Big Week

I had an incredible week at the beach last week, full of good books, amazing food, belly laughs, game nights, screened porches, and deserted beaches. It was magical.

Real life poked its head in on our last day there, however. Since I'm no longer taking Avastin (one of the chemos I was on), I'm coming off the blood pressure medications I had been prescribed to alleviate the high blood pressure Avastin was causing. All had gone well eliminating the first of the two blood pressure meds, but when I dropped down to a half a pill on the second drug, my blood pressure jumped up. And I hadn't thought to bring any extra meds. So we spent half of our last day trying to get my blood pressure down with all of Google's suggested treatments (resting quietly on the couch, getting a foot massage, deep breathing, hydrating, eating dark chocolate!) and figuring out how to get more meds on the remote island we were on. 

Thank God we were successful! The island pharmacy was able to get my prescription transferred to them. Unfortunately, I still haven't been able to get my blood pressure under control. Will you pray it comes down? It's scary, wondering if you could have a heart attack or stroke. Maybe my imagination is getting the better of me, but heart issues make me nervous.

And I come home to a big week. Today begins Scan Week. My brain MRI is today at 12:00, and I'll see the neuro-oncologist and neurosurgeon tomorrow to get the results. Then it's my full-body CT scan on Friday. Barring anything unexpected in my scans, the plan is to start my new treatment next Tuesday. So many unknowns! 

I'm thankful that nothing is unknown to God, though, and He goes before me into all that this week and next hold for me. I won't walk there alone. He'll be with me in the MRI tube and when I hear the results. He knows the outcome of every test and scan. All my days are numbered in His book and have been since before I was born. Sometimes it's hard to translate all that from my head to my anxious heart, though. 

I'm so very thankful for last week and the chance to forget I have cancer. To soak in sun and sand and ocean and marvel at God's creation. To have almost an entire week without cancer dictating my life. But today it's back to the real world in a big way, and I'd love it if you'd walk this road with me, another reminder that I'm never alone.