As our friends, Jay and Kathy, pointed out to me yesterday, my treadmill accident could have been much worse. Check out this video.
I enjoyed my first week without any kind of treatment, but unfortunately it had periods of pain and pressure, especially on my right eye, that haven’t been fun. Thursday night I was at a program for Kelly and Amy and nothing I took addressed the pain. I was still able to enjoy their performance and Kelly did a great job on her solo. I wanted to post the video to YouTube, but she made it pretty clear that better not happen. Unfortunately my daughters all have this strong personality they inherited from their mother. I do the best I can to work with it 🙂 I did get a good picture and there was no death threat for posting it. Click on the picture to see the set. Where did that pen come from!? I can’t write, so why would I carry it? No idea.
Despite the pain at the conert, God again minimized it Thursday night and I got decent rest. Most of the day on Friday I experienced very little pain, but again on Friday late afternoon and evening it came on pretty strong. It makes me really appreciate the pain and pressure free times. I especially enjoy my better vision in the mornings. Both Thursday and Friday I was trying to do only 1mg total of decadron and ended up doing 1.5mg because I felt the swelling required it. Who knows. I’m just guessing. Today I did finally back off to 1mg (.5 and.5), but have had the pressure and very poor eyesight all day. It does remind me of my dependence on God, which I never want to forget, so I’m not complaining.
I have to laugh at how casual I am about my pill popping. I’ll spare you the details and avoid the email scolding, but it is quite possible that this cancer is getting a run for its money 🙂 Yes, I’m kidding, but I’m not going to share details with my doctor either 🙂
Despite the pain, I thoroughly enjoyed watching Megan in Cornstock’s production of “Side Show”. It was an interesting play about Siamese twins. Megan was great. I just wish I could have gotten pictures of her in all her outfits. I was positive that the twins had all their outfits sewn together. They were literally stuck together at the hips and never separated, despite dancing, walking stairs and stepping up and down from a platform. They weren’t and proved it during the curtain call. You can see the twins right above Megan’s head in the picture.
I was so ready for my ice bag when it ended.
Well, no word from Duke yesterday so they must still be analyzing my medical records. I’m confident God is going to make this relationship work out and I’ll be surprised if I don’t hear something on Monday. I’m torn about having my MRI this next Friday. There are times I think having it earlier could be good, especially with some of the pain I’ve had. But I also want as much healing as possible to take place first so that the images show the true state of what is going on in my head. That sounds funny. I’m sure lots of people have wanted to know what the heck was going on in my head at different times. I have and I’m positive my parents did most of the first 18 years. Even the Trilogy machine isn’t that good. 🙂
Tomorrow, March 16, is my amazing and beautiful wife’s birthday. Would you help me surprise her by sending her a Happy Birthday email? Her email address is blue_an_white at yahoo dot com. I knew God blessed me with an incredible woman, but going through this has made me appreciate her more. She bears more of the weight and pain on this journey than I do. I’m sure I don’t come even close to comprehending it. I know you are praying for me because I literally feel it daily. Please lift her up to the Lord as well. Pray He pours out His blessings on her and sustains her as she cares for me and our daughters. Thanks.
It has now been a full week since I’ve played any cards. This can’t continue into next week.
Tomorrow at church we’re having a former Mafia Prince, Michael Franzese (“Blood Covenant”) as a guest speaker. I hear this guy is amazing. I’m just hoping no one shows up with machine guns blaring 🙂
Next week we have four Easter services and I’m singing again in our quartet for the first time since the Christmas production. I’m pretty excited about it and my good friend Kevin is coming for a visit, which will make it even more fun.
I’m almost done listening to John and I forgot how much I love that book. If you aren’t much of a bible reader or have never read it, this is definitely the place to start. in fact I dare you to read the entire thing this next week. Send me a note if you do.
“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” (John 14:12-14)
Jesus did a LOT of healing! Got that? Have faith in Him. Ask for anything in His name. He will do it!
I need a miracle, God specializes in them, pray BIG!
Wizard of IdM's Weblog 
March 17, 2008 at 7:23 am |
from our ladies study last fall…
Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow
FAITH: the foundation
“God, you know my feelings are going haywire; they scream and shout that this situation is terrible and that there is no hope. God, I hope in You. I can’t see what You are doing, but I trust that You’re working this situation together for good. Thank You that You have promised to use it to make me more like Christ. This is what I want – it just doesn’t feel good today. Give me the strength to focus my eyes on You and not on what I can see.
Perhaps your life is filled with darkness and you can’t see. Still, God is working, just as He worked “all that night” for the Israelites. The next day simply manifested what God had done during the night. Do not forget, my friend, that God works in the night of your life, too.
Faith is walking in the dark with God, holding His hand.”
Thank Jay and Kath (Schauer-Pinney I assume?) for the video. Like it. Love it. Gotta have it. But I really wish we had a video of that bagel incident.
Welcome to the partial “blink” club as Jesse our blind friend called himself. We can see the stuff that really matters. Just think…you don’t have to look at things that are really ugly. Bonus. Blessed. Everything’s beautiful.
By the way, your brunette daughter reminds me of her uncle Mike. Eric ran into him several years back. Amazing.
May you “feel good” today.
March 17, 2008 at 7:32 am |
more…
Faith. God has assigned our portion and our cup (Psalm 16:5) He is sovereign, wise and loving. He requires the faith walk: “one step at a time on a dark path.” “Who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely upon his God (Isaiah 50:10). The last three chapters focus on our “what if’s?”, “if only’s” and “why’s”.
I loved this prayer…
“Holy Father. I am so weak. I want to trust You, but it is so hard to walk ‘by faith’ when I can’t see what You are doing. You are my Steadfast Rock. I desire to look only to You. I want to believe You for what I don’t understand, what I can’t see, and what doesn’t make sense to me. Give me the power through Your Holy Spirit to begin pounding the nails into ‘my ark.’ May I become one who pleases You because I walk by faith.”
Yahweh Tsuri, The Lord My Rock…
“Perfect peace, rest, unshakable faith, salvation – these enduring promises belong to all who trust in God. These blessings come, not by wishing but by willing, by deciding to sink our roots into God, spending time in prayer, reading his Word, holding fast to his commandments, and yielding to his Spirit at work within us. Scripture tells us we are to live and move and have our being in the God who made us. When tragedy comes, as it inevitably will, and when the world around us begins to tremble and shake, as it inevitably will, we will not be shaken. Instead, the Lord who is the Rock eternal will be there, giving us rest and peace.” (from Praying the Names of God by Ann Spangler)
still praying down here in Round Rock