Sufficient Grace!

Please keep me in your prayers. I am entering the last phase of the cancer treatment. I will be undergoing major surgery in the morning. This may be the biggest part yet, (believe it or not).

 

I will say, I am quite anxious and am ready to get it over with. I have been feeling pretty good and ready to get on with my life again. But God's timing is His timing and I have to wait on Him. This is something I have to do in order to do the most to fight this disease. I am trusting in my God! I trust my medical team! So here we go!

 

Please pray that I would have no complications, peace for my family, quick healing. You all have carried me to this point and I trust you will continue to continue. I love Jesus and His body.

 

Carmen will update after surgery so you can see your prayers answered and your faith to be strengthened!

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!

 

Love,
Gigi

 

Almost There

I have had my first surgery, it went well and I am recovering well.

I have been sore and I have to take it easy but all in all not too bad. I have one more big step and then it's on to just recovering. Which may take a while.

I was reminded by a dear friend how far I have come! I was losing sight of that a little. When you are in the middle of it, you can sometimes only see the present not the whole picture. That is where my faith and trust are --  in the One who can see the whole picture! From beginning to end! God and God alone holds that ability and knows the results! He is sustaining me through the process. My prayer is that others will see Him through this! He is good all the time and all the time He is good! I never question that! 

If you are going through a hard time, look to Him for help and understanding. We are not exempt from rough waters but we can have access to a God who loves us and wants to help us in these times! I am no stranger to hard things in life but I have peace, and joy in the midst.

Please continue to hold me up in prayer through this last door I have to walk through. It may very well be one of the hardest. My doctors are saying I am in good shape for the surgery and so far I have passed all the tests I've taken. My last test is a pulmonary test to make sure my lungs can handle the surgery.

I am so thankful for all the prayer warriors on my behalf! You have carried me! This verse is used a lot but honestly it is truth:

 

Love,

Gigi

 



Surgery

Well, I am over the first hurdle pre surgery. I had CT scans post treatment today and everything looks good! No signs of cancer spreading! My oncologist was very happy for me! Can't tell if the tumor is all gone without a PET scan so I will have to wait till surgery to know that. Talked to my surgeon and got a lot of information concerning my surgery. I will have two surgeries, one is outpatient, the second one is inpatient. I was  informed that I will have chest tubes which took me by surprise. I have experience with those as Jeff had them with his surgery, so I am not real excited about that, but you do what you have to do. I think I may have down played this surgery a little bit so now I need to prepare myself for a pretty serious procedure.

God is faithful and I trust Him in this! I need to keep gaining weight to cushion what I will lose after surgery. I am eating well and moving around quite a bit so just need to keep going in that direction!

 

I can't tell you how much your prayers and well wishes mean to me! You all have loved on me with intensity and I am forever grateful! I love my Jesus and am so thankful for His care and love He has poured out on me! So many suffering with this disease!

Until surgery I am going to enjoy life to the fullest!

 

Much Love,

Gigi

Beside The Still Waters ...

I thought it to be about time for me to post. For the last 4 weeks I have really not been able to communicate real well. I can say I have honestly not been through anything harder! I can't even put words to it except that the verse about walking through the valley of the shadow of death applies!

Slowly I am coming out of it. I still can't eat a lot at one time, but at least I can eat again. I am still fatigued but getting out and about some. All I can say is cancer is ugly! Only good about it is what God brings out of it! I have no doubt He will use this! I believe I may have just been through the worst part. Not that surgery will be a piece of cake, but I won't be having all the toxicity going into my body!

I just want to thank each and everyone who has been praying for me. To those who have ministered to me personally, you have encouraged me on to the finish. Gifts, meals, cards, they mean so much! My family has been the greatest in cheerleading me to stay the course! They have never once wavered! I wanted to quit at the end but they kept saying" your almost done".

I am overwhelmed with the love of God in this journey! I can't comprehend how someone without Christ can do this! My faithful prayer warriors, you are the wind beneath my wings!

I have scans coming up soon which I will tell you I am a little anxious about. I am not scared, nervous, or frightened, just anxious. I know who holds my life!

Please pray for me to be able to increase my eating, and continue to get more energy. Pray for the tumor to be gone. I have lost a lot of weight, so I need to gain some back! I will just say that I am back to my weight when I got married! I think I should do a commercial!

I love you all and thank God for the true body of Christ! My Troy Christian family has blown me out of the water! They have gone above and beyond what I can imagine or think! Thank You! My faith has been made stronger!


"And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever." Isaiah 32:17

 

Urgent Prayers Needed

Although Gigi had her the last of her chemo/radiation treatment this past week she is extremely sick.  She cannot keep any food down and is vomiting blood at this point. 
 
Our friend is enduring the toughest part and she is asking for prayers - specifically for the healing of her esophagus. I know your prayers are precious to Gigi and her family.  Thank you so much and if I hear anything else, I will keep you posted.

Love,
Carmen

Finals Week!

So here I am! Final week!

Two more days of radiation! Four more days of chemo! 

It seems like everything is in slow motion. Even after I am finished, the after-effects from radiation linger for a couple weeks, so I won't be bouncing back real quickly. 

I picture myself in a race and everyone is on the sidelines cheering me on! 
"You can do it!", "You are almost there!", "You are doing well!" Even though it feels like I could lay down and quit! I am not a quitter! I will finish the race! But not without all of you! Thank you for your love and support!

Love,
Gigi

Deeper Still

I thought I might give an update.

I have just entered week 5 into my treatment. I am feeling the major effects of radiation!

Burning, nausea, not being able to keep food down, constant ache in my abdomen. Very weak and fatigued. I now have lost beyond the weight I started at. I am not telling all this to gain sympathy, I say it to be real and tell you the cold hard facts of cancer! If you have gone through treatment then you know what I am talking about. If you haven't pray you never do!

I watched the bible AD series and I thought about where Jesus asked His Father why He has forsaken Him! And Jesus is God! Sometimes it can feel that way. But the truth is, He hasn't forsaken me because the scriptures tell me He will never leave me nor forsake me! I can stand on that!

Pray me on to the end, church!

I am almost to the finish line!

I am deeper than my feet could ever wander!!!!