Bubba - 1/17 Thursday
January 18, 2008 by Sarah Underhill
Today was day two of a chemo plan designed on a timeline due to the type of drugs she gets. There are so many different types of chemo, and believe me she gets them all. Today was the day she gets three shots of chemo all at the same time, given by three nurses one in each leg muscle and one in the arm muscle. These are bigger needles and hurt as they enter, so she gets pain medications prior. They gave her Ativan, the one she just came off of. On top of her regular valium, kytril, and marinol she got today for nausea, she got thrown for a loop. She was really funny with all that dope in her, saying crazy things and she knew she was making us laugh so it continued on past the time I left. She was in a gun battle, she wanted to go to Silverados and dance, she played possum throwing comments out that would just crack up Derek and I. I think she enjoyed it. At least she was not sick.
Her blood pressure did drop drastically to 86 over 56, and we got concerned. It did come back up around 7 pm to 114 over 72. She just needed to get some of that pain medicine out of her system.
God revealed something to Cheryl today that we had all wrong. As you all know we prepped twice to go to Houston and both times Cheryl got sick and was re-admitted to the hospital, cancelling the trip both times. We questioned God as to why, and decided it was just not her time, her health was not strong enough to make the trip. Today the real reason was revealed to Cheryl from God. If we had not gone the week we did go, we would not have met that Godly little angel named Karen Doyel. Karen was set to be in MD Anderson on this specific week for tests as well, if we had gone any week but this one, we would never have met her, and the blessings we recieved from meeting Karen would not have happened. God continues to reveal things to us that just blow us away. This lady was supposed to see us, love on us, and pray for us, and to pass that lovely bracelet on to Cheryl as God had instructed her.
There is a plan, there is a time line, it comes on God’s schedule, not ours. Another lesson in patience. God always reveals why things happen as they do after the fact. That is the only way we can handle it. It builds faith. When all of this is over with and Cheryl is healed, can you imagine all the things God will have shown us, taught us, and revealed to us? What a glorious God we serve.. - Bubba
WOW!!! What a revelation!!! It’s always so hard on our part to wait on God’s answers and reasons but isn’t it well worth the wait when we finally figure it out. You guys are still bringing tears to my eyes and chills all over. I love you more than even I realized. Sharing God’s love brings so much happiness and togetherness that I only wish the world knew more about. BOY . . . it is so sad to know so many people are missing out. Again, thank you for sharing how real God is!
I’m praying for you everyday!!
Love,
Jennifer Ensley
Just want you to know we’re still praying; still believing; still expecting!
ECCLESIASTES 3:11 HE hath made everything beautiful in His time.
Love
Bill and Celeste
Hey Bubba and Cheryl,
I wanted you to check out on Caring Bridge, doribrown.
She has just posted about her successful transplant. No more leukemia. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Candy
I get on the blog almost everyday for the “Cheryl update”. Each day I learn more about faith and patience.
I will keep praying for comfort and healing.
Strel Timm
I truly believe that is why God did not allow you to go before that week. I am so thrilled you met my friend Karen. She is an absolute walking miracle and such a woman of God. She loves being able to minister out of her own experience. Praying for you all daily.
Friday has come and gone and Cheryl continues to gain strength. She had walked what was equal to 2 miles by dinner time. As the chemo deminshes her numbers will continue to climb, as of today the first dose has just about washed itself out. This number was about a 7.2 yesterday and stood around 4 today. When it gets close to 0 she will be released to come home again. The doctors thought it would take approx 9 days to do that, but then again they don’t know Gods plan either. It appears she will be released by Monday afternoon, which would be about 3 days early. Praise God.. Even though she has lost a day or so and gets things easily confused, she continues to progress. All that will return in due time. I am trying to get her to read more to stimulate her mind, and that is a job in and of itself. Cheryl never cared much for reading.
The nausea comes and goes, and should also deminish within a few days.
We heard how many of you have been faithful down the street at the Red Cross, seems all of Cheryls freinds and family have filled the cupboards with platelets lately. We could never do or say enough to you to show our appreciation and love for donating in her name. You are all storing up treasures in heaven each and every time you donate. We thank God for all of you.
Doctor Flinn came by yesterday, he is our other doctor on staff and told Cheryl she had stolen everyones heart here at Sarah Cannon and he was sure she would do the same thing at MD Anderson. He told her how special she was, and how special that hospital was. He assured Cheryl she would not get lost in the shuffel, that the process we were moving toward was a transplant from a donor, and that it would be sooner rather than later. So our specific prayer now is for continued strength, and a donor willing to step forward and help continue Gods work in healing Cheryl. This is day 120, four months later, and Cheryls bone marrow transplant is fast approaching. How exciting is that!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m so glad Cheryl is doing well and will continue to pray
for all of you.
Becky K.