Great Views

               The sun has been shining over the past several weeks and

I just wanted to post something a little brighter

than my previous post.

The weather is beautiful and the last few weekends

 have brought our family a chance to work in

our yard and garden.



Even Tabitha helped water the tomatoes.

We planted 300  tomato plants as well as onions, peppers, watermelons,
catalops, beets, peas, radishes,
 beans,raspberries and I'm sure there are more I have forgotten. 
My son-in-law and two sons plan on selling most of the
 produce at the local Farmer's Market.

Kirby and Zoey enjoyed the outdoors too,

Here are a "few good men outstanding in their field."

Trent always works better while listening to a few good tunes
 on his headphones.
See the blue beehive in the background? 
That's the new home of 30,000 bees
 thanks to my son-in-law and
another one of his new hobbies.

Eggs anyone?

What a great life I have!
The views from
 the top
 of my mountain
 are amazing!

I am learning to live joyfully in the moment!

Giving In and Giving Up

Every few months or so I make the same stupid mistake. 
Sometimes I just get so frustrated with my poor health,
never ending infections and  PAIN,  that
I just decide to throw it all up.
I mean literally and figuratively!   

Lately I have been dealing with nausea from too many antibiotics
resulting in stomach aches and another ulcer. 
Also... My liver decided to quit functioning properly.

So a few weeks ago I had a liver biopsy. 
The Liver doctor inserted a long needle between the ribs
on my right side and pulled out a sample of tissue to be examined.
(it was not nearly as painful as I had imagined-thank goodness)

It's been over three long anxious weeks and
I still have not received any results. 
The nurse did tell me over the phone that it's not likely cancer
from the lab report she read (whew).
But still I must continue to wait! Very frustrating!!   

So to sum it all up.
I am sick of being sick! 
Yesterday I decided to quit. 
Instead of getting out my 2/day pill box filled with antibiotics,
pills for this side effect and another for
the side effect of that side effect,
as well as a host of vitamins and minerals,
I just gave up and threw the box up onto the shelf.
I tore off my pain patch and decided it was all in my head. 
Maybe the reason I am always tired, have no appetite and can't sleep
or can't sleep enough is just because of all these stupid drugs!
     
At 2am I woke up in PAIN.
It hurt from my toes up to my nose. My body was stiff and grating.
I managed to hobble to the bathroom to get a drink. "I can do this,"
I said giving myself a pep talk, I turned my iPod on,
plugged in my ear phones and forced myself to go back to sleep
 while listening to my " middle of the night, lull me to sleep music".

It finally worked for a couple hours
until the pain grew and gnawed me awake. 
I lay there gathering my thoughts and then
finally my strength to do what I had to do.   
I hobbled back to the bathroom pulled down my pill box,
and took the few most important pills including a pain pill. 
I grabbed a new pain patch and slapped it on my back.

I gave up and gave in. 
I gave up the idea that my poor health is all in my head. 
That the pain is just imagined,
and that because I am in cancer remission
 the effects of fighting it have disappeared.
They haven't.  
And I gave in to the fact that I can not do this on my own. 
That (as my husband says) "It is what it is." 
My body has pain and my body is still trying to heal.
I can not run away from that fact. 

I gave my pain and my problems up in prayer.       
I pleaded for strength and courage to continue.
I need medication. I need faith.
I need strength from my Father in Heaven.

When I quit fighting against the pain, and
give in to what I must do.
When I give up my pride in trying to do it all my own,
and lean on the Lord for help,
I gather the strength to continue
climbing this multiple myeloma mountain. 

Here is one of my favorite hymns.
"How Firm a Foundation"
3. Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, upheld by my righteous,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

words and music here