Thank you Lord for each new day, for the pleasant sunny days and for little victories. Thank you for sustaining us in difficult times. Thank you that in choosing you, we choose hope, choose to see the silver lining in every cloud. Thank you all for walking with us and praying for Theresa.

As with all families, school is a time of busyness. In the midst of Theresa’s treatment, she has been able to help the kids with their work and be their school bus, so far. Wednesday she received her first radiation treatment, which she will get five days a week for the next 6 weeks. She gets a fairly large treatment area, from about 1/2 way up the neck, to the sternum, midline, around to near the bottom of her rib cage, up her side, armpit and the inside of her upper arm. She has to get there 20 minutes early, as they move people through fairly fast. She is on the machine for about 30 minutes. She gets a CT scan first and based upon the calculations she then gets her radiation treatment focused in different areas of the treatment field. She has had three treatments so far, and does have some irritation. She is putting an aloe cream on, which does help. Friday was a pretty tough day for her. She had to take Matthew to his home school class, then up to get her Herceptin treatment, then radiation and then back down to get our son and finally to our daughter’s school to pick her up. She ended up putting 170 miles on the car. Then yesterday she was with Ben for his senior pictures, then to a birthday party at a friends house (which was so very enjoyable). By evening it was obvious she was worn out. She had nausea since her treatment and not much of an appetite. As could be expected she crashed. She couldn’t get out of bed this morning. I’m sure this week will be difficult, as it has been after the Herceptin treatment for about 10 days afterwards, but with the added radiation, it could be even worse. Her GI issues continues to be a bother as well. For the most part her spirits have been good, though she puts on a good front around others. I’m sure my posts will reflect it being more of a struggle as the weeks of radiation add up. The nice weather always helps. Sunny days help lighten the spirits.

We have been blessed with great friends and family. We are highly appreciative of you all.

We are all presented with difficulties in life, some are more life changing than others. Sometimes they come spaced out, at other times in rapid succession that we wonder how much more we can handle. What I have found so very true, is that if you rely on the Lord, He will refresh you and restore your soul. He will give you rest and renewal in the midst of it all (in the midst, not taking your out of). There are days when Theresa’s illness and all of the kids needs and work needs become overwhelming. It is at these times I hold on tightly to that which sustains. God has given me habits that help. I spend time with him each morning, then exercise for 30 minutes during which on the difficult days, I continue my prayers and worship listening to worship songs. I also make sure I get to bed by 10pm and reflect on the day and talk with Him until I fall asleep (which usually only takes a few minutes). On days where I am repeatedly waking at 3am and not falling back to sleep, I will take something the next night to help me give my mind the rest it needs. I’ve also learned to ignore those things in life that can cause one to react: drivers, traffic, kids jabs, comments meant to incite, anything that can incite irritation and reaction. Reacting doesn’t help, makes matters worse. Instead I have learned to patiently submit my thoughts. Giving thanks, having a grateful heart, knowing that God can turn all things to good for those who love Him, and thinking about all that is good – are the mental exercises that become what I stand on in times like this. It is this training, how Christ has worked with me over the past decades that carry me through it all. He is so good, faithful and trustworthy.

In the early part of Theresa’s battle, a friend texted me Lamentations 3:19-24 in the message version:
It’s a Good Thing to Hope for Help from God
19-21 I’ll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness,
the taste of ashes, the poison I’ve swallowed.
I remember it all—oh, how well I remember—
the feeling of hitting the bottom.
But there’s one other thing I remember,
and remembering, I keep a grip on hope:
22-24 God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out,
his merciful love couldn’t have dried up.
They’re created new every morning.
How great your faithfulness!
I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over).
He’s all I’ve got left.
25-27 God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
to the woman who diligently seeks.
It’s a good thing to quietly hope,
quietly hope for help from God.
It’s a good thing when you’re young
to stick it out through the hard times.

I’ll quote it here in the NASB version

Hope of Relief in God’s Mercy
19 Remember my affliction and my [a]wandering, the wormwood and bitterness.
20 Surely my soul remembers
And is bowed down within me.
21 This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have hope.
22 The Lord’s lovingkindnesses [b]indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I have hope in Him.”
25 The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the [c]person who seeks Him.
26 It is good that he waits silently
For the salvation of the Lord.

Read all of Lamentations 3. God is good all the time, in the times of grief and in his times of compassion for His lovingkindness and faithfulness never fail.

Thank you for continuing to uphold Theresa in prayer. Thank you for walking with us. Thank you for being our support in all of this.