His Grace Is Sufficient

Greetings, where do I even begin this blog--it's hard to know so I will go back one whole week and begin with a happy family celebration. Even though my blood counts and platelets were low from the last chemo treatment, Marvin and I were able to travel to South Georgia last Saturday to attend his mom's 91st birthday/family reunion. As always, we had a sweet time "catching-up" on all the family activities since we were together last year. His mom is doing amazingly well and we had a bitter-sweet reunion---you see, she had breast cancer 53 years ago!!! As soon as I arrived she gave me a big bear hug and we had a good cry together. What an encouragement she was to me.
Now, I will fast forward to the next week. On Wednesday afternoon I found myself in a special neutropenic room of the oncology floor at DeKalb Medical Hospital with very low platelets and white blood cells fighting an unknown infection. By Thursday night the fever was over 102 degrees and after many blood cultures and tests they still couldn't pin-point where the problem was coming from. I hit a low point that night and at around 10:30 I broke down in tears---that's when I knew His grace truly is sufficient. I started praying as never before , "Lord, the doctors are doing all they know to bring this infection under control and it doesn't seem to be doing much good. I know that only YOU can bring my fever down and I am holding on to the hem of your garment and trusting you to meet my need right now." Well, at 12:30 that night I woke from a short nap with my sheets and hospital gown wringing wet with sweat but a temperature below 100 degrees for the first time in three days and I knew I had nothing to fear. Prayers had been answered once again and God was in control.
On Friday afternoon they took me down for a CAT scan on my chest. The results were encouraging. The mass that is in my thorax was still there but, it had not changed since my last scan in January. I am sure when I recover from this latest "bend-in-the-road" I will need to have a biopsy taken to determine just what this could be. The doctors seem to think it is something suspicious of adenopathy. I could have had it all my life but until a pathology report is done, we won't know. Once again, all I can say is "His grace is sufficient".
After several more bags of antibiotics and sodium chloride the fever continued to drop and by Saturday morning the doctors released me. Marvin and I were able to come home. The diagnoses is "neutropenic" which means I have very little immune system right now. Until I have built up more platelets I have to be extra careful; no visitors yet, no cut or fresh flowers, no raw fruits or veggies because of possible bacteria contaminates . (I can live with that for a while). I know that when I am weak, He is strong. I will never cease to praise Him and thank Him for His love for me and, as I say to you every time I write but I mean with all my heart---thank you for your love and prayers as well. God has heard once more and we can only say....We praise and thank you Lord!
I love you guys,
Judy
2Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

Updates: Keith Wood continues to recover and is doing as well as possible. He and Allyson still have a long road to recovery but your prayers are helping.
Sandra Byars, sadly is back in the hospital. They found a mass of unknown character on her liver. They did a biopsy on Wednesday and are awaiting results. We are praying that it is only a benign growth but she and Mark are in need of our prayers as never before.
Thanks Prayer Warriors!!