Butterfly Sparks Designs

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Do you like my picture?

Thanks to Amy Ford for posting my brand new photo on the blogsite. This photo was taken for an upcoming edition of Studio G only a few days before my diagnosis. Thanks to the amazing staff in the Gateway Media Department for taking it and for letting me use it! We had a lot of fun that day!

What do you think? I think my hair looks pretty good - and since it's all about the hair right now - I'm kind of glad they got a photo where it looks nice. I invest a lot of my husband's hard earned funds in high/low treatments and a great stylist. They tell me when my hair grows back it might be a totally different color, thicker, or even curly. I guess it's good bye to my old bob and hello to something surprising! You are still praying for me, right?

Speaking of my hair, it's still here, but dry and brittle. In addition to the blood tests which tell the doctor the chemo is working, I can tell the chemo is working it's way through my systems. My skin is dry and kind of creppy looking, (that's creppy not creepy) my stomach is doing flip flops and tonight during dinner my mouth blistered. Did you know that you could treat mouth sores with a high tech treatment called cryotherapy? That's a very fancy, scientific word for eat ice chips as fast as you can to reduce the blistering! It's working. My mouth feels better than an hour ago. Thanks to my fellow survivor Marianne Kalush for that tip!

Many thanks to Lisa Moseley for coming to my home today and driving me to my appointments. I wasn't so chipper this morning - so she helped finish getting ready and we headed off for our first appointment of the day. Bad news - my blood count was lower than the day before - therefore, another shot - and an antibiotic and a mask and a restricted diet and activity schedule. Good news - he cancelled my other two appointments for the day saying I didn't need to hang out in doctor's offices - go home.

So by 11, I was back home - in bed again - and being severely tempted to feel sorry for myself. Lisa prayed over me while we waited for the perscriptions and I'm convinced that the tide began to turn with her intercession. By 1:00 I was up, emptying the dishwasher, fixing some lunch and thinking "I feel better." I wonder if this is how cancer recovery is - a roller coaster of good moments, mixed with bad and the one consistent factor being you just keep going! I keep getting the same advice in lots of place - just don't give up! Somebody must have prayed for me (you know who you are) because I pulled out an audition dvd for Pink Impact and for about an hour I thought about how much God wants to share His heart for women. Needless to say, I was revived. This is a little trick I'll have to remember.

Thanks to the Sailor's for another amazing dinner! My boys are so happy! Blessings to this young couple as they are days away from welcoming their second daughter and still ministering to us by bringing food in 100 degree weather. Praying for a safe delivery and a healthy baby.

I've been thinking a lot about the goodness of God. How only He is good. I'm confident that cancer is bad - not from God - and not my destiny. But somehow, God who is good, will take my momentary circumstance (bad) and turn it for my good and His glory. Satan must be truly frustrated by the fact that what he intended for evil, God will turn to good. Here's the verse I'm meditating on today: But you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water, and I will remove sickness from your midst. Ex 23:25 - That's good!

I can't believe I almost forgot to tell you the best news of the day! My bone marrow biopsy came back clear! So grateful for every piece of good news! Narrowing down the scope and infiltration so that we can target our attack!

With love,

Jan

13 comments:

Brenda Peterson said...

Yay for good test results. Double yay! Yay that satan is frustrated. And that is a great pic of you. You look very beautiful in it. We'll keep praying and you'll keep overcoming and satan will just keep getting frustrated--a beautiful plan!

Anonymous said...

Renenber our conversation at the prayer retreat - your destiny is to minister to women. You think of strategy to reach them, ways to bless them and words to comfort them all the time...y'all are called and this is your God given destiny and you have much to fulfill!! Praying...love you precious sister. From your Greek sister in the Lord - JoAnn!!

Jennifer said...

I love the picture, it's beautiful!! Every time I see you or your picture I can't help but think of what an amazing instrument you are for God and his love. You are an incredible woman, I love reading the blog and can't wait to keep hearing more and more good news!!! Still praying, won't stop!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful, beautiful woman of God... inside and out! Jan, what a blessing you are to those who are walking with you as your story of faith unfolds. As I read paragraph after paragraph of courage and victory spilling forth from your heart. What can separate us from the love of God? Absolutely and positively NOTHING! I pray the Holy Spirit will cover you in the balm of gilead. That you will find yourself carried in the arms of Jesus as he sings over you. I love you and send arm loads of hugs your way... Before the throne of grace for you. Leigh Ann

Lisa Watson said...

That picture is beautiful!!! I LOVE the orange....it's great on you! You are in my thoughts and prayers continually! You are SO loved and treasured by SO MANY women! I just have to laugh at the enemy's plan when I think of the army of thousands that are storming the gates of Heaven on your behalf!! We are the victors! WE WIN!! “I shall not die but live, and shall declare the works and recount the illustrious acts of the Lord."(Ps 118:17)God has such amazing plans for you, Jan! It doesn't feel so great right now, but after you have endured......the PRIZE! "Blessed is the woman who perseveres under trial, because when she has stood the test, she will receive the crown of LIFE that God has promised to those who love him." (James 1:12).... "You will be a crown of splendor in the hand of the Lord, a royal diadem in the hand of your God." (Isaiah 62:3)Love you, girl!!! Lisa

Tammy M. said...

You are right that cancer is not from God. But God is so great He reigns even in illness. I heard a video testimony the other day of Joe Almanza here in Abilene. It was so powerful. He said that God takes our mess and turns it into our message. I have always seen God's message spread farther in darkness than it does in the light. Your light for Christ will shine brightly through this time of cancer. More people, believers and non believers will have their faith strengthened, or even find Jesus for the first time, because they see your constant reliance on our sweet Jesus. As the child of the Great Redeemer, you only need to rest in Him and He will give you what you need and just at the right moment. I know you are claiming those scriptures and keeping yourself in the Lord. Ephesians 6:10 was my constant companion when I felt that my faith was under trial with Jack, and has become a good friend to me. I can just read through Ephesians 6 and be strengthened by the Lord. Satan will try and throw those firey darts, but sister you hold up your shield of faith and use the Sword of the Spirit and when all else is done...stand. Stand in the mighty Name of the Lord with your head held high as He is shining his love down on you. What a blessing this is for you to allow us to participate in this journey, but really the journey has two star players, God and you. He will lead the way.

connie patterson said...

Jan you are an incredible writer! Wow, I'm just amazed right now because I can see how Daddy is going to use this experience and your amazing gift of writing to reach even more people... I am praying right now that you will be just as encouraged as the ones who are blessed by your writing. the enemy's been defeated, and your best is yet to come!

love you,
connie

Melissa Terry said...

Beautiful Jan, Amen to what Joann said!! This is HIS word to you today...

"Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day."
2 Timothy 8-12

You are a rock star and I am so proud of you! Keep going...

We are with you the whole way...

Abby Grace said...

Great news about the biopsy Jan!!!! God is so good and I love seeing His power in your life. I would love to drive you around to any upcoming appointments you have or just come over and keep you company or grocery shop for you or anything else you need done. I'm serious Jan- it would bless me to serve you. Love you!!!!

Abby Grace said...

By the way- this is Katy Byrne in case you didn't figure that out. :)

Deborah Mash said...

Jan,
The picture is beautiful ! (and I think you'll be happy with how colorful and fun it looks in the magazine as well.) What 'jumps off the page' to me isn't just your great hair- and beautiful self :) but your smile. You have an incredibly beautiful spirit.
A strength and sweetness that speak volumes about who you are.
I am so thankful that your bone marrow tests came back clear - that is a huge victory !!!
You're beautiful Jan !!

sacha said...

Jan! Great pics are so uplifting to us girls! I feel it captures all the beauty, joy, strength, & depth that is you! Immediately your blog made me reflect on the things that Gid blessed me with when I was in high school 13 years ago and decided to stand and fight the attack of the enemy to take my life through anorexia! I had been battling it since I was 11 years old, sadly, & it had only grown exponentially to a point I had no control & my body would no longer even recieve or digest food as I struggled to now not succumb to it! I lived with a mighty woman of Gid who walked with me daily! One day, I heard the Lord asked me, "What do you want?" "Really?!" I said " Well, I want my insides that I am told I am missing to grow back so I can have children!!" Then He said, "What else?!" "Um, well if this isn't too selfish, I always wanted to grow an inch & a cup size!", I responded. God asks me what I want & I respond, taller & bigger boobs?! Well, it was a hard struggle mentally & physically, but I knew that if He asked me what I wanted, He was going to heal me!!! Everyone says it's an addiction & it never really goes away, but it DID!! 100% It's as if He " touched my hip" so to speak & I MUST eat or I get sick!! My reproductive parts actually grew back & we have very fruitfully mutiplied! Lastly, I got my silly desire! I am 5'1.5" now & a silly C cup, but He cares about our little desires!! All that to say, I know your hair & skin are gonna be the most gorgeous ever & probably all you ever thought "Ooooh I love that hair or skin!" May sound carnal, but it's special to Him, just like we love all things that delight our lil ones! Thanks for sharing ALL your "roller coaster" because we know it's not all lollipops & gumdrops, but still we can see His faithfulness & now how to fight with you!!! Eat our dust, Satan!!;) Love, your sisterly warrior! Sacha

sacha said...

Ok, of course, I mean God, but my phone loves to change the words!!:)