How to do the Job You Don't Really Want To Do

Author: Elisabeth Elliot

"Certain aspects of the job the Lord has given me to do are very easy to postpone. I make excuses, find other things that take precedence, and, when I finally get down to business to do it, it is not always with much grace. A new perspective has helped me recently:

The job has been given to me to do.
Therefore it is a gift.
Therefore it is a privilege.
Therefore it is an offering I may make to God.
Therefore it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him.
Therefore it is the route to sanctity.

Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God's way. In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness. The discipline of this job is, in fact, the chisel God has chosen to shape me with--into the image of Christ.

Thank you, Lord, for the work You have assigned me. I take it as your gift; I offer it back to you. With your help I will do it gladly, faithfully, and I will trust You to make me holy."

Please join Cathy in praising God that the side effects from the new treatment are relatively mild. For the first week after the treatment she experiences a lack of energy and some mild digestion issues but these both seem to have cleared up. One persistent side effect is a dry mouth which interrupts her sleep as she needs to drink water every hour. Continue to pray that the Kadcyla will destroy all the cancer cells in her body.

25th Treatment at the Block Center

Actual drive time, this Tuesday, was our longest--4 1/4 hours each way. Not such a negative thing as it gave my hubby and I more alone time. Though I wasn't much good company on the way home--slept lots; which is actually a good thing, since it pleases my A Team. I want to stay on their good side. :)
A massive cloud of fog covered most of the Windy City on our way up. Visibility was perhaps a half mile. I mention this because it's never happened to me before and it was strange driving through it, especially over the bridge. The sun broke through within 2-3 hours leaving a beautiful blue sky with wispy white clouds.

We chose the Japanese Chestnut room this time, window side (love the sunshine). After Nurse Lindsey took my vitals (which were good), we spent some Q&A time with Jacki, the nutritionist. Maria, one of my A Team members, is assisting me in "getting firmly back in the saddle" with my diet. The focus for me right now is at least 50% raw vegetables/50% steamed; my scrumptious kale/spinach smoothies w/two powdered supplements + one liquid supplement, 1/4 c. blueberries and 3-4 1" slices of frozen banana, as well, 1 Tbsp ground flax seed and wheat germ each.  Cold water salmon is permitted, beans, and mana or Ezekiel bread. This may not sound like much, but rest assured that everything is absolutely delicious, and full of all the life sustaining properties a body would need for disease prevention or restoration.

Next was our conversation with the PA, Jen,  Other than a random minor nose bleed (#3 on scale of 0-5) from right side (this occurred over a period of about 6 days) no real side effects, which is a huge praise. I actually had more issues w/the bike fall. Anyway, she showed me the proper technique to use should I have to deal with it again. Twenty-three percent of patients have issue with bloody noses. When inquired as to whether or not hair loss would be a side effect of Kadcyla (pronounce: kad(soft c)(long i)luh), she had to look that one up for us--it is NOT a side effect, which is great!

Finished w/Jen, the nurse returned to extract 15 vials of blood for my nutritional panel. Unfortunately, she
could flush the port but when trying to extract there must be tissue that closes the hole. This meant the phlebotomist would have to do it from the arm. Note that I've been up since 4:30a.m. Okay-so I'm sitting there watching him--kind of--and at vial #5 I'm feeling a little tired and warm, desiring to lay my head down.
Which I did. Not long after, I lifted my head and began counting the remaining empty vials, praying that this process could go much quicker. By the time he completed the 12th vial I laid my head down for good. He asked me if I was okay, to which I replied no, with the shake of my head. This old lady was going down for the count. He yells out for help; I could hear everyone buzzing around me but could offer no response. They somehow lowered my dead weight into a wheel chair, giving me smelling salts (gross--smells nothing like salt) and navigated me into a really nice cool room, propped my feet up and placed wet toweling around my neck. I have no idea how much time had passed since blacking out. The last time this happened to me was after my home-birthed (now)17 year old Noah (I remember that time being much scarier). I'm assuming the phlebotomist got all my blood he needed.

Back in my cubicle I reclined with a blanket and pillow to rest. Dozing in and out, then Mike came to tell me Eric (a former Block nutritionist who was visiting for the day) had begun his lunch demonstration. Under more normal circumstances, I would have been one of the first patients downstairs to watch. Too tuckered  out, I opted to have Michael bring me lunch when prepared. The menu: no-egg salad sandwiches, lemon balsamic strawberries, salad greens w/green onions and shredded carrots, and potato salad. People, let me tell you, we couldn't have picked a better day for treatment. This food was absolutely fantastic. The potato salad recipe was submitted from one of Block's cancer survivors. The best part? You couldn't even tell this food was beneficially healthful!

Forever indebted to all of you walking this journey with us and the family.
I consider all of you my extended A Team members. :)
Cathy

Glutton for Punishment

As if having to fight cancer isn't enough of a challenge, two days following my last treatment I decided to take a fall on my bike at the great speed of negative .5 mph. The bike lay itself down to the left as my body slammed the ground to the right. After my 10 year old helped her old ma up, and a kind neighbor lent his strength to put my rear brake pad back in place, the two of us rode home. Nary a scratch or bruise, just a bump on the shin. No problem.

Quite a different story by the next morning. My body hurt from the neck down and I began having back
spasms, which did wane by Sunday afternoon. Feeling much improved by Monday, though bruises started appearing on my legs, especially the left. Being that I have such lovely appendages anyway, the boo-boos created an even prettier sight.

Much improved as each day passes; however, I've yet to venture out on my bike.