Spring is here, the season of growth and things anew. I always thought that spring was the perfect season to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. Outside flowers are blooming, butterflies are coming out of their chrysalis's, babies, kittens, ducks, and chicks are being born. And many use this time of year to do a little"spring cleaning", purging items, and tidying things up. For me, spring is a time that I like to use to grow in my faith, and my relationship with Christ. I like to try and devote more time to reading more scripture, and other religious type articles and such. I find it very beneficial to do periodic refreshers of my face, at different times of the year, usually new year's, the beginning of spring, and around the time school starts. I think its very beneficial, because it helps one to not get stagnant in their faith lives.
I also find spring season to be very cheerful and happy. You have days when the sun is shining, and you can be outside when its not an inferno, and enjoy the beautiful flowers, and the sound of the birds. On the rainy days, it is also soothing, because to me, the sound of rain is just so relaxing and something that I enjoy falling to sleep to.
When thinking about spring symbolizing things that are new, I came across 2 Corinthians 5:17 which says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." I think that this scripture verse is perfect for the spring the season, as well as for Easter having just passed. This verse encourages me to continue with my "spring faith cleaning." It reminds me that when I devote my life to Christ and follow Him, that the old is gone, and the new has arrived. I hope we can all take some time during this beautiful season, and our "spring cleaning", that we can do the same with our relationship with the Lord. How much, and what we choose to do, is between us and the Lord. We can also be one of the many things that grows and becomes new during this beautiful season.
HAPPY SPRING!!!!
PS: For those wondering, my MRI this past Tuesday went well. We were all pleased that I did not have any reactions to the general anesthesia like last time (the doctors gave me extra fluids and anti-nausea meds, which helped tremendously). I also think not taking my Cell-Cept (oral chemo) the night and morning of the procedure also helped. The staff at Dell Children's was wonderful, as always, and since I know all of the nurses and anesthesiologists, that makes it easier. I have to be put under general anesthesia for MRI's and other procedures, because I get muscle twitches which makes it very hard to do the procedures. I see Dr. Carrasco very soon, and should get the results then, and should have more info. My next blog will be an update about that appointment.
Joyful Love
&
Blessings In The Lord
Alexandra K. Acosta
I calculated recently that I take 266 pills per week (that doesn't include if I take breakthrough medication, and if I'm on an antibiotic). One of the medicines I take, Cell-Cept (which is my oral chemo) is six giant "horse pills" a day. The Cell-Cept is taken in place of the Methotrexate to try and slow the progression, and keep me from "falling off the cliff." I started it right after I got back from my Make-A-Wish trip. It usually takes a "normal patient" 3-5 months to start noticing if the medication is helping them to improve, or in my case slow things down. But for me, it would most likely be 4-6 months. When I stopped the Methotrexate and switched to the Cell-Cept, things started to decline. I started having more weakness, swelling, stiffness, pain, fatigue, and difficulty swallowing and breathing. The doctors said that they have never seen me as bad as I have been, and have been declining much more quickly than they expected. My dose started at two 500mg pills twice a day, totaling 2000mg or 1g a day, with 10mg of prednisone a day (I also had an IV dose of 1000mg of IV steroids, and a taper pack). Now I am on three 500mg pills twice a day (3000mg or 3g), and 10mg of daily prednisone. The doctors are concerned because my white blood cell count (WBC) continue to be elevated (not that much for a normal healthy person), as well as other inflammatory markers, and an enzyme called Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH), which is a non-specific muscle enzyme that is released in response to tissue damage. Normal levels are between 81.0 and 234.0. Mine on a lab test from the week of April 4th are 472. That is more than twice what it should be, and should not be this high on the dose of Cell-Cept and prednisone that I'm on. Dr. Carrasco has ordered an MRI of my thigh muscles, to see what the muscles look like. An MRI of my thigh was how the diagnosis of Dermatomyositis (DM) was made, at some muscle inflammation was seen.
As you can imagine, this has been so frustrating for me, as the medicine is not slowing things down as well as the Methotrexate was, even though I wasn't getting the desired effect with it. But unfortunately I have reached my "maximum lifetime limit" for how much Methotrexate I can take. I am in new territory for the doctors, so it is really an experiment as to what medications I can take. At my visit with my Hem/Onc doctor, Dr.CB a week ago from yesterday, she had asked if Dr. Carrasco had considered combining a lower dose of Cell-Cept with something else, like a lower dose of Cytoxan (the monthly chemo I took). In Oncology they mix these types of medications all the time, but not really in rheumatology, which is why when I asked Dr. C at my last visit, he was cautious. But from an oncology standpoint, there is not a big scare with doing that, and Dr. CB said she would give it to me, if Dr. C wanted to do that, but he would have to make the final call. The two are going to talk soon, so I hopefully will no more at my next appointment with him in early May, as something else needs to be done, as the Cell-Cept is not doing what it should.
I am trying not to think about it, and the Lord has definitely helped to keep me at peace. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 says, "Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all." I love this scripture verse, because it reminds me that God will always give me peace, and to use that peace no matter what the situation is. That gives me comfort, because I know that I can be at peace always. And with this roller coaster that Im on, that is very comforting.
Joyful Love
&
Blessings In The Lord
Alexandra K. Acosta
When I saw this picture on Facebook this morning, it really resonated this me since gratitude has been a frequent topic of discussion this Lenten season. It is one of the main topics in the Spiritual Gifts class that I am taking at my church. Gratitude is something that can easily get lost in the business of everyday life, yet it is something that is key to living a life filled with joy, peace, and contentment. When we wake with gratitude, we set the tone for a positive day. Even if we have gratitude for small things, like the beautiful flowers in a garden, or the sound of the waves of the ocean, we are still showing the Lord that we are thankful for what He has given us, as everything comes from Him.
One of the things that is part of my Spiritual Gifts class, is keeping a gratitude journal, and writing in it daily. Another member of the class had made the suggestion of in addition to writing what you are grateful for, but to write what you are not so grateful, and you can see the progression of changes over time. This was something that was part of another class that she had taken. For the past week and a half as I have been writing in my gratitude journal, it hasn't been to much off a challenge to think of what I am grateful for, but has been a bit of a challenge to think of what I am not so grateful for. One would think that it would be the other way around, with all the stuff that I have been dealing with. But even though I have had a lot of challenges, and have and am going through stuff that I wouldn't wish on anyone, there is still so much I have to be grateful for. A loving family, supportive friends, a wonderful and caring medical team, a safe loving home, clothes on my back, nourishing food, shoes on my feet, and a loving heavenly father who is always with me, and will never leave me, nor forsake me.
Ephesians 5:20 says, "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;..." I love this verse because it reminds me to always give thanks to the Lord for everything. The Lord has blessed me with so much, and I remind myself to be grateful and thank Him everyday for all that He has given me. I am even grateful to God for all of the difficulties that I have had, because they have made me the person that I am, have strengthened my relationship with the Lord, and have even introduced people and experiences that have been blessings. We can have gratitude no matter what the circumstances. I encourage everyone to start the day with gratitude, and to continuously find gratitude no matter the circumstances. We all have so much to be grateful for.
Joyful Love
&
Blessings In The Lord
Alexandra K. Acosta
