Updates - Day 273

Today is Feb. 15, 2016. I was in the midst of Bible study and reviewing past notes when I realized today is near the one-year mark that Jim was diagnosed with cancer. Results of an endoscopy on Feb. 16, 2015, were revealed Feb. 19 with the diagnosis of esophageal cancer.

In the past week or so I have been I guess what you call in a funk. Down then up and down again. So many things have been on my mind. Thoughts swirl and I go places I am sure the Lord would not want me.

On Feb. 13, I wrote "The Lord's presence gives us peace, yet when our focus on Him is absent, our peace diminishes. The peace of God is so fine a treasure, yet what good is it when we don't give our all to the one who is the giver?"

On Valentine's Day, I remembered last year's theme verse - Hebrews 12:2-3, which says, "...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith."  

"The Lord says 'Come' " is a poem I wrote today. You can read it on this blog:
http://still-small-voice-of-god.blogspot.com/

                                      ~~~~~~~~~~
The last time I had any updates to share about Jim was just before Christmas on Dec. 21. I will start from that point and give highlights.

DECEMBER ...
On Dec. 23, Jim visited Dr. Brooks, his rheumatologist, at PCI. Jim has osteoporosis and every year for the past five years, he has been given reclast, an IV medicine. This year marked the last time he'd receive it. Something different for next year, and he would need a bone density scan as well.

On Christmas Day, he developed a cold, followed by a cough.

JANUARY ...
Jim celebrated his 67th birthday Jan. 3. He started a new series at Wilton Baptist Church on What Baptists Believe from the Baptist Faith and Message. The congregation provided a delicious birthday celebration dinner and he also received several birthday cards and gifts. That afternoon Jim and I went to the movies and saw "Star Wars."

Sunday night after work on Jan. 10, Jim took me to St. Luke's ER because of intense right side pain. I had UTI and was given antibiotics.

On Jan. 15, Jim visited Dr. Bailin, his cardiologist, at UIHC. He was given a good bill of heart health. No Afib. Blood pressure was 100/54, weight 128.3 pounds. He is to return in a year.

On Jan. 24, Jim presided over his first deacon ordination, with Ron Dunnahoo and Ken Paper being ordained during worship services at Wilton Baptist Church. It was a special day for everyone.

FEBRUARY ...
Jim and I met 28 years ago on Sunday, Feb. 7. Jim's sermon that morning at Wilton Baptist was "The Bread of Heaven" and he had made unleavened bread for the Lord's Supper following the service.

On Feb. 12, Jim attended the first of two luncheons for church pastors of the Great Rivers Southern Baptist Association. The luncheon was held at the Golden Corral restaurant in Davenport and organized by Mike Roberts, director of missions. Jim enjoyed visiting with the four others in attendance and mentioned one of them remembered him from days past when he served as interim pastor at Fairview Baptist in rural Anamosa.

Valentine's Day was Feb. 14. Breakfast was planned for 8:30 a.m. at Wilton Baptist and we were among several who brought tasty breakfast casseroles. The weather was less than cooperative, with snow and wind in abundance. One of the members, Charlotte, a member of the Red Hat Society, brought several red hats for all of us ladies to wear.  (See photos below) So pretty. Red was definitely the color and love the theme. Worship was cut short because of the weather, so Jim did a devotional on "Love" from I Corinthians 13.

This morning, Feb. 15, Jim had an appointment with Dr. Butler, his primary care physician, at UnityPoint-Hiawatha. He has gained weight - 138 pounds fully clothed (must be the candy and sugar cookies I made him for Valentine's Day). Blood pressure has gone down again to 80/54, but there is no dizziness. He continues to take 7.5 mg of midodrine two to three times daily. The doctor said his white count shows him to be slightly anemic. He is to come back in April for a follow-up and have labs done for CVC, metabolic and thyroid. Thyroid levels were up a little in July and normal in November.

Day 92

Jim is getting stronger, although still has moments of extreme tiredness and times when he doesn't sleep well through the night. The dizziness remains with him as does the lower than normal low blood pressure. So until one of his doctors believe his report that the coumadin is causing this (he didn't have dizziness and extra low blood pressure before he started taking this new medicine), it appears he is stuck with it.

Jim is back to cooking. On Saturday, Aug. 8, he froze 7 ears of sweet corn. When his sister came to visit on the 3rd, she brought a dozen big ears. We made our way through 5 ears and then decided we'd be tired of them before we got through the whole dozen. I suggested freezing them. So Jim did that while I did Gazette work. We should probably get some more, so we can have some this fall.

On Sunday, Aug. 9, Jim preached his second sermon at First Federated Church in Lisbon. It is not non-denominational, but rather Evangelical Bible. His message, taken from Hebrews 13: 7-16, was "Praise Be To God." We will be returning there in an interim role until the Lord determines otherwise.

For a couple years now we have talked about re-painting the garage door and other areas that needed it. On Tuesday, Aug. 11, it was finally accomplished through the efforts of Rocky and Christina. It was a busy afternoon, with the whole family here, working and playing.

Here are some photos:

Rocky and Christina painting first coat on garage door

 

Rocky and Jim scraping the trim by the front door; Austin is playing

Papa Jim (James) holding his adopted grandson and namesake, James

                                     

Papa Jim and firstborn adopted grandson Austin being silly 

The newly painted garage door. Looks great!  

On Wednesday, Aug. 12, Jim decided to buy some new jeans. For years he has worn size 33x36 or 34x36, but since he has lost so much weight since his May 12 surgery, he is now down to a 32x34. 

Slow going - Day 56

Jim IS getting stronger, but he struggles.  He feels he is always tired and sometimes when he is very tired, he gets frustrated and confused.  But don't we all?   He wants to do things, and we are doing things.  But then he doesn't understand why he is so tired.  He is tired of being tired.

Our second adopted grandson, James David Cook, was born Monday afternoon, July 6, at UIHC.  We were there with our family.  Jim loved being there, holding his new grandson, his namesake, when he was only 2 hours old.  A special feeling he has for this little boy, just like the special bond he and firstborn grandson, Austin Lee, share.  He is glad, we are glad God brought us all together. 

I am tired of not knowing what is going on with Jim.  He fails to share or when he finally does, I am nearing frustration myself.  I have told him we need to trust the Lord. Look to Him and not ourselves. When we only look at ourselves, we become discouraged and depressed, and we don't need to go there.  I know the Lord will take care of us;  He showed us so much during all that time Jim was in the hospital.  He will continue to show us, if we're paying attention to Him and following His instructions. 

We need to stop feeling sorry for where we are not and go with whatever God gives us.  God gives us every ounce of strength we need to face whatever comes.  We must rely on Him alone.

Isaiah 41:10 -- "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." 

I Chronicles 16:11 -- "Seek the LORD and His strength; see His presence continually!" 

Isaiah 40:28-31 -- "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." 

PHOTOS FROM JULY 6, 2015

Papa Jim and Grandma Cathy

with second adopted grandson, James.

Papa Jim and James

Our adopted grandsons, Austin and James

Today in the mail we received a check from Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield for use of the ambulance Jim required June 7.  The check was for $689, which we delivered to Area Ambulance Service.  We now owe them $413.  We plan to appeal the claim from Wellmark. 

Another thing that only adds to our frustration is the bill we received for the emergency room service at UnityPoint - St. Luke's on June 7. The bill went to Medicare instead of Blue Cross because UnityPoint - St. Luke's does not pay attention to what we have repeatedly told them. 

At supper tonight I asked Jim where his pain is that makes it necessary for him to take the pain medication. I said we had some narcotic meds that are not as strong as the hydromorphone, and he was all for taking them. The pain is primarily in his back. He said it burns. Sometimes his incisions hurt. He mostly lies on his back when sleeping. He tries to lie on his side, but then his incisions hurt, so he returns to his back. I don't know what causes the burning. 

Your continued prayers are appreciated. 

A step forward, a step back - Day 49

Yesterday was a step back. Today appears to be a step forward. 

Jim went to bed with a headache, and after listening to the thunderstorm and watching the lightning flash across the sky for a while, we fell asleep.  When he woke at 7 a.m., he didn't have a tummy ache and he could do No. 1 of bathroom duties.  He hasn't felt sick all day. 

My devotional reading said to not worry about what was on the road up ahead, but to find your security in knowing Him. 

Jim's devotional reading was from 1 John 4:10, which says "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 

His thoughts ....

It is through joy and grace that one can experience Jesus' love that cannot ever be filled up but always overflows. This is indeed true love he has for us and you. Think about it for a moment -- His love cannot ever be exhausted -- His love is powerful! His love is everything. His love is greater than all of the stars in the heavens that cannot be counted. But the greatest fact of His love is it is free. All one has to do is to accept it by faith in the Lord Jesus as a free gift. Now there is no other love by which we are saved.

I worked till 1:30 p.m., then we had fun times with Austin until around 4. His mom had her last OB appointment before baby James David is born.

We went to Bever Park to see the animals - it is really a sad state of affairs at Old MacDonald Farm, nothing like when I was a kid or even when my nephew was young - of course, even that was nearly 20 years ago. I should have stayed with my memories and forgone revisiting it.

But Austin had fun ...and then on to the playground and later to a Splash Pad on 42nd Street NE. We took pictures - Jim took them all, because he was into sitting, and I was into playing. I'll try to post some of those pictures later. Jim was ready to go home and rest in the recliner.

Tonight Jim and I are going to the Voices of Hope Concert at New Covenant Bible Church. We invited our friends Bob and Lorraine and they accepted and then they offered to drive. Mighty nice of them.

Tomorrow morning Jim has blood drawn again to see if INR readings have dropped. Then he has a 2:30 appointment - his 4-week clinic visit with Dr. Parekh, his surgeon, at UIHC.

SEE SOME OF THE PHOTOS OF OUR OUTING WITH AUSTIN, TAKEN BY JIM