The Best Planner
In
2011, I turned 76. I was energetic,
going to Curves three times a week for exercise. I was also active in church and enjoyed going
out with family and friends. However, during
December I began feeling ill. I lost my
appetite which was unusual for me.
After
seeing my doctor, my friend Valerie noticed I was not getting any better. She said, " If you ever feel ill during
the night, call me. I live a lot closer to you than your family."
I
managed to get through Christmas, but on January 6, 2012, to my surprise, I
woke up on the bathroom floor. I was too
ill to get up. I did not even remember
getting out of bed and falling. I lay
there for awhile before crawling out of the bathroom and to my night
stand. I phoned my friend Valerie who said,
"I'll be right there." It was
5 o'clock in the morning.
Soon
I was in an ambulance on my way to the hospital. The testing started right away. The hospital staff was so kind to my family
and my friend who were so upset. When the
ER doctor came in and told us I had cancer, I remember feeling sorry for the
doctor. He seemed so sad to be telling
us that news. After receiving two units
of blood I was transferred to another hospital where I could be treated.
Valerie
called Rev. Tony Clark, who was our former pastor. He came and prayed and
anointed me. I was so glad to see him
and I remember thinking "one way or
the other I'll be healed." I knew I was in God's hands.
The
final diagnosis was: diffused large B cell non-Hodgkins lymphoma over the
coronary descending arota. They could
not do surgery or radiation. Chemo was the
only option. My oncologist ordered 6
rounds of chemo - each one three weeks apart.
The
first chemo treatment was done in the hospital.
They started it in the evening, and my daughter Melanie and
granddaughter Hayley stayed with me all night.
When I was discharged a few days later, I went to Winter Park to stay
with my granddaughter Courtney and her husband.
She is a stay-at-home mom so I was not alone. The rest of my chemo treatments were done as
an outpatient. I was blessed to have one
of my two daughters take me each time.
During
my stay with Courtney, my friends came to see me when they could, and we would
go out to lunch. I was with Courtney six months. It was then that they sold
their house, so my daughter Carolyn asked me live with her in Clermont, a town
some distance away. Fortunately, by this
time I was able to stay by myself during the day. I was able to take nice walks
around the neighborhood. I also enjoyed
reading my Bible and spending time with the Lord.
Sadly,
the chemo treatments weakened my immune system. Consequently, I got a bad
infection - ending up in hospital three times during 2012 with C. diff.
The third time, they let me stay home, and I was given a special medication
which was hard to get. The Lord worked things out, and I was so grateful to be
able to stay at home!
Thankfully,
by 2013 I was cancer free. The good Lord
answered each prayer that had been said for me.
Now
that I was living in Clermont, I didn't get to see my friends often. But the good Lord took care of that,
too. By chance, I discovered an old
friend, Marge, was now living a few streets from me. We had a nice reunion. I attended Marge's home Bible study every
Wednesday and on Tuesdays we went together to another Bible study. God is good!
I
have favorite Bible verses that I say every day.
My grace is sufficient for you for my
strength is made perfect in weakness.
(2 Corin 12:9)
With God all things are possible.
(Matt
19: 26)
Reciting these gave me the help and
comfort I've needed to sustain me during the challenging times I experienced.
Now
here it is 2016, and I'm now living in Maitland in my own apartment and
attending church and a Bible study at the Church of the Good Shepherd. Though I can no longer drive, I am within
walking distance of my new church family.
My daughter Carolyn moved from Clermont and is living ten minutes from
me. And my granddaughter Courtney and
her family live only a short distance away.
God is the best planner!
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