Where They Whisked Debra Away In an Ambulance. (Part One)

                                    "Heal me and I shall be healed."

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(If you can't handle mentions of blood, you may want to avoid this. I am skipping a hundred details, though.)

Oh dear. Lately I'd wished for an adventure and yikes! I got a huge one.

Thursday night around 7:00 (Gross Alert) I awoke to discover I was bleeding like horror movie crazy (well...). Felt dizzy, too. Somehow I made it safely down the stairs, laid on the kitchen floor and spoke words to Tom I thought I'd never say:

"Tom. I need an ambulance." 

He'd fallen asleep in his recliner, but he pulled himself together, made the call, and yelled for Naomi down the stairs. Then they both did 50 little things for me to prepare me to go. 

Eventually the ambulance arrived, they placed me in a rolling chair then took me out into the dark, cold night. Tom rode in the front and Naomi followed. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance? Picture yourself inside a toolbox being shaken and the rattling! Oh my.

At the local hospital they changed me out of my bloody nightgown, asked bunches of questions and said I needed a blood transfusion. Over the night they gave me 3 bags of blood. Oh dear.

But that continued in a different hospital! This current one had no ob gyn services so yes, another ambulance ride, this one longer, over to Buffalo. And there I stayed until Sunday afternoon. Tons of adventures over those days and so many kind, helpful people (and so many Hallmark movies and episodes of NCIS. heh.)

Yet I felt peoples' prayers and such grace and peace. And you know? I even loved the MRI. Had a mild sedative and they wrapped me in soft, warm blankets, I closed my eyes, and felt so loved.

So that's a sign of how things tended to go those days, but yeah, a couple parts were hairy-rough. One was a scariest moment, ever, but even Jesus turned that around. (More later.)

And that's enough for today, except I ended up being diagnosed with cervical cancer, around 1B. But again! Jesus has given me such peace and I truly do feel everything is gonna be ok.

Thanks for your prayers!

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Oh, and my mom is in hospice. Please pray for our whole family, ok? Thanks so much.

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Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be. 

 *** "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

In Case You're Searching for My Obit :)

"And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."   ---1 Peter 5:10

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Yikes! Well, I certainly owe you all an apology for my lack of posts here.

When finishing my last post, I imagined things would return to hunky dory, but then my mom had a stroke and was taken to Sacramento. We thought the return home would help, but it hasn't really. It's been rough.

Please keep her in prayer.

Then this week I discovered one of my problems seems to be silent reflux. (Yeah, I'd never heard of it, either.) So I continue to make adjustments in diet and much else.

(Oh and remember when I thought I probably didn't have gluten intolerance after all? Well, most likely I do. So more research, more changes, etc.)

Five months of struggles! Somedays I'm tempted to quit believing for fully-returned strength, but then God always reminds me:

Keep searching for answers.

Keep believing.

Keep pushing through the temptation to settle for mediocre.

And keep your heart calm.

And in the meantime I watch the leaves through our picture window  change to deeper gold and trickle down. I step outside to the front porch to drink in deep gulps of autumn air.

I truly do need to take some walks and pull myself back together. Oh Honey, I have so let myself go. Probably half my problems would disappear if I'd exercise. (Imagine that.)

So please keep me in prayer, also. Thanks!

Another special thank-you to my friend from high school (and beyond), Linda, who visited my mom while she was in the Sacramento hospital.

And I do thank each of you who've checked up on me throughout the weeks. So encouraging!

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Did I already share with you the Vacation Education guy and his dad? I'm really enjoying their videos, though sometimes, he can go a bit heavy on the history of the places or the way they cook things, so I'll do bits of fast-forwarding. Oh, and Ellie B. the dog is cute in her stroller, too! 

Oh, and we've watched some good movies lately, but I can't recall their titles at the moment. We are enjoying the new tv series, Boston Blue, Sheriff Country and the 2nd seasons of Murder in a Small Town, Matlock, and Watson.

Not every season in our lives is a pleasant one, but we can have hope the next one will be.

Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be. *** "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

"I Miss You, Debra."

"Be still and know that I am God." --- Psalm 46:10

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Just thought I'd report in from Life on the Red Couch.

It's all these changes that make me a bit bonkers. New foods to eat, (many to avoid), new recipes and times to cook them. Doing everything slower than I used to. Having only partial energy. And much more.

In fact, there on the couch I held a pity party while remembering the happy-snappy, fast-paced, driving-places, estate-sale-loving, people-filled life I once lived. It got me all teary-eyed and I whispered, "I miss you, Debra. I miss you." Hung my head.

But I know better than to camp there. So I left soon. Made myself count 20 blessings.

Anyway, I've not wanted to write downer posts, so hence my absence here. I'm skipping much, but my sense of privacy is kicking in.

Changes. Acceptance of different seasons. Clinging to hope and anticipation when tempted to go with the downward flow. Letting everything work compassion in your heart for others...

... It all requires much time and patience. And much time spent alone with God.

A special thanks to those of you who have paused in your day to ask how I'm doing.

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We watched the Dr. Ben Carson movie and enjoyed it much.

Also, we re-watched The Map of Tiny Little Things and I love what it did with my imagination.

I'm rereading my favorite middle grade comfort book: Mystery of the Red Carnations by Mary C. Jane. Perfect for autumn and few other books whisk me away like this one. Available on Kindle for cheap.

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Let's end this with a smile, ok? :

Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be. 

 *** 

 "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15