Working through the valleys

Andrea is progressing, but it is such a struggle at times with bouts of nausea and fatigue. She is such a go-getter, Type A personality, that it is hard for her sometimes to concentrate on being still and healing. Friday she broke the 110 lb. stalemate to weigh in at 111.8 lbs. Yeah!

We are asking you to especially keep her eyesight in your daily prayers. The cataracts got worse during the bone marrow transplant and she is seeing some objects differently. It is frightening to go from perfect vision in November to where she is now. I wrote down some "Fear Not" verses from Greg's Sunday lesson for me to concentrate on - Hebrews 13:6, 2 Timothy 1:7, Isaiah 41:13, Proverbs 29:25, Psalms 46:1- 2.

Please continue your faithful prayers for Andrea to see so she can read and drive again. Right now it looks like the surgeries may begin to take place in September. Her specialist said he plans to start with two surgeries in each eye, then he will determine what comes next.
Andrea feels the power of your prayers.
Love to all,
Kathy

Hike for a Cure, Pray for a Cure

Thank you all so much for your response to Hike for a Cure. Brooke has a great network and we appreciate her so very much. Please continue to pray for her good works. So much good will be done from the money she has raised and will raise for the cause. In Andrea's fight for her life, we sense everyone's need at M.D. Anderson for a cure every day that we are there. We have met so many amazing doctors, nurses and other patients.
We still go to MDA half of the week for Andrea to have blood drawn and receive meds and fluids. I am able to give her fluids at home with a battery pump the other half. Hopefully after the "100 days" from her transplant in mid-August we will only have to go once a week. We are always looking for the next positive step to take.
We still appreciate your never-ending prayers so much. They keep us going, literally. Andrea is very positive and anxious to feel better again. There are still so many after effects from the chemo and the drugs she takes now to keep her system at a level that will not reject Kristin's bone marrow. We thank God each day that Kristin matched Andrea's bone marrow. Andrea's hair is starting to grow just a little bit again and that is so good.
We have had some inquires about Zeus, and he is just fine. I fuss at him when he gets too "close" to Andrea and he acts so funny and "what did I do?" that keeps me from being too protective. Betty and John did such a good job of taking care of him during Andrea's hosptial stay that I need to watch how Zeus wants to take care of Andrea. All of you who have beloved pets know what I mean. Pet therapy is great. And by the way, on Wednesday and Fridays, Andrea's physical therapy is going pretty good, too.
Please continue your faithful prayers.
Love to all, Kathy

Hike for a Cure

For those of you who don't know, one of Andrea's sorority sisters, Brooke Sawyer, is hiking the Grand Canyon in Andrea's honor for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Several people have asked me what they can do to help and one of the things you can do is help Brooke raise money for her hike. You can do this by going to her website @ http://www.active.com/donate/hfddms/hfdBSawyer where you can donate and monitor her progress. Brooke is an ambitious and courageous person and we thank her for her support and determination.

Andrea continues her treatments at MDA for the next several months. We appreciate all the continued support and prayers. Please also pray for one of my fellow coworkers, Jane O'Connor, who just completed three treatments for colon cancer and will receive nine more in the following months. She too is a courageous lady who I admire and thank for the support she has provided me through this tough time. The power of prayer has and continues to work like I would have never imagined.

New month, continued healing

Andrea continues to go to MDA everyday, get a blood draw, receive fluids and then additional medication as needed. It takes about 5 hours and sometimes longer, depending on her blood levels each day. This weekend she was able to bring fluids home with her and I hook up a portable pump for fluids to run for 4 hours each day. Hopefully, Andrea will be able to do this more and more. It is such a long process that takes a lot of patience.
Thank you so much for your patience in continuing to pray for Andrea. She says she feels the power of prayer, and knowing that each of you continues to do that is awesome and reassuring. God bless you.
Love to all,
Kathy