Peace

Today's reading from 'Jesus Calling' by Sarah Young -

My Peace is the treasure of treasures; the pearl of great price. It is an exquisitely costly gift, both for the Giver and the receiver. I purchased this Peace for you with My blood. You receive this gift by trusting Me in the midst of life's storms. If you have the world's peace - everything going your way - you don't seek My unfathomable Peace. Thank Me when things do not go your way, because spiritual blessings come wrapped in trials. Adverse circumstances are normal in a fallen world. Expect them each day. Rejoice in the face of hardship, for I have overcome the world.  Matthew 13:45 (NKJV); James 1:2; John 16:33

When I received the letter from the insurance company on Monday and the phone calls over the last few days from the rehab facility regarding my Mom my first inclination was to be angry and then anxious. I gave these emotions and the situations to the Lord and asked for His intervention and guidance, then I tried not to take them back ;)

Yesterday, I spoke to my oncologist's administrative assistant. The oncologist is very supportive and she is having a letter drafted up and providing documentation to the insurance company to support my planned return to work date of April 1st. The insurance coordinator phoned me after this and suggested that the insurance company might be able to extend my return date by a week or two. How wonderful to already have the information from my oncologists office. I told her that my return to work day was April 1st and that the oncologist's office would be faxing the required documentation to her today. I was able to be calm and straightforward with the information and she said that everyone's treatment and response to treatment is different, then wished me well.

I received another call from the occupational therapist at the rehab facility. Everything has been put in place to acquire the equipment that Mom needs. I will continue to call every day to see if a wheelchair becomes available but I also did my own homework and I have found a source that will rent a wheelchair of the correct size and type for Mom at a moment's notice for a very reasonable price should one not become available before she is discharged.

The rehab social worker called me this a.m. to let me know that she has completed the work that was started by the hospital social worker prior to Mom's being transferred to the lodge and that Mom is now approved for and will receive a benefit to supplement her income to help with her increased fees at the new lodge.

I also received a very informative phone call regarding radiation therapy. I have been wondering what would be best for me to do. The information provided last evening led me to several newer studies on the internet and helped me in making my decision, now I need to set things in motion for this.

You would think that I would be on cloud nine with all of this happening and I am very thankful. My mood though seems to be impacted by the tamoxifen I started taking last week, very good reason not to rely on or go with my feelings. I am trying to work through the best time of day to take the med, some people have no side effects, others are not able to take it at all. I am told that it takes one to two months to get used to it so I am persevering. I am experiencing some low grade nausea since starting it as well as very much more intense hot flashes (joy!). I find myself waking up about 3 a.m. each morning and taking an hour or more to get back to sleep, if I get back to sleep. I am so thankful I am not yet trying to work while I am getting used to this.

One funny thing that happened when I woke last night at my usual 3 a.m. The waking up is accompanied by a huge hot flash and I was just in the midst of it when my wonderful husband, thinking he was being kind, pushed over the pre-heated magic bag he had brought to bed just in case I woke up and was cold. I literally shoved it back over to his side, along with all the covers on my side of the bed. He was a little stunned at first but then he said, "Oh, I guess you're not cold right now".

This morning as I was emptying the dishwasher I was feeling a little grumpy about it and then all of a sudden I realized how many people in this world would be overjoyed to have the clean dishes to empty from it. Having to empty and load it daily is evidence that we are eating well and a dishwasher itself is a luxury. Good reminder.

I will head over to the rehab facility with my Mom's wash and spend a little time with her early afternoon today, then it's over to the cancer center to the oncologist's office to tie up the loose threads for insurance. This will be followed by my bloodwork and then my Herceptin treatment.

Take care, everyone.