Quick Update

This won't be terribly long, but hopefully it will answer a few of your questions.

We made it to Co. on Saturday evening.

Traveling out wasn't that hard as they had put a mattress in the back to make me comfortable

So.... how am I feeling.

A little icky, to be honest, which is how I'm supposed to feel, I guess.

We discovered Michael King, who's treating me, from a friend. He has helped many people

who were unable to discover what was wrong with them using a tedious blood examination.

He was frankly amazed that I am still alive. My blood shows that I not only have cancerlike cells, but also Lyme-like bacteria, lots of and many different kinds of parasites, including liver flukes, and to top it all off a full blown case of candida. My immune system basically was not functioning when I arrived. The existence of all these things in my body is what's making it difficult for me get on top of it and win.

The plan is to kill the things that aren't supposed to be there with a machine he has to give my body a fighting chance.

The next step is to go home this Friday and see if my body can finally start healing itself while we are watching carefully and pumping down the correct nutrients.

If all goes well we'll be coming up again in about a month.

What are my gut feelings?

Despite feeling icky, I think we have found something that will finally help me.

Pray with us that this is the case.

And pray that I am able to keep cutting back on the pain meds. I'm slowing down, but I want to slow down even more.

We really appreciate Michael and his wife Mary for going the second mile. He has worked me

in and is treating me at night as he's busy with other clients in the daytime. He has spent 4-5

hours the last two nights, staying up until 1 and 2 a.m. Fortunately, I can sleep while he does

the work. He has given me hope that it's possible to beat this, but not false hope. And frankly

states that without God's deliverance it won't happen. But after last night's treatment,

Michael was encouraged that my immune system is kicking in again, and with God all things

are possible. But I really need to cut down on my pain meds as they're doing havoc to my body.

Loves to all of you.

P.S. Please pray for God's miraculous healing power in my body , and that myself and others

around me will stay encouraged through the whole process no matter what.

Not where I thought I'd be

Last Monday the last thing on my mind was spending a week in the hospital.

My shoulder had been in a lot of pain, and I couldn't deny that I had taken too many pain meds.

Not too many according to my prescription, but too many for my body.

Monday I paid for it.

My tummy was nauseous refusing any form of food or liquid.

By midnight I started throwing up and when it didn't look as if I was going to feel better anytime soon mom decided a trip to the Emergency Room was in order.

It was a miserable ride there and all through check in, but the nurses were so kind, and the doctor made sure I didn't have to wait long to get an i.v. going as well as some pain meds.

You see.... yet another pair of shoes I have gotten to try out. Addiction to pain meds - or rather identifying with an addiction to anything.

Not only was I weak from dehydration, but my body was going through withdrawal from my meds.

Finally I started to feel better (sweet relief), but they wanted to admit me for 24 hours of observation.

It took a bit to get settled, and by the time I saw my oncologist, I think I was almost relieved when he said they were going to keep me until the end of the week - a little shocked about the length, but everything had felt so rushed and crazy that I knew I wouldn't be able to handle going home yet.

His reason was just for observation to make sure we got the pain meds regulated and my electrolytes back up to where there were supposed to be.

I've never been in the hospital this long before and am discovering new things all the time.

For one, it really is nice to have everything at the push of a button. :-) The nurses are great here, and I haven't run into a grumpy one yet. (Watch, I'll get one tonight)

I have such a close relationship with my i.v. pole that I named him Fred. Fred is rather jealous of anyone else in my life and has to keep watch wherever I go - I mean wherever. My admiration for those who can steer a wheel chair and an i.v. pole at the same time has skyrocketed. These people are good! I have difficulty walking it down the hall by myself. In fact, I've given up after I almost tipped it and it has become the job of whoever is currently staying with me in the hospital. Someday soon I'm going to get rid of Him, believe me. He has helped cut down on the pain meds, though, so for this I am grateful.

The doctor put me back on "real" food again today, and as I am able to keep it down, I should be going home tomorrow.

For now I'm grateful that the reason I was in here was because of pain meds and dehydration - though serious, treatable.

It has been a little scary to spend the week on the cancer floor. Visitors get into the elevator and see "oncology" listed as the floor with my room on it.

I've had to talk to counselors about who will make decisions for me if it ever comes to a point where I can't - get a living will figured out - what I'm planning on doing to create memories for my girls if it ever comes to the point where I do have to leave them. That makes for some tearful conversations, let me tell you.

Tearful, but needed and good.

I'm planning on writing them each a birthday card until they are 21. I'm also planning on delivering each one of those myself. :-)

However, my plans are not Gods, so we will see if we are on the same page with this one.

There are a few other ideas, as well, such as giving them dating advice. You see... if they get it solely from their father they won't be dating, much less getting married until they are 45.

Though my week has been completely unexpected, I can see how the Lord planned it all out.

Things I needed done medically before I could go out to Colorado, and would have been complicated to do had I been out of the hospital, have been made easy by being admitted. Because of this we are able to go out a couple of weeks earlier than planned and I am excited.

Once again I have no idea where God is headed with all of this, but I'm choosing to trust.

We are following the direction He, as far as we can tell, is leading us. Where that will take us we will hopefully soon find out. I know I'm curious - especially about the new naturopath in Colorado.

A shout out of thanks to all my family and friends who are showing their support.

I love that it has been a tradition in my family to never leave a person alone in the hospital. I've observed this growing up with my Grandpa being there often.

Now that I am the recipient, I am so grateful.

It may be that they are just there to get that glass of ice for you, but they are there. And there is nothing like waking up in the night and knowing your mom is next to you on the cot.

And not having to worry about home and kids because of husband, sisters, and friends is amazing.

God is good! So many, many blessings in the midst of this storm of mine!

I love you all, and pray, pray, pray for wisdom in my treatment out in Co.

I will try to blog as I go because I know you are just as curious as me what is going to happen.

Well.... maybe not just as curious...

Loves!

Becca

Figuring out blogging and being at my parents is a challenge.

Everything is going so well up here, though.

The girls are thriving on the stability and so am I.

In the past, Gabi has slept in Faith's bedroom in a pack n' play.

The other night, as she lay there all curled up, she said, "Auntie Faith? Could you stretch this out?"

Poor little thing can't even stretch her legs out in it. :-)

We brought up her crib mattress yesterday and tried an experiment last night.

Not only was she out of her pack n' play, but she and Karis moved into the same room.

It has always been the plan for them to share a room someday, so why not now?

Gabi was thrilled to see her bed ,and it actually went fairly smoothly.

Hopefully tonight will go just as well - they are exhausted - something that usually happens after a day on the farm or with friends.

The results from my blood work are back.

What's the verdict?

I'm a very sick girl. Surprise, surprise. :-)

My mom talked to the naturopath for the most part, but I was able to spend a few minutes so I could get a general idea of who I would be working with.

From our phone conversation I was very impressed.

He was professional, knowledgeable about my problems, and hopeful that by God's grace he will be able to help as long as I have some fight left in me.

I have fight, and a lot worth fighting for.

I have a few weeks to change some of my eating habits (don't worry, nothing that will make me lose even more weight) and then we are headed out to CO on July 6th for a week.

Would you pray that I will be able to prep my body for his treatments?

Pray also that I keep the fight going.

The truth is that it isn't easy on some days.

My muscles can get so sore that it is a challenge to sit up in bed after laying there for awhile. The benefits of those beds that sit up by themselves seem very appealing some days.

God always gives me the strength to get through the day, though, and I'm trusting Him to help me keep plodding along until we discover something that will change the direction I seem to be going.

Overall I am very encouraged by the path we are on and I covet your prayers each step of the way!

Consistency

The girls and I have moved up to my parents for a few weeks.

My parents, Dustin and I all decided it would be for the best.

Between traveling, the days the girls came up here, Dustin's days off where we had the girls, etc., etc.....

My world was too inconsistent and my diet likewise.

So far we have been up here for a week and it has been amazing. I am so very grateful for my parents and sisters for allowing us to invade their territory.

Faith, for example, is sleeping on the couch so Gabi can sleep in her room.

News on the doctor front.

We are waiting to hear back from a naturopath out in Colorado.

I've filled out a form and sent a blood sample.

The blood sample was the hard part.

It required being pricked.

I HATE being pricked.

If I had my choice I'd rather be stuck with a needle any day.

My dad was elected for the task.

Since all any of us had experienced with pricking was one of those handy dandy little machines, we weren't sure what to expect.

I gave my hand over to my dad and looked away.

He braced himself and then jabbed.

I quickly pulled my hand away, sure blood would be spurting.

Not. a. drop.

He reached for my hand again.

Like a baby I pulled it closer, teared up, and said something mature like, "I don't want to be pricked again. I won't do it!"

My poor dad. I knew it was breaking his heart to stick a needle into me in the first place.

Finally I got the bright idea to numb the pain with an ice cube.

I wanted to sit there all night with the cube, but finally I worked up my nerve again and handed my finger over to what felt like the gallows.

Faith, bless her heart, even had her guitar out to sing away my fears.

It took a couple more jabs, but finally that coveted blood appeared.

I desperately squeezed the required drops out, barely making the quota.

Then apologized to my dad for being such a big baby. :-)

All I have to say is that they had better appreciate that blood sample.

It was hard won! :-)

Lately...

I haven't written very much.

I was trying to figure out the whys and wherefores of all of that.

My conclusion is that I have been gone too much.

Visiting this doctor and that dentist.

The travelling and being away from home is a lot for a normal person and it has just been too much for me.

Too much gadding about and not enough rest equals more pain pills.

More pain pills result in me not feeling great in the tummy area which results in not eating enough.

Not eating enough....

Well... we know how bad that is.

I have one more girlfriend trip to MN that I have been looking forward to for a long time.

My prayer request is that I will get plenty of rest and eat a lot.

The eating a lot on a girls trip usually isn't a problem, but getting rest is:-)

I'm excited for it, though.

Also, I'm excited about some of the places God is showing us for my cancer, as well.

Hopefully results will follow, soon. :-)

I have been discouraged, but God has been in this place, as well.

He has met every question I have asked, and told me very firmly not to give up.

To keep praying until there is an answer.

So... I will do just that! :-)

Hopefully I'll be able to put up some fun photos soon!

The tooth

I haven't posted because I've been waiting to download all the beautiful pictures I took.

Something seems to be wrong in that department, so instead of waiting until it works I'll do a quick update.

My tooth.

I still have it.

My visions were going in there, getting the tooth pulled, infections gushing out, my problems slowly slipping away with the infection.

Alas, that was not to be.

I did get the filling in the tooth removed and replaced.

Dr. Yu, my Dr. in St. Louis, sent me up to WI specifically because he thought if the tooth could be saved Dr. Cook, the dentist, could save it.

Well.... Dr. Cook thought there was no reason to pull the tooth and that changing the filling should do the trick. The filling had some toxic metals that were bad for my system in it.

I don't know what to think.

Our plans are to head down to St. Louis to have Dr. Yu check me out again.

I'm consulting with a naturopathic Dr. out in Denver, Co. over the phone and with blood samples for his opinion. And we are looking into the American Cancer Society.

Pray that God will show us what step to take next.

So... there you have it. The update on my tooth. No miraculous recovery yet, but it could help. We will see. :-)

I'm going to be very honest and tell you that my discouragement has reached an all time low. Please specifically pray that I won't give into despair and will cling to the knowledge that my Savior knows exactly what He is doing with me.