welcome

(photo of my sister's backyard fence...all photos are thru my lens)

This is just a way to express my thoughts as I walk this path and journey through as a breast canSURVIVOR.

Make cancer mad, just piss it off by misspelling it..... like "canzer"

In remission ~ December 2012

Invasive Moderately Differentiated Ductal Carcinoma T1cN0M0 Stage 1

Estrogen receptor-positive cancer - Here is how it began



Showing posts with label amnesia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label amnesia. Show all posts

Sunday, July 25, 2021

Memories

 


It was a year ago this month the first time I had a mini-stroke. I had lost over 15 years of memory.  I had no idea who my husband was and I didn’t realize my children were grown and out of the house.  Complete amnesia.  The second time, I couldn’t remember the last few years.  At least that time, I knew my husband and he gently brought me back by helping me to remember.  The other black out moments I was alone, but I made my way back.  It was just as scary.  The neurologist is setting up more tests and working with my family doctor on a treatment plan.  Trying to get my blood pressure spikes under control.  Next time, I might not be so lucky. 

 

I have holes in my memory.  Like most of us, we forget why we walked into a room – “what did I come in here for anyway?”  This is a little more...like driving a familiar route and suddenly not remembering where you are.  At least for today, I remember my name!  But I don’t want to forget those memories that are so very precious to me.  I have to focus really hard to remember my sister’s voice.  It’s been 14 years now and I don’t want to forget. Ever.

 

Today would have been Dad’s 84th birthday.  I miss him so much it hurts.  Both of my parents. They both had TIA's.  Did it frighten them too? 


 


We lost our father October 19, 2017 from colon and pancreatic cancer.  Just a few short months after his 80th birthday. The last birthday we celebrated with Dad, we had strung up photos to showcase his life.  Photos help me remember.




Time is precious. Time matters. Will you want to remember the good and the bad?  There should be an urgency about time in our lives.

 

Psalm 90:2

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

 

 


What are you doing with your life?  Make it count.


My Kid Sister

Our Beloved Sister

Chemo Brain vs Something Else

The God of Hope


Happy Heavenly Birthday, Dad, I love you  ~


Sunday, March 7, 2021

The God of Hope

 


I have a confession to make. I struggle with bouts of depression. Like many, 2020 took me to my limits and has followed me thru late winter. Before you judge me too harshly, let me explain a few factors.

 

One, there were two decisions made in the very early days of my cancer treatment. The first was a script written for anti-depressants. I didn’t really think twice about it. There were a lot of new instructions given to me, tons of information to digest, along with the poking and prodding of tests and needles. The second decision - - - well, perhaps we can save that for another post.

 

The point to my lengthy explanation is that in July 2020, I was fully weaned off of them. After watching the dosage increase over 8+ years, I felt it was just time to stop. After all, by God’s helping hand, I had overcome so much and I just wanted to continue the detox of so much toxic garbage that had destroyed my good cells, along with the bad cells.  It took 3 months to calibrate the dosage down to zero.  Let me tell you, they aren’t kidding when they describe the withdrawal side effects (lightening jolts in the brain, flu-like symptoms). I couldn’t get out of bed for almost a week. And, yes, I was under my doctor's supervision.

 

But, I did it. I survived. Barely.

 

About 2 weeks later, I experienced amnesia. In a flash, I didn’t know who my husband was or the last dozen years of my life. I was terrified. The word “confused” doesn’t do it justice either. For 15 minutes, I knew nothing. It took another 15 minutes to slowly start remembering.  It really freaked out my husband.  This was a pivotal moment in the year 2020.  Leading up to this point, I was adjusting to a "new normal" of unemployment; a dream disappeared and was replaced by a nightmare; and there was more [how raw should I get].

 

It was enough for evil forces to swoop in for the final kill. By mid-August, our marriage was in trouble and I had moved out.  Then my mother died in September. Today, mom would have been 80 years old. Instead, she left for her heavenly home to be with my sister, my dad and so many more who wait for us to join them.

 

My husband and I were separated for 4 long months while God refined our souls. Individually, we were both crying out to God and went down the road to hell and back again--repeatedly. It was the hardest thing I ever experienced, including cancer treatment.

 

God remarkably restored our marriage one week before our divorce court date, which was scheduled 10 days prior to our 14th wedding anniversary. I don’t believe that either of us can fully understand how the evil forces seeped into our lives and we are determined to never allow it to happen again. God has given us the grace to press forward and heal under His guidance and mercy. 

  

After all, He is the God of Hope

 

They say 20/20 is hindsight.  Perhaps 2020 was just a purging within this vessel.  Purging of toxic waste, influences and stinkin’ thinkin’.  We can now choose how we refill our vessel [the body, soul (mind) and spirit].  Perhaps this is true for many who have journeyed thru the isolation and self-reflection of this unusual year (plus).

 

There is so much I’ve learned about myself, but most of all, I’ve learned more about the God I serve. In your time of grief, of difficulty, where does your help come from?

 

 

[Psa 121:1-2 NIV]

1 A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to the mountains--where does my help come from?

2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

 

When the mountain doesn’t move, pray for the strength to climb the mountain.

If the giant doesn’t move, pray for the power to defeat that giant.

When your burdens are too big, cast them all upon the Lord.

 

What happens when God doesn’t remove your problem? The Bible gives us an amazing account of the 3 Hebrew boys thrown into a fiery furnace. God didn’t stop them from being thrown in, but He stood right there with them and walked thru it with them.

 

God is with you in your battle. The battle belongs to God, so let Him fight for you. The only way to withstand the fiery furnace is by coming to a place of total surrender and ask the Lord to go with you. He will bring you thru it.

 

The God of Hope

 

[Rom 15:13 NIV]

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.


As for my amnesia, it happened again 6 months later.  I have an EEG test next week and we’ll see what else is in store. As for my bouts of depression, God continues with those divine appointments that quickly gets me back to where I need to be -- body, mind & spirit.


Rejoice, my friend, that God’s mercy is new every day ~