BMT Day +7!

It feels so good to get to this day. It’s been a hard day, but a day that reminds me that I am one step closer to discharge.

Today my counts have bottomed out, which is where they would expect them to be in this stage of the game. When counts bottom out, the only other way for them to go is UP, which is what we are praying they do soon, so that I can go HOME.

Today though, was my toughest day yet. I woke up barely being able to talk because of the sores in my mouth. After a few hours and some morphine, I could converse without being in excruciating pain. I attempted to take a walk too, made it to the doorway, but had to turn around and take a nap. I then learned my hemoglobin was low, hence the low energy, alongside the low blood counts, which was a recipe for a FEW naps this morning!

Once we were able to get the pain under control, I started to perk up and by the afternoon, I was back to walking the hallways with Dan and a dear friend who visited. We are just praying that the mouth sores subside quickly, though I envision having a few more days of this, before it gets better. But I’m not going to lose hope that God can heal me quicker than expected!

The other change today was that while brushing my hair, the brush is getting a bit more full than usual. Someone once told me you’ll know when it’s time to cut it all off, but it is looking like that time will be sooner rather than later. Maybe God will surprise us with this too and I’ll just thin like I did with my last round of treatments, but we shall see.

To think I’m finally at my “lowest” count-wise is a relief, as this is the day one often anticipates while going through treatments. It’s a hard place to be, especially knowing it lasts a few days, but when you look back at what you’ve gone through to get there, you can’t help but see the grace of God in every step of the way!

My doctors are encouraging me to keep going and that I’m doing well. I’m always humbled by that comment because I sit here with heart failure too. The doing well part is just all God. I can eat, drink, and do my laps, but it is ultimately up to God, who is in control of my blood counts, my energy, and how well my body is doing. I keep thinking of what it says in Lamentations – The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

God has been so good to us! Yes, it’s been hard. Yes, I feel weary at times. Yes, I have been in a lot of pain recently. But YES, God has always provided and has sustained us through those moments. We know I have so far to go, but we just pray that as we journey through each day, we can do so with gratitude for his faithfulness and grace!

P.S. Things on the homefront are going well! Dan is an absolute rockstar of a dad and husband. Mazy continues to do well, thanks to Dan’s ability to keep life as normal as he can back home, while having a wife in the hospital, fighting cancer. This again, is God’s grace on full display. Thank you to all those who have helped out in some way or another, especially through prayer. God has been so good, even in the hard times, and thank you for walking this journey with us!