ready, set, go!

A good deal of change has happened in 2011 thus far.

Our current season of life, the one we have been in for quite some time, is shifting.
It feels like various pieces, layers, are moving on to a new season. But other pieces stay behind.

It's odd not knowing exactly where all of these components of daily life are going to settle. Quite a few keep floating back and forth.

But change, motion, is good.

After taking a two-year leave of absence, Spencer has returned to school. So strange for him to be a student again! It's sure an adjustment, but he's working hard and we trust God will get him through a rather tough load of classes. Particularly organic chemistry. He loves the class, but whew! Hard work!

I cannot begin to update you on the past...oh, dear... several months. Maybe some time I will, but realistically, it probably won't happen. Let's just say they were tumultuous.

As for now, we are getting settled in our new home. Yes, our very own little place. God is so good to us! We are loving reacquainting ourselves with our beloved beaches and redwoods.

So, what allowed this big change in life situation?

:: I am doing pretty well. December was kinda shaky, but still improving. And January started off tough because Dr. J wanted me to do one final punch of HBOT + Tigecycline before we moved. That was one intense treatment, but I bounced back quickly, and with more energy and stamina than I started with.

:: We haven't seen me this consistently able to function in... a very long while. More and more good days. "bad" days are less intense. "good" days are better. It's really amazing.

:: Days here and there where I can: HELP WITH DISHES! MAKE MYSELF (a simple) LUNCH! SORT & PUT AWAY LAUNDRY! Not all in one day, but this is Crazy! Wonderful.

:: I do still need to rest in bed most of the day, but can get up and about more easily and at least do a few small tasks. Such a blessing. I'd lounge on the couch more, for a change of pace and to be closer to Spencer when he's cooking/cleaning in the kitchen, but alas, we have no couch as of yet.

:: My struggle. I am headstrong and prone to overdoing things. This whole "feeling better' thing is wonderful, but I really need to take it easy. The focus is to heal, not overdo it and relapse. A new, yet familiar lesson in patience and discipline :)

:: I am currently on oral antibiotics. Petrova the PICC line is still in place, because Dr. J wants to see how I do. If I do well and don't backslide, hopefully Petrova will get pulled. In the meantime it's nice to still do fluids, meyers cocktails, glutathione.

:: one of the oral antibiotics I'm on - I haven't been on it in a year. I've been hit hard in different ways when it was reintroduced a month ago. More nerve and joint pain. The worst nerve pain I've had in quite a while. So maybe the drug is hitting something in a way that hasn't happened for some time. Oh how odd, to live in a world where bad symptoms are celebrated :)

:: I'll do another round of orals on the 14th and then we'll evaluate w/ Dr. J and our IV nurse where to go from there. hopefully no more IV antibiotics!

:: Please pray. I'm at a crucial point in treatment. improving a great deal, but could very easily backslide. Please pray for wisdom for Dr. J and for us as we observe my progress day to day. Our local doctor is amazing and completely supportive and willing to work with Dr. J. We are in good hands. Our God has blessed us beyond measure once again.

:: Spencer is doing alright physically. The stress of moving and starting school has set him back a bit, so he's going to do a week of oral antibiotics this week. We're hoping once the dust settles and I'm able to better help out around the apartment, that he'll bounce back.

:: Please pray for Spencer. He does SO MUCH as a husband, care giver, provider, and now student. We're feeling good about him diving back into school, but it won't be easy. I continue to be amazed and humbled at how selflessly he serves me and works to care for our little family even when so weary.

::With me doing better, we're hopeful that there won't be such a burden on him regarding caring for me. and once Petrova is pulled, big changes in how much he has to do for me. I'll be able to wash my own hair!! *blissful sigh* and groan of relief from him :) Bless him for washing my hair for over a year now.

:: Thankfully we've already been able to get plugged in w/ our local church. I felt well enough for us to join a new Bible study that was just started and what a blessing it was to meet with other believers in a small group setting to study God's Word and fellowship with one another. We're really excited! The Lord is so gracious.

Well, that's all for now... I'm sure I'm missing some significant details, but oh well. At lease I'm posting SOMETHING :)

We continue to ask for your prayers. We thank the Lord for blessing us wiht you dear family and friends - what a wonderful team of prayer warriors, encouragers, letter writers, financial supporters. THANK YOU. Your words, contributions, actions, prayers are HUGE in our daily lives and we are so blessed and encouraged.