First Things First

Thank you for your prayers, sweet friends!

So...where do I even begin?

Most of you know that for the past couple of years I have been having health issues
with more unanswered questions as time moved forward.
Even though there was no clear path as to where all of this was heading,
we felt secure in our decision to move towards our dream of retiring in rural Tennessee
and building our farmhouse.

We made another trip back to Duke in NC for scheduled appointments on April 24th

and after reading the results of my CT scan, I was admitted into the hospital.
With all of the COVID precautions in place, no visitors of any kind were allowed
 so  Jim dropped me off at the door.
I was tested for the dreaded virus and was declared negative.
~

I underwent four different procedures in my first four days there and of course,

another biopsy was one of them.

After waiting about 5 days (it was over a weekend) the results came back showing

a malignancy in the bile duct and liver.
I knew there was something really wrong but hearing the actual word left me numb.
It was a day or so later and a little reluctantly, I reached out to Diana for a prayer request.
 ~

I was discharged the Friday before Mother's Day and was able to spend it with Aaron

and his boys...it was a good weekend.

 

What happened next is something I'm still trying wrap my brain around.

On that Monday morning as we were returning back to TN, 

I noticed the vision in my left eye was cloudy with lots of floaters with what looked like pepper
 and throughout the day, it was only getting worse.

I was completely without any vision in my left eye whatsoever when we arrived at home.

We went directly to the ER at Vanderbilt where they found after blood tests
that I had a severe bacterial infection in my bloodstream and it had gone into my left eye.

Are you kidding me, Lord?

I was admitted to without hesitation and they began treatment for the infection
and immediately given injections of antibiotics in my eye...
...and yet again, tested for COVID....which came back negative, as expected.
The doctor put it to me straight...he was not sure I would recover any vision in my left eye.

A couple of days later I was scheduled to go into surgery in hopes to wash the eye out 

the best they could and inject more antibiotics.

Before any surgical procedure, the dreaded COVID test is a must (#3 for me!) 

and two hours before I was to go to surgery, I got a call telling me my test was POSITIVE!

Where are you, Jesus?

I was in total disbelief and quickly moved to the COVID floor even though I had no symptoms.

I truly wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out.

~

But glory be to God, they did the surgery and the next morning after the eye patch removed,

my vision had greatly improved...I could see blurry images and even read a few letters on a card!

My doctor was astounded...and I was praising the Lord!

There you are, Lord!

After a week at Vanderbilt with not one COVID symptom in sight, they let me go home...

...in RV quarantine for 10 days, still completely asymptomatic.

YAY, GOD!

~

So this is where I stand at the moment...

I am on IV antibiotics at home for two more weeks for the infection

and no treatments for the cancer can be started until this nasty bacterial infection is gone.

First things first.

I met with my oncologist via Zoom and was really impressed with her.

We discussed some new treatments that were out there and she was very encouraging.

~

So needless to say, my life this past month has been absolutely surreal.

I have experienced every emotion possible.

Meltdowns? I've had a few and I'm sure there are more on the horizon...

...but I'm doing my best to stay positive.

Mostly, I'm having a hard time trying to make any kind of sense out of this...

...but what I do know is that my God is in control and He has me in the palm of His hand.

~
Again, I want to tell those who have been praying for me how much I appreciate them.
I have a new road on my journey and prayer is what will get me through this.

So that's what I've been up to...

...how about you??

Much love to all,