Whew, round four is now completed. This entire process is flying by. I am so grateful that the Lord continues to guide me through this life-changing diagnosis. I cannot believe that I only have 2 treatments left before surgery. Surgery will likely be February 25. Please continue to pray that I am pathologically cleared—no evidence of disease (negative/cleared surgical margins). If I am pathologically cleared, I will not require additional chemotherapy!
Chemo Round Four
Mom, Aunt Jackie, and I arrived at Mayo at 6:45am in order for my PowerPort to be accessed and labs to be drawn. 8:00am: I had my pre-chemotherapy appointment with the oncology NP and she was once again very impressed with my progress. She praised me for tolerating the chemotherapy so well and was still at awe that I have had minimal side effects. The linear area that was able to be palpated prior to chemo round three was still palpable prior to round 4…however, she believes this is strictly scar tissue from the initial biopsies. [Please pray that this is truly ONLY scar tissue and if not the next 2 rounds completely rid of it.]
Chemotherapy began at approximately 9:45am. Jenna was my nurse this round and she was awesome. The oncology nurses at Mayo have been nothing but amazing. She immediately administered my pre-medications: Benadryl 25mg IV, Pepcid 20mg IVPB, Tylenol 650mg PO, Aloxi 0.25mg IV, and Decadron 20mg IVPB. After the pre-meds, chemo “OFFICIALLY” begins. Taxotere 120mg x 1 hour—with my feet and hands wrapped in ice to prevent neuropathy and ice chips consistently in my mouth to prevent mouth sores. I vividly remember the first hour but after that I am in a deep sleep. LOL. Benadryl naps continue to be my favorite! Followed by Carboplatin 830mg x 30 minutes, Herceptin 378mg x 30 minutes, and Perjeta 420mg x 30 minutes.
I am so very grateful that my Mom and my Aunt Jackie were able to sit with me during my fourth round. Two of the most influential women in my life sitting beside me and fighting this diagnosis was so incredible. After chemotherapy, we enjoyed Dunkin’ Donuts and Burger King before we began our journey back to Miramar Beach.
Wilderness
“Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19).
I recently began reading a new book by John Bevere…God, Where Are You? All I can say is, “WOW!” This book could not have been recommended to me at a better time. It is SPOT on! I now realized I am walking through my very own wilderness and I couldn’t be more excited.
“The wilderness is a time when you appear to be going in the opposite direction of your dreams and the promises you were once certain that He’d made to you. In the wilderness you sense no spiritual growth and development. In fact, you may feel you are regressing. His presence seems to diminish, rather than grown. You may even feel unloved and ignored. But you are not” (Bevere, 2019, p. 10). The honest truth, is that wilderness is an essential destination for each child of God—in order, for us to progress toward a healthy maturity as a disciple of Jesus, in fact we may/will face several walks through the wilderness during our lifetime.
One may ask, why are you excited to be walking through the wilderness?
“The journey through the wilderness—our acceptance of this time or season—is necessary if we are to make it to our promised land (Bevere, 2019, p. 10). While walking in the wilderness of life, God tests, humbles, strengthens, and refines us. In this exact moment he molds godly character in us. He is preparing us for the future work of His Kingdom and that is why I am excited and thankful for my journey.
As for me, I do not feel as if the Lord is far from me. If anything, I truly believe he is closer to me than ever. However, I realize that I am currently walking through a wilderness and he is molding me into the woman he desires for me to be. I am so excited for my future and I cannot wait to discover what the Lord has planned for my life. Will it be easy? No. Will it be free of distractions? No. Will it be free of criticism from others? No. But, will it be worth it? MOST DEFINITELY.
As Christians we must realize that the wilderness is a necessary destination to visit on our way to our promised land.
“Cast all your cares on Him, because He cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7).
Just as the Lord led the children of Israel out of Egypt into the wilderness, He also leads us. There is a purpose for each trial and tribulation—a marvelous plan—for our time in the wilderness. First, He humbles us, then He tests us. He does this so we can see the true characteristics of our heart.
Food for Thought:
The following quotation from God Where Are You? really spoke to me and I decided to share it with you all.
“Selfish attitude has spread through society, as well as the church. Many in the church are not satisfied, their love for Jesus has dwindled. They only seek after the Lord for personal gain, not out of a passionate or intimate love for who He truly is. As long as He continues to provide for their desires and wants, they are satisfied and excited about Him. However, when trials or trouble arises and life becomes difficult, the true intention of their heart is exposed” (Bevere, 2019, p. 47).
Lastly, I hope you all continue to be blessed by my blogs and I hope that the Lord is truly glorified with my posts. Please continue to pray for me as I complete chemotherapy and prepare for surgery and radiation. I love you all and I am so grateful for all of the prayers and words of encouragement. The prayers continue to bless me daily. I also ask that you continue to pray for my family and Chason as they continue to be such a great support system.
With Love,
Anna Vaggalis
ANNA.COURTNEY 