8/10/07 Update (a.k.a. the least creative title in blog history)

8/10/07 Update (a.k.a. the least creative title in blog history)

Hard to believe another week has gone by without a posting… Time seems like it is both frozen and on fast-forward.

I had an uneven week. My previous experiences have been something linear and positively progressing. Meaning, that I have chemo on Fridays, which since progressively each day has been better than the next, it is usually going to be my best day. Saturday seems to hold court with no real improvement, but I slow way down by night time. Then the chemo catches up and Sunday is usually the worst day. Followed by Monday, a little better, then each day better yet.

This last week was different; and in a very real sense disappointing. Only because it was different. More fatigue in general is the culprit. Typically, Sunday held up as a bad day. Monday was actually pretty good. Tuesday, I backslid big time. But then Wednesday was pretty strong. Thursday was up and down. My nights were all pretty tough. I had major appetite issues and low grade nausea. Today, Chemo day, was a good day. And strangely, wonderfully, I can actually say as I write this very text, this is the best I have felt since I took my first Chemo. I even feel normal!!! Let’s pray this holds up!
I think I need to chalk up the week’s unevenness to the fact I had BOTH Chemo and a lot of radiation. My nurses told me “it will be butt-kicking”… The other good news is that I am done with the first radiation field at L3. But the remaining radiation is substantial and I am assuming that the fatigue will remain an issue for at least the next 2 weeks while I get this next large field addressed. The radiologist says fatigue onset can remain for 4 weeks past completion. OH well. Either way, the period is finite. And I am not an 80 year old lady.

It looks like I do need to do the reconstructive surgery on my back to ensure stability at L3. This would require and outpatient procedure may be as soon as THIS NEXT WEEK. There is obviously risk with any procedure you do, but one of the issues is paralysis and I am nervous about it. Doing nothing is also a risky option. We will be praying about that a lot this weekend and early week. Please pray about that was well. And this can’t help the fatigue story can it?

By the way, I love your e-mails and cards. Thank you all for sending them. I type very slow, so I have not been the best a returning all of them. Please accept this note as a heartfelt thanks for your thoughtfulness.

And honestly, you all have blown me away really. It has been amazing how many people from High school and College have gotten word and reached out. Your kind comments have frequently moved me to tears. (Yes, I am vastly more emotional lately – my Pastor told me that this was a good thing and not to fight it). I wish we had stayed in better touch.

But, one obvious blessing in all of this is that I am catching up with so many of you. I hope we can continue that.

I’d like to encourage you all to read Psalm 30 and Psalm 40. Two more Psalms that I have clung to recently.

From Psalm 40: Be pleased, oh Lord, to save me. Oh lord, come quickly to help me. I say this passage a lot, especially while laying on the radiation table.
May god bless you all richly and give you all peace that can only come from Him, so that you will all know who much we are all loved.

Love, in Christ,
Eric

P.S. For those of you who know him, Chris Pottorff and his new bride Carrie, have flown in just to hang for the weekend. He has been a dear friend from Junior H.S. on… A real blessing to have them, here!!!