bkrogalske@sbcglobal.net
02/26/2007 09:49 PM
Hi everyone,
I can’t believe it’s almost here. My first round of chemo. Brian and I are leaving right after we drop the kids off at the bus stop in the morning. They said the earlier we get there the earlier we finish. Most likely we will be there until 4 or 5 PM. Long day. I am excited and nervous at the same time. I wish I wasn’t nervous. I received an e-mail today from a friend of my sister and brother-in-law with the subject saying "prayers from a stranger". He wanted to let us know we are in his and his wife’s prayers. He also wrote a very comforting verse . . . "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love" . . . II Timothy 1:7. (Thank you Mitch!!!). Although we have never met, God used him to encourage me. How amazing. So although I am nervous because I am human, I know that God will remind me of that spirit of power and love that I have inside me.
I was thinking tonight and compared the past month of my life to a pan on the stove. During the initial time of finding the cancer, the surgery and the week in the hospital, that pan was on the highest burner! As I recovered, the heat went down and I even think I was to the point where the pan had moved to a burner that wasn’t even on. On Friday, the heat turned up again during the surgery for my port and again cooled down. Tomorrow I am back on the burner again. As much as I don’t like the "hot" times, those are the times that I feel God’s presence the most. Those are the times that I can shine brightest for Him to a lot of people that may not even know Him. So to be completely honest, I am not looking forward to that heat tomorrow but I am very much looking forward to feeling God’s comfort, from all of your prayers, during this time.
Some specifics to close with:
*Ashley is feeling better and was able to go to school today but she is still quite tired. I think all these doctors appointments are upsetting her. Pray that she will kick this cold and feel free to talk to us about anything at anytime.
*Nathan and Emily are doing great and are germ free – yea God!
*That Brian will remain strong for me tomorrow. I can’t imagine how hard it is to watch someone you love have to endure pain.
*For safe travel to Grand Rapids and back
*that I will have no side effects from chemo tomorrow . . . I know this is unrealistic in the world’s eye but not in God’s.
*That the needle that has to go into my port will not hurt (my skin is still tender and bruised)
*My CA125 level before surgery was 2300. (For those of you not familiar with this – the CA125 count is the protein level in the blood that can be an indicator of ovarian cancer - normal is 35). I found out today that it is still at 782. I was quite disappointed by this because in my mind I was hoping that it was all removed from the surgery. Most of it was removed and the level that is left is what the chemo can take care of. I just need to remember that these are the doctor’s numbers, not God’s.
I realize I am asking for some bold prayer requests here but nothing is impossible with God. We have seen so many prayers answered in so many different areas and look forward to many more to come. Thank you for praying boldly for me and my family.
Love & Hugs,
Kristi
