Prayer Reminder:

To all who have committed to pray tonight... THANK YOU!! The thought of so many people lifting Kristin up tonight at one time is overwhelmingly AWESOME! 

Just a reminder, this prayer is in your own home (friends house, walk etc) NOT at the hospital. 

We have chosen 6:30pm-7:30pm tonight, but if that time doesn't work for you please feel free to continue praying any time!

Your comments mean the world to our family, sorry to those who have tried commenting and have been unsuccessful. Blogger has been very fussy! My only suggestion is to try choosing anonymous and leave your name in the comment message.

Hour of Prayer

Today is day 24 of Kristin's hospital stay. Can you please join us in prayer for these specific needs:

• Continued discernment for the Doctors and Nurses (who have been amazing!!). Kristin's health is very complicated, and has required extra care.

• A decrease in muscle spasms and pain!

• For Kristin's appetite to return and energy to eat.

• For improved mobility.

• For Shawn & Kristin's kids as they continue to adjust to Mommy being in the hospital. 

• Health and strength for Shawn and kids, Grandparents and siblings.

• For Shawn as he is being stretched between Home, Hospital and Work.

• A MIRACLE... Complete Healing!!

An hour of Prayer...

It would be great if we could all gather in Kristin's room to pray. Unfortunately that is not possible. Instead, we are asking everyone who is willing to set aside some time WEDNESDAY JAN 29th between 6:30pm-7:30pm to pray specifically for Kristin. ** In your own homes **

"For where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I among them."

- Matthew 18:20

* Gather with your friends * Care Group * Family * or go on a Prayer walk * find a quiet spot alone * on your knees or on the couch! * 

Kristin has said on this blog many times "your prayers have blanketed us in Peace".

It's so great to be a part of a family who is willing to hold up Kristin and each of us  in prayer.

Thank you!

~ Kristin's Family

Radiation: upper back

MMy appointment is for 3:00 and I am nervous.  Anxious maybe?   So tired and needing a map.  Managed pain with pillows and positioning today, thanks to the nurses who would lift and maneuver these cranky leg and hips.  But was awake for most of this day with my husband by my side.  Love that. 

Get thee behind me, Satan, you shall not prevail, because Jesus never fails.

Lord, I receive your peace. Thank you.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
—John 16:33

Ice cream treats w my littles

What an amazing blessing to have these two little treasures show up with ice cream! Thank you to the love who made it so.  I miss my kids and having time to listen to the stories and share the treats and hear the songs these people are forever breaking out into just fills my heart with joy!!!

January 18, 2014

Greetings,

This week has been a week of crisis'.  

When Shawn and I were home and I saw myself biting my hands because the pain was so overwhelming we knew we needed help. Came to hospital by ambulance.  It has taken til now (two weeks) to get the meds right and we are still working out dose.  The radiation brought pain flairs that are impossible to name.  White-hot to look at, searing embers of firewood to feel, the pressure of a large piece of steel machinery binding them frozen up and locked and impossible. This mind is a beautiful thing and God spare me the detailed understanding of this exact feelings.  But I am still full aware of them. Still praying them gone. 

And the constipation: 10 days.  I can't even begin to share that with you.  Nor can I share the next 24 hours of wicked cramps and cramps and full bladder and catheter. Great.  then a pain port to get meds in quick, which I love, but suddenly I feel like so many things in means no going home? 

My family is barely hanging on.  Dinners are whatever keri and kori can huck in the oven before they come to me. Mom and dad got some rest at home before coming back to this horrible bed of me writhing on agony. Mom and Dad and Keri and Kori are here every single day; reaching for water, adjusting pillow, adjusting the bed, being me a snack or juice, and and and.  please be loving them as they are helping keeps family getting home-renovating, and all the other stuff!!!!!!!

My eyes are extremely blurry and it is hard to type or read or blog.

Time well spent

Radiation: pelvis: done

Hi guys!

Sorry for the sporadic posts. I spend almost all of each day sleeping.  This body is working hard to take the treatments and  let them do the cancer-stopping thing and resting and recovering.  

I have finished the five radiation treatments and have seen some improvement already.  Praise God!  I am encouraged.  It takes a little while yet to keep working/ get working.

Today I will have another blood transfusion, my red count is down again from last week.  Body is working hard and I am grateful for the resources to help boost me up physically as your prayers boost me emotionally and spiritually.  

Yesterday was a gong show regarding pain.  It was just so white-blinding. I don't even know how to describe it.  Just exhausting. 

My medical team here has been incredible and I am fully content, calm, trusting in their care.  That is a huge blessing in itself!

We have worked out a system forgetting the kids-and-mommy time happening.  I kiss them so much but also tire so easily.  Always a learning curve. I'm managing toHave  lots of time alone with my husband, too.  I cherish that a lot and just wish I didn't always fall asleep.   Ah well, falling asleep with him here makes me feel content.

The basement flood project is coming together: the menfolk have been working so hard to get it done. We have been blessed with an amazing family and I am so glad that we all have chosen all our lives to nurture and fight for and hold in high esteem "this family".

Rambling thoughts.  This is day 11 in hospital, maybe?  I have peace.  I have my family.  I have an incredible team to figure out pain management.  The kids seem so much more okay to have me here, rather than there.  They needed some respite, too.

Today is so very dark outside, but my heart is light.  I just rest in the knowledge that my God is greater, awesome in power,  a Healer, and he loves me very much. 

You, too.  He loves YOU very much, too!

Happy New Year 2014!

Hospital: day 9

Blood transfusion.

Oxygen.

Bed-bound.

Infections fighting.

Fever spiking.

Pain managing. 

Comfort-seeking, pillow-stacking.

Cancer fighting.

Movie watching.

Family time.

Now is okay.

Radiation: pelvis

Radiation therapy starts this afternoon on my pelvis (tailbone).  I will have five appointments.  There is also some cancer at the top of my back which will be dealt with next.  My right hip is fairly stuck and very painful so treating that first.

The radiation worked successfully on my right shoulder last year so we are hoping and expecting the same.  

Yesterday I ended up with a bad urinary tract infection, antibiotics are working on that.

For the most part I am sleeping most of each day and night.  This body is chemo tired and also didn't sleep much the last two weeks due to pain so am playing catch-up.  

The pain is fairly managed but flares up when I move or pivot.  

The doctor and nurses here are incredible. I will be in hospital for awhile yet.  No visitors at this time, please. 

Thank you for your messages and prayers and texts. I read them all but have been too weak to respond.  Thank you for your prayers!  Please remember my extended family in your prayers, too, as they have added even more "helping Shawn and Kristin" into their day during this time.  How they find time, I don't know.

I have peace and I am grateful to have this hospital bed.

Blessed.

Have been so blessed by this hospital experience.  Ambulance came quickly and the paramedics were amazing.  Got triaged and had so much pain I couldn't cope.  That was hard but affirmed the decision to come.  Got my port accessed and meds started.  At about 2:00am I was given a room exactly where I need to be right now.  The staff is amazing and kind and my nurse told me that this was an emergency bed and she knew I was the right patient for it. Again, affirmed to me my decision to come to hospital.  My day nurse has been incredible as he and the doctor have worked on a pain plan and then my nurse has so ... just full of caring... waded through, slogged through, it with Shawn and I.  Incredibly hard morning but now I am up and eating lunch!  And I got to pee!  Ahhhhh.

I am just so blessed by this hospital stay. I will likely be here for a week and then the team will assess the situation.   Will keep you posted as I can.  Pain is a big thing that is going to take some time to work through.  Also, yesterday I had chemo so this is chemo week coming up.  We aren't "better" yet but this is definitely better than this morning was so I'll take it!!!

Thank you for your love and prayers.  Mommy in hospital again is going to be hard on the kids.  And going to take Team Kristin circling the wagons again.  I am so grateful for this amazing hospital we have and the staff here to guide and direct us.  In an instant everything can change for the better... and I am savouring this instant of sitting up and eating my hospital lunch!!!

Thank you for your prayers!!!

Called ambulance.  Tried.  Too much pain.  Need help.  Please pray.

Loss

On Christmas Eve our family lost a dear cousin when Naomi passed away unexpectedly.  I was crushed and heartbroken and devastated by her death. I am heartbroken for Auntie Sharon and Uncle Norm and Naomi's brothers and the family.  I can't believe she is gone.  

My overwhelming back pain, the overwhelming jostling of my emotions between 'grateful to be alive for one more Christmas after cancer' and 'will this be my last Christmas', and then the overwhelming loss of a cousin I felt close to... It has just been a lot.  And when you can't cry because it hurts your ribs or sends your lungs to spasm... It just makes the processing that much harder. Tomorrow is the memorial for Naomi.  I am unable to attend because I will be at chemo.  Chemo.

Today we found out that my Uncle Alf has passed away (same side of the family, my Mom's side, Naomi's uncle-by-marriage).  Unexpected.  Sad news.  Again. I am heartbroken for my Auntie Mart and her family as they wrap their heads around this and transition to life without Uncle Alf.  He used to eat the ants off the picnic table when we went camping... for pretend... I think.  lol

Lord, we know these two have peace and rest in heaven with you.  We ask for your peace to us as we mourn. 

I don't want to answer the phone anymore. 

More cancer

The uphill climb has gotten steeper once again: the excruciating back pain is due to "some disease in the SI".  The SI is the bone between your upper and lower back.  I have huge pain at sitting or standing or walking, better at laying.  I have wicked sciatica down my right leg. I pulled a rib so have wicked pain in my left rib cage and can't stand the pain to cough, I need to cough to clear my lungs.  It's a mess. It has been a very hard two weeks.  

Saw my oncologist yesterday and was, once again, impressed by his can-do attitude regarding getting me set up with the pain clinic and radiologist at ARH (closer to home, hooray!).  There is talk of radiation for the back pain (this was very successful for the shoulder pain I had with cancer in that right scapula last year).  I have chemo on Saturday and am very concerned about the muscle pain that will bring.

It has been an intense and horrible two weeks.  We had a good day Christmas and Boxing Day and I am calling that a miracle.  Our kids have witnessed horrible things as their mommy has been fighting pain.  My husband has not slept or rested in all that time.  It has been mind-bending.

The song God keeps sending me is "... strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me."

Clinic day

Found a lounge to hang out in while we wait.  Nice!  Clinic day, praying the doc has a plan for this back pain.  Chemo on Saturday. 

Our seven years old telling mommy and daddy at prayers tonight, "it's okay to cry."  

We are so very weary.  I have had crippling back pain for almost a week now.  We don't sleep much.  We are a slave to the medicine cycle and the clock.  We are exhausted. Now there are side effects to the meds.  We are overwhelmed, Shawn and I.