really excited

I've been doing really good with liquids. I got my picc line out today!! YAY~!!

My first official activity of celebration was to wear a short sleeve shirt with no sweater over the top. It was pretty cold, but it's the principle. There was no longer a 5 inch bandage on my arm, so this should be celebrated!! :)

Marcus and I are going to PHOENIX on Monday. This will be the second, much larger, celebration... which happens to coincide with Marcus turning 30!! I will be enjoying the 90 degree weather and swimming... and yes, I will make sure to drink lots of fluids to stay hydrated. :) Marcus will enjoy turning into a really old person. Ha! :) Just kidding to all of you other senior citizens out there.... (tee hee!!)

Thank you Jesus for the picc line out~
brelin

taking a break from digesting... but so much fun at the party last night!

1. thank you so much to everyone who was at the party last night and who helped make the party happen last night!! it was so much fun to laugh with you all... i didn't realize how much we all laughed together over these past 4 years at sammamish hills!! all those fun times of crazy food games, camps, mission trips, sliding through mud puddles... i love you and will miss you all.

2. i seem to be taking a little break from digesting. it started on saturday night and has continued through until today. the good news is that i am still keeping liquids down. the bad news is that no solid food is staying down anymore. i haven't tried any non-clear liquids yet today...

3. I'm excited to start reading a new book today... it just started pouring rain outside--rainy days seem like perfect days for starting new books!!

4. On one of the cards that I got yesterday at my going away party, the verse on the front was, "A cheerful heart is good medicine." -Proverbs 17:22 I decided that would be my verse of the day.

I hope you all have a fabulous day.
brelin

great news!

1. Marcus passed his 2 year test! He's awesome!

2. I'm still digesting! I've only thrown up twice since Tuesday! It's totally a miracle!!

3. I went to the GI doc yesterday, and he is also thrilled with my progress. He said that he could run a bunch of test to try and understand why I'm suddenly digesting--knowing that they probably wouldn't show anything conclusive, or we could just celebrate. He suggested that we just celebrate and leave all of my doses of medications alone.

4. I'm eating small amounts of food, mostly grazing all day long... and doing REALLY well with liquids. The doc said that I can get my picc line out NEXT FRIDAY!! yay!!

5. AND it's sunny in Seattle today!!

6. Praise God!! Amen.

Thank you so much for all of your prayers. Obviously this is a huge step in the correct direction, and my spirits are definitely refreshed... it is going to be a long road back to full health, and I need to remember that too. Marcus reminded me yesterday that before all of this happened I was pushing him to train for a marathon with me. Now I can barely run 1/4 of a mile. :) but I'll get there.... All things are possible with God, right?! :) Tee hee!!

Love to you all.
brelin

my hope comes from God alone...

so, I threw up last night after dinner, a lot(!!)... but only once.
and so I continue to praise. and I continue to hope. and I continue to trust that God is present.
and I continue to celebrate.
like my fabulous friends, Andy & Heather said, if God is for us, who can be against us?
Good one!! :)

Marcus has his two year test for the fire department today. It's at 10 am for all of you who are totally into praying at just the right time. He's been studying for months, and I'm sure will be fabulous.

I think that's all I have to report... much love and hugs to all.
brelin

i'm a digester...

i'm on a winning streak at the moment... i started digesting at dinner on april 7th (yesterday evening--bacon, an egg, and half a cinnamon roll) and have kept down breakfast (fruit cocktail, cinn. roll & coffee), lunch (some salad, iced tea, bread, & avacado wrap), and dinner (latte & bread) so far today. PRAISE GOD!!

it's easy to praise when things are going great, but i'll be honest, i've been trying to have hope in God's promises even when i'm not feeling so hot.

up until last night, my spirits have been pretty low... i'm sick of the rainy weather, i'm sick of being sick, and i'm tired of not having enough energy to do the things that i enjoy. the thing that God has been working on most in me during this time of being sick, is allowing Him to fill my days. i have time to journal, really reflecting on what God is saying to me in this time and through this tough situation.

i'm working through a devotional right now by Darlene Sala, and she spoke of the need to rest in God's love. it was such a helpful reminder to me, and so i thought i'd pass it on to you. Here is a wonderful verse that she mentioned from the Bible...

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. -Psalm 62:5

I hope that you, too, can find rest this day, in God alone... allowing your hope to come from Him.

He promises to be there in those moments when you're digesting and celebrating those mountaintop experiences... and he's there in the valleys with you, when you're crumpled on the floor, not able to walk on your own.

Thank you for all of your prayers...
love and hugs,
brelin

not so hot

oooh. the dentist was not nearly as bad as I had thought. I didn't have any cavities! (yay!) My teeth are only a little ruined on the back sides from all the stomach acid, but they think that they'll get better by brushing with special toothpaste and by gargling with the nighttime Crest Pro-Health mouthwash. (for those of you using the blue kind, you should stop--it apparantly stains your teeth after a long time). so, overall, good news from the dentist.

yesterday was rough. today has been iffy. sometimes the liquids stay down really well, and sometimes they just don't. until yesterday, things were going really well. then, things just didn't want to stay down anymore. so far this morning, nothing has wanted to stay down. but i did try to eat some toast... so that's my fault. :) I'll go back to just liquids for the afternoon. :)

i am going to a concert with my sister-in-law, tammy, this weekend in portland. it should be a real adventure!! :) i'm really looking forward to it!! so fun!!

keep those prayers coming for the liquids to STAY DOWN!! i really want to get my picc line out!!
love and hugs!
brelin
p.s. i totally missed april fool's day. i didn't do anything funny, or play any jokes on anyone. shoot. :( what a wasted holiday this year.