I'll Try to Keep This Short...

but no promises!  There has been a lot going on lately.  I'll start with this song...


It's called "Stay Amazed".  We sang this in church on Sunday.  During the song (which I love and was already moved by it) a woman came up to me and said as she was looking at me she kept hearing "Life, life, life, abundant life" and she felt compelled to come tell me that God was saying that He will give me abundant life.  I had to laugh (through my tears!) because I was singing about how God never ceases to amaze me--and there He was, amazing me!! It was very emotional.  It always is when God shows up!  I love that I have so many people at church praying for me and caring about me.  I hope those of you that are believers can "stay amazed" at all God has done this week.
In other news... Rachel and Ken did very well at their fundraiser on Friday night.  We had a lot of snow and the roads were very bad, so we didn't have as many people turn out as we had hoped for, but those who did show up brought their checkbooks (and more importantly, their LOVE), and all the silent auction items sold (except for 2 ).  People are still giving them money, and some have donated by clicking on their link (on the side of my page).  They still could use a lot more, but what they have gotten so far sure will help!! At the fundraiser we met a woman who recently adopted from the same orphanage that Joshua is at.  What a blessing it was to meet her and her little girl!  She saw Joshua almost everyday for 5 weeks.  She said he has a nanny that loves him and gives him good care.  I often pray that Joshua is being loved and cared for, and it sounds like he is!  May God bless those that work with him!
I am doing well.  My skin is red and burned from radiation, but that's to be expected.  It is a little uncomfortable sometimes, but not painful. 
I had a MUGA (heart function) scan recently and got the results of that last Wed., when I had my Herceptin infusion and saw my oncologist, Dr. Jahagirdar.  My heart function has gone down quite a bit, so I have a new med to take that might help improve it.  It is a blood pressure med.  I don't have high blood pressure, but this should help jy heart.  I have to watch for symptoms of low blood pressure, and symptoms of heart trouble (swollen ankles, irregular heartbeats, shortness of breath).  I will get my heart checked again in 5 weeks.  I have to have my potassium checked weekly while on this med, because it can go to high.  If that happens, Dr. J. said there are other things we can try.  We want to keep me on the Herceptin, because that is my best chance of keeping the cancer from coming back.  But sometimes, if the heart gets too bad, it has to be stopped.  I'm hoping this med works!
I informed work yesterday that I would like to extend my leave until the end of the school year.  I will go back next Fall.  I hope they will let me, I haven't heard back from them yet.  I've been thinking about this for some time, and talking it over with Rich and my onc., and I think it is the best thing to do.  I can't go out in the cold to do recess because of my neuropathy, and I'm still going through radiation, and the fatigue from that is starting to kick in.  It will be a while before I feel up to working.  Then, I'd just like to enjoy life for awhile.  The last 2 years I haven't worked much, but I've been going through surgeries, chemo, etc, so I have not exactly been enjoying my time off.  I've missed 2 summers also.  So, anyway, those are a few of the reasons.  This heart trouble sort of sealed the deal for me.
Well, I need to go --have to bring mom to an eye appt. in Stillwater.  Of course she's ready and waiting for me already!  :)
Have a great day!!
Tina