I know that I have not written on the blog for quite a while, but I do have to say that no news is good news. I have to admit I have forgotten to ask mom about her furnace, but she has not said anything so I hope that it is back to working condition again, seeing as the weather in Calgary is being not so hospitable lately. I won't tell you about our 25-26 degree weather here in the east this past weekend. oops...to late.
Today mom had her final round of Chemo therapy. We are celebrating, and we are praying all at the same time. I just got off the phone with mom, and she is not feeling all that well right now...she feela like kermit thee frog.
The chemo treatment went well, mom said that Sandy the intern ministry worker came to see her and that she was grateful for the visit. Also we need to continue to pray for mom's white blood cell count, mom was at 1.2, one point less and they would have had to postpone the treatment; but because it is still very low, mom will not be able to be around to many people, and get exposed to bag buggies. Oma is very happy that Chemo is now done, now comes the recovery part of the journey. Chemo remains working for the next 3-6 weeks after Chemo. Fatigue is still one of the greatest side effects that mom has been feeling, she feels exhausted a lot of the time. At the beginning of mom's treatment, she received a prayer shawl, and after every treatment, mom has felt very cold, and that shawl is one of the first things that she puts on.
After the treatment today mom felt very weak on her legs, and had to walk holding on to Oma's arm to steady herself. This being the 4th round will most likely have more side effects, and the fatigue is going to be kicking in more as well. We need to pray for healing strength and also pray that the chemo would remove and destroy all of any cancer cells that may have been left behind post surgery.
Mom had a lot of mixed emotions about this final round so excited that it is almost over, but not excited at all to go through the coming days as the chemo sets about doing it's job. She will continue with follow ups with her doctors this summer, and after to make sure the cancer stays away.
Tonight Tom and I went for a drive, and went down a road called Harmony road, and it made me what harmony really means, and how God is in control and there is harmony in all that He does. We just don't see the big picture but God has it covered and there is a Harmony, far beyond what we see and know.
It is my prayer that mom finds harmony in her heart with what she has been through, and that she will always know that God has her in his hands, no matter what.
This has been a very challenging journey but God has been with us through out and will be with us on the upside too.
We all thank all those that have helped in any way with mom's journey.
Please continue to lift us all up in prayer.
Alida, Wilma and Family.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
NO HOT WATER and NO HEAT!
Mom informed me that her furnace as well as her hot water went on the fritz this past week. They have warm water running through the house now, but still no heat. Philip the youngest was boiling water putting it in a bucket and taking it into the bath tub to wash up, and feel some heat. Mom's furnace and Hot water all run together on some fancy system...that is however Horribly failing!! Anyway prayers need to be lifted that this issue would be fixed, pronto!
On other news mom went to the doctor about her sore foot, he thinks that it could be an inflamed pressure point...this coming from the doctor who did not think that mom had cancer. Mom is however going to see a foot doctor on Saturday to get a second opinion!! GOOD PLAN MOM!! Hopefully that this is not a potential infection, but something that can be relieved as it is causing some miserable pain, and mom has a hard time walking on it too! Hopefully they can figure out what the issue really is and fix it!
Also could you please keep Tom and I in prayer as well, we are battling infertility and it is weighing us down with deep sadness and frustration. 4 years and 7 months have left us heart broken, but yet there is some hope, so please pray that our hope will not fail, that God will be the shoulder to cry on, when we feel so alone and that His grace would be sufficient for us.
Continue to Pray for mom as the next couple weeks will lead us up to to the last chemo treatment, hopefully forever! Please pray for Peace and assurance for mom!
Alida, Wilma and Family
On other news mom went to the doctor about her sore foot, he thinks that it could be an inflamed pressure point...this coming from the doctor who did not think that mom had cancer. Mom is however going to see a foot doctor on Saturday to get a second opinion!! GOOD PLAN MOM!! Hopefully that this is not a potential infection, but something that can be relieved as it is causing some miserable pain, and mom has a hard time walking on it too! Hopefully they can figure out what the issue really is and fix it!
Also could you please keep Tom and I in prayer as well, we are battling infertility and it is weighing us down with deep sadness and frustration. 4 years and 7 months have left us heart broken, but yet there is some hope, so please pray that our hope will not fail, that God will be the shoulder to cry on, when we feel so alone and that His grace would be sufficient for us.
Continue to Pray for mom as the next couple weeks will lead us up to to the last chemo treatment, hopefully forever! Please pray for Peace and assurance for mom!
Alida, Wilma and Family
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The days in between
This past weekend was Easter, we reflected on Christ's suffering and Death, and sang Praise to Him because of His Victory over death and our sin. This weekend although the foundation of our faith, does not end our own sufferings. We still have our longings and our crazy wild emotions. I was talking to mom and she said that she really does not want to go through the last round but knows that she must, she is looking forward to it and not looking forward to it at all; a paradox.
This past weekend for me was a weekend of realizations that we still live in a very broken world, where cancer is a reality and the horrible drugs that save lives are part of this world that we know. I don't like it, who does?
The other day it was late evening here in Ontario, and I was working on the book that I am writing, and I had this over whelming feeling of sadness. I made mention of it to my husband and he asked me what I was going to do about it. So I called my mom to get her thoughts on this feeling. I told her, that I had this feeling and I asked her how she was feeling and she said that she was feeling so sad.
This being good Friday it is an emotional day and like I said it was a weekend of realizations.
What I find amazing is that me and my mom have often had feelings that come over us, about each other and we will call, and something will be in fact wrong, or something is upsetting us.
A few years ago mom was in 2 car crashes 2 days in a row, one entirely destroying the car that she was driving. The night before her crash, I told her that she was not allow to go home, we were staying with family, and I was staying but my mom was returning home. I had this feeling that this may be the last night I have with my mom. I laid awake that entire night, not knowing what the next day would hold. But as I lay there beside her on my mat, I listened to her breathing and begged God to not take my mom away from me. I kept saying "mom you can't go". But she trued reassure me that everything was going to be fine. Later that day the phone rang and I told my aunt that it was mom and she was in the Hospital, she said "don't think like that". Well sure enough it was mom and she was in fact in the Hospital, she and my cousin and other aunt had been in a horrible collision; but HALLELUJAH mom was alive!!
Mom and I have always shared a very close bond, a bond that is blood, but also our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Our Spirits know one God and although we are far apart we still share that special connection, one of grace, love and hope. I know that her struggles over the last few months have often been defeating and very discouraging, but my bond with my mom and my love for my mom and my admiration for her has grown so much.
Mom you are my hero, no matter how many tears you cry or how crappy you feel you are still my hero, my best friend, my counselor, and my mom. One day when mom was again being my counselor mom said these words and lately they have been my hope.
"Who are you going to trust? Your wild and crazy emotion or the God of all creation?"
You are my mother By God's amazing Grace, But you are my friend By choice!! Hang in there!!
Please Pray for the days in between this Round 3 and Round 4, these days are going to be some of the most emotional, fearful, joyful during journey. Mom said to me that her biggest fear of all this is that the cancer will come back and she will have to do this again, that to her at this point seems to much to handle. Please pray for peace and comfort in knowing that she is in God's Hands.
Alida, Wilma and Family
This past weekend for me was a weekend of realizations that we still live in a very broken world, where cancer is a reality and the horrible drugs that save lives are part of this world that we know. I don't like it, who does?
The other day it was late evening here in Ontario, and I was working on the book that I am writing, and I had this over whelming feeling of sadness. I made mention of it to my husband and he asked me what I was going to do about it. So I called my mom to get her thoughts on this feeling. I told her, that I had this feeling and I asked her how she was feeling and she said that she was feeling so sad.
This being good Friday it is an emotional day and like I said it was a weekend of realizations.
What I find amazing is that me and my mom have often had feelings that come over us, about each other and we will call, and something will be in fact wrong, or something is upsetting us.
A few years ago mom was in 2 car crashes 2 days in a row, one entirely destroying the car that she was driving. The night before her crash, I told her that she was not allow to go home, we were staying with family, and I was staying but my mom was returning home. I had this feeling that this may be the last night I have with my mom. I laid awake that entire night, not knowing what the next day would hold. But as I lay there beside her on my mat, I listened to her breathing and begged God to not take my mom away from me. I kept saying "mom you can't go". But she trued reassure me that everything was going to be fine. Later that day the phone rang and I told my aunt that it was mom and she was in the Hospital, she said "don't think like that". Well sure enough it was mom and she was in fact in the Hospital, she and my cousin and other aunt had been in a horrible collision; but HALLELUJAH mom was alive!!
Mom and I have always shared a very close bond, a bond that is blood, but also our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Our Spirits know one God and although we are far apart we still share that special connection, one of grace, love and hope. I know that her struggles over the last few months have often been defeating and very discouraging, but my bond with my mom and my love for my mom and my admiration for her has grown so much.
Mom you are my hero, no matter how many tears you cry or how crappy you feel you are still my hero, my best friend, my counselor, and my mom. One day when mom was again being my counselor mom said these words and lately they have been my hope.
"Who are you going to trust? Your wild and crazy emotion or the God of all creation?"
You are my mother By God's amazing Grace, But you are my friend By choice!! Hang in there!!
Please Pray for the days in between this Round 3 and Round 4, these days are going to be some of the most emotional, fearful, joyful during journey. Mom said to me that her biggest fear of all this is that the cancer will come back and she will have to do this again, that to her at this point seems to much to handle. Please pray for peace and comfort in knowing that she is in God's Hands.
Alida, Wilma and Family
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Day after Chemo 3
Today mom was doing quite well. Yesterday mom did have her 3rd (2nd last) Chemo treatment, it went as well as a chemo treatment goes. However mom's Neutrophil ( white) cell count was alright enough to do the chemo, but they are still on the low side. If the Neutrophil cell count is below the level of one, they can not do chemo, mom's is still only at 1.6, this however was enough to proceed, but she really has to stay away from sick people. Oma said that mom went into the Chemo treatment rosy cheeked and came out white as a sheet. This is just what chemo does, it kills healthy and no so healthy cells alike. Last night mom slept alright, including sleeping at the dinner table the drugs that accompanies the chemo make her really sleepy. She did have to take some medication in the middle of the night for the Kermit the frog feeling, but that was prescribed for her to take that at that time. Oma was up in the middle of night to give her the meds.
Today mom ate breakfast, had hot chocolate, sat curled up in a blanket reading, went for an hour walk with Oma, had some dinner, and was about to do some dinner devotions with Oma and Opa, she was still curled up in a blanket. She often feels quite chilled, and just really really tired! We pray that mom will continue to feel and do alright the next few days as the Chemo really kicks in.
One more treatment to go, 3 weeks to wait for that to happen, but we are hoping that all will go really well the next 3 weeks and then one more round.
Please continue to lift mom, Oma and Opa, and the rest of the family as mom continues this journey, that is nearing hopefully its end.
Please pray for my brothers as they hold down the fort at mom's house for the next few days...hopefully mom will find her house intact :)
Alida, Wilma and Family
Today mom ate breakfast, had hot chocolate, sat curled up in a blanket reading, went for an hour walk with Oma, had some dinner, and was about to do some dinner devotions with Oma and Opa, she was still curled up in a blanket. She often feels quite chilled, and just really really tired! We pray that mom will continue to feel and do alright the next few days as the Chemo really kicks in.
One more treatment to go, 3 weeks to wait for that to happen, but we are hoping that all will go really well the next 3 weeks and then one more round.
Please continue to lift mom, Oma and Opa, and the rest of the family as mom continues this journey, that is nearing hopefully its end.
Please pray for my brothers as they hold down the fort at mom's house for the next few days...hopefully mom will find her house intact :)
Alida, Wilma and Family
Monday, April 6, 2009
Round 3 Tomorrow!
Mom went for blood work today to see if all her blood counts remained where they should and they did in fact stay where they needed to. So good news, counts are good...bad news mom still has to have Chemo. Good news mom has only one more round after this one!! Bad news mom still has one more round of Chemo. Mom also saw the doctor today and has been give a slue of new drugs to combat the effects of the Chemo, one for the acid reflux one for the Kermit the frog feeling and a couple more...mostly to combat the yucky feelings. Her appointment is tomorrow at 2:00pm Calgary time for the 3rd round. Please pray for calm nerves and a true sense of peace for mom tomorrow, also pray for my oma and Opa as they care for mom the few days after Chemo. Please pray for strength for my Oma as well tomorrow as she goes diligently with mom to the Chemo treatments. Oma says it is very hard to watch your child no matter how old they are going through chemo treatments.
As mom is getting nearer to completion of Chemo a little sense of Yahoo ness is coming over me.
I can't wait for it all to be over, I can just imagine how mom is feeling about that too!!
My hope is to come to Calgary for the last round so that we can have a Chemo is done, Mom kicked butt party!! Or at least A BIG OLD HUG anyway!!
Please continue to pray hard!!
Alida, Wilma and Family
As mom is getting nearer to completion of Chemo a little sense of Yahoo ness is coming over me.
I can't wait for it all to be over, I can just imagine how mom is feeling about that too!!
My hope is to come to Calgary for the last round so that we can have a Chemo is done, Mom kicked butt party!! Or at least A BIG OLD HUG anyway!!
Please continue to pray hard!!
Alida, Wilma and Family
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Round 3 this week!
Mom will hopefully be completeing round 3 of chemo this week, I believe that she has blood work tomorrow to make sure white counts are remaining good. Mom has been feeling a little better every day after Chemo, hopefully mom will be able to keep those Chemo Blues and Kermit the Frog days at Bay this round. However round 3 is one of the most difficult in the journey of Chemo, the end is in sight, but the effects of the Chemo potentially can be the worst this round. Please Keep praying hard for mom this round and the three weeks that follow.
Please continue to pray for our family as we have our struggles with mom having to deal with the Chemo, but also other personal struggles that we may be having please pray for peace that passes our understanding, a peace that can only come from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Again our thanks go out to those who continue to be a huge support to our family and especially my mom! We truly thank you from the bottom of our hearts!! Your prayers have been heard, and we give thanks!
Alida, Wilma and Family
Please continue to pray for our family as we have our struggles with mom having to deal with the Chemo, but also other personal struggles that we may be having please pray for peace that passes our understanding, a peace that can only come from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Again our thanks go out to those who continue to be a huge support to our family and especially my mom! We truly thank you from the bottom of our hearts!! Your prayers have been heard, and we give thanks!
Alida, Wilma and Family
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