Freda Update

Thursday and Friday were good days last week. Labwork looked good on Thursday and I felt better Friday than I have since returning from Little Rock. I also got cancer marker results (I send labwork every other week) and they indicated stability of the disease. Gary and I enjoyed a fun time at my Sunday School class Christmas party Friday evening.

Unfortunately, when I got up on Saturday, I knew my heart was acting up again. In between doing things to prepare for Sunday, I was sending readings from the heart monitor I wear to the group that takes and interprets them, I could feel the fast and irregular beating and was very light headed so I was not surprised that they kept asking me to send another reading. It looked like I was headed for the hospital again. Then the heart settled down a little after 1:00 pm. I was so grateful. I had begun preparing myself for missing a wonderful day at Westside and with my family, but knowing God was in control and He would determine what happened.

When I began the day at 6:15 Sunday morning, I did so with an intense gratitude for the opportunities of the day. I did some final preparation on my Sunday School lesson and for the birthday celebration that was to be in our home at lunch. (My mother turned 82 on Friday.) As always my class was a joy to lead and fellowship with and worship at Westside was spirit-filled and joyful. At lunch we listened as mother shared her memories of hearing about the bombing or Pearl Harbor at church that Sunday evening and the changes that occurred as the country adjusted to fight a war. Sunday evening with Governor Huckabee was an unusual opportunity and a very special time. When I got home about 8:15 pm, I was very tired but grateful and happy as I thought back over the day. I appreciated and enjoyed Sunday even more than usual because of what happened on Saturday. I knew how close I came to being in the hospital instead of being at Westside and home.

One of the positive things out of this illness is the heightened awareness of the importance of every moment and every day. I often awaken in the mornings thinking, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). If God gives another day, we need to rejoice. We have no promise of tomorrow. The illness has also made me more conscious of the need to “make the most of every opportunity” (Colossians 4:5b). I want to praise Him and I also want to be used of Him each day. I do not want to miss what He is leaving me here to do. When He gives a day of life, I do not want to waste it.

I will be leaving for the doctor shortly. If all is well, I will continue the cancer treatment that I began two weeks ago. The doctors do not feel that the current cancer treatment and the heart problems are connected. There are side effects to the three chemo drugs, but thus far they have been very manageable. I am so grateful that they are oral and I do not have to deal with the time it takes to do infusions. God is so good. Thank you for your prayers! Please keep praying.