Quick Update

Hi Everyone! Thank you so much for praying for us over the weekend. Just thought I would give you a quick update. Friday's appointment went well and we were in and out pretty quick. I forgot how loud those machines are and I was very thankful when it was over. We had planned to take advantage of being in the city to get some shopping done but I just wasn't feeling up to it so we headed for home. I was so nervous to take one of the pills but we prayed and I finally just made myself do it. It didn't take too long before I had a headache but that also could have been because I already wasn't feeling great.

The drive is beautiful. Especially this time of year, the lake turns a magical colour that can't fully be appreciated in a picture!

I pretty much slept on and off all day Saturday and Sunday and still slept all night which is weird for me because usually if I close my eyes at all during the day, like even for 10 minutes, I won't sleep that night. But sleep I did. When I was awake, I took the anti nausea medication which made me sleep again and that is pretty much how I spent the weekend. In a cycle of sleep, wake, headache/nausea, medicine, sleep, repeat. 

I tried not taking anything for nausea today so I could be awake longer. The headache and nausea are not fun but I did manage to make it through the day without any extra medication. I tried using peppermint essential oil instead on my forehead for the headache (thanks Kass for showing me) and chewing on ginger chewables for nausea (thanks Kass for picking them up for me). Unfortunately, I've read that it may get worse before it gets better so I'm hoping these next days pass quickly and maybe my body will adjust? As someone who rarely gets a headache, I am not enjoying this part at all and I have a new empathy for those who do. Unfortunately, I do often have nausea but not usually to this degree. 

The other troublesome symptom I have is fatigue. I have 7 kids, trust me, I know what tired feels like but this is different. Truthfully, I have had this symptom for a while so I really couldn't say if it has gotten worse. I can be going about my day and it hits fairly suddenly and it is all I can do to make it to a chair or my spot on the couch. This and a stubborn cough are what actually took me to the doctor in the first place. Combining this with these new symptoms is going to be interesting but I just need to go one day at a time. Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. 

Thankfully, my mind has been fairly peaceful. Thank you so much for praying!! I still panic a bit when I can't remember things properly or if I use the wrong word in a sentence or *gasp* I can't remember how to spell a word! I am hoping that this is just a normal part of aging and not a sign of something else. 

I heard from the Dr today and he is fine with going ahead with the oophorectomy (removal of my ovaries). There was some confusion because originally I thought  that I couldn't have any procedures that would put me at risk for infection while on this drug. This also would mean no dental work but thankfully our dentist was able to get me in last week for a cleaning so that's taken care of. I still don't fully understand why surgery is ok but dental work isn't but I guess the benefits outweigh the risk. The surgery will be some time in September or October, hopefully October to give me more time to adjust to this medication before adding in surgical recovery and instant menopause. 

So for now I will continue with bloodwork every couple of weeks to monitor how my body is handling all of this followed right away by doctors visits and eventually more scans to check on progress. 

In the meantime, I am doing everything I can to help including being mostly vegan at the moment. I am finding it a bit of a challenge to not just eat salad for every meal but I will get there. And by the way, forget what I said about drinking tea being enjoyable, goodness if you've ever had Essiac tea you'll know what I mean. I don't think I will ever develop a taste for it!

So we wait.

And we hope. 

And we pray. 

That the Lord will hear us and answer our prayers and if His will is different than ours, that He will give us the grace to accept it.


Either way, we pray that He will be glorified.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;

There is no shadow of turning with Thee,

Thou changest not; Thy compassions, they fail not,

As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see.

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided. 

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,

Join with all nature in manifold witness,

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see.

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided. 

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide,

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see.

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided. 

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!

~ Thomas O. Chisholm ~

This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.

Lamentations 3:21-26