REQUEST & UPDATE ON SUZETTE

Dave, Aric, Suzette, Marc - Aric's 12th BD ceebration February 6, 2011

Suzette was released from the hospital last evening, April 29th, after an 8 day stay. 

She remarked to me during this time, "Mom, I told ________ I have no idea how many people are praying for me, but I know there are MANY."  I said "That's right honey, you really have no idea just how many there are, all around the world praying for you."

As a result of this conversation I thought it would be wonderful if those of you who read my blog, and are praying for her, mail her a card or note telling her that.   I don't want to give out their address so if you are interested in participating please mail them to:  Suzette Stevens, c/o Mickey and Susan Joyce, 13630 S. 285th E. Avenue, Coweta, OK.  She does NOT know I'm doing this, nor does she read this blog so it will be a BIG surprise and blessing to her.  

If you are not actually praying for her, please don't just send a card.  The entire purpose of this is to let her know how many are PRAYING.  

April has been a very difficult month.  As I reported in my April 7th post update she was given a bad radiology report on the 5th.  On the 6th, 7th & 8th she was given a new chemo drug. On the 6th she also had x-rays taken in preparation for 10 radiation treatments on her leg, arm & spine.  On the 13th they met with a nurse practitioner and had a trip to the hospital for blood typing.  On the 14th she had a blood transfusion.  She had radiation treatments on the 15th, 18th, 19th, & 20th.  On the 21st when we went for the radiation she was too ill and they were afraid she had a fractured upper arm and sent us to the hospital for x-rays.  It was a HORRIBLE day with her spending about 5 hours sitting in a wheel chair and in misery as we waited for reports and results.  The 22nd she was scheduled for another radiation but saw the nurse practitioner first and they were so concerned with her blood pressure, oxygen level, etc. that they put her in the hospital late that day.  Again, after many miserable hours for her sitting in that wheel chair in such pain. They gave her another blood transfusion during that first night.   

During this 8 day hospital stay they got all her readings in a normal range and worked to establish a manageable pain medication routine for her to go home. 

They released her late yesterday afternoon and she will begin back on the radiation schedule after a few days of adjusting and rest at home. 

Two new items.  We had put out a request to purchase a small used wheel chair.  As soon as the request went out a young woman, who used to work with Suzette as her assistant, called and said she had one they could use.  When she brought it over the next day it was brand new, still in the box.  She had purchased it for them!!!!!  The goodness of people is amazing. 

The second item is the Dr. had a hospital bed delivered to their home yesterday before her release.  Dave dismantled their king size bed and removed it, purchased a twin size bed for himself and had the room all rearranged and ready for her when he took her home last evening. 

More update - Of course the 24th was Easter Sunday and we were naturally upset because Suzette & Dave, and our entire family had planned to be in services that day and only Mickey & I were there.  I went to the front, during praise & worship just to raise my hands and worship my Lord, after a short time I was surrounded by 5 wonderful praying woman.  I also KNOW that many of my Bible Study/Prayer Group sisters in the congregation were in just as much prayer for us!!  One of them, my dear friend and prayer warrior, Wantha Ann, placed a beautiful sheer black scarf around my neck as she began to pray.  When we started to walk back to our pews I started to take it off and give it back to her and she said, "No."  When we went to the hospital after services to visit Suzette I tied this beautiful scarf, which was covered with silver and gold bibles, doves, crosses and "Jesus is our healer", "Jesus is Love" all over it and most importantly OUR PRAYERS, on the side of the bed!!!!

BOOKS #4 & #5 READ THIS YEAR.

Thought I would share the two latest books I've read.

 Another interesting read on the much neglected topic of Fasting.  This is a small little book only 4"x6" and 84 pages.  
 

This was a great, informative, well-written book on the topic of "Living in the Spirit".  I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about what it truly means in our every day, every moment, living of The Person, The Baptism, The Evidence, The Spirit, The Fruit and The Gifts of the wonderful Holy Spirit.

UPDATE ON SUZETTE -

I have not addressed Suzette's cancer diagnosis or treatment since my 1-1-11 update.

As most of you know, we are walking out a very difficult journey and a testing of our faith.  We are 6 months & 10 days into this journey which began on 9-28-10.  During this time she has had 8 chemo treatments.  After treatments 2 & 4 she had CT scans that showed a slight decrease in the tumor. 

After her 5th treatment, which was January 20th, she and her oncologist decided she needed a break from the chemo.  She had a Port put in her right side on February 16th.  On February 18th we took her to the hospital to have her lung drained for the 4th time.  She had her 3rd CT scan that showed the tumor was slightly worse.  After her 5 week break on February 24th they began giving her a slightly less harsh chemo (Alimta) . 

On March 3rd she and I attended her first meeting at a support group I had located at the local American Lung Association.  They meet every Thursday at noon.  It was good and we intended to return, but to date have been unable to do so. The following Thursday on March 10th we had an appointment with the oncologist and planned to go from there to the meeting but Suzette was so winded and hurting that we returned to her home.  The following Sunday evening she and Dave attended another support group that meets the 2nd Sunday of each month from 4 to 5:30 at Asbury Methodist Church.  I am so thankful we have located these two support groups.

March was a VERY harsh month, both weather wise and as far as Suzette's health is concerned.  On March 17th Suzette was in the hospital for 4 days for a Pleurodesis procedure.  It is a surgery where talc is placed between the lung lining and the rib cage.  This is to seal it up so the fluid does not collect there and have to be drained.  Both the surgeon and the oncologist are very pleased with the results of the operation.  

During the last number of weeks Suzette began complaining of pain in her right hip area.  The oncologist thought it might be arthritis which can be a result of chemo treatments but on March 24th, when she went in for her next chemo treatment she was so ill the Dr. cancelled the chemo and set her up for an MRI the following day.  On the 25th she had an 1 hour & 15 minute MRI from her neck down below her pelvis.  It was horrible for her....laying in that cold, hard, narrow, noisy tube flat on her back for that long.  

March 31st.....6 months and 3 days after the original diagnosis she was informed the cancer has spread and she has three small spots on her spine.  They will be able to treat these with radiation.  She has appointments this week on Tuesday. Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday for both radiation & chemo.  Dave will take off to take  her on Tuesday & Wednesday and Mickey & I will take her on Thursday & Friday. 

During our one visit with the Thursday support group we had been given a brochure about a Cancer Symposium for Saturday, April 2nd from 8:15 a.m. to 2:35 p.m.  We had hoped to go and we DID!!!  Dave brought her at 8:30 to meet me there.  The symposium, called Celebrating the Art of Healing, was wonderful.  The guest speaker, who spoke from 9 to 10 was from Dallas.  Then they had 2 breakout sessions and then lunch at 12:30.  You could either go to the cafeteria or they had box lunches.  Suzette & I opted for the box lunches and went outside and sat on a metal bench in the sunshine and fresh air.  IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY, both weather wise and the symposium.  After lunch Suzette felt that it was time for her to go home, she was getting tired, so we left.  I was so pleased we were able to take in so much of the program.  We both learned a LOT.

By the way, we stopped at McD's and ate an ice cream cone in the car on our way home!!!  

OUR FAITH IS STRONG!!!!!!  We are NOT giving up.  As I wrote on my fb post on Saturday, April 2nd,

Help us Holy Spirit to take yet another step into You! The enemy has tried to steal our joy, but we refuse to give it up or give in. Suzette & I went to a Symposium for Cancer Survivors today that was so good and such a blessing. WE WIN ..... because Jesus has done it all, the Holy Spirit is with us and our Triune God is for us......who then can be against us?

I started this post on Monday, the 4th - it is now Thursday the 7th and we just returned from Suzette's 8 chemo treatment and she will have a 9th one tomorrow morning at 8:45.

We had more bad news from the radiologist on Tuesday but we stand with the above fb post of the 2nd and our prayer is that many of you will stand in agreement with us for Suzette's healing. 

JESUS HAS PAID THE COST, BY HIS STRIPES SUZETTE IS

HEALED!!!!!

  

Catching Up #2 - Wonderful Things & Blessings

Since I hardly posted last month I am using the post yesterday and today to try and catch up.  Hopefully you haven't all given up on me and I still have a few followers.

I received the most wonderful letter from Retha, by blog friend and Sister in the Lord from South Africa!!!  She blesses me with such wonderful surprises.  She is the one who called me, all the way from South Africa, in October, 2008 when I was in the recovery room with Mickey immediately after his heart surgery.  Talk about being shocked, blessed and surprised!!

 Then last month I got this wonderful THREE page, hand written letter from Retha.  Note the beautiful handwriting.  I was sooo very blessed by this because sadly handwritten letters are almost a thing of the past.  She is a dear and brings joy to my heart.

 You can see I was so engrossed in reading the letter I wasn't even aware Mickey was taking my picture. 

Note also the T-shirt I am wearing, a BD present from my son Marc last December that says:  "Faithbook Jesus wants to put you in His Book.  Do you accept?  Revelation 3:5"  Marc bought it because he is so awed that his mother is a blogger and on fb!!!!!  Believe me this shirt has opened up some conversations for me when I see people reading my T-shirt!!!   Praise God.

 This lovely coffee mug was given to me as a gift for Suzette from Britney, one of my Tuesday night Bible Study woman.  Isn't it lovely?

 I hope you can enlarge this to read all the writing but the main point of the mug is "the big C is not cancer but Christ!!"  Yes, we KNOW that is true.

 Everyone know what a blessing our friends, Don & Barbara are to us!!!  Well, St. Patty's day Don had prepared this wonderful meal of Corned Beef & Cabbage, and, and, AND!!!!  The tablecloth in green, with fresh flowers, lovely dishes, china and crystal.

 Barbara had even made green sherbet punch, green pistachio pudding, and green sugar cookies.  Mutual friends Ron & Dody joined us in this grand celebration.  What really made it a blessing for us was that we had been at the hospital with Suzette all that day.  What a blessing and delight to sit down with good friends an a delicious meal after the stressful day we had.  Thank you AGAIN, Don & Barbara.  We love you!!!

 On February 28th Mickey & I and 6 of my Bible Study women all met and attended A Night To Honor Israel performance where John Hagee was the main speaker.  (Pictured right to left, Cindy O, Thelma, Norma, Sandra, Cindy W. - Also there but not shown was Carmel).

A group of woman have been meeting here at my home every Tuesday night since January 18th.  We are calling ourselves Woman of the Word - or WOW Woman for short!!!  We are, too, as we study, pray together and grow in the Lord. 

 Three of my favorites guys (grandson Aric - son Marc - husband Mickey) who I get to share breakfast with quite often.  Here we are at IHOP one recent Saturday morning.

 I'm sure all of you are familiar with Amish Friendship Bread.  One of my young Christian friends, Heather, brought me a starte.  Many days later I baked these 2 loaves, gave out 3 starters at my Bible Study and did another starter!!

 Long and MANY days later I ended up baking 6 additional loaves.  So my freezer is full of yummy, delicious Amish Friendship Bread.  Drop by and I'll give you a piece with a cup of coffee or tea :o)

 I made another couple of batches of Homemade Dry Laundry Detergent.  This smells sooo good.  You can find the recipe on my very neglected Frugal blog.

(left to right - Lola, Bob, Susan, Mickey)

To end - I was blessed with getting to have brunch with a cousin who I had not seen for about 40 years!!!  They were traveling through Tulsa and called and we meet.  What a wonderful, lovely treat.  Aric & Marc also joined us.  Suzette was in the hospital and Jacque had to work.

Speaking of Suzette - my next post will be an update on her.  Please continue to pray and stand in agreement with us for her healing.  BY HIS STRIPES SUZETTE IS HEALED

Catching Up #1 - A Birthday Celebration for BENNY

March 3rd found us celebrating another Birthday.

The birthday honoree, Benny (left) with son-in-love, Dave.  The place - The Rib Crib.  Can we say, "Yummy!"

The daughters, Jacque & Suzette.

 The son, Marc, with me.

The grands, Jessica & Aric.

It was a fun occasion.  Suzette was feeling good and even drove herself over and Dave rode his motorcycle!!

We love and cherish our family times!!