Saturday, October 12, 2013

the up's and down's of life

This morning, I am completely overwhelmed at the goodness of God.  Yesterday was the scariest day in all of my thirty-six years on this earth.  I've been having female problems since the very end of June.  Because of the issues I've been having, they all kind of came to a point of exploding yesterday.  Before I tell you about yesterday, I have to tell you about Thursday.

A friend of mine had these exact same issues a couple years ago, and she recommended her doctor to me.  I went to see that doctor on Thursday, praying that she could help me.  I have an appointment scheduled with my regular doctor on the 21st of October, but I needed something earlier than that.  So I went to this doctor and she ordered that blood be drawn from me to determine what my iron level and hematocrit was.  She also informed me that my thyroid felt like it was enlarged and that my heart rate was elevated.

She had her nurse give me two injections of iron, she gave me a prescription for iron sulfate, and I left, still not really knowing anything, but armed with two more appointments.  I'm having a thyroid ultrasound this Tuesday and I kept my appointment with my regular doctor.  I continued on with my day as usual, but that night I felt rotten again.

Fast forward now to Friday.  Graham had to go to work, and I got up as usual to do the things I always do in the morning.  My floor was filthy with little dog prints, so I decided I would vacuum.  Oh, and the nurse had called me with the result of my lab work.  My hematocrit was 25.2, and it should be between 35-40.  My thyroid level was elevated, too, which we figured.  She told me that depending on what my iron level was, that I might possibly have to start having iron transfusions.  I kinda knew that, because my friend had to have those, but I also really didn't think I would have to do that.

So I vacuumed my house and all was okay.  Then I decided to mop the floor, just in the living room by the back door and by the dog beds.  Big mistake.  By the time I finished, I felt like I was going to pass out.  I was drenched in sweat, my heart was racing and I was completely out of breath.  I couldn't even put the vacuum and mop up.  The boys came in to ask me something and when Graham saw me, he goes, "Whoa, Mom...you look terrible.  Are you alright?"  I wasn't.  But I sat for twenty minutes and did absolutely nothing, and then I felt a little more normal again.

My dad came over and we went to lunch, after I felt the Lord impress upon me that I should tell him everything that had been going on with me.  Before he got here, I had called my regular doctor and gotten my appointment bumped up from the 21st of October to this coming Monday.  They also called me in a prescription for me to help with my issues immediately.  We had lunch with Dad and came back home, and I started feeling pretty bad again, and exhausted.  I was just thinking about taking a nap when my phone rang.   The lab work with my iron level came back and I was at thirteen.  My level should be fifty-two.  They were immediately setting up an appointment for me at a cancer treatment clinic to receive my first ever iron transfusion.  Thank God I had told my Dad everything, because without even having to really explain, I was able to leave and he went to pick up Graham from work, then stay here with them all until my sister Trisha came over.

I did freak out a little.  I also might have given my poor husband a heart attack, bless his heart.  He dropped everything and ran to meet me there.  God and His timing are perfect, though...Todd had been scheduled to work on a piece of equipment in Germantown near my doctor's office and when he got there, the building was locked up tight and nobody was there.  He went from there to my doctor's office to talk to them about this iron transfusion, then he met me at The Jones Clinic, where I was heading.  When I went back in the examination room, the doctor was really concerned about my heart rate.  It was 136, and it should be around eighty.  He was so freaked out by that, that he ordered the nurse to do an EKG on me.

Thankfully, everything was fine on that...the racing heart is all related to my iron being so low.  Afterward, they escorted me into the room where patients receive chemo, or iron like me.  I was escorted to the most comfortable chair of all time.  I told Todd I really needed one at home.  ;)  And yes, I took pictures.


In typical fashion lately, I was freezing and they gave me a blanket to snuggle under.



The sweet nurse hooked me up to an iv, and the drip began.  It only took about thirty minutes, and in that time Todd returned calls to people who were asking me things and to his parents and my parents.  I took the time to just sit and pray.  There was a precious lady next to me who appeared to be receiving chemo...and I took that time to pray for her and the other patients in the room.  There were only three and me.  I'm so glad I had that chance...and even in this time that I'll spend doing this, I look forward to that part of it, the praying for others.  And the sleeping...I was informed that they will be giving me a lot of Benadryl to make me sleep through part or most of the four hours.  I can always use that...I haven't been sleeping all that great lately.

I will be going back to this place on Monday for another transfusion, this time a four-hour one.  I'll be going from The Jones Clinic to my regular doctor.  I am excited to get these issues figured out, and while they're all kind of pointing toward a hysterectomy, I won't know anything more until after I see my doctor.  I'm open to whatever she suggests, and while I don't love the thought of surgery, I will do whatever to make all of this stop.

So, will you pray with me, please?  I do have two praises~my heart hasn't raced anymore since yesterday, and I feel so much stronger and awake.  That tired feeling is gone, and I even stayed up until eleven last night, which I haven't done in forever.  And I didn't have a nap yesterday, which is also unheard of.  ;)  The other praise is that the medicine the doctor called in for me is doing its job!  My friend told me that it wouldn't necessarily work, but it appears to be at this moment.

So that's what's up.  I know it's all personal, and for that I'm sorry, but I wrote this so that you can pray for me.  It's not often I ask for it, but this time, I need it.  I have more hurdles to cross before a solution, but I'm trusting God.  Oh, and remember the post I wrote about memorizing Scripture?  I think yesterday was the reason God has prompted me to do this...as I was freaking out yesterday as they were hooking me up to get an EKG, I literally felt the peace of God wash over me like a blanket.

In mid freak-out session (ask Todd, he witnessed it) I started quoting Philippians 4:6 and 7 and Isaiah 26:3:

"Don't worry about anything, instead pray about everything.  Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He's done.  Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."  Phil. 4:6-7

"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You."  Isaiah 26:3

I said those in my head over and over and over again, y'all, and like I said...it worked.  So this morning, I'm more than a little overwhelmed by His infinite goodness.  My situation could be so much worse, but it's not.  He has His mighty hand upon me, and I know that whatever I go through, He's right there beside me.  To Him be the glory.

Love to all.




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