A Quick Update

Dear Ones, this is just a quick update to let you know that I've started the new meds (Nystatin) for Candida yeast overgrowth, which the insurance is covering, praise God.  The meds can make me feel as bad as the disease and it continues to be a rough patch.  However, since it appears that the meds are making me feel sick, that would seem to indicate that there is an overgrowth of Candida, so we'll stay the course and see how things go over the next couple of months.

I so appreciate your prayers during these coming weeks.  It's really a day-at-a-time, sometimes an hour-at-a-time getting through the nausea and tiredness when they hit hard.  It helps to have low-key things to do, so I try to have projects at hand to distract me, so to speak.  :-)

In the midst, my dear daughter Jessie has a wonderful blog post today about the centrality of Christ.  It brought a sense of undergirding to me today.  She is a wonderful writer and if you'd like to read it and perhaps be blessed as I was, you can read it here.

Thanks so much for praying.  I'll keep you updated as we go along here.

Every Day......

In this you greatly rejoice,

even though now for a little while, if necessary,

you have been distressed by various trials, 

so that the proof of your faith,

being more precious than gold which is perishable,

even though tested by fire,

may be found to result in

praise and glory and honor

at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

1 Peter 1:6 & 7

Over two years ago, I posted this verse and these song lyrics in an update on this blog.  I was looking at the lyrics again tonight and realized how the truth of them remains through the days and months of life, because they are based on the truth of Scripture.  I love this song.  I can now offer a link to it on YouTube.

Every Day

In Your grace You know where I walk.

You know when I fall, You know all my ways.

In Your love I know You allow

what I cannot grasp to bring You praise.

Thank You for the trial,

for the fire, for the pain.

Thank You for the strength,

Knowing You have ordained every day.

Your great power is shown when I'm weak.

You help me to see Your love in this place.

Perfect peace is filling my mind

and drawing my heart to praise You again.

In my uncertainty, Your Word is all I need

to know You're with me every day.

Joel Sezebel and Todd Twining

The past two weeks have been another rough patch along the trail.  I've been blessed with two good days, one of which was today and the other of which was last Thursday, and an incredible gift.  I was able to go to Tillamook with some of my quilt group and view antique quilts at the Latimer Textile and Quilt Center.  If you'd like, you can read about our day here.  It was fabulous and I'm so grateful to the Lord for blessing me with that day.

I talked with my doctor again yesterday, a week earlier than anticipated.  I've been struggling with a number of new symptoms and I'm just so confused.  The doctor thinks there's a good chance that Candida yeast has reared its ugly head, so we'll be treating for that as soon as the insurance company gets on board.  I dealt with the same thing about 25 years ago when my daughter Maggie was a baby.  In some people it just never really goes away, and vigilance is the best treatment.  While my diet isn't conducive to feeding yeast, all the meds I've been taking can trigger a flare.  So, we'll see what happens when I start the new meds.  If it is yeast, I'll be experiencing die-off symptoms (which can be pretty tough) and then we'll know.  If nothing happens, we're probably barking up the wrong tree.

I'm going to close for tonight, but I'll write again soon and let you know how things are going.

Bless you, each one.

Quick Update

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 

  who comforts us in all our affliction

so that we will be able to comfort those

who are in any affliction with the comfort

with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

How I've found this to be true.  Affliction causes a deeper appreciation and understanding of the suffering of others.  I pray that mine will produce the ability to comfort others as God has comforted me.

I have completed the most recent course of antibiotic treatment recommended by my new doctor.  At this point, there doesn't seem to be any change in my symptoms.  I'm taking an intensive course of probiotics for the next few weeks and we'll see if that increases the number of good bacteria in my system.  He says that usually in about a month, the allergy issues show improvement if all allergens have been avoided.  I'm doing well on that point, so we'll see if the next couple of weeks show any difference in that arena.

For the past 5 days, I've been beset with major flu-like nausea again.  It's been awhile since it's been this bad.  I'd appreciate prayer as we continue to walk this path.

Bless each of you for your involvement in our lives through prayer and encouragement.  We're so grateful.