Scan One and Blood Work Done- CHECK!

I REALLY want to write in YELLOW today, SUNNY yellow!

I dreamed about cancer and had a bit of a restless night. When I woke up this morning I prayed "Lord, get me through this day. I need YOUR strength." Yesterday was a HARD day-- I think that I got a good glimpse of the valley, but today I've been climbing on prayers right back up to the top again.

Once up and around this morning, I could sense the prayer support of others was kicking into high gear, because I had a sense of peace. And, it's been a MUCH better day today.

This is a good place to share a verse that a lady from our church sent to me this week: "When they walk through the valley of weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs, where pools of blessing collect after it rains!" Psalm 84:6

It was a huge blessing to have someone come in and do our weekly cleaning this morning (a gift from my mother). It took a load off of my shoulders. And, the carpenter finished the upstairs shower walls, completing about six weeks of work in our home. Done! No more early morning "invasions". :-)

Stephen and I went to the hospital for the bloodwork and the CAT Scan. Shortly after the lab work was done I remembered something my adult niece had shared with me yesterday regarding dealing with cancer: "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." So, after leaving the laboratory, I told Stephen "That was one bite!" :-)

We went to the imaging area and I thought I'd try the advice of a friend's husband-- ask if there's a cancellation list that I can get on for the bone scan scheduled for April 5th. When I explained to the receptionist that I had been told my appointment was for that date due to a shortage of dye, she looked like she'd heard the weirdest thing in the world. She said "Let me call upstairs for you and see if I can get a better answer than that." Soon after, she told me the problem had been resolved and asked how I'd like to come in next Tuesday, March 3oth, for that scan? I thanked her and told her she was goingt to make me cry! What a RELIEF! (Stephen said he felt like crying, too!) We said "Only God!" It was definitely a "God thing". :-)

While in the waiting room I phoned my father to let him knwo that the date had been changed, because he'd been planning to come to my home the day of the original appointment. I joked with him that we need to stop taking turns with each other for being hospitalized and having medical procedures! He used to visit me in the hospital when I was on bed rest with the twin pregnancy and again when I was expecting Kathryn. In between those deliveries, he had heart surgery and I was visiting him at the hospital.

Later, after we'd been moved to a prep. room, Stephen assuerd me that God's been taking care of me each step of the way already and that I was going to be okay.

I didn't know until a short time before my CAT Scan that I'd need an IV. I'm glad I didn't know that beforehand. :-)_ I had to drink two large servings of contrast. My stomach didn't appreciate it too much. Nasty stuff!

When I was being escorted to the scan room I told Stephen "I'll try to have some fun for you, too!" :-) I informed him that with this one, I was going to take a big bite out of the elephant's leg! :-)

The CAT Scan process itself was a bit unnerving, but they had some illustrations painted on a couple of the ceiling tiles above. One depicted some ducks swimming, and the other showed a water and landscape scene. I thought about how God is keeping the whole world in order (nature, etc.) and that if He can do that, He can take care of me! I was feeling unsettled as the bed moved in through the equipment the first time and whispered "Jesus?!" I sensed that He was right with me, the entire time.

I'd say the scan was worth THREE bites of elephant. What do you think? :-)