Jeremy’s Appointments Today

Well, today is the day! Jeremy has progressed to the last stage of donor testing. Today, he has a day full of appointments at the University of Minnesota and though we do not now when exactly we will know the results, we do know that sometime after today we should know if he is a donor match for me.

Jeremy is Superman. He is so humbly determined and I just want to brag on him for a minute since he would never talk about himself like this. Jeremy is Superman, not because of his broad-shouldered, six-foot five-inch frame, but because of his heart of steel. I thanked him (again) last night when I texted him goodnight and his response was the same as it has been.

” You don’t have to thank me”. 

He goes on to say he would do it over and over again if that’s what it took to make me well, he said he just wants to get this thing rolling. Wow. How can I not thank him? I mean, 1. Growing up, Mom and Dad definitely made sure we knew to say please and thank you and we are not growing out of that (thanks, Mom and Dad!) 2. Jeremy is more than willing, he is wanting to put his own life on the table, in order to save mine. I am confident the surgery will go well for and with whoever my donor ends up being, but that does not make the risk and sacrifice less.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13

A superhero does not see themselves as a hero or extraordinary (I know this first hand from living with three of the biggest heroes I know). The Man of Steel springs into action, seemingly out of nowhere, and slips away in the midst of the excitement that results from Him saving the day. He embodies humility, seeing his actions, love, bravery, and self-sacrifice as nothing more than simply what anyone would do in that situation given the opportunity and ability. But the rest of us know that those actions are not typical or average, they are in fact heroics, heroics that come from a heart of steel even stronger than the body “able to leap over tall building in a single bound” in which it resides.

So, though I may not have to thank you, Jeremy, Here it comes anyway.

“Thank you”

Love you, bud! Praying for you! And for those of you reading I’d ask that you might pray for Jeremy and Dad as they go to all his appointments today. Pray for patience and peace as we all wait and continued trust in God’s plan. And I just have to say, thank you Mom and Dad for also being willing to do this for me, even if it was a little insane that you asked the doctor to be tested, Daddy. 😉 Mom, if they end up saying Jeremy is a better match, thank you for wanting to do this for me, for us. Thank you both for raising us to look out for the needs of others and for raising my baby brother to be a Man of Steel, inside and out. It definitely helps having two real life heroes as parents to look up to.

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” Proverbs 17:17

Superman: The Man of Steel (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Jeremy and I on my birthday this year

Update: Another round of iron =)

Hello! So the iron Monday made me feel loads better. My dr. in Minnesota wants me to get a series of iron infusions and I am getting my second dose right now at an outpatient infusion center. This way I can get the form of iron they gave me in MN but didn’t have at the hospital I was at this weekend. This iron lasts longer so I will only have to get one a week for six more weeks. Prayers are greatly appreciated that this would continue to make me feel better and replenish my iron levels.

One of my dearest and best friends is getting married Sunday and mom and I are leaving tomorrow since it’s a couple hours away. Plus this way I can rest the day before. Dad and Jeremy are flying to Minnesota this weekend for Jeremy to complete his donor testing on Monday.

Please pray for safe travels, wisdom for the doctors, and for us all to enjoy out trips. We also need prayer for my energy for the wedding. As much as I wish I were well enough to stand as a bridesmaid and support my friend as she and her almost husband make their vows to each other before God, I am thrilled that it’s looking like I will be able to be there! 🙂 And please continue to pray for us all to get good rest and to feel refreshed and not so tired. It’s been a crazy week. But God is faithful and we have seen and are seeing His goodness.

“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord”
Psalm 27:13, 14

Thank you all!

Headed home

Thank you all for the thoughts, prayers, and encouragement. We are heading home as I type. I feel a lot better after fluids and iron being pumped into me. No more racing heart, dizziness, or feeling light headed. 🙂

We are all tired and praying and hoping for a fabulous night sleep for all of us tonight. Thanks again!

Update: The iron is here!

We finally got things all ironed out (I’m tired, puns will happen more than usual. You’ve been warned.) I’m finally hooked up to an iron IV! Praise God! Thank you for praying! So the iron infusion will last an hour and a half then they will discharge me. So hopefully we will be out of here by 7:30.

We will keep ya posted. Thanks again!

Iron Update 2.0/Sleepover

Well, Mom and I are having a sleepover at the hospital tonight. I got some fluids and they helped a bit but we were unable to get the iron tonight. My pulse is still a little high and
I’m still a little lightheaded. This is the quickest way for me to get infused tomorrow instead of having to schedule a slew of appointments. So we REALLY need prayers for a good night sleep; then again moms a pro at this.

Pray that I have no side effects from the iron and that I can get it early tomorrow so we can go home. They don’t have the same form of iron I got at MN, but they have a form I’ve had before but have sometimes had a mild reaction to.

A gift/silver lining from tonight is the new friend I made. The tech we had tonight was precious. She made the night fun and enjoyable. Truly a gift and encouragement for all of us. Thank you, friend. 🙂

And thank you all for the continued prayers and encouragement!

Iron update

Thanks for praying, everyone! Such a blessing and encouragement. God answered. My heart rate slowed down and I was able to sleep (low iron makes your heart race).

The iron supplements mom and dad gave me got me stable enough to enable them to do some legwork from home concerning my iv. Long story short we are on our way to the hospital to hook me up with some iron (ba dum dum *drums*, see what I did there? 😉 ). Hopefully things will move quickly and easily since they had Minnesota send us the order and got things prepped.

Please pray:

1. Things to go well and efficiently
2. That I will feel loads better after getting this
3. That we will all get a better night sleep tonight and that mom and dad will be able to sleep without having to worry about me

Thanks again!

Prayer request!

Hello there! We would love it if you all could pray for us tonight. My iron levels are pretty low and I’m really feeling it. We debated taking me somewhere tonight to get an iron iv infusion but feel we were able to supplements enough to get through the night. Tomorrow (Sunday, so technically today) we will evaluate whether to go somewhere to get infused or wait until Monday when my doc in MN is faxing a prescription/order for me to be infused.

Please pray for:
1. Me to get through night without becoming too lightheaded or weak
2. Good test for all if us tonight and continuing
3. Wisdom in making decisions
4. There would be ease of logistics in getting me infused

Update: Jeremy’s upcoming appointments

Just wanted to write a quick update. Jeremy is scheduled to go to the University of Minnesota for the final stage of donor testing on Monday, September 30. Please pray for him and dad as they go up and for wisdom for the doctors and all involved.

Thank you for all the prayers and encouragement!

I made it! Thanks for praying!

I made it to church!!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for praying!  I can count on one hand how many times I’ve been physically able to get to church in the past year. As thankful as I am for online sermons it just isn’t the same as being there. This was such a huge encouragement and answer to prayer. Not only did I make it to church, but I made it through the whole service! The last time I was able to go I fell asleep in the middle of the sermon, not because it wasn’t great but because I was so worn out from the effort of getting ready and getting there.

I loved getting to hear Jesse preach the Word, loved getting to worship with fellow believers, and loved getting to see and hug dear friends who have walked with us and prayed for us through the ups and downs of life. We ended the service singing one of my favorite hymns, “It is Well with my Soul”. I could feel my eyes being to swell with tears of joy as those timeless words echoed the cries of my heart.

“When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.”

Yes, life is hard, this is a hard season for us. There are many disappointments, hurdles, and challenged we have and are facing. We get tired and weary. But through it all, we have peace because of the hope we have through Jesus Christ.

Because of Him, in the midst of “whatever my lot” I can truly say “it is well, it is well, with my soul”.

 

Pray I can make it to church, please =)

Hello there, everybody!

So real quick, I am asking for prayers for me to be able to make it to church tomorrow. Our church just started a Sunday night service, which is mega exciting because I’ve been sleeping until 2 pm give or take an hour. It has been months, I mean like a lot of months, since I have been able to go and I really miss corporate worship, online sermons have been fabulous but there’s just something about getting to actually be there. My back is a lot better (THANK YOU FOR PRAYING!), my new chiropractor has helped me a ton and I am not quite pain free but my pain is minimal and no longer constant. So that also makes it easier for me to get to church and sit for a period of time.

I’m not sure how long I’d be able to stay but if I can just get there and be there for at least some, I would be so ecstatic.

 

Thank you for reading and for the thoughts, prayers, and encouragement!  We don’t have any major updates.  Still waiting to hear more from Minnesota. We did find out that I was finally approved by insurance to be listed there and will be as soon as they receive the results from my latest blood work, more answers to prayer. 🙂