October Reflections

Almost Time for Flu Shots!

For those family and friends (known as my "herd" in terms of immunity)who spend time around me, it is almost time to receive your flu vaccines. Since my body is no longer able to amount an immune response to a flu vaccine, doctors ask that my close family and friends all be vaccinated. This is knows as "herd immunity". By everyone around me being vaccinated, the hope is I will be protected from contracting the flu from everyone. The flu would be a serious threat to me due to my level of immunosuppression, so I thank each one who will endure a vaccine for me. My doctor recommends that everyone be vaccinated around mid-November so that the vaccine will last the entire flu season.

A bit more on herd immunity from a leukemia website:

" 'Herd immunity' is particularly important for us. Even if we are personally not protected by the flu shot, if everyone around is protected, chances are better that we won’t catch the flu either. In other words, bug all your family members to make sure they get their flu shots. Their good health increases your own chances of avoiding the flu."

Lastly, remember never to take the Flu Mist (spray). It is a live vaccine, which would actually give me the flu.

Get vaccinated! Use hand sanitizer! Sneeze and cough in the bend of your arm! Wash your hands! Disinfect doorknobs, remote controls, faucets, keyboards, and other commonly touched surfaced in your homes, schools, and offices.

Let's all be flu-free this year!

Baby Boot Camp Continues

Sergeant Lil Man continues to whip this soldier into shape at Baby Boot Camp. I lost another 5 pounds this week, so the proof is in the pudding: this Boot Camp is demanding! He is such a sweet, loving baby and he fills my days with joy and companionship. Although the duty is difficult, I wouldn't trade my "enlistment" for anything in the world.

Lil Man will be "deployed" to another location on Monday. I am scheduled to receive my 8-hour IVIg treatment at the infusion center. So Lil Man will go to his other Grandma's house for the day. I know we will miss each other.

The highlights of the "Sergeant's" day are the mess hall (also known as three bottles of Mommy's milk) and doing his morning stretches.

Yesterday, in preparation for the Colt's game on Monday Night Football, I dressed Lil Man up in his Colt's uniform and hat and sent him home to his parents, ready for the big game. Too bad, his cheering and team support didn't help those Colts. (We might have to look for a Titans' uniform!)

Baby Boot Camp

Every Saturday morning Grandpa Walt found himself babysitting his three grandchildren...all boys. The kids always wanted to play ''war,'' and Grandpa somehow always got coaxed into the game. His daughter came to pick up the kids early one Saturday and witnessed Grandpa take a fake shot as Jason pointed a toy gun and yelled, "Bang!'' Grandpa slumped to the floor and stayed there motionless. The daughter rushed over to see if he was all right. Grandpa opened one eye and whispered, ''Sh-h-h, I always do this. It's the only chance I get to rest.''

One day a police car pulled up to grandma's house and grandpa got out. The officer explained that this elderly gentlemen said he was lost in the park. ''Why, Bill,'' said Grandma, ''You've been going there for over 30 years! How could you get lost?'' Leaning close to Grandma so the police officer couldn't hear, he whispered, ''Wasn't exactly lost. I was just too tired to walk home.''

I thought these jokes featuring tired grandparents might be an appropriate way to begin this post. I have officially completed my first full day as Little Man's Nanny. It reminded me a bit like boot camp (although I was never in the military). So, perhaps, I should state that I "believe" it could have been a bit like boot camp.

The trumpets (aka my alarm clock) sounded before the crack of dawn. This is the hour I am normally entering my deep, restorative sleep. Not this morning.....my drill sergeant (aka Little Man) was awaiting my arrival. I traveled the 20 minute drive to pick up the sergeant. I arrived promptly at 0800 hours (that would be military time).

We traveled back to our base (aka home) and the day's routine began. For a little man, this seargeant is prompt and timely. He sticks to protocols like a Four Star General. Cry. Change Diaper. Drink milk (it does a body good). Change Diaper. Sleep. Repeat. Cry. Change Diaper. Drink milk. Change diaper. Sleep. Repeat. He kept this soldier marching all day!

Needless to say, the first day at bootcamp was full of readjustments. Little Man had some battles with homesickness, which he overcame like any good soldier does. He marched home and the first day's service was complete.

The alarm is set. I will sleep soundly as I await the trumpet's blast in the morning to report for duty once again!

Healthy Reflections

If, today, you awoke to a beautiful autumn morning and were in good health, rejoice. Today, I am writing to remind readers who are blessed with a body full of health and well-being, of what a gift from God you possess. Perhaps, you take this gift for granted. Just getting out of bed and not being in pain or having to face a week of needles, treatments, and doctors is reason to celebrate the goodness of God. It might be that you have never even considered how fortunate you are to be walking in good health today.

I encourage you to sit down sometime today and make a list of all of the blessings God has given to you, with good health heading the list. Perhaps you don't even know anything about God or you might not even believe there is a God. Look deeply within your heart and soul. Look around at the wonders of creation. Think of the times you have been divinely protected. God is alive and active today. He is a kind, gentle, patient God who waits on his children to return to Him and to crawl up into His lap and say, "Father, I'm back. I love You. Please help me."

Before leukemia, I was like most people. Everyday, I crawled out of bed and did everything I wanted to do. I never stopped to reflect on my good health. I never thought of what a blessing a day is without pain or suffering. I just took my good health for granted. For that I am deeply sorrowful and regretful. I had a treasure -- worth more than silver or gold -- when I had my health. And I didn't daily reflect and thank God for that priceless treasure. Begin tomorrow, with a prayer of thanksgiving to God for your good health.

Colors of Autumn

Last weekend we enjoyed a short weekend trip with our dear friends, Mark and Dawn, to the Brown County area. We visited the quaint shopping village of Nashville and the Brown County State Park. Fall foliage is just beginning to change colors, as shown in these photographs.

I especially loved this photo, where the trees and the clouds are reflected in the lake water.

"In the other gardens

And all up the vale,

From the autumn bonfires

See the smoke trail!

Pleasant summer over

And all the summer flowers,

The red fire blazes,

the grey smoke towers.

Sing a song of seasons!

Something bright in all,

Flowers in the summer

Fires in the fall! "

- Robert Louis Stevenson, Autumn Fires

Another Family Achievement

I reported in my August 9, 2008 post that our daughter had passed her credentialing examination to be a Registered Dietitian. Last week, her twin passed her state boards, so now she is an "official" BSN (a nurse with her RN AND a Bachelors Degree in Nursing). I know they are both thankful and relieved to have these examinations behind them. Congratulations, twinnies!

Grammy: Report to Duty

Tomorrow I must report to duty. My official Nanny duties begin with Little Man as his Mommy returns to work. My day now will begin with a 6:45 AM alarm sounding! For those of you who know me well, you know that due to many of my medical concerns, I do not sleep well. And after many sleepless nights, I sleep for a few hours in the morning......those days are now officially drawing to a close.

I ask for special prayers for strength and stamina for me so that I can care for this Little Man. Please pray for him and his Mommy as they make this transition.

Peculiar Notions About Me - Part II

Continuing with my peculiar notions thread, I will now post Part II. Enjoy these oddities, little known facts, and peculiarities about me.

ALPHABETIZED YOUR PERSONAL FILES

I normally do not tend to err on the side of an obsessive personality type. With one small exception – when I am taking IV steroids or high-dose oral steroids, I become quite obsessed with organizing. I’ve spoken with other cancer patients on high dose steroids and they have had the same quirky side effect. Give me one day of IV steroids and the buzzzzzzz begins. I have gone for four days and nights with no sleep, all the while I am organizing, making lists, and cleaning. I alphabetize not only personal files, but also spices, computer files, anything that stands still will risk the possibility of being alphabetized. Another positive benefit of high dose steroids is how clean our house is after their use. Closets are organized, drawers are cleaned, papers are sorted, and I can write a notebook full of lists. Users of high dose steroids should beware!

MADE COOKIES FROM SCRATCH

I have made cookies from scratch for most of my life. As a young 4-H club member, our first foods fair exhibit was a cookie. I baked my Maternal Grandma Evelyn’s Dream Bar cookies. It was a blue ribbon and champion award winner at the fair. Many years later, our daughters were 4-H members and they, too, entered Grandma’s recipe and were blue ribbon winners. I will post the recipe on the Blog later this week.

FOUND OUT SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT THAT YOUR ANCESTORS DID

A couple of years ago, I embarked on a genealogy journey. I spent most of the year researching our family’s heritage. When I completed compiling it, I bound it and presented it to our daughters as one of their Christmas gifts. Most of our ancestors originated from England, Germany, and Ireland. While I didn’t find anything significant about a particular ancestor, I was able to trace some of our family lines back to the 14th century.

BROKEN A BONE

I have had broken bones - -plural. Among those fractures were a broken finger, broken arm, several broken toes and a broken foot. One of these fractures remains vividly in my memory – my broken arm. I was carrying our youngest baby in my arms, turned, and cracked my elbow on a door casing. It was not funny to fracture the funny bone! Even less funny, was the circumstances surrounding this injury. I had three babies all under the age of 17 months at the time and we had no family living nearby. I telephoned my husband at work and told him I thought I had fractured my arm and he told me it was probably just bruised. I knew differently. So I loaded up our 3 babies and went to an urgent care center. Needless to say, the staff was not enthused to treat a patient with 3 babies in tow and no one to help me. The arm was x-rayed and the verdict was in – a broken bone that required casting. With crying babies assisting, the arm was casted and I put the girls into the car and headed to my husband’s office. When I pulled up front, I simply rolled down the window and held my casted arm out the window. One of my husband’s co-workers saw me and went in and told my husband, “I think you are in BIG trouble!” Enough said.

READ THE BIBLE COVER TO COVER

Every year I read my Bible cover to cover, at least once. I am a person who likes to highlight and make notes in my Bible as I read. A few years ago, I began the tradition of giving my Bible (after reading it cover to cover) to one of our daughters. I hope that one day when I am gone, they will treasure the notes and prayers that they will find written in my Bibles that I have given to them. I read mostly from the New King James Version but also use the Amplified version and the NIV. In Proverbs, it tells us: “Give attention to my Words; incline your ears to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes for they are LIFE to those who find them and HEALTH to all their flesh.” God’s Word is literally life-giving to me and I treasure it with all my heart.

Rejoicing!

I had to write to you to update you on yet another good report. For those who are regular Blog readers, you probably recall that I elected to begin an alternative protocol that a University of Washington researcher has been experimenting with on cancer patients. My conventional treatment options have almost run out, given how suppressed my immune system is and how many drug reactions I have had in the past.

After 2 weeks on the protocol, my WBC dropped from 93,000 to 54,000. My HGB increased by a point (CBC was performed on 10-9-08). A normal WBC would be 5000-10,000.

After 3 weeks (yesterday) on the protocol, my WBC dropped from 54,000 to 37,000; platelets went over 100,000 (still below normal but improved) and my hemoglobin remained stable but low. Most exciting, my "normal" lymph percentage is always 99 or 100 and it had dropped to 93% (normal range would be around 40%).

That is an ANC (absolute lymphocyte count) decline from 92,070 to 34, 410. And the lymphocytes are the cell line that is cancerous.

We are quite excited, especially to see something improve my WBC, hemoglobin, and platelets without any immune suppression.

If you haven't read my post I BELIEVE IN ANGELS, it tells what happened to me on the day I began one of the two drugs from this protocol. Please continue to pray that God will somehow, someway, use unknown products, from as far away as China, to bring the leukemia into remission. I have never been able to achieve a remission of this leukemia in the 12 years I have fought it.

Thank You, Lord. I give You all the praise and glory and honor.

Sarah Palin Rally in Indiana

My husband picked up our tickets for the Sarah Palin Rally to be held this Friday in Indiana. My attendance will be dependent upon how I am feeling and if I am up to the commute and walking involved to attend. My physical therapist did not see patients on Tuesday, so I am in pain tonight. My heart wants to be in attendance as evidenced by this ticket!

Mission Accomplished

After another day's work with my sewing mentor (aka Aunt Erma), my wall hanging is complete (99%) and ready for display at the ISU workshop. I decided today that after that exhibit, I am going to donate this to my oncologists' office for display.

The round medallions on the bottom were handmade and baked by me! After baking the clay, I painted each one. The triangles along the sides of the hanging are made from a product known as fabric paper. The woman who inspired me to creativity, Pat from Maine, taught me how to make fabric paper.

For those who have not read the poem that I wrote for this project, I am including it in this post.

What Cancer Has Done in My Life

Broken my body

Harmed my heart

Restricted my routines.

Stirred my soul

Focused my future

Altered my ambitions.

Violated my vigor

Annihilated my ambitions

Robbed me of resources.

Created courage

Taught me to travail

Developed determination.

Provoked pain

Frustrated my family

Devastated my dreams.

Inspired what’s important

Trained me to thrive

Empowered me to encourage.

Muddled my mind

Sacrificed my stamina

Jeopardized my joy.

Prompted me to pray

Taught me to trust

Showed me to seek.

Peculiar Notions About Me

I read an interesting post on my friend Lynda’s BLOG. It was entitled 200 Things. The author requested that the readers copy and paste the statements and to highlight the ones that they had done in their lives. I completed this exercise and thought some of these life events might be interesting to discuss on my BLOG. I will discuss ten events per post.

SLEPT UNDER THE STARS
For someone who is not an outdoors, wilderness type woman, I was the leader of our daughters’ scout troops for several years. We traversed the stages from Daisies to Brownies to Juniors to Cadettes. We did sleep under the stars at several camp outs. However, I must confess, we did so in the comfort of the back yards of several of the scouts’ homes. After all, this concept enabled us ready access to indoor plumbing, heat when the outside temperature fell below 32 degrees and hypothermia threatened us, and extra food and beverages when our rations ran out! Nevertheless, the stars were still beautiful even when viewed from the comforts of home.

CHANGED A BABY’S DIAPER
We are being re-certified in diaper changing since the arrival of our first grandchild last month. However, my husband and I had all 3 of our daughters in diapers at the same time and we literally changed hundreds of diapers per week when they were all young. I had every intention, as a first time mother, of using cloth diapers. I had read how they were better for baby, the environment, and other observations. However, the author of that research did not take into account that 3 babies in one household could generate hundreds of dirty diapers per week.

HAD AN UNCONTROLLABLE GIGGLING FIT AT THE WORST POSSIBLE MOMENT
For some peculiar reason, I have always thought it hilarious to watch someone fall down. I know that sounds sick, twisted, and demented. How could watching someone fall and possibly harm themselves warrant a laughter attack? I cannot answer this question, yet I know that if I see someone trip and fall, my laughter fit will ensue and will become difficult to contain. Word to the wise: don’t trip and fall in front of me! My laughter might hurt your feelings as well as your pride.

HELD A LAMB
When our daughters were around the ages of 7 and 8, my best friend called me one Saturday evening (before Easter Sunday). She was wrought with anguish and concern. Her two sons and husband were to participate in the following morning’s Easter Sunday Program. It was their responsibility to bring the “Lamb of God” for the program. She had located a farmer who assured her he would have a baby lamb ready for pick up that evening. They had gone to pick-up the “Lamb of God” and it was black. She called in tears, assuming that the “Lamb of God” would be a fleecy, white lamb, pure white and without spot or blemish. She had never seen a black lamb in the Easter pageant. I assured her, that this little lamb would fill the part quite nicely, so she picked up the lamb and they came to our house. We spent that evening before Easter Sunday, playing and holding the star of the Easter program.

HAD A MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION WITH A BEGGAR
A daily part of my work at an inner-city ministry was working with, serving, and talking to impoverished inner-city residents. I found myself in situations that I never believed I had the courage to face. Drug dealers, prostitutes, beggars, and criminals called this neighborhood “home”. It was a privilege and honor to be able to share with so many hurting people, the Gospel of Christ. Some came physically hungry, seeking food from the food pantry, yet were offered spiritual food from the Word of God. The hopeless discovered hope. The hungry discovered more than tangible food that could meet their desperate needs. Every conversation with a child of God, beggar or not, has the potential to result in glory to our Heavenly Father.

RIDDEN A ROLLER COASTER
At one time in my life, I could tolerate riding roller coasters. One of my first trips with my husband was to an amusement park. And I managed to be lured onto several coasters across the USA with our daughters. Yet, as age and wisdom enlightened me about roller coasters, I began to view them in a different light. Even if my enlarged spleen could tolerate a coaster ride today, I do not have the courage for them. Everyone else in our family is a fearless fan of coasters, sky diving, bungee jumping, and riding rides off the top of skyscraping hotels. However, I am quite happy with my feet planted on terra firma.

HIT A HOME RUN
I know it is difficult to envision someone of my age hitting a home run, but I did accomplish this feat several times as a young softball player. My Dad always coached our fast-pitch softball teams and I played for several years. Since Dad had been recruited by the Cincinnati Reds, he was quite an accomplished baseball player and coach, so it is no wonder that I could hit a home run!

DANCED LIKE A FOOL AND NOT CARED WHO WAS WATCHING
Having been a fan of the John Travolta Saturday Night Fever movie and dancing, our three daughters and I would all dance together in our living room. It was always a good laugh as I tried to recall the disco moves from this movie and teach our girls. At the wedding of our oldest daughter, the four of us took to the dance floor and displayed our finest John Travolta moves. There are pictures to validate this moment of insanity. However, I had been quite ill before this wedding and several people said it was their favorite part of the wedding to see me be able to go out and dance with the girls. Stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive………..those lyrics suddenly had new meaning!

LOVED YOUR JOB 90% OF THE TIME
The same job that I described above when discussing the beggar, was one that I loved more than 90 percent of the time. To be paid to work at something that is one’s heart desire, is the ultimate job. I had a passion for helping the lost and hurting as well as serving God’s Kingdom and to be paid to do those things on a daily basis, was a dream come true. When my health mandated that I resign, it was one of my great disappointments of my life.

GONE WITHOUT FOOD FOR THREE DAYS
There have been several times that I have fasted for Biblical reasons. Sometimes I have fasted an activity (television or computer use) while other times I have fasted a meal per day or all of my food for several days. For me, fasting allows me to turn my thoughts to God, over and over, instead of turning to television, computers, food or beverages during the course of a day. I am reminded of a passage from Isaiah 58 that tells us fasting that pleases God…….

Would you call this a fast,
And an acceptable day to the LORD?
6 “ Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;
You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’
“ If you take away the yoke from your midst,
The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
10 If you extend your soul to the hungry
And satisfy the afflicted soul,
Then your light shall dawn in the darkness,
And your darkness shall be as the noonday.
11 The LORD will guide you continually,
And satisfy your soul in drought,
And strengthen your bones;
You shall be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
12 Those from among you
Shall build the old waste places;
You shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach,
The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.
13 “ If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath,
From doing your pleasure on My holy day,
And call the Sabbath a delight,
The holy day of the LORD honorable,
And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways,
Nor finding your own pleasure,
Nor speaking your own words,
14 Then you shall delight yourself in the LORD;
And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth,
And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.
The mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

Divine Protection

I thank God tonight for his divine protection of one of our daughters tonight. She called me from her cell phone and told me that her life had just been spared. She and her husband had met after work for dinner at a local restaurant. He was following her and she approached an intersection. She told me that she didn't know what (or Who) made her pause and look to her left although she had a green light. And as she paused, a truck ran the red light and would have plowed into the driver's side of her car. Her husband, following in the car behind her, witnessed the near accident.

I thank God tonight for taking care of her and protecting her. As a mother, I know that I am no longer there to protect our daughters and watch out for them as I did when they were youngsters. However, I have a God who does that for me. I frequently pray the 91st Psalm for my family and myself. This is a Psalm that is emphasizes the Presence and Protection of our Father.

Psalm 91 (New Living Translation)

1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.
3 For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
4 He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7 Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
8 Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.
9 If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
10 no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.
11 For he will order his angels
to protect you wherever you go.
12 They will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
13 You will trample upon lions and cobras;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!
14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
16 I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”

Challenges of Creativity

Sewing has never been one of my strengths. My husband and daughters can vouch for that. I was one of the first mothers to hot glue Girl Scout badges on our daughters' uniforms. (Other mothers who had been sewing for hours to place the badges on sashes and vests soon realized my method had value!) However, my use of double stick tape and staples to hem my husband's pants was not as impressive.

I have been dabbling in mixed media art projects. Thus far, no completed project has emerged. I realized that sewing techniques kept hindering my efforts. I am to display a poem that I wrote about living with cancer at an upcoming workshop on grief and loss at Indiana State University. Instead of displaying a simply framed poem, I wanted to incorporate my mixed media projects with the poem and create a wall hanging.

My deadline is fast approaching, so today my Aunt Erma came to my rescue. She is the family seamstress, able to sew about anything on her trusty sewing machine. She spent the day patiently tolerating her sewing-challenged niece and trying to show me some basic techniques. The wall hanging is beginning to take shape. These photos display parts of the project, but I will wait until it is completed to post a photograph of the entire project.

I Want To Leave a Legacy

I am going to be writing more in upcoming posts to the Blog about leaving a legacy. For most, this thought never enters there minds unless quite old or quite ill. I suppose I fall into the second category.

Daily, I think of ways that I can leave a legacy for my children (and now, grandson) so that they will remember me when I am gone. I reflect on the values and beliefs that I hope they will carry on for future generations. I imagine what I can write or leave in a journal or scrapbook that will best illustrate me and my life when I no longer live here. I ponder the prospect of being certain that the importance of living a life for Christ is left as a legacy for each one of them.

I especially enjoy Nichole Nordeman's song, "I Want to Leave a Legacy"...... these are they lyrics:

I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me
And I enjoy an accolade like the rest
You could take my picture and hang it in a gallery
Of all the who's who and so-n-so's that used to be the best
At such 'n such...it wouldn't matter much

I won't lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights
We all need an "Atta boy" or "Atta girl"
But in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides
the temporary trappings of this world

I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love?
Did I point to you enough to make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who blessed Your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

I don't have to look too far or too long awhile
To make a lengthy list of all that I enjoy
It's an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile
Where moth and rust, thieves and such will soon destroy

Not well traveled, not well read, not well-to-do or well bred
Just want to hear instead, "Well done" good and faithful one

To listen to this song performed by the soloist, go to:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=yRHvUk1p1kM&feature=related

A Prayer for Today: October 10, 2008

My Lord,

I rejoice at the mention of Your Name. Where would I be without You? I cannot imagine life without You as a very intimate part. I arise and think of You and when I close my eyes, You are on my mind. Thank you for promising us that You will never, ever leave us or forsake us. That promise brings great comfort in a world where everything is changing and in motion.

My heart grieves when I fail You, Father. I come to Your throne, with a repentant heart, and ask that You will cleanse me and make me white as snow. Grow the desire in my heart for Your Word. It is through reading and obeying Your Word that we are the recipients of abundant life.

Our country is in great turmoil. The upcoming elections are vital to our country. Father, we ask that You intervene on our behalf. Bring Godly leadership to all branches of our government. Allow men and women of God to be elected so that they will listen for Your guidance in making critical decisions for our nation. Please remove the blinders off of our eyes, Lord. Let us not be swayed by the media and press – help us to consult with Your Word and elect men and women who stand for Your principals and precepts. Grant divine protection and guidance for each man and woman in uniform who are fighting to defend our freedoms and to protect us from terrorists.

Many lives are in need of healing. Move on our behalf, Lord. Proverbs 4:20 tells us: “Give attention to my WORDS; incline your ear to My sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes for they are LIFE to those who find them and HEALTH to all their flesh.” Maintain our focus on You and these promises. My heart breaks because so many do not know the depth of Your love and the hope of salvation. I pray, that these written words will reflect You and Your light to a dark, dying world. Bring salvation to the lost. Restore hope to the hopeless among us. Let those who have never heard of Jesus’ love for them and His offer of eternal life, learn about You.

Thank You, Father, for your faithfulness to your not-so-faithful children. Thank You for the patience you have with each of us. Thank You for Your unconditional love.

In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

Reason to Praise!

I just received an e-mail from my doctor. I have only been on the two alternative treatments that we learned about from the University of Washington researcher for 16 days and my WBC (White Blood Count) has dropped from 93,000 to 54,000 (normal WBC is 5000-10,000)! Praise the Lord! And my hemoglobin has raised an entire point in just one week.

Please keep praying with us that this will benefit me and will allow me to avoid chemotherapy that will further weaken my very compromised immune system! I also need it to begin shrinking my spleen and lymph nodes -- they are enlarged.

I want to weep at His goodness.

Photo Shoot

When an offer arrives in the mail for free photos of a new baby, you can guess what a new mother chooses to do! Well, today was Little Man's one month birthday so his Mommy and I took him to the Sears Portrait Studio for his first photo shoot. After all, with coupons offering free sitting fees, free 10X13's, 50% off packages, who could pass up such savings?

We arrived with his three outfits in tow. Who could have his first month photo shoot in one outfit? We had his Lil Man overalls that he wore home from the hospital. We took his Cowboy outfit complete with his suede (very tiny) cowboy boots. And we took his Doggone Cute outfit with matching dog toy. As the photographer and Little Man's Mommy worked on posing, Grammy was designated the stage hand in charge of props and costuming. Did I ever have a work-out. Rushing back and forth with new outfits and props is not a job for the faint at heart!

After donning all of his outfits, the photographer had a brilliant idea to do a naked baby shot with him resting on his Mommy's extended arms. That was going quite well until Little Man decided it was time to um....... let's say water the black velvet backdrop. Being the mother of three daughters, I am not experienced with the watering devices associated with little boys. It did make for a memorable day!

Gone are the days when I took our girls for photos. Computers have revolutionized the photography industry so we were asked to wait only 15-20 minutes and the photos would be ready for viewing. Little Man was getting tired and hungry and a bit cranky. He had a milk snack and then his Mommy was called into view the photographs. Grammy was given the job of entertaining the hungry, tired baby. He threw quite the fit for me as I tried to walk, rock, talk, sing, and entertain him. The faster I walked, the louder he cried.

Being a mother who always detested pacifiers and who never allowed our girls to have one, I could never foresee the day that I would buy a pacifier for one of our grandchildren. However, that day arrived today. I casually walked back to where our daughter was reviewing the photos and took a five dollar bill out of my purse and Little Man and I headed for the baby department. I was on a pacifier mission, hoping that would calm him down. Suddenly, he fell soundly to sleep. Grammy was rescued from the prospect of having to purchase the pacifier! Thank the Lord!

We walked back to the photo studio and the sales associate had our daughter tightly wrapped around her little finger. She was purchasing every package, picture, and portrait in sight. Those money saving coupons saved us nearly $300 dollars today (not counting what Grammy purchased)! They also sold her a "money saving" discount card where she can return each month and "save" MORE MONEY at their photo studio. Are those marketing geniuses or what?

In two weeks we will have enough photos to nearly wallpaper Little Man's home. You realize, he will never be month old again, so what was a mother and a grandmother to do?

I Can Only Imagine

Mercy Me's popular song "I Can Only Imagine" is one of my favorites. Daily, I am well aware that my body is breaking down further and further. Daily, I know that I could meet God, face to face, any day. This song brings great comfort to me and is a splendid reminder of what Heaven will be like when we step over into our eternal home. I can only imagine!

I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By your side

I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When your face
Is before me
I can only imagine

I can only imagine

Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine

I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When that day comes
And I find myself
Standing in the Son

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever
Forever worship You
I can only imagine

I can only imagine

Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine

I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever, forever worship you

I can only imagine

If you would like to listen to this song, go to:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=IV9jiqS-74g

Helpful Tips

I am not certain who authored (or tested) these helpful tips, but I found some of them intriguing. If you try any of these helpful tips with success, drop a message to the Blog for the rest of us who are curious yet too cowardly to give them a try!

Eliminate ear mites. All it takes is a few drops of Wesson Corn Oil in your cat's ear. Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat's skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing.

Kills fleas instantly. Dawn Dishwashing Liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Good-bye fleas.

Rainy day cure for dog odor: Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.

Did you know that drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately-without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional pain relievers?

Did you know that Colgate Toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns?

Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoids peppermints. They'll clear up your stuffed nose.

Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 tablespoon horseradish in 1 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil for instant relief for aching muscles.

Sore throat? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.

Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer. Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly-even though the product was never been advertised for this use.

Honey remedy for skin blemishes...cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a Band-Aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.

Listerine therapy for toenail fungus: Get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine Mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.

Easy eyeglass protection...to prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline Crystal Clear Nail Polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.

Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer...if menacing bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can't find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly.

Smart splinter remover: Just pour a drop of Elmer's Glue-All over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.

Hunt's Tomato Paste boil cure...cover the boil with Hunt's Tomato Paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the boil to a head.

Balm for broken blisters...to disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine, a powerful antiseptic.

Vinegar to heal bruises...soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.

Quaker Oats for fast pain relief...it's not for breakfast any more! Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.

One Month Old

Can you believe that tomorrow Little Man will turn one month old? I have been a Grammy for 30 entire days! The little fellow came to visit us today. My how he has grown since we last saw him on Saturday. It seems as though everyday brings a new experience, a new smile, or a new adventure with him around.

Tomorrow we are taking him to have his first photos taken. True to his mother's nature, she requested that she be able to bring wardrobe changes for the photo shoot! She always played dress up with her dolls, so I am not surprised.

Vote!

"When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers, "just men who will rule in the fear of God." The preservation of [our] government depends on the faithful discharge of this Duty; if the citizens neglect their Duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for the public good so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the Laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizen will be violated or disregarded. If [our] government fails to secure public prosperity and happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect the Divine Commands, and elect bad men to make and administer the Laws."
-History of United States by Noah Webster

Oh, the timeliness of Noah Webster's quote on elections. Much of what he wrote generations ago, has come to pass in today's government. Read and reread his quote. Vote according to God's Word and His principles.

The November election is fast approaching. With our nation in such dire straits, it is vital for Americans to truly review the candidates and their platforms. If you are a Christian, you need to find an accurate assessment of what the candidates stand for and compare those platforms to what God's Word says is important and right. Go to: www.praythevote.org or http://www.frcaction.org/get.cfm?i=VR08G01 .

I read an interesting piece authored by David Freddoso, The Case Against Barack Obama, it documents that "Obama is probably the most pro-abortion presidential candidate in history. He worked to block a bill—virtually identical to the federal law he now claims to support— in the Illinois legislature that would have made it illegal to kill or deny care to children born alive in failed abortion procedures. He beat Hillary Clinton to the NARAL Pro-Choice America endorsement in the Democratic primaries. Obama has vowed to sign the Freedom of Choice Act, of which he is a Senate co-sponsor. This legislation, which supporters say will codify Roe v. Wade, would nullify every official abortion restriction in the country. And Obama supports taxpayer-funded abortion, even though the Hyde Amendment has done more to reduce abortions than any other pro-life policy."

I personally know of two families desperately seeking and waiting for children. Women do have a choice even when lives are salvaged from abortion -- it is called adoption. A loving family could be found for every infant who is aborted and killed. We cannot allow candidates with such strong pro-abortion views to be allowed into office.

There are no perfect men. Romans 3:23 tells us: "For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Therefore, I cast my votes for men and women who best represent God's standards on issues. Corruption is rampant in government and Washington. It is clear from Noah Webster's quote (above) that this corruption has been caused by voters not electing God-fearing and God-serving men and women to places of authority.

This year, I voted by absentee ballot for the first time. The last two elections I found myself in the hospital and unable to vote. Therefore, I requested my absentee ballot early and I learned several things about the voting process.

Firstly, I appreciated having the time with my ballot where I could methodically review it, pray and ponder my decisions.

Secondly, four judges' names were on the ballot and voters were being asked if they should be retained or not. I was able to go online and analyze their records on the bench. Upon review, only one of the four held views similar to mine, so three of the four judges were voted against on my ballot.

Lastly, despite the threat of illness or a hospital stay, I am pleased that my vote has been cast and my voice has been heard. It is heartbreaking to think of the Americans who do not educated themselves about candidates and issues and then head to the voting booth to cast their votes. It is a privilege, won by the shed blood of freedom fighters, to vote in a free election.

Author's Note: Undoubtedly, there will be someone who reads this post who has had an abortion. My writings in no way condemn you for a decision that you made. God loves you, forgives you and will help you heal from the heartache that abortion can cause to women.

Things That Really Matter

For reflection .....

A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him. When class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, rocks about 2" in diameter.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course,rolled into the open areas between the rocks.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The students laughed. The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

"Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this is your life. The rocks are the important things - your family, your partner, your health, your children - anything that is so important to you that if it were lost, you would be nearly destroyed."

"The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car."

"The sand is everything else. The small stuff."

"If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your energy and time on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you."

"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal."

"Take care of the rocks first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

Flu Season Awaits

For most, flu season and its accompanying sneezes and sniffles becomes only a minor inconvenience. Since learning this week that my immune function is even worse than we originally knew, I thought it appropriate to write about flu season from my point of view. I wonder what my odds of living through this winter will be since I have no functioning T-Cells left to defend me?

All too often, people push and prod themselves along to continue their daily activities at work or in the community, even when they are quite ill. Before you decide to leave the house next time with a temperature and sore throat, please pause to think of those of us who cannot fight off such illnesses when exposed. A simple trip to the grocery store with you pushing the cart, you suddenly cough, cover your mouth with your hand and now the grocery cart handle is contaminated. I follow you into the store and take your cart. You get the picture!

If you elect to get a flu shot, please ask for the injection and not the nasal flu mist. The injection is a dead virus while the flu mist is a live virus. If you recently took the flu mist and stood by me in line at the bank, I would most likely contract the flu from you.

If you are sick and must be out in public, please consider wearing a mask. There is much good information on masks at this CDC link: http://www.cdc.gov/features/masksrespirators/

Most importantly, more than ever, I must ask that if you have even an inkling that you might be coming down with a "bug" or if you have been around someone who has been ill, please do not come around me. It is difficult to tell family and friends to stay away, but I have no option.

I am not the only cancer patient or immunocompromised patient who fights these battles. Be considerate of those around you during this flu season. Afterall, by you staying home and recuperating not only will I benefit, but you will benefit as well!

Reflections on Grandmothering

I do not know the authors of these quotes. Friends have shared some with me since I became a Grandmother and others I have read.

True loves only comes with birth of your first grandchild.

A garden of Love grows in a Grandmother's heart.

A grandmother is a mother who has a second chance.

Grandma's heart is a Patchwork of Love.

Grandmas hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our hearts forever.

Grandmother - a wonderful mother with lots of practice.

Grandmothers and roses are much the same. Each are God's masterpieces with different names.

It's such a grand thing to be a mother of a mother - that's why the world calls her grandmother.

When a child is born, so are grandmothers.

Grandmother - a wonderful mother with lots of practice.

Grandmother-grandchild relationships are simple. Grandmas are short on criticism and long on love.

If your baby is "beautiful and perfect, never cries or fusses, sleeps on schedule and burps on demand, an angel all the time," you're the grandma.

Just about the time a woman thinks her work is done, she becomes a grandmother.

My name is NO NO but Grandma calls me precious!

Perfect love sometimes does not come till the first grandchild.

A Prayer for Today: October 5, 2008

My Precious Father,

We praise You today, for You alone are worthy to be praised. We see Your hand prints all about us – the crisp autumn breeze blowing the colorful leaves to the ground; the glorious sunshine illuminating our paths; and the beautiful fall skies. Thank You, Lord for reminding us each day of Your presence and Your power to bring salvation, healing, peace, and guidance to Your children.

Lord, forgive us when we fail You. We are truly sorry and come to You with repentant hearts. I am reminded of how much of Your Word instructs us about love. And as humans, we sometimes fail You in this area. Help us to love, like You love – without conditions. I am reminded of 1 Corinthians 13:4-5: “Love….is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it – pays no attention to a suffered wrong.” Father, I ask that You will make each of us lovers of men without thought to wrongs done to us.

As we love You and our fellow man, we will be the benefactors of Your perfect love. I John 4:18 tells us: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” We seek that perfect love in our hearts -- this kind of love that does not have an agenda and love that loves without seeking anything in return. Mature our Christian walks and lives to exemplify this agape love to our world.

I know as we become lovers of our fellow man, they will see You through us. Our lost family members will see You living in our lives. Fellow workers or classmates will note that our lives reflect love and they will seek that in their own lives. Remind us daily, Lord to reflect that kind of love to the world around us.

Our needs are many, but we are confident that You alone know each need intimately. For all who are awaiting test results, I pray that they will reflect Your healing touch. For all who are contemplating treatment decisions, I pray that each one will have the mind of Christ and the Holy Spirit will guide and influence. For all who are suffering with pain, I pray comfort and healing. For those who may be faltering in their faith because of a cancer diagnosis, remind them of Your presence and love for each one. For the doctors and researchers who seek a cure for this disease, impart divine wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. For our faithful Dr. Hamblin, who gives so graciously of his time and knowledge to leukemia patients around the world, we pray blessings for him and his loved ones. We are blessed beyond measure to have such brilliant insights shared with us by Dr. Hamblin. If ever there is a scientist who will listen to Your voice and instructions to find a cure for us, I know it is Dr. Hamblin.

We love You, Lord. Where would we be without You?
In Your Mighty Name we pray, Amen.

Truly Home

Daily, I sit and ponder if a germ-covered surface I touch or a germ-infested food that I eat or if the person standing next to me in line at the grocery store with a serious infection is going to contaminate my body and kill me. With virtually no immune function remaining to defend me, daily thoughts turn more and more to the eternal life that awaits me.

Dr. Terry Hamblin is a world-renowned leukemia specialist from Great Britain and a Christian, who has given me recommendations time and again that have literally saved my life. He has a wonderful Blog filled with in depth information on leukemia and beautiful reflections on our Heavenly Father and the life that awaits His followers.

This week he posted a lovely poem that I am going to share with my readers. Read and absorb these words.

Stuart Townend says it in an unrivalled way:

THERE IS A HOPE that burns within my heart,
That gives me strength for every passing day;
A glimpse of glory now revealed in meagre part,
Yet drives all doubt away:

I stand in Christ, with sins forgiven;
And Christ in me, the hope of heaven!
My highest calling and my deepest joy,
To make His will my home.

There is a hope that lifts my weary head,
A consolation strong against despair,
That when the world has plunged me in its deepest pit,
I find the Saviour there!

Through present sufferings, future's fear,
He whispers 'courage' in my ear.
For I am safe in everlasting arms,
And they will lead me home.

There is a hope that stands the test of time,
That lifts my eyes beyond the beckoning grave,
To see the matchless beauty of a day divine
When I behold His face!

When sufferings cease and sorrows die,
And every longing satisfied.
Then joy unspeakable will flood my soul,
For I am truly home

A Day at the Pioneer Village

We enjoyed the crisp autumn weather and visited a pioneer village today. Some photographs for you to enjoy.....

To my surprise, we found a covered bridge at the village.

Some of these sheep had been sheared and appeared quite chilly in the early morning temperatures.

A covered wagon ...... imagine crossing the mountains in these vehicles.

The village blacksmith at work.

One of the many cabins dating back to the 1800's.

Please Continue to Pray

I heard from my local doctor tonight regarding lab work results from tests drawn this week. I have ZERO T-Cells. This is very concerning. T-Cells are vital infection fighters in the body. More than ever, I will need my friends and family to pray that God will protect me from serious infections. My thyroid level, iron levels, and Vitamin D level are all too low. We are adjusting medications, etc. to try to correct some of these concerns.

George Mueller

Many years ago, I read the autobiography of George Mueller. The reading and ingesting of that book changed my life. I have read of few other individuals who exhibited such strong faith in obtaining God's provisions. As he opened orphanages to care for abandoned children, he vowed to never go into debt or to ask man to help meet the financial needs of these institutions.

Over and over, George Mueller went to the Lord in prayer and asked Him to provide for the financial needs of these orphanages. And over and over, the Lord provided. His life story is inspiring to me as we watch the economy falter and fail all about us. It is vital for us to keep our faith firmly planted in the Lord and His promises to care for His children. No paycheck or employer is our ultimate provider. God retains that position. I have watched Him meet the needs of my family many times over. He will not fail us as the world's economies shake and shudder.

A bit about George Mueller (excerpted from www.prayerfoundation.org ).....

George Müller was born in 1805 and died in 1898. He was well-known as an English Evangelist and Philanthropist; a man of faith and prayer. Without ever asking anyone other than God, he received over $7,200,000 dollars (in 1800's money) through prayer alone.

Mueller was born in Prussia in 1805, by age 10 George was inventing plans to embezzle the government monies his father had charge of. His school years were years of drunkenness and immorality. At age sixteen he was jailed for failing to pay his bills.

The University he attended had 900 Divinity students. George said that there were only about nine who truly feared God. He continued in sin until at age 20 he received Christ as his personal Lord and Saviour.

George married and became a Pastor, but refused his salary when he found out it was collected from "pew-rents." He decided to live on faith from that time forward.

Müller established Orphanages in Bristol, England, and founded the "Scriptural Knowledge Institution for Home and Abroad." His life was characterized by prayer, faith, and self-denial in the cause of Christ.

During his lifetime, he established 117 schools which educated more than 120,000 young persons, including orphans.

In 1875, at the age of 70, and until age 87, he had a 17-year ministry of world-wide Evangelistic tours, which also raised money for his orphanages and the thousands of children in them.
He would live for another six years. At the time of his death at age 93 in 1898, the Church that he pastored in Bristol had about 2,000 members.

Andrew Murray's comments about the life and practices of George Mueller are applicable for our surviving difficult financial times as a nation:

"This implicit surrender to God’s Word led him (Mueller) to certain views and conduct in regard to money, which mightily influenced his future life. They had their root in the conviction that money was a Divine stewardship, and that all money had therefore to be received and dispensed in direct fellowship with God Himself. This led him to the adoption of the following four great rules:

1. Not to receive any fixed salary, both because in the collecting of it there was often much that was at variance with the freewill offering with which God’s service is to be maintained, and in the receiving of it a danger of placing more dependence on human sources of income than in the living God Himself.
2. Never to ask any human being for help, however great the need might be, but to make his wants known to the God who has promised to care for His servants and to hear their prayer.
3. To take this command (Luke 12: 33) literally, ‘Sell that thou hast and give alms,’ and never to save up money, but to spend all God entrusted to him on God’s poor, on the work of His kingdom.
4. Also to take Romans 8: 8, ‘Owe no man anything,’ literally, and never to buy on credit, or be in debt for anything, but to trust God to provide.

This mode of living was not easy at first. But Muller testifies it was most blessed in bringing the soul to rest in God, and drawing it into closer union with Himself when inclined to backslide. ‘For it will not do, it is not possible, to live in sin, and at the same time, by communion with God, to draw down from heaven everything one needs for the life that now is.’"

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Website

If you would like to read my leukemia story, it has been posted on the national Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's website at:

http://www.llslifemosaic.com/lifemosaic/patient_story.jsp?patientid=16705

Costa Rican Missionary

I am privileged to know and support a missionary in Costa Rica by the name of Jessie. While I served at the inner-city ministry, that I have written about in previous posts, Jessie served there with me. I have decided as she sends prayer requests to me, that I will post them on my Blog. I know being so far from home, in a foreign land, young Jessie will appreciate your prayers.

This week's prayer requests from Jessie:
- Young Life Staff retreat: October 1st-3rd. Pray for vision for the future and a time of rest for staff.
- Transportation difficulties for leaders to be resolved

If you would like to support Jessie with your financial donations, they may be mailed to:

Young Life
Costa Rican Missions
Young Life Service Center Income Processing
PO Box 520
Colorado Springs, CO
80901-0520

IN MEMO OF CHECKS: X389-Oliver

Visitors

Last night we were fortunate to have our one daughter visit and stay overnight while her husband was out of town. It is always so wonderful to have one of our daughters back home with us. Our empty nest becomes very quiet and lonely, so guests are always welcome!

Today, I was blessed with a visit by Little Man, his Mommy, and their pet dog Allie. Although my herniated discs are acting up and I was up all night with severe back pain, I was delighted to be able to hold Little Man most of today. He is growing by leaps and bounds. His cheeks are chubbier and his eyes are brighter each time that I see him. I know that he has been smiling at his Grammy.

For some odd reason, the dog was left at Grampy and Grammy's home, but Little Man was taken home by his Mommy. Can you believe that deal?

CVID

Dr. Byrd (oncologist from OSU) e-mailed me and said that he believes I have Common Variable Immune Deficiency in addition to leukemia. This would probably explain why my immune function has been so poor and I've had such serious infections. While we knew that the chemotherapy Fludarabine was quite toxic to my T-Cells, we never anticipated that years since the last dose, the T-Cells still would not have recovered.

We are now searching for information on this new diagnosis. It will be even more important to prevent, treat, and diagnose future infections. I have been reading a new book entitled HERBAL ANTIBIOTICS. It reviews many plants and herbs that are able to treat even drug-resistant bacterial infections. Interestingly, the new alternative treatment that I began last week contains one of these plants (wormwood) that was listed as one of the top antibacterial herbs on earth. I am hopeful that this will help my compromised immune function to fight off the enemies.