It's Christmas time again....

.... and this year I'm doing so much better!!! I'm cancer free! Thank you Jesus!!
It is hard to believe it has been 10 months since I left the world of changing my ileostomy bag every two days and reentered the world of  being "hooked back up" as some like to say.
 Being "hooked back up" has been quite the journey. It is good I didn't know what was coming or I may have chosen to keep the bag. Now I can say I'm glad I went through with the reversal!
  In July, I was feeling so desperate for some help with my GI tract. My Mom found a Naturopath Dr. who specializes in people who have had cancer. My visit with him was the beginning of great changes and healing for me! He totally changed my diet and put me on supplements to rid my body of inflammation and help my GI tract to heal from the chemo and radiation. I am so thankful for all that God has done for me. My quality of life has improved greatly and I'm able to live without being near a potty all the time!
  I'll briefly share my diet for those who are interested. I'm grain free, dairy free( except for yogurt and mozz cheese), sugar free and mostly organic. This, of course, limits me but, because I feel so much better is it worth it!! I eat lots of protein and cooked veggies ( squash and sweet potato). I use Stevia to sweeten my foods. I've been finding some great recipes and am enjoying experimenting with new foods. Almond flour is a great substitute for wheat flour. I'm amazed at all the resources online for people who eat like me!
  Through my recovery there have been many highlights as well! I was able to participate in my girls summer ballet recital with a small dancing part. Sweet memories! I'm just enjoying and cherishing the ability to resume my normal activities!
  Duane is busy at work serving the Amish dairy farmer community. He really enjoys chatting with them and doing service pump work as well as line cleaning. This has been a tough year for many farmers because the milk price hasn't been the greatest. Hoping that next year brings them some relief.
  Adrienne is enjoying her work at Clymer-Conrad Law. She has done well as a legal secretary and is now being trained in Real Estate.
  Kyle is working as a waiter at Three Loaves Cafe and has transferred to HACC for the new year with a goal of returning to Central Penn in July to complete the PTA program. He is also enjoying spending time with a sweet gal he met at college named Paige.
  Heidi is a junior this year. She also works part-time at Darrenkamp's Bakery in Elizabethtown. In her spare time you will find her dancing, reading or rehearsing for Encore's Beauty and the Beast..
  Leah is in 8th grade. Recently she has become a huge help to me in the kitchen!  She also loves to dance and will be in Encore's Beauty and the Beast performance in March with Heidi and Valerie.
  Valerie is in 7th grade. The past 2 years have been a bit hard on her with Momma being sick but God so faithfully is healing her tender spirit. We've had some great chats about suffering and learning to trust in Jesus when we feel left down.
 As I look back at all we've been through as a family I'm just overwhelmed with God's faithfulness. It sounds so cliché but I really cherish the moments more and try to live more intentionally.
  Blessings to you this Christmas season whether you are in a valley or on a mountain top, may you know God's peace and faithfulness on your journey!  Take a moment to focus on Jesus and let his love for you soak in! He is the greatest gift of all!
 Marcia for all

 

He Makes all Things Beautiful....

....In His Time! Ecclesiastes 3 has some verses that have ministered to me over the past week! 


¹¹ He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet^[a] no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. ¹² I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. ¹³ That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.
 
   These verses fill me with hope! What a gift it is to be able to eat, be happy, and enjoy the work that God has given me to do! These promises are coming into being for me slowly as my system continues to heal! I've definitely make progress the past 2 months but some days have just been hard as the aforementioned activities have not been pleasurable!!
   I'm learning what food works for me and trying to stick to them! But man, are salads tempting! I'm taking fiber supplements with every meal to slow things down and also Imodium on occasion. Raw foods are just to much for my system to handle. Bananas, rice and potatoes and cheese are some of my favorite staples. I can also eat meat and cooked vegetables.  I really miss my green smoothies and just being able to munch on a carrot stick but the Dr. says that in time I should be able to enjoy more of those foods.
   I had blood work done and saw my oncologist the beginning of May. My RBC was still low. I've been able to tolerate my vitamin with iron the past few weeks and I'm eating cooked broccoli, spinach and molasses to get my numbers up! Pray that my body will absorb the nutrients.
   I am enjoying being a housewife again and being able to cook for my family, clean, plant flowers and run my kids to their activities! My energy levels continue to increase and Duane has to tame me when I try to do too much.  After a year of treatments, tests and surgeries, it is such a joy to have more freedom! 
  Next week I am having a routine colonoscopy done to make sure everything is good. Pray for strength  for me as the prep is very draining. I'll have scans and see my oncologist in August and then again in 6 months.
  May each of you find satisfaction in the gifts that God has given you!
He has made everything beautiful in its time!
Blessings!
 Marcia
  
  

I am home!!!!

Oh happy day! I came home yesterday after 2 weeks in the hospital. I was home for about 12 hours on Feb. 24- 25 but then had to go back with severe abdominal pain and vomiting. It turns out that I developed a bowel obstruction close to the area where they reconnected my small bowel. So thankful that it resolved itself by having clear liquids for a few days.
   They would not let me come home till my extreme bloating went down and I was able to eat soft food again. Most of my stay I had no appetite and got full very quickly if I did eat. Because of this, and frequent diarrhea, my electrolytes got out of balance so they started me on complete liquid nutrition. This required a Picc line to be put in which was good because all of my IV sites were failing at that point. My veins were pretty shot from chemo and being dehydrated. The liquid nutrition really helped me to feel better and sustained me till my system started working again.
  The doctor feels that several things contributed to my bowel blockage. They probably sent me home a bit prematurely. I got dehydrated and had too much food for my system to handle when I came home the first time. I also had something called ileus which is when a part of your bowel just stops working from having surgery. I could feel this happen and it is miserable to say the least. My dear sister Carole was at my side during those times and just blessed me so much by massaging my back and feet and trying to keep me comfortable! Pain medicine only helps to a certain degree. The doctor said another contributing factor could have been some swelling or inflammation in my bowel near the surgery site. My WBC count is not quite back to normal yet from chemo.
 We are doing well, thanks to all the meals and prayers. Duane and the kids have been troopers but they are so happy to have Mom back home.
  They sent me home with orders to take my diet really slowly. I need to be on a soft, low residue diet and eat small, frequent meals till my system is fully healed and functioning more efficiently.
  I have experienced so many unpleasant things on this stay from lots of  needle sticks, vomiting, severe gas pains, a  very sore bottom, not making it to the bathroom on time, picc line mini surgery, drinking soapy lemony tasting stuff for my CT scan, to sharing a cramped hospital room and just being exhausted....HOWEVER......God is so good! and I was able to develop a relationship with my one roommate and the nurses. I had plenty of company and flowers to cheer me. I really sensed God's presence with me in a special way. If I have learned anything from this experience it is this :   When we choose to declare our trust in Jesus and give thanks in every situation it prevents the enemy from gaining a foothold in our lives. I know deep in my heart that God was and is watching over me!!! and He was and is working everything out for my good!
  It is so wonderful to be home! esp. since today is Heidi's 16th birthday!
Love you all!
Marcia

More meals needed.....

With Marcia not getting out of the hospital as planned I have decided to extend their meal schedule for a few more days....I think they could really use some more meals after Marcia gets home.
If you would rather make a frozen meal you can give it to me at church and I will make sure they get it.
It is going to be a long recovery for Marcia and I know it will be a blessing to her to not have to think about supper every night for her crew.

Thank you for continuing to pray for her. Pray the blockage will break up and pass and that she will be able to eat some "real" food soon! Thanks so much!
http://www.takethemameal.com/meals.php?t=KEYA2647

A bump in the road.....

So....Marcia has been sensing that something just wasn't "right" and yesterday so she strongly asked the doctor to do a CT scan on her belly to try and figure out what is wrong.
And she just found out that she does indeed have a small bowel obstruction near the staple line where her bowels were reconnected. :(
So this is a bummer of course but we are thankful for an answer to the pain and discomfort she has been in.
She is waiting to hear from the doctor on what the plan of attack will be.  I will update as I can.
They did put in a pic line yesterday to give her nutrition as she really hasn't eaten anything for over a week now.
So please just keep praying for her and the whole family as they walk through this new development.

Continue to pray.....

So yesterday morning started out I was feeling really good. After eating some yogurt and crackers for, lunch I developed another episode of severe abdominal pain. I have only been able to eat very small amounts at a time. My bowels are moving but I am still very very bloated. They are going to do a CT scan this afternoon to check if there is any kind of obstruction or possible swelling around the incision where they reconnected my bowels. My iv also stopped working so I'm waiting for them to come and start another one.  
On top of all of this, on the way home last night Kyle was following Duane in the Subaru.  Duane was in the suburban. There were deer crossing the road and Duane had to come to a complete stop.  Kyle did not get stopped in time and  he rear-ended Duane. The front end of the Subaru is smashed in. The suburban has minimal damage. They're all okay thankfully but it just feels like one more big thing right now.
I know you are all praying for us.  It feels like a huge test in trusting and being thankful in spite of it all.  
Thank you! 
Marcia

Making progress

Well folks....I'm still in the hospital. Each days has its little victories. Progress seems so slow and I'm so ready to come home but I'm trusting God knows best and will see me through this.

Morning update on Marcia:

She vomited overnight again. She is SO tired. There are some bowel sounds but no real movement yet. She was walking through the night but will most likely not come home today yet.....she asked again that we please pray. 
My heart is just hurting for her....I wish she wasn't in so much pain and discomfort! 
But we are believing for complete healing throughout her body! 
A praise report is that her fever is gone!
Thank you for continuing to lift her up! <3

Update on Marcia

 She is resting now in the hospital.  She needed IV fluids and the pain medicine is giving her some relief.
Pray her system will start working again and that she will be able to eat soft foods again and that everything will start moving!
She is exhausted and was dehydrated. Pray also against any infection.
Thanks! <3

New prayer request!!!!

Hey guys, I just got a phone call that Marcia is back in the hospital and is in severe pain. She asked if we could pray for her. She is very tired and worn out. I will update as I can.