by Allison, via Keith
I have not been online for LONGGGGGGG TIME.
Initially, is was because we had a major storm in April which
took out the Electric on the south side of the park--lightening struck a
transformer, and CoBridge Communications went down for aout 3 weeks. No
Cobridge--no WIFI. Once Cobridge got up and running we discovered their
modems no longer worked and needed to replace them. Now we can concentrate
on WIFI--one of the electrical components was down on the main board in the
office. Another was sent overnight and Tony installed it--still no
WIFI. Tony went out to check the towers--looked like at least G1 was struck
by lightenng. They said they would send a technician out from Austin on
Tues 4/24--which they did. We were right then at treatement at MD Anderson.
We all communicated through Connie or she put the tech on the phone with
us--once he completed the job. So, he had to install a new piece in the office
(that had juist been replaced) that would communicate with G1 and reset several
of the other nodes; but WIFI was back up 4/24 for the park. People were so
wonderful, just drove down to McD or DQ to download email, etc. They were
glad for convenience restored! The WIFI in my own office remained out
until today because I just didn't have the energy to reconfigure it. But,
I finally did. In the process I had to blow away approximately 23350
emails I just didn't have time to vew. So, if you wrote me and expected to
hear back from me and haven't, that's why. I would ask you to
resend.
While at MDA Anderson, I began to know that God IS healing
me--perhaps not in the twinkling of an eye; but He is healing as I go along--so
I began not so much praying FOR healing as thanking and praising Him for the
Healing He is doing. I had so many beautiful opportunities to talk with
patients, nursing and care staff about the Faithfulness of Jesus. One
little girl from a Muslim background asked timidly, "Did you pray today?"
I said, "O, yes, I pray everyday and all day long" She asked and I
answered questions about my faith. Then she told me of being in a dying
woman's room, "...we all knew whe was dying...she wasn't my patient but I went
in because her IV pump beaped. As I turned to leave, I heard her husband praying
and I stood in the shadows and listened. He was saying, 'You're going to
be alright, you're going to a better place...'" Then, with tears in her
eyes she asked, "How could he pray like that when she wasn't even dead?!"
I told her that our God, Jesus Christ, loves us VERY much and He has promised:
'Your eye has not seen, you ears have not heard, it hasn't even entered your
imagination the wonderful thing God has prepared for those who love Him!' We
talked for a long time and she was very moved by the discussion. The next
morning, as she brought the new nurse to meet me at shift change, she said, "We
had a good discussion last night, didn't we." "Yes," I said, "we
did!" Later, I told Tonly, "That is why I am here--for her and
others like her." Through this, God will glorify Himself. I'm so
glad.
As you know, I had two out patient Chemo treatments (4 hours
each) that didn not work. Now I've completed 2 treatments (in-hospital) of
24-hr per day, 4 day per week chemo. I spent most of that time in
bed--just because the logistics of walking with all the paraphernalia is bulky
and I felt a might weak--I spent most of the time cuddled under my
beautiful pink quilt Jeanne & Otto made for me--so soft and warm--like my
own cocoon. I have learned to pray that God will not let the deadly poison
flowing into my body harm me--but only do the good things to heal and bring my
cells into HIS alignment. But, I have learned what "foreceful,
uncontrollable, involuntary diarrhea means (remember yellow mustard running down
your infant's leg?--very similar, only adult size) and I have encountered
pampers--well, they are called Silhouettes. I dealt with that every time I
attempted to eat anything--no matter how small and bland (I found the
best thing to eat, for me, was mashed potatoes) until Tuesday. On Tuesday, I was
able to drive the golf cart up to show Ryan how to care for the SPA; but on
Wednesday, I put on my "Big Girl Panties" and took care of the office and later
went to Gulf-Point Village Retirement Center to have Bible Study with the
residents there--it's a mutual blessing. I am weak, bald and have
lost a lot of weight--I'm wearing clothes I was going to give away, thinking I'd
never wear them again (It's a good thing when sickness comes, to have some
weight to lose!)--but it was great. I collapsed on the couch when I God home.
PRAISE POINT: My blood values have been terrible since the first of
February so when my Hemoglobin gets to 7. or sometimes 8 I get 1-2 units of
Red cells which brings it up to 10.2.(it never goes higher than that! then it
starts down again) When my platelets get low--as they did, the week prior
to my trip to Houston I receive 10-units of Platelets--it looks like chicken
soup...and so on.
Before I finished chemo, my hemoglobin dropped to
7.2--here came two units of packed red cells--I was amazed to actually see my
hands turn pink! Anyway, I had blood drawn Tuesday and it is now: 12.4!
(within normal range! Amazing, since Chemo tends to drop all counts..."but,
God....") My hands are still pink; but I have to see the oncologist today
and have labs drawn again next Tuesday. Anyway, my strenghth is
increasing--I actually cooked yesterday.
I am scheduled to be in Houston on 5/14 for a PET-scan to see
the status of everything. Tuesday I'm to have fast-tracked labs (just
means it gets done quickly) and see my docotor--then that afternoon see the
stem-sell transplant team. Then hospital admission. My pink blanket
always goes with me. God can take me through all of this or heal all of it
beforehand. To Him be all the honor, glory and praise.
I continue to have cards added to my walls. It's such a
blessing to know so many of you continue to pray with and for me--God is so
faithful and HE promised that YOUR prayes are powerful and effective.
James 5
Allison
Jesus Christ!
The SAME!
Yesterday, Today &
Forever
Hebrews 13:8
