Dear Friends,

It’s been a rough few weeks. On Thursday January 4 I could not get my 11^th chemotherapy infusion, as my blood numbers were too low. Later that day I had an ultrasound scan, which discovered some Deep Vein Thrombosis (blood clots in my leg), which is dangerous because the clots may break loose and travel to other parts of the body: the lungs (this is probably the cause of the pulmonary embolism that put me in the hospital in December), the heart (which might cause a heart attack), or the brain (which might cause a stroke). So the doctor said, “I need to keep you safe,” and so he instructed me to go straight to the emergency room, where they admitted me and started me on more infusions with Heparin, the strongest blood thinner, to augment the body’s efforts to dissolve these clots. They sent me home from the hospital on Sunday afternoon, with a beefed-up prescription for Eliquis, a pretty good blood thinner which can be taken at home in pill form. The oncologist says I’ll probably be taking Eliquis for the rest of my life.

Yesterday, Wednesday January 10, I was scheduled to receive the chemotherapy dose that I couldn’t get last week, but again my blood numbers were too low (different bad numbers from last week). I’m feeling a little discouraged by this: chemotherapy’s side effects are truly unpleasant, but I’d really like to press on and get through these last two infusions and be done with it, rather than facing a series of delays. Meanwhile, yesterday afternoon we attended a dialysis education class. My kidney function is still running between 17% and 21%, but when it gets below 15% we’ll need to be deciding what method of dialysis we will use.

At home I read and write at my desk for much of the day, along with playing an occasional game and watching a few shows. I’ve made a batch of sourdough which I will shape and bake later today. I go to physical therapy once or twice a week, trying to keep up my strength. I’m getting around pretty well with a walker, which I need because my sense of balance is unreliable. I have not yet fallen, but I’ve had a number of moments when I’m pretty sure I would have fallen if I didn’t have the walker to steady myself.

I’m grateful for all your prayers, your support, your cards and letters and emails. They really do make a difference. I’m grateful that we live just 12 miles away from world class medical care. I’m grateful that we have good insurance, paying for all these expenses. I’m grateful for all the nurses, the doctors, and the therapists. I’m grateful for Micaela’s steadfast caring for me in the midst of all this. And I’m grateful for the steadfast love of Jesus, holding me and sustaining me through these afflictions.

These verses have been so encouraging for me: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God” (II Corinthians 1:3-4). I pray that you will feel the presence of the Lord, comforting you and consoling you in the midst of every affliction that comes your way.

Thanks be to God, today and always –