Almost out of the Fog!

⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

I got this verse from my older sister Megan. It was totally what I need at just the right time, so I decided to share it with all of you. J

Today is Tuesday, and I have another weekend of Remicade behind me. It was a rough weekend, but it is over, and I am hoping in the next couple of days, and into the start of the holiday, that I start getting back to 100% Ellie!!

It was so cool to see how the Lord has been able to use so much of “this” for His glory.  At treatment Friday I was able to tell the girls receiving their infusions about this blog and about what the Lord is doing in my life. In past treatments I haven’t ever really been able to talk with the other patients.  We all usually sleep through the infusion, but for some reason this treatment was different.  There have been so many times that I leave treatment feeling like no one “gets it”.  People expect me to rally back and be the normal Ellie. I wouldn’t want it any other way, however sometimes it is difficult, especially when it affects me the way that it does. The last seven days had been especially hard because I had to wait an extra week to get treatment so I was really low, and really not feeling well.

I beat myself up, when I don’t feel like myself.  It is hard because I don’t like to be what I call a “Debbie Downer”. Even though I was low, and despite the fact that I was receiving an increase in the amount of Remicade, this treatment was so encouraging. We all sat there talking about life, talking about how this drug/disease has affected each of our lives. We each had about 10-15 years between us so it was really cool to see where they each are at and how it is affecting them at 34 and 55. Suzanne, our nurse, said she was glad we were all talking.  She said it is a lot more beneficial for people that are experiencing similar types of treatment to talk through the different things we experience because of the medicine, or the different issues that we have struggled with because of our diseases. It was like our own little support group, haha!!  We all encouraged one another and it was so clear that while my treatment was a week late God was right on time. He had it all figured out. This verse, the one up top, couldn’t be truer. I was soooo weak going into treatment and even the weekend after my treatment, but I felt spiritually strong, knowing without doubt that the Lord had planted those women at the infusion center so that we could encourage one another and lift each other up throughout the struggles we deal with on a daily basis.

Patsy and I had a great “girls’ day” on Friday.  We talked the whole way there and the whole way back.  I am so thankful for her friendship.  She has been there for so many hospital visits and she also has taken me to numerous treatments. We have come to develop our own little traditions.  We start the day with Starbucks and end the day with Chipotle. I didn’t really get to eat my burrito bowl on Friday; I haven’t really had an appetite since my treatment. I think the increase made me a little sicker than normal, but I am slowly coming out of it.  Before you know it my blogs will start talking about all the fun running trails I am conquering.

This weekend Dante and I exchanged some Christmas gifts.  I think because I was feeling bad, he wanted to cheer me up a bit J.  Boy oh boy did he cheer me up!!!!   I got a set of pearl earrings from Tiffany’s. Girls, I am sure you can all agree that the pearls are amazing, but the little teal/green box with the perfectly tied white satin bow, is equally as exciting!!!! He did a great job!!!

Dante and I do this thing where we ask what the others roses and the thorns were for the day… week…. weekend… month, etc.  At any given moment you have to be ready to share your high (the rose), and your low (the thorn) for whatever time frame the other is looking for.  Well, the earrings were definitely my ROSE for the weekend, despite the thorn of feeling sick.

We are headed to New Jersey for Christmas to see his family, and we are so excited!! My parents will be coming in on Monday the 27, and Tuesday the 28^th on their way to see our family friends in DC and I am very excited about that as well. Every day I feel a little better, today my stomach is nauseous, but the headaches haven’t kicked in yet, PRAISE THE LORD!! One more day of work and we get some time off.  It will be so nice to just rest without having an agenda. Hopefully I will be able to start running here in the next couple of days!!

I hope you are all enjoying the holiday season, and getting all of your shopping done. While I don’t know who is all reading this blog, please know that you are prayed for.  I am thankful for the time that you took out of your day to read my posts. It truly means a lot and it has been such an amazing experience thus far.

God Bless,

Ellie