Anyone Out There?

Wow. It's been quite some time since I've written anything in this blog. Not a great start for a blogger. I don't even know if there is anyone out there checking for new posts ... oh well, I will find out I'm sure.

My first and only post was October 16. The experience Karen and I have endured together since that date has certainly been full of trials and tests. Karen's recovery from her cancer treatment has been slow. She has had open sores that required changing dressings three times a day. The experience was not pleasant for her nor was it enjoyable for me to have to inflict pain by having to change the dressings. God certainly taught us to persevere in spite of the discomfort, anguish and tears knowing that what we were doing would be best for healing in the end.

Karen and I returned to Houston December 19 to have the doctor who performed the procedure assess the level of success. Our prayer prior to going was that we would 1) receive a good report, and 2) receive direction with the wound care to decrease the level of discomfort and/or eliminate the pain and promote quicker healing. God was gracious and provided both of those in answer to our prayer. Dr. Ross told us that the treatment did what it was supposed to; kill the tumors in Karen's leg. Further, Dr. Ross told us Karen had a more severe reaction to the chemo and thus more difficulty with the open sores and slow healing of the wounds. A wound care nurse in Dr. Ross' office provided a different kind of dressing that is changed every three days rather than three times a day. The new dressing is a wet gel rather than dry gauze and is believed to promote quicker healing. Dr. Ross told us he would phone our doctor here at home and recommend some more aggressive therapy and further wound treatment. Thank you Lord for the answers to prayer.

This morning I had to change the wound dressing for the first time since our return on December 21. Karen experience no pain or discomfort and my untrained eye would say I see improvement in how the wound looks already. God is good. I know, although I may not have understood His methods, that God had our best in mind when we had to endure the three months of discomfort with the procedure and wound care. Karen and I have grown more than I can describe. We are reminded often in scripture to persevere to the end. It is in the end that we receive the reward of our hope ... that of salvation and an eternity with Christ.

God bless you all ...