Six Steps Forward, One Step Back

Yesterday morning I was thinking that were going to make it an entire week and Harriet has been doing really well.  Then yesterday evening she had a relapse.  It used to seem like it was two steps forward one step back and now it's six steps forward and one step back.  It truly is a great improvement.  And Harriet notices the neuropathy lessening each week.

Harriet has the PET scan scheduled for sometime in April.  That's pretty much it for now.  I can tell you that things are getting better.  Thank you for your continued loving prayerful support.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

One Week Later

Weekly update, this is going to work out much better.  It is difficult to see the changes over smaller increments of time.  But, I can tell you from one week later that there's been some real positive movement in healing.  Yes, it's slow but it's all moving forward and getting better.

The neuropathy seems to be dissipating.  If you've ever had your leg fall asleep and then when you start getting circulation back into it there's that funny feeling almost a tingling sensation, that's what I perceive that is going on with Harriet's feet and legs.

Her diet is still very restricted, I'm looking forward to the time when I can fatten her up, but that's going to have to be later on.  It's just nice to see some really positive movement toward healing.

Thank you for your continued prayers and loving support.  Stay tuned because next Saturday I will give you another update.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Just Saying...............

Harriet was doing pretty well yesterday.  If you did not read yesterday's blog I wanted to let you know that I'm changing the frequency of blog posts to once a week on Saturday.  So, the next blog post will be a week from today.  I will recap the week and let you know how things are going.

Overall it's a pretty similar scenario and that is very slow positive moving forward in the healing process.  As the doctors have said it's a very slow and long process of healing.

The good news is that we are on the upside and I would say the worst is behind us.  He will just take a lot of time and patience.

You know I often mention how important the prayers and support with emails and such have been and it is really true.  Thank you so much.  Please keep Harriet in your prayers.

My sermon tomorrow will be "God Is Calling Us to Godly Living".  The Scripture I'm using is Romans 12:1-2.  I do hope that you will be in the House the Lord tomorrow to worship the Creator of the universe, because he is worthy of all glory and honor and praise!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Still Going

Harriet is doing pretty good yesterday.  Still going along day by day hoping for many good days.

We have about four weeks to go before the PET scan and then we have to wait a week for the results.  That will let us know how successful the chemotherapy was.

Since things have been pretty much leveled out as far as Harriet's condition is concerned, I'm only going to do the blog once a week, probably on Saturday morning.  I would appreciate you keeping her in your prayers.  Thank you so much for your faithfulness!

Maranatha,
Frank & Harriet

Smelled Gas

A little slow this morning getting started.  I got to work and when I opened the door I could smell gas.  Which means that the pilot light blew out in the middle of the night.  Of course you're not supposed to turn on a lights or any electrical appliance when you smell gas because the spark could ignite the gas.  I opened up the doors and aired everything out until I felt it safe to turn on the exhaust fan and air things out.

Now I'm ready to do the blog.  Harriet had another good day yesterday and that's great!  Forward movement is ever so slow.  As my good friend Victoria says, "Baby Steps".  She is right.  Ever so slowly edging forward.

Thank you so much for your loving support and prayers.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Really Great News

Yesterday was a good day!  Not only was it a good day, but Harriet mentioned that the neuropathy seems to have diminished slightly.  The way it manifests itself is the heaviness in the feet and numbness.  So, as that recedes, she starts to feel lighter on her toes.  This is really great news.

Hopefully will have many more good days this week.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Not so Good

Yesterday was not too good.  It started on Sunday morning when Harriet was getting ready to go to church and then all the old problems started again.  And it got worse on Monday.  We have calls in and emails to her doctors, but I just don't know if they have any good things to say.  It just seems like we go a couple steps forward and then a big step back.  I realize that overall we are better off than we were a month or two ago, but it is tough to take the relapses.

Please continue to pray for Harriet and her healing is in God's hand.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Last Chemo Was Three Weeks Ago

Harriet's last chemo was three weeks ago today.  Harriet started the chemotherapy six months ago.  During this past six months there was only one period Of time that she went more than three weeks between chemotherapies and that was the time that her white let cell count was so low they wouldn't allow her to have it until the following week.  So what I'm getting at is this is sort of a threshold of moving past a barrier and she will now start to feel the effects of the chemotherapy medication leaving her body more and more.

In a way we are in uncharted territory for her.  I will let you know how it goes.  Hopefully things will continue to get better for her.  I can tell you for sure that sometimes she feels better, but she's not healed.  You probably have had this happen to you where you were sick and you felt like your better and you start doing things and you realize that you're not as well as you thought you were.

Lord willing she will gather her strength for the coming weeks and months.  I hope you have a great week!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

oh oh

I'm at church now and I forgot to post the blog. So you know I'm in trouble. so far I have not received any emails asking me what's going on?

 Harriet continues to improve ever so slowly. we are thankful for each step of the way, we can see some of the signs of progress.

Today is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it! Today I will be preaching on a walk of accountability. I hope you'll be able to attend your church and praise the Lord this morning!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Moving Forward at Glacial Speed

The gradual healing continues.  Ever so slowly moving forward at glacial speed.  But, we continue to count our blessings and continue to look backward a month and see how much better Harriet is doing now than she was then.

Thank you for your continued loving support and prayers it means so much to both Harriet and I.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Speaking of Neuropathy

Speaking of neuropathy, Harriet said that the numbness is traveling from the bottom of her foot up to the top portion of her foot.  This makes it tough to stand up.  When she stands up, from getting out of bed or standing up from sitting down in the sofa.  Of course I've encouraged her to stabilize her self to make sure she doesn't crash and burn when she stands up.

You know I can't remember if on Monday it will be three weeks since her last chemotherapy?  But, I do know that as time goes by that the chemo meds will dissipate from her body.  There is one of the drugs which the doctor mentioned takes up to a year to leave your body.

I hope you have a great weekend!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Signs of Progress

I'm seeing signs of progress ever so slowly.  We all should count our blessings.  I was talking to my friend Ken and his brother has so many different types of cancer that is hard to name them all.  He has lymphoma which is the same thing that Harriet had.  He has lung cancer and thyroid cancer.  Others possibly because he has stage IV cancer.  Usually this means that the cancer is being spread throughout the entire body which is really tough.

I guess that's all I know for today.  I hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Ever so Slowly

We're making progress, ever so slowly, but we are moving forward.  I keep having to compare how things were a month ago, compared to how Harriet is doing now.  When you look over a 30 day period, then you can see that there has been healing and forward momentum.  Day-to-day, it's very difficult to discern.

Harriet is doing well, following the doctors orders and we should see progress over this next month.  Approximately one month from today is Resurrection Sunday and by then I'm hoping to give you some really good news.  In the meantime I want to take a minute and thank you for your prayers and loving support.  Everyone has been really great!  I want to thank all the people that come together at our church on Tuesday evening for prayer.  People from around the world that have taken time to stop and read the blog and take time to pray for Harriet.  God bless you for your kindness!

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Neuropathy Is a Concern

Harriet continues to do better.  Her neuropathy is a concerned.  Nerve endings on her feet and hands specifically.  Dr. Bronson gave her some exercises to do with her feet to encourage and stimulate nerve function.  The reason I'm telling you this is because it's kind of interesting.  If you can picture yourself sitting down or laying down on your bed and then crossing your legs so that the top like is up in the air.  Now you write the entire alphabet with your foot in the air.  This causes movement in your ankles and feet.  He said specifically that whatever healing you get in the first year after chemotherapy and he's referring specifically to the neuropathy, is what you will end up for the rest of your life.  So it is imperative that whatever can be done to regain the use and feeling in those members is done immediately.

We continue to be thankful as we see glimmers of hope and Harriet doing a little bit better.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

The Ox Moves Slow, but the Earth Is Patient (that's not from the Bible)

Yesterday was a very good day!  Harriet was able to come to church and be there for most of the service.  It was very emotional.  I would like to be totally frank with you.  Her strength is low, she can only eat small amounts and then she runs out of energy.  She still has a long ways to go, but we can see the progress.  There were times in the past months when she could not drink a glass of water.  She could only take tiny sips and that was it.  Now things are more normal.

She wanted to thank everybody for praying for her and for all the people that came on Tuesday evenings for prayer meeting that interceded upon her behalf.  But when she started to talk, it was well very emotional.  When we were singing the worship songs, she just started to cry and couldn't stop.  There were tears of joy and thanksgiving not tears of  sadness.  I put my arm around her and just held  and comforted her, until it subsided.  I know that she will get stronger over the following months but during this time of healing, she will be very fragile.

Thank you so much for your continued loving support and prayers.

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet

Courage

Harriet seems to be doing better. This is a very slow and gradual healing as the doctor said. She has an appointment on Monday morning to see her primary physician, Dr. Bronson.

Today's message at church will be on "Courage". How God uses ordinary people in extraordinary ways. The reading will be from The Book of Judges chapters 6 and 7. If you want to read about a man who was called into service by God and was very hesitant to say the least, read those chapters.

I hope that you will be in the house of the Lord this morning. God has called us to a walk by faith Hebrews 11:6. So walk there ye in. Colossians 2:6

Maranatha,
Frank and Harriet