Thursday, April 22, 2010

Chemo - Round 4 - Ding!****extra blessings too****

The battle is on. We are currently sitting in the doctor's office while Troy is getting chemo #4. God is doing an amazing work in Troy's body right now. Early in his treatments his white blood cell count was below normal, enough that the doctor was watching it to see if treatments needed to be delayed. Since round 2 his counts have continued to climb! Today his count was 36000 (normal level and a significant increase from his baseline). There is no way to explain how he has been given medicine to kill the cells in his body yet his white blood cells continue to grow - except that God has great plans for Troy and needs him to keep fighting. God's grace and mercy continues on --- and there is more!
A friend from our small group knows one of our neighbors (we haven't gotten to know much of anyone since we have been hibernating all winter). This couple live across the street from us and the gentleman works out in his beautiful lawn all the time. He looks a lot like my dad from the back, especially when he is bent over working, and Gavin sees him outside and yells for Pawpaw. The other day he was so upset that "pawpaw" wouldn't come over and see him....so cute....anyways - Our friend told the couple what was going on with Troy and that we probably needed help with our lawn since I'm going back to work soon. The couple came over that day and offered us their help!!! It turns out that the woman had just been to Bible study that morning and the subject was the Holy Spirit and listening/acting on it. When she heard we were in need she listened immediately and got her hubby to come over and help. Marcy and Tom and such nice, Godly people. The Christian community is amazing and we are so thankful for our friends for looking out for us. They loved the story about Gavin and have grandkids similar ages to our boys.
I have been really stressing out about going back to work at the start of May and how I was going to juggle it all. I have been praying for patience and wisdom and God came through and said - "STOP WORRYING - I already have it taken care of." sigh...... Why do we try to control everything no matter how many times we are shown that God loves us and cares for us?
Our friends, family and complete strangers have been with us every step of the way, helping remind us how loved we are and living out God's work here on earth.
Thank you! This was so inspirational I had to share right away!

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Thoughts

Troy is having a pretty rough day today. He puts on a brave face and won't complain about anything but you can tell by the way he moves and the look in his eyes that his body is failing him more than he admits. I have to practically pry is out of him to tell me what exactly isn't feeling well. Right now his head is killing and his stomach hurts. He was able to eat half a slice of pizza and a nutty bar so maybe that will help. He has a hard time getting the protein he needs - it doesn't settle well in his stomach and he has problems digesting it - so I'm sure that the headaches are partially due to his blood sugar getting low. He is kinda like Gavin in the amount of food he takes in - total of one good meal a day. I feel so helpless. He tries really hard to push through the day and play with the boys and do a few things around the house. He just wants to feel normal again, to not be sick from chemo, to not have a tube sticking out of his belly and just be able to enjoy his family. I've run out of positive ways to spin things. I just try to love on him and encourage him to stick it out one more day.
Yesterday was a big day. People from work came over in the morning and helped do yard work with me and then Troy and I went to a birthday party for a friend in small group. No kids were allowed and it was so much fun to just sit with our friends and relax...until Mid called to say Grayson would not take a bottle (he was screaming in the background). Grayson is such a Mama's boy I am really starting to worry about going back to work. He won't take a bottle and can freak out pretty quick if I'm not around and he isn't being walked. High maintenance.
I found a great quote yesterday. I try to find something inspirational everyday. God is present if I seek him out
"Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery that it is. In the boredom and pain of it no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy hidden heart of it because, in the last analysis, all the moments are key moments and life itself is grace." Frederick Buechner

Monday, April 12, 2010

Chemo Round 3

Hello Everyone,
Sorry again for the long space between blog updates. Troy just had chemo #3 on Thur. and seems to be doing a little better than round 2. He is nauseous pretty much all the time and gets very tired easily but is still going to work and trying to do tasks around the house. I have to tell him to sit down because he just doesn't know how to treat his body nicely. He continues to lose a little weight each week and we were concerned about his white blood cell counts after treatment 2 but they bounced back a little and we were able to continue treatments without adjustments or delays. We finally made it back to church on Easter and it was great to be part of worship again. It is still really hard to get out the door in the mornings because that is one of Troy's worst times and I still don't have a good handle on getting the boys and myself ready and out the door in a timely fashion. We timed it one morning and it took 3 hours of breakfasts, baths, feedings and out the door for all four of us. So if you need us to be somewhere in the morning we need a huge heads up!
We've had a lot of family and friends visit lately. It has been great for everyone to meet Grayson and really helps lift Troy's spirits and take his mind off of things.
Grayson had his 8 week check up today and he is gigantic! He weighs 14.3 lbs and measures 23 3/4 inches. He is in the 95th percentile for weight and 75th percentile for height. He is wearing 3/6 month clothing now and even some of that isn't looking to roomy! I can't believe how opposite the kids are. Gavin is 20 months and just now out growing his 12 month clothing. It cracks us up. Gavin is saying something new everyday and is a little sponge (he soaks up good and bad things....I'm sure you know where I'm going with this) He continues to be a man's man and thinks the world of his Dada, Pawpaw and Papaw. The ladies don't exist, including me, if the men are around. So cute. Oh and he still loves his Brubber (brother) whom he tries to suffocate with kisses regularly, in-between the occas. love smack.
Overall we are hanging in there and continue to appreciate the cards, phone calls and e-mails from our friends and family. Please pray for physical and mental stamina, that Troy's body will continue to fight the cancer and tolerate the chemo, that his side effects will be minimal and he can enjoy his family during these precious days. Please pray that I can enjoy the last few weeks of my maternity leave and that we can ease into our new work routine as easily as possible.
God Bless. We leave it in His hands.
Alicia