Joy To The World...the death of cells......la la la la la

So that is the final word after my scan last week - tumors are stable and dying. The awesome word again was used, necrosis which means via Microsoft 'lookup word search': the death of cells in a tissue or organ caused by disease or injury. Praise God!!!! I have to say - it was soooo difficult to walk in there and know that I needed to trust Him no matter what the results, but I give Him all the credit for the results. The left side, where the largest tumor sat like a big fat gross guy (I picture the snot guys from the Mucinex commercials - weird, right?) is dying - and the small ones he shot with the beads on the right side are as well. There was one tiny one that he did not get that was on the right lower side that is a bit bigger, but that is what they will address when we go back in and shoot it again next week. I can't imagine they will just go in for that tiny one, I have a feeling they will shoot the left side again, which, I am totally prepared for now. After discussing how awful this first time was, we came up with a plan to maybe fix somethings this time in. I'll be put under for it, yay, and then hooked up with a morphine pump right afterwards in recovery so it is all in place when I go up to my room. Plus, I went for a check up with my onc yesterday my dietitian said that my liver may not react as dramatically this next time. Kinda makes sense I guess, I mean when I had my very first chemo treatment my body completely rejected it - duh - it's poison - so it makes sense my liver would react the same way. I'm just so ready, now that I know it's working, to get in there and have them zap it again. Bring it ON!!! I can't tell you how blessed I am to have these results. Many don't, and I know that. I remember when I received these similar results after my first check up after theresphere, and I've decided I'm not comparing this experience to that - I can't. What I can do differently this time, is believe my healing is possible, and give Him all the credit for it. That is what I'm working on now. Also, my blood work yesterday showed by white and red blood cells completely normal which is awesome, my tumor markers down, and my liver enzymes much improved from the last set of labs. Yay! And I ask them too "Is this normal normal or cancer patient normal?" They say its normal normal. Yay!

So, I had mentioned I'd been struggling with my new role of taking in my special needs niece. I have. But I think I have made a huge jump with this struggle this week that I feel I need to share here. My dear friend who has special needs daughters, introduced me to a place called YEI - Yavapai Exceptional Industries and it is, mind blowing. It is a facility that subcontracts with companies to do piece work, thus finding employment for these special needs individuals. They provide jobs for every need level, and gives them an opportunity to earn a wage, albeit small, an honest wage and take part in society. They work at their own pace, with their friends, have lunch together, take breaks, go bowling, to the Y and exercise, have Hawaiian shirt day, go to the movies - such great stuff - all together, with each other. These are the same people Brittany has met through her SNAP program, so she already knew a greater portion of the people there. She craves purpose, and it is awesome to suddenly be able to provide her with a peer group. I filled out a buttload of paperwork and it all went through I guess, and she started this past Wed. For now, she will go 2 times a week, and it just gives her such purpose. I can't tell you how cool this is, and had no idea such programs were available for the special needs individuals in our community. Fighting with DDD right now as I was denied that benefit too, but I have appealed that as well, and we will see where it ends up. That will help with rides and respit care and just general funding and assistance, so let's see if I can get that pushed through too. Oy! What is with me and government programs!! I can't get out of one for me, and can't get one in place for my special needs niece!!! Doesn't make any frickin sense to me at all. Good thing I don't take NO for an answer, no matter which direction it goes.

We are now getting ready for the Polar Express this weekend, just the 4 of us are going and we are excited. Good snow yesterday, so it's going to be adequately Christmassy - and we are excited to usher in the Christmas spirit this way. Super excited.

Thank you all for your prayers, they have been answered. I am so blessed. What a perfect Christmas gift, I couldn't ask for anything more. I do ask for continued prayers for continued healing as I head into this next quadrasphere. There very well may be another after this. (rule of 3 - how oddly appropriate for me eh?) And all I read, over and over, and I get something different every time I read it, is Proverbs 3, Psalm 91 and now I've added Daniel 3. I am just in awe of such trust. I humbly hope to replicate this trust every day of my life. What an awesome release.

God Bless -


Dina