Dear Church Family & Friends,
After several folks have requested, here is a current Donna Update (finally!) To cut to the chase, she is doing amazingly well!
A few weeks ago, she went back to her part time job as the Outreach Secretary at our church, Shadowbrook Baptist. She prepares the correspondence that we send out to folks who been our guest the prior Sunday at church. While it has been an adjustment getting back into the swing of things, Donna is as determined as ever to get back to ‘normal’. I need to thank the folks that work with her in the church office for being as understanding as they have been during this time. Thanx Betty, Gail, Brenda & Ann and to the ministers & directors, Karen, Marsha, Roger, Rick, Bruce, Donnie & Bobby!
Donna is still doing well with her chemo treatments with the drug Temodar. She continues to take the drug for 5 days, and then she has 23 days off. After three weeks, I take her for a blood test. The doctors do a CBC (Complete Blood Count) and they check her Dilantin level. The CBC checks her White & Red blood cell counts along with other items; the Dilantin level measures the amount of that drug in her blood. (Dilantin is given as a precaution against seizures since she has had brain surgery.) Amazingly, after 3 months of Temodar, which is a chemotherapy, her counts have improved!
Donna has been able to get back to most of her chores around the house. Not that the boys & I have been forcing her to do things around here, but she really does need to do these chores as part of her rehab. The only chore that she has not attempted yet has been cooking; but that will be coming soon.
This past weekend we had another first it was the first time since her operation that she has not needed to lay down for a nap during the day! Each day since August 28 she has had to lay down for a half hour to a couple of hours. This past Saturday she did not need to take a nap! Praise the Lord!
The other amazing thing is that it has been 5 months since this saga started. Donna had her operation on August 28.
This past weekend, Donna’s cousin Sal was here and stayed with us. (He comes to Atlanta from New York on business every 12 weeks or so we have a great time whenever he is here!) We also learned that Donna’s daughter Donna will be moving back to the Atlanta area in the next month or so. (This is also known as "Operation Escape From Alabama!)
As we must always ask, our prayer request remains the same: 1.) For the Lord’s will to be done foremost in this situation; 2.) For any side effects from any treatments to be minimal; 3.) We ask that the tumor NEVER EVER returns to Donna’s body; 4.) For her next MRI on March 6th to be clear.
If I may, I’d like to pass a long a prayer request for my Uncle John in California that is having some very difficult health problems at this time. We also would like to pray for Jackie, a woman that Donna is witnessing to who has terminal cancer of the lung/liver/spine/brain. Thank-you.
In His Name, Service & Love,
Frank
Back to January 2001 to Present Emails