Easy Peasy

In the words of the wonderful Dawn Block: Easy Peasy.

Not that I ever want to have to do that again, it was absolutely the worst mostly because of what I had envisioned; but easy.

I had a little meltdown last night, we went to the movie The Hunger Games, basically for me to get my mind off of what I was facing.

Once home, I was nervous, anxious, jittery.  I laid in bed and the tears came.

This morning I went to the airport to pick up my sister, we had coffee at Starbucks, picked up Kent from work and headed to Royal Jubilee Hospital.

First stop was the lab, my new friend Alex was there, he was there to take 2 vials of blood for a study that is happening--that I agreed to participate in.  I decided that if I could help someone else going through all this I would......I stopped counting at 6 vials of blood, looked away--it was too much to see, the floppy butterfly lolling around in my vein -- moving this way and that.....ugh.

Next stop was the special hematology lab where I was going to have the bone marrow biopsy.  I guessed that Alex showed up to the lab to get his vials of blood.  I guess that he was there for 2 reasons:  1.  I would've gotten lost.  2.  I probably wouldn't have shown up.

We watched a man hobble out of the bone marrow biopsy room and I am not exaggerating when I say this.  He HOBBLED out of the room.

The assistant called me in and said I could have 1 person with me.  So, Lanette, my sister stayed out and Kent went in with me.

I sat on the edge of the bed and they called Dr. Xu in.  (Dr. Shooo).  He said that he wanted a break..the last guy gave him a blister on his hand, his bone was so tough.

Dr. Xu came in and sat with me and went over the procedure.  He showed me the blister the last guy gave him.....I signed the consent form and he asked me to lay down on the bed.

As I laid there, I looked at Kent, who was holding my hand.  The emotion started.  I was holding it all in when I began to recite in my head Psalm 121.  The tears began, Dr. Xu asked if I was ok, which I was, I just couldn't talk.

I began to feel peace.

What I didn't know was my sister was on the other side of the door, she texted "She's just gone in" to her 4 most faithful friends and family members to pray.  As well, friends all over the world were praying.

I can say, with utmost honesty, I don't want to have to ever, EVER do that again, but I know that I was not walking that alone.

When the procedure was over, Dr. Xu asked me if I wanted to "see".  Now if you know anything about me, the answer is yes.

He showed me the needles, the biopsy instruments, the slides, the actually bone marrow he had harvested.  All of it so interesting, but next time I am there, I want to be someones support, rather than the patient.

One of my concerns has been pain control.  Since this has all started I have had to detox twice.  My ability to become "addicted" to pain killers is as easy as some people become addicted to sugar.

I know that my friend Sandy has been praying for a painless day.  I can say, with great honesty, I have had a pain-free day.  Completely and totally.

God is good.  He has been so faithful in this -- I wish that I had the ability to completely in faith rely on Him.  I am learning.  I have grown in such amazing ways through this so far.  Going through all this has not been easy, but what I am getting out of this in personal, spiritual and emotional growth has all been worth it.

Up next: Pet Scan.

I have 2 dates to choose from April 16th which could mean a weekend in Vancouver with Kent or April 27th -- we will already be going to Vancouver for the Summit Pacific Graduation.

Decisions, decisions.