At Least It’s Not Covid

Hi all –

I meant to post an update but the past few weeks have been a bit crazy.  April blew by me. 

I had good news and bad news from the recent blood tests.  The good news is that my electrolyte levels were normal again and they had been low.  When my potassium and sodium drop, I am prone to severe muscle spasms.  The bad news was that my white and red blood cell counts have dipped low.  So I guess it’s not a surprise that I came down with some sort of flu this past Monday night.

Here I was celebrating completing a three-year mini seminary style study with my fellow friends and classmates Monday night.  I thought I was doing pretty good.  I did note during the evening that my throat began to be very dry and scratchy.  By the time I came home, I told my sister I didn’t feel right.  Then, in the middle of the night – kablam – full blown sweats from fever and I couldn’t move!  It was like watching the animal shows on TV where the vet at a sanctuary comes in to treat a large animal – like a tiger.  The tiger is just walking around, enjoying its tiger day, and then – thump – a tranquilizer dart hits it.  The tiger bends a little and then flops to the ground.  The vet gets it on the table and you see the tiger breathing heavy with its lids closed.  Every now and again the tiger barely opens its eyes (which are now watery) and then shuts them again – not sure if it knows where it is and what is happening or not (and not sure if it wants to).  Well that’s essentially what played out for me over about 24 hours.  Then it was a lot of coughing, sneezing, nausea, and of course – diarrhea.  Now we are on the third day and I still am not able to do anything.  I just had rice for dinner and praying that stays down.  Although – at least it’s not Covid.  My home test came back negative.

I was so busy I had not gone in for my Vitamin D and immune booster shots the past few weeks.  As soon as I am able, I need to get back on those.

I did finally get a new gastroenterologist.  I actually saw the Chief Medical Officer for Emory’s gastroenterology department.  I don’t know what I was expecting.  Maybe I thought because of his position that the skies would open up, angels would sing, and he would impart some unbelievable wisdom about my tummy, colon, and intestines.  Well... he did tell me to switch from regular Pepcid to Pepcid Complete.  And that did actually help.  He also said to try switching from soluble to insoluble fiber. So I’m not sure what I was really expecting.  He did say I don’t need a colonoscopy for another 5 to 10 years since my last one was clear even though every one I’ve ever had before it had pre-cancerous polyps.  Hmmmm….I’ll be back in 5 if I’m still here.  Yet another bright spot to going to eternity - no more colonoscopies. 

Thank you to those who prayed for me to be better about remembering to take my chemo pill.  Can I just once again say how amazing God is?  When I gave my testimony recently, I regaled how specific God has been in answering prayer requests. My friends had been nagging me to figure out a way to remember to take the pills (and praying for a solution).  So I go onto my patient portal and I have a message from Emory stating that they would like to know if I am interested in participating in a study that uses a new way to remind you to take your chemo pills, record you did it, and to track your side effects.  LOL!  Well there’s a direct answer to prayer.  I signed up and I haven’t been forgetting doses anymore because they send me a reminder text every day at noon and I’m good about keeping up with text.  I open the link and record that I take the meds as I’m taking the meds.  Bonus – they sent me an Amazon gift card for participating! 

God hasn’t changed.  He still works in amazing ways every day.  From the smallest detail to big miracles, He is there.  He is upholding everything.  And watching what is going on in the world now is quite interesting.  Jesus is calling SO MANY people to salvation.  While the devil may be creating chaos and deception at the universities that are supposed to be the pinnacle of “human wisdom,” Jesus is moving in the hearts of many across other campuses and there have been celebrations of the joy and peace found there.  Former terrorists are coming to Christ.  Actors from Hollywood are coming to Christ.  The Holy Spirit is moving and opening the minds of many people to see every word in the bible is true and that history and the future are recorded there.  There is no other truth – because it is the only Word written by God.  We are seeing bible prophecy unfold in our current day which once again proves the veracity of God’s Word.  So even in the midst of chaos, we can always see God moving.  Whether it’s lovingly responding to the daily needs of His people or moving the pieces into place to bring about His ultimate plan and victory in human history, the Lord is in motion.  This is my biggest comfort.

On the much less exciting plan for my existence, my monthly appointment at Emory for May is next week the 15^th.  Then I see the head of Emory’s Palliative Care Department on May 17^th.  I need to temper my expectations a la the CMO I just saw in gastroenterology- lol.

Praying for this nausea to end!

Blessings to all,

Laurie