Count Down

Well, I am getting closer and closer to the start of my treatment and cure. I go in this Thursday for my first infusion! I get a blood test, go across the parking lot to see my oncologist while they run my blood test and then over to get this party started. They will be taking it very slow for me because they usually give Benadryl with the infusion but I have very bad reactions to Benadryl (of course, always the odd one!).  They will be giving me Clariton and Pepsid instead. Please pray that I react well to the Taxol so I can continue on this path.

Danielle is coming down Wednesday night and will be joining our little team of Joe, Kendall and I for the day. We will take turns since we can't all be in there, unfortunately I don't get to switch out! LOL  I am looking forward to seeing her and having her here. If I am feeling up to it Joe and I will go up to LA on Saturday and watch her perform!  She is getting back at her music and I am excited to hear her beautiful voice again.

Cameron will be home the weekend of August 22nd for a friend's wedding and I am so happy I will be able to see him and spend some time with him. I cannot wait to wrap my arms around that boy! I warned him to prepare himself because I will be extra mushy! ;o)

I probably won't post again until Thursday night since I am just at work today and tomorrow. I thank you all again for your continued prayers and good wishes, each and everyone of you mean so much to me and I can feel them all flowing in! Please keep my good reaction to the chemo in your prayers and I'll let you all know how it went. 

Blessings

Okay, I am sure many of you who have never been involved with me in a religious sense before now are probably saying, "Wow, Beth is really getting into this God thing a lot since her diagnosis." Although I will happily admit that I have grown even stronger in my faith during this, I have been this way a good portion of my life. I was not raised in a particularly religious home as a child. I was baptized as a baby and was taken to church a few times, mainly Easter as I recall because I vividly remember being all dressed up and even had this cute little handbag with me. I opened it during church and spilled all of the marbles I had loaded it with. You can only imagine what that was like!

I was always intrigued and called to find a church home for myself. Growing up I tagged along to many different churches and services with friends and their families. You name it, I tried it. I remember getting in the Cronan family station wagon (they had 11 kids and probably didn't even notice I was there most of the time) and going to Blessed Sacrament. It was in Latin back then and I had no idea what was going on but I did love those donuts in the basement afterwards! 

Needless to say, I married a "cradle Catholic" and found my church home.  I have taught religious education to elementary kids, middle school kids and still teaching high school kids (my personal favorite!). I adore working with them as they prepare for their confirmation into our church. They are all so wonderful in their own ways and I get so attached to them...especially the ones that I know are reading my blog...we have that extra special connection!

If you were not aware of this it is probably because I am not the "preacher" type of person when it comes to faith. I don't mean to say I hide it but I totally respect everyone's own choices and walk that they are on. If someone else brings it up, I more than happy to jump in and share but I guess I have chosen to try and be more of one of those who live by example verses just all talk. I am deeply into my faith and talk daily with God, I really don't know I would still be here without it. I feel like He has been growing my faith and calling me closer and closer to Him and now I can clearly see one of the reasons for this. I don't think it was all about the cancer, I know He has many, many reasons and they are all gifts to me. My life has truly changed for the better from it. I feel like life throws curve balls at you every day and it is easy to get your "train derailed" along the way. When I go to mass I feel like God picks up my little caboose, lovingly brushes it off,  and gently places it back on track. Whether people do that through meditation, prayer on their own, or go to a church, I think we can all improve and start over again by doing that. ;o) 

Because I am not that outward about speaking about my faith (outside of a church setting) this part of my blog is a bit more challenging. I think of each of you as I write and wonder what the different reactions are and at first I worried about offending or turning people off. I even separate this part from the news part just in case someone doesn't want to read it. I have obviously decided that these are thoughts and feelings that I need to put into words and you cannot even imagine how therapeutic it is for me. I write my blog very "raw" and really don't go back and keep re-reading to look for mistakes (which I am sure you have caught onto by now). ;o) You are getting Beth unfiltered and uncensored (okay, a little censored...remember I said I have those wonderful kids from church reading this!).  

With all that said, now you know more about me and my spiritual side. I thank you for reading my blog and for the incredible feedback and comments I get in various ways from you. It is wonderful to have you all on my team and by my side. I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I love you all. Now Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho, off to work I go! (most of you probably get that too - wink, wink)

(P.S.)

One other thing, I have mentioned a book called Jesus Calling.  I have read it over and over for a few years and mentioned that I mark parts that touch me each year. It is amazing how the pages reach me differently each year. Well todays was quite remarkable and spot on for me so I just had to share it. I am being lazy and took a photo of it instead of retyping it. Here you go...