SPOT News!!!

Lesson Preview

     Can you believe it?  We have arrived at the end of our study in 1 & 2 Corinthians.  This week's lesson comes from chapters 10-13 of 2 Corinthians.   The topic is Improving Relationships.

Conflict in relationships is common.  We are individuals with wills and opinions and with teens also in our homes, conflicts are inevitable.  But handled with Christ-like grace, conflict actually can lead to improved relationships. 

This Sunday is also the beginning of Advent.  We will experience a short time of Advent prior to the lesson.  As a heads up;  the three Sundays in December prior to Christmas will be devoted to Advent.  "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas . . ."

Peace,
Don

Update from Zenobia

Dear Friends and Family,

It's 2:33p and I'm here at the St. Louis Cancer center sitting in the "infusion room" at St. John's hospital in West County.  My friend Linda M graciously brought me here this am.  Im kind of tired after a night of very little sleep due to the portacath being put in yesterday.  This is a little mechanism about the size of a quarter that they sewed under my skin just below the right collar bone.  There is a tube attached to this that goes through the vein in my neck to send all meds and chemo through instead of starting an arm iv every time.  Well, little did I know that I wouldn't be able to turn my neck, get up or down very easily, and can't lift anything heavy for at least 2 weeks.  I now know that I use my neck muscles to get up and turn in bed.  They gave me pergoset but it said one of the side effects could have been getting dizzy so I left it alone.

This room is pretty big - all open walls with curtains to pull and comfy chairs for us to sit or recline in while we're here.  Today's session is going to last almost 6.5 hours.  When they put in the Herceptin thru the iv I started to have chills which is normal, so she slowed the adminstering of the med a little and it helped.  The sheets are toasty warm and my feet are reclined while sitting in this chair.

After Linda M left, Kelley Simers came and visited and brought us lunch and fun pink balloons.  My friend Jean Deasy also came and we chatted for a while.  She brought me a long pillow to use that you put in the microwave to heat in case I need it for my neck.  I took a short nap and listened to my ipod and the first song was "After the rain" by Aaron & Jeoffrey

After the rain you can look to the sky again

The clouds will give way to the light of the sun. 

Afrter the rain to know that you've made it thru

and you'll finally see the joy from the pain, after the rain.

So I guess I'm kind of looking at this whole experience as a time of "rain" with the clouds giving way periodically.  And through it all God is just watching over me.  I have met some nice patients here who also are receiving treatment for cancer, and my nurses Laura and Stacy have been very kind and patient.  I've been here long enough this morning to have seen almost all other patients come and go.  I think I will have had about 6 or 7 bags of stuff dripped thru my port by the time I leave here.  I have to come back tomorrow for a shot of Neulasta to stimulate the white blood cells and then begin taking oral medications to help me with reflux, indigestion, and nausea.  I have a feeling I'm gonna be really tired tonight.

Thanks so much for praying, and for your support.  I told a friend just a couple of days ago - I could not go through this without all of you!

In Him,

Zenobia

2nd Annual SPOT Christmas Shindig

...will be held on Wednesday, December 22nd at 6:30 PM.  The event will be graciously hosted by the Massey's.  Plan on bringing an appetizer of your choice and enjoy the festivities!!!  All kids welcome..even the college aged ones!

Prayer Requests

• Continued prayers for health issues with Zenobia Perry and Jim Meinhardt..
• John, Jeff Bradshaw's barber, is dealing with mental health issues.
• Susan Hurt's godmother is very ill.
• Lots of holiday travel this week..