Hey guys! I know you all have been so anxious to hear how I handled my first round of chemo, so here it goes…
The first few days after chemo were great! No side effects, appetite was as great as ever, and minimal fatigue. However, day 6 and 7 after chemo were ROUGH and I struggled to get out of bed. There are no words to describe the amount of fatigue and bone pain/joint pain that I endured. I, honestly, felt as if I had thousands of pounds weighing me down. However, the Lord is faithful and he carried me through.
“I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
Many have asked, “Are you still working?” Yes, I have continued to work and I must say I am so very blessed to work for one of the coolest doctors ever, Daniel Bennett. The entire staff at Valdosta Family Medicine have been such a blessing. They are very supportive and so encouraging. I am forever grateful to work for such an awesome company that has been so accommodating.
The biggest side effect of my first round of chemo was definitely the awful acne. BUT, Dr. Thacker came in clutch and placed me on the best regimen, EVER! I began the regimen Monday evening and my face was 80% cleared by yesterday evening. I am forever grateful that Ms. Laurie (my sister’s boyfriend, Colton’s, mom) arranged for me to be seen first thing Monday for a quick fix!
The second week after chemo (this past week) is when my hair began to shed. So, last night Chason, Sarah, and Theo all took turns doing the honor of shaving my hair. (Get ready for random wigs and head wraps, guys. I am going to have fun with this baldness, LOL.) It was such a huge relief. Definitely very liberating. Can you believe I did not even shed one tear? I was so proud of myself. If you have been following my blog from the beginning, then you totally understand that this was my biggest fear and most dreaded moment. BUT, let me tell you…the Lord gave me the courage and strength to SHAVE IT OFF! Such a huge moment for me. Definitely made everything SURREAL! I truly believe that I waited for when the time was best. My immediate family and Chason were all present while I took this BIG step–and Wendy and Lindsey were present via FaceTime.
“Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14
Waiting is definitely not my forte, but I am trying my best to be more patient. I struggle daily with setting aside time to study God’s word and I am not the best listener. My goal for the rest of 2019 and throughout 2020 is to spend more time in God’s word and allow him to speak into my life. I pray that you all do the same (and please pray for me to achieve this goal as well).
Flashback to Monday, I was instructed by Mayo that I must have Dr. Merriman’s office (Plastic Surgery Associates of Valdosta) send a brief description of the “microblading” technique to be reviewed by a panel of healthcare providers before my oncologist would write a “clearance” letter to have my touch-up session completed. Listen, I was so nervous that they would not approve my touch-up…BUT they did! I was so excited and even called Dr. Merriman’s office and they moved my appointment up to this upcoming Tuesday! Woo-hoo!
My second round of chemo is this upcoming Wednesday (November 13). I am, once again, so very excited for my next round. Why? I can hardly even feel my tumor after just one session (to God be the glory)! I pray that I continue to have minimal side effects and that the Lord will continue to work through me and heal me.
“What is impossible with man is possible with God.” Luke 18:27
This couldn’t be more true. We all believe that things are impossible or that we are not “good enough” for Jesus to work miracles in our life. We allow Satan to fill our minds with negative thoughts and we begin to doubt God. Have you ever sat back and thought about Mary, Jesus’s mother? Do you think that Mary believed that she was worthy enough to give birth to the man who would one day save all of humanity? She was a poor, unwed, Palestinian woman. She surely would have never imagined that she would be the one to help fulfill God’s greatest gift to humanity, but guess what? She did! Just like God used Mary, he can and will use us! (Read Luke 1:26-38.)
I wanted to update you guys before my next round of chemo. Chemo #2 will be on Wednesday. I will, of course, post another blog sometime next week to share my experience. I love you all! Please continue to pray for me as my journey is still new. I have faith that the Lord will continue to comfort me and heal me as I walk through this trial. Jesus is sovereign. He will not leave me, nor forsake me. Also, thank you to all who have donated money, purchased shirts/bracelets, sent cards/care packages, and prayed continuously during this time.
With love,
Anna Vaggalis
ANNA.COURTNEY 