back into action. He gets treatment 3x a week for 5 weeks, and hopefully he will be able to drink clear liquids again.
I am excited about my new therapist. We communicate very well, and she understands what is going on that causes my pain. The massage is heavenly, and I feel so good afterwards. I have ordered compression, not medical garments, but Spanx (less expensive and not so "medical"), that compress me from my chest all the way down to my thighs, so that the lymph fluid flows past the lymph nodes at the groin and keeps them from being overloaded. I will have to adjust to the extra layer of clothing. It sounds great right now, but summer will be a different matter. I will be in the lightest weight clothing I can find! I like the water therapy, but I hope the weather warms up soon, so the the pool won't be so cold. My main instructor is Pam, and she is very good.
On a lighter note, Sarah, Emily, Bryan, his mom, Jean, Katie's friend, Whitney, and I all went up to Anderson last Saturday to watch Katie dance at half-time of the basketball game. She looked great. We all went to dinner and visited with Katie in her room before heading home. I had a great time - I always do when the family is all together.
Jan

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Getting Some Answers!

I have found a new lymphedema specialist. She has trained in Germany, among other locations, and she is supposed to be the best in Louisville. Her name is Candy. She examined me and told me exactly what was going on in my lymph system and why I was having pain. I cried, because she was the first healthcare professional who "got it" concerning my chest and trunk pain. She told me no guarantees, but she thought she could help me feel better than I do now. I will have several massage sessions in order to move the lymphatic fluid away from where it is congested. She already taught me a couple of massage techniques that have had amazing results in a short amount of time. I will need compression for my entire trunk, and she will help me measure for that. I will continue therapy in the pool, although I found out that I cannot go into the warmer pool because my arm swells. The other pool is VERY cold, but I feel great after a therapy session. I did learn some info that scared me. Candy is very concerned that lymphedema may develop in my good arm because of the swelling in the trunk. I will do everything I can to keep this from happening. I can no longer have blood pressure or needlesticks, IVs, etc. in either arm. My legs have to be used instead. I will need to wear compression on the left arm to travel or to do housecleaning or any other type of physical work. I cannot lift more than 15 lbs. I need to keep my arm clear of cuts, scratches, etc. and I must avoid the heat, which I already do.
I have to admit I had a good cry when I learned this. I think it will take me a few days to adjust to this new information and be able to move on. My days now are filling with massage therapy at the PTs, water therapy, and home massage. Along with Bible Study and maintaining my home, I am staying busy. I am determined to do the best I can to reverse the swellling in my trunk and to keep my left arm normal. Please pray that I will continue to have the perseverance and strength to fight this, and that I will accept the situation with a good spirit.
Thanks,
Jan

Monday, January 12, 2009

Update

Since my initial surgery, I have had some swelling in my trunk, but I was told that it would eventually go away. I have talked with several women who had swelling for a couple of years or more before they returned to "normal". My swelling has gotten increasingly worse over the last couple of months. As I felt better and began to do things around the house, I noticed more swelling and pain. I have been researching this online and speaking with other BC survivors in a support group, and I believe that I am dealing with truncal lymphedema. As is the case with my arm, there is no cure. It is different from my arm in that it is very painful, and that it cannot be wrapped to reduce the swelling. I will be discussing this with my oncologist at my next appointment, and I am looking at treatment options. I need to address chronic pain management. I have ordered a compression garment and I plan to pursue massage therapy. The best treatment, according to those who have truncal lymphedema, is to be in the water daily, because the water acts as a natural compressor and helps the lymphatic fluids to move. I am going to join BHE's wellness center - they have aqua fitness for BC survivors 3x a week, and I could go and repeat the exercises on my own the other days. I have been busy with family over the holidays, but I want to get very aggressive in working to reduce the swelling. Please pray for wisdom as I seek various treatments - there is not much awareness of this condition, even in the medical community. Please pray also for healing. I still believe that God can take this from me if it is His will. I am struggling with the idea that I am not returning to normal. I thought it would be surgery, chemo, radiation, and back to my life, but I am finding that my life will be different as a result of lymphedema: limited ability to lift much weight, avoiding heat and sun, managing swelling, etc. Learning to live with a chronic condition takes an adjustment not only of my daily schedule and activities, but also of my mindset. Please pray that I will develop a positive attitude about so many adjustments in my life.
My dad is going to have the treatment that may enable him to swallow clear liquids. I will keep you posted.
Katie left today for her spring semester, so I am going to be getting back into a normal daily routine. I am excited to start Bible study tomorrow evening. I am co-leading with a good friend, Sheri Hamilton, and I think it will be a great semester. I am also speaking this weekend at a homeschool convention, and giving a talk to a small group of moms later in the month. In addition, I have been approached by a homeschooling publication to do some free-lance writing for them. I am glad to feel that I am contributing to society again, even in small ways.
I hope your new year is going well! Thanks as always for prayers.
Jan

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

I Am a Great Aunt!

My niece, Jessica Murphy Guthrie, gave birth to Kennedie Grace Guthrie on January 6th at 11:40 pm. Kennedie weighs 6 lbs. 13 oz. and she is 19 1/2 inches long. Mom, Dad and baby are doing well! Hopefully I will have some pictures soon.
Jan