August 11, 2005

Hello My Friends,

First of all I want to say thank you for the hundreds of precious encouraging e-mails. I have them stacked knee high. Much to my regret I will not be able to answer but a very few.

As you know from the Larry King Show I started Chemo-therapy on the first of August, Roe’s birthday! We celebrated his special day early as I didn’t know if I’d be able to be a part of it if we didn’t. Our staff got together and surprised him as he walked in the house after being gone on a 5 day trip. We decorated everything with building tools as he is a Church builder. We covered the ceilings with big star balloons and ate Kentucky Fried Chicken with all the trimmings. Bev, Roe’s secretary, baked a “home made cake with real fudge frosting”. We had such a fun evening. At 70 years young it’s hard to find “just the right present”. Ha!ha! But I decided we needed to “go fishing” so my gift to him was a fishing pole of his choice. I didn’t know that a man has to PICK OUT HIS OWN FISHING POLE! Ha! I guess it just has to “feel right”! My daughter Tammy Sue helped Mom “pull it all together” or I think SHE actually pulled it all together amid lots of laughs and hugs!

Got up early Monday morning to have my first treatment of chemo. I was very nervous but hey, I’d been here before, how different could it be. Well, I was in for the surprise of my life!

Roe and I and Tammy Sue sat and talked through out the 5 hour ordeal and before I knew it, it was over. All of a sudden I felt something happening in my right hand. It was stiffening up and freezing into strange positions. I never thought too much about it and got up to go home. As I stood to my feet I discovered I COULD NOT BREATH! The most horrible sounds I have ever heard were coming out of my mouth, struggling to breathe. I was panic stricken as were Tammy Sue & Roe. But thank God for a great doctor and awesome nurses, they went into emergency mode and after a few minutes and lots of shots of something and some oxygen, I was breathing normally again. I had had a reaction to one of the drugs they had given me, and there is no way to know about that beforehand.

I have NEVER been in bed for a week in my life. As of yesterday I have been in bed for a week. Thank God for your prayers on my behalf. My legs are finally starting to move again, my hand is much better, my nausea is still pretty consistent but gradually getting better, my strength is starting to come back. I took my first BATH today in a week. I was starting to smell worse than the dogs! Ha! ha! I covered myself in “self tanning lotion”, dark fat looks better than white fat is my motto…….ha! and I now smell like my favorite fragrance, Estee Lauder, Private Collection. I’ve worn it for years! Now I feel like I’m mostly back to ME! Thank You God!

My husband and my daughter have been taking good care of me. I continue to trust God that I will be “cancer free”! Too many sick people are like the leper who came to Jesus in Matthew 8. The leper said “If you will you can heal me. Jesus answered “I will. Be clean”. What a mighty God we serve!

Please know that as I am able I am reading every one of your e-mails and your many wonderful cards. As I read each prayer I’m so glad that there is no distance in prayer.

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