GREAT NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GREAT NEWS!!!! wanted to share with ya'll what happened at my last doctor's appointment! Each week they draw my blood to check my white/red blood cell counts, hemoglobin, and many other things. My numbers have been consistently low each week. They told me in the beginning that if one particular number was too low than I would not be able to get the chemo that week and would have to wait another week. I never wanted that to happen but it's really out of my control. I wanted to get this chemo over with.

However, this time it happened. He said I couldn't receive the chemo. I was so discouraged I started to cry. I've just been so counting on ending this Sept 27th and looking forward to each monday to get it done!

However he said I have two options: 1) skip today and start again next week or

2) get a huge dose of taxol today one that would cover my August ones
and then come back in two weeks, August 30th for my LAST CHEMO!!!! (this one would cover the Sept. treatments.) The catch is, the day after I have to go back to W-S for that yucky shot to instantly build up my bone marrow.

So I had to make a decision. I knew that I didn't want to wait but he told me the shot costs thousands of dollars. I had immediately said no to the shot, that it was too expensive. My sister went with me and encouraged me to call James and see what he thought.

In my last post I mentioned that our insurance company had dropped us because we weren't heading back overseas anymore. So it was a challenge to find insurance that would accept me. We got insurance for the rest of the family but again this new insurance rejected me due to the cancer. So with many prayers and James' long hours working on this, he found a plan that would give me insurance. It will start Sept 1st but we do no think that it will cover the pre-existing conditions of cancer. But at least I have health insurance!

One of the nurses mentioned to me about a fund called Charity Care through the hospital that we could apply for to help us cover these costs. We applied and they have agreed to cover 50% of the cost of our bills for three months! What a huge answer to prayer!

Anyway, I am so glad Alyssa encouraged me to call James at that moment. I called and he told me not to worry about the money but to ask the doctor what he thinks I should do. My doctor said he preferred that I stay on schedule with the chemo and have it that day.
So I did!

James told me I am def. home bound now, because of my immune system and have to be really careful. I am so thankful to God and I know how much He loves me. He is really doing this for us!

I did struggle some at the hospital. I guess I have felt so positive for so long that I then struggled with some fear or dread that this might not end so quickly. James and Alyssa both thought that maybe those thoughts came because I was so surrounded by it there in the waiting room. So I just have to again thank God for doing this for me and claim His healing forever and believe that it won't come back.

I mentioned before that it takes a few days for the shot to kick in and when it does it knocks you off your feet! I started to feel bad around wednesday and then the bone pain in my legs increased significantly thursday and friday. It makes your bones ache so badly. It really made my legs ache and feel as if my bones, especially my kneecaps, were broken. I stayed in bed til sat. and didn't really feel good til monday. But that was LAST week and this week God has made me feel so good, I've been able to exercise.

Ashley woke up tuesday morning with fever. So with my immune system being so vulnerable I was off to spend a few days with my parents in their house til she was not contagious. I hated not being able to hold her and I missed the boys' first few days of school but Ashley hasn't had fever since yesterday and I am going back home today. Can't wait to squeeze my family! I have had a very relaxing and fun time with my parents, swimming, fishing, watching movies.......They are amazing and I am so grateful for them.

My hair is already starting to grow back! Peach fuzz all over but def. new hair!
yay!!!! I have 11 hairs on my right eyebrow and about 15 left on the left! I bet I'm the only one that can actually count her eyebrowhairs!!!!! :) so I did! :) ha!

I cannot close this post without mentioning some of the best news ever and best answer to prayers!!!!!!!!!! James got a job, and just the job he wanted! He will be the Hospitalist at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. He had an extensive application to send in, and two in-person interviews and they called and told him they will be sending him a contract!

We are so thrilled and grateful for all who prayed for him and those who sent in referrals as well.

My son Wes had just the right attitude and one that I think pleases the Lord and that He blessed. As we were praying for this job as James was in the interview, Wes said something like, "Well if Daddy didn't get the job, and God didn't want him to get it, then God will provide something else for Him." Wes wasn't worried. I can learn from his faith.

We have seen so many answers to prayers. God has richly blessed us and walked every step of the way and gone ahead of us. I am still amazed we found this when we did and that God didn't allow it to spread any further throughout my body. His is SO, SO, SO good to us.

The other day I was going into a store with Wes and a lady was walking behind us with her son. As we approached the door I stopped to try and pull a few hairs down from my bandana on the sides and tuck the back of my bandana in, in the back to cover the back of my head. Just a little self-conscious! :) This lady said to me, "I think you are beautiful," and kept on walking! I thanked her but was so very touched by that! She didn't have to say that, she was even on the phone with someone but paused and leaned over to me to tell me that. It meant so much to me when sometimes it is still hard to be almost bald. It made me want to find the next lady in chemo out there and tell her the same thing!

It is amazing the unconditional love of people. My kids are a perfect example. At home I sometimes don't wear a bandana and just walk around without it. Chad said to me the other day that he couldn't even hardly remember me with my long hair, he's so used to it being this way. And then he said, "you know, if you wanted to keep your head that way, it'd be just fine"! James said, "yea, you could pull it off!" WOW. I thought, "no way buddy, I can't wait for a full head of hair!" :) ha!

Every night my kids pray for me. Chad prays I won't lose any more hair and Wes prays that no one will notice that they are wigs, and they both pray that I am healed completely of this cancer! They are precious!

Even my niece, SaraLane, when coming to my house one day, told my sister, "I can't wait to get there and play with Aunt Holli's hair!" Wow, she forgot!

Well, I better close until next time. I'll keep you posted about next week and how the chemo is affecting me. But it's my LAST ONE EVER!!!!!!!!

Thank you so much for praying for me. This week at my parents house I had the opportunity of going to my father's Bible study group on wed. morning. This group of gentlemen have prayed for my family each and every week. It was a privilege to meet them. Thank you again for standing in the gap!

love,

Holli

one more piece of news............

After this chemo is over we are getting a puppy! I have been wanting one for so long and have found her, she's now 5 weeks old. I'll post pics when we get her! Her name is "Cooper". :)