Booked at Interior Design Show!!

This is a HUGE answer to prayer!!! And very surrealistic that God would move my business forward while I am battling Leukemia! The God of the impossible!

"The Printer" Dave Armstrong, of CS Designs, has booked a booth at the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre for October 14-17! He hired an Interior Designer to go through all of my images that Dave had chosen, and give feed back about the best choices. That has been very encouraging. Apparently there is a shortage of "West Coast" images and she thinks mine will do very well at the show. 4000 designers will be attending. I am asking for God's favor to be poured out over those days.

Dave will be using 4 of my award wining images, a set of doors, and many of my BC images.
He is away on holidays right now, but the final selection should be chosen for the first week of October, then contracts signed and manufactering begun!

Trusting, leaning in and trying to be organized on the home front! Lots to be "doing" with small strength to do. So, balance is needed!

With Love to each of you. Thank you for standing with us!
Would You pray that God's kingdom would come and His will be done in my business? I would so love to see Rob in less excruciating pain.
Lorna, the Leukemia Mamma!

Long Week

Blessings to each of you!

I have been 'Regulating Sugers' all week. Had two appointments in and have slept lots. Very Weary but last night felt some strength return.

Yesterday I met with an entire team of Endocrinologists! My Doctor wanted to make sure all the right things were being done with the Diabetis. The good news is that my sugers are "perfect" in the morning... so no more finger pricking to test in the mornings. I will take an oral insulin in the morning with the steroid and as the sterdoid unleashes it's magic that oral insulin will be there ready to balance it by the night time. The name of it is: Novo-Glyburide.

I have just been eating protein and vegetables since monday and the Endrocrinologist says that they can give me more "quality of life than that". So, 1/2 a tablet the next morning with the Steroid and if my numbers before supper are a little high, then take a full tablet the next morning. I understand not eating carbs makes one weary, which I certainly have been. So, some carbs is good!

Holding onto God's rich truth. "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you." John 15:7 I am still seeking God's face and asking for His preparation over Rob and I for retirement years soon approaching. Oh that we would be ready for whatever that looks like. Trying to go through bits and pieces of our house where I have been for 22 years, and do some sorting as I am able.

I see such pain in my Rob as he walks. I am seeking God for healing in his feet, shoulders and maybe a new direction... There are wonderful things on the horizon. Good to just lean in and trust God for tomorrow. He knows all that lies ahead.

Thank you again for standing with us!
Lorna the Leukemia Mamma

Insulin and temporary Diabetes!

I went into VGH today to discover that when the Pharmacist said I needed to be careful with sugur, she was right! My sugur count was 14.8 (should be about 7-10)!! The steroids actually block the insulin from doing it's job! So, I learned how to test my blood sugur level and give an insulin shot today! Just another step... in the journey... but short term is my hope! Till I am off the Steroids.

Full weekend. Coffee House was GREAT! Thanks to everyone who came and for standing with Jessica! God is doing great things!

Amy's birthday yesterday was a delight and it was very good to be in church sunday too! Weary today but much good in it all!!

Coffee House September 17th

Jessica's Coffee House ~ Tomorrow, Sept 17th 7:00 pm ~ Cedar Grove Church!!
Jessica is Fundraising for her ~ 1/2 Marathon ~ to raise money for Leukemia and Lymphoma Cancer Research. I am Looking forward to seeing you there!! My counts are high enough to go!!! Yipppiieee!
RSVP ~ so we have enough goodies & Lattes!

The heavy Chemo round has begun!!

I have my schedule and it is WONDERFUL!!
(for those of you who want the specifics!!)

Chemo only 1 day a week.... for the first four weeks!!! Thank YOU ~ Lord!!!
Yes, they are the hard chemo drugs though. Daunarobison (it is really hard on the heart, which is why I went for the exam on friday, to make sure my heart valves are okay, or they could not give it to me!!) and Vincristine which kills the nerve endings in my hands and feet.

Mondays for chemo, thurs for bloodwork and dressing change... In two weeks, l will need to add a saturday or two! But what a joy... twice a week for these two weeks!! How kind of God!! The Doctor says that till my numbers begin to drop, that is enough!!

Once the Daunabobision and Vincristine are done... I will have the Cyclophosphamide on Oct 11th, just once. This is a heavy drug that made me sick before.

Next, I will be in 4 days in a row... wed - sat, on October 13-16th and wed - sat; Oct 20 - 23rd.
So, that will be more intense for schedule but lighter on my body as it is for the Ara-C... a mild chemo! I may need to go in on the mondays for bloodwork too. I have not booked that yet.

I started the Dexamethasone, ( steroid) today and it will be full strength for 28 days... and then I will be tapered off of it. This is the crazy one with many... did I say many?? Many ~ side effects... Swelling, shakiness (in hands and voice), weakening of muscles, increased appetite, agitation or high strung buzzing of everything... so one cannot sleep at night w/out drugs!! I had forgotten just how much of what I dealt with before was caused by these little pills!!

I will also be taking an oral chemo drug during the last 4 weeks. Both the Chemo and the Dexamethasone, are paid for completely, by BC Medical. I picked them up yesterday from the BC Cancer Society! Another gift from God! So grateful to live in Canada and have so many good benefits of being Canadian!!

I need to take the Anti-Fungal with the Steroid too... Fluconazole! We could not get it at Superstore...or London Drugs... so the pharmacist with the Bone Marrow Transplant centre, called and we got it from a pharmacy in Vancouver. Oh My Goodness!!! 60 pills.... two a day for 30 days.... cost $399.00!!!! Thank You Lord (again) for extended medical! And, they only charged me 10% instead of 20%!!! So my cost was $39.00!!! Boy, God is looking after us!!

Celebrating Life!!! Lorna ~ the Leukemia Mamma!!

Away to Bowen Island!! Before Chemo starts!

What an amazing day yesterday! Touring the Art Shops on Bowen Island... staying 2 nights at "By the Sea B & B" !
What a rich delightful time with my Rob!
Wonderful stairs and doors and gates....

Now tomorrow begins the next 8 week journey of the heavy chemo drugs.
I am trusting that it will be better than when I first had them, as I am doing much better and am stronger. We shall see!

31 Sockeye so Far

Yaaaay Rob!!
What a great night! 2 hours on the River, 6 fish between Rob, Rick and Carla!
I did not get a license this year!!
Not too hot...
Lovely sunset!
Good Visit too!
Perfect night!
Great potatoe salad too!

To the River!

Carla and I went with Rob to the Fraser River to watch the guys fish!! It was wonderful to be able to go by boat! (Thank you Rick)! This is me - Keeping away from the sun!!! It was a wonderful night! Rob took me by piggy back ride to the shore so we could have our picnic!! The First Time this season!

3 Fantastic Daughters

It occurred to me that I had not yet posted an image of our three wonderful Daughters! So, here they are! (R to L) Jessica ~27, Angela~23 and Amy~25. It has been a gift to be supported by such loving and wonderful girls... I am blessed!!

Counts still Low

Dinner @ Washington Avenue Grill, August 18th (before my counts dropped) Halibut w/pesto sauce, prawns and roasted peppers!! Delicious!

Well, I had a lovely day yesterday! Sunny, and my Angela took me into VGH! Looks like I have hit the bottom for my white blood count this round. Maybe sometime late next week I will be able to start the long round of chemo. I feel stronger and even walked without assistance this week!

Enjoying wonderful days, staying quiet and getting more images on-line!

I had a great meeting with 'The Printer' Dave Armstrong who is representing my work. He has a booth at the Interior Design Show in Vancouver, at the Trade and Convention Center, October 14-17 th to show my work! Wow, that is exciting!

Rob is still fishing and we are enjoying some wonderful sockeye salmon dinners! It just feels great to be alive! I have a fantastic family and some super friends. We are blessed!

Lorna, the Leukemia Mamma!