Happy Thanksgiving to our Canadian friends !

Hi,
Here's my check in:
10/1/12 166.4
10/8/12 163.4

I am happy for all progress. I had a few slip ups this week but overall ate
well and got about an hour of exercise in most days.

1. "Wars are fought strategically. one battle at a time.
2 . Wars are fought on more than one front.
3. We must expect setbacks and defeats along the way.
4. When we lose a battle, we must get back on track immediately, so we don't
lose the war.
5. We will not win if we refuse to fight."
——Carole Lewis


These are some War Strategies that can apply to my cancer fight when concerns come up. I've been fighting aggressive breast cancer and am doing well right now as far as I know. Cancer is sneaky stuff and doesn't "fight fair". These strategies also work with other life battles like food struggles. I like this list. God is my strength and rock . I need to be doing my part in the equation like getting right back up with His help when I fall down. The Lord has much better for me than me choosing to wallow in any pits of discouragement or despair and He is always up to something good in my life in the midst of every cicumstance.

Let's fight to win, guys! :0)


Paula

P.S. It is because I am a new member that there is a block on me posting any links--no problem.

Paula, I posted on another thread of your but will give a short version here I am in cancer treatment too for the second time. I will continue with medical treatment but my trust is in God, the Great Physician.
Psalms 118:6 "The Lord is on my side ; I will not fear:what can man do unto me ?"

I like that; and I agree that many battles are fought with these helpful strategies, whether it be Cancer or Weightl-Loss or whatever ...

My GOAL UPDATE for THANKSGIVING is 4 lbs down this AM. It may have been more but it has onlybeen 6 weeks since I weighed last so that is pretty good for me -- as I lose like a . This is still a Thanksgiving blessing for me though. So excuse me, while I cheer for myself ...
My next goal is in about 10+ weeks or Christmas Day, so lots of time there!

Eating is going well this weekend; eating lots of turkey that I made yesterday. I think I may bake a pumpkin pie for DH and pumpkin custard for me today, as this is Thanksgiving Day itself.

Oh, be back after -- our NIKO is barking for some reason; and these days, I have to check everything out as DH gets so confused now. Lots of Pookas visiting us these days, we had a Nun this AM but that is comforting for any Catholic boy -- better than men he thinks are stealing his tools/stuff.

Have a lovely THANKSGIVING DAY to all our other Canadian friends today!

Well, the weather was much cooler with drizzle & all day long so I just did stuff indoors. Eating went well despite the Alzheimer's battle ...

.... where the lines are not always clearly defined -- sadly, seems there are some bogus boobie traps set up here & there that I have to discifer and avoid. Oh, how the human mind works; it never ceases to amaze me. No, it couldn't be simple, could it? This may just be the 's playground ...

Well, we call down GOD's Holy Spirit and His ministering Angels to defend and protect his children today. This life is difficult enuff without people playing games too; but I'm on to it, friends ... GOD is so faithful; I cannot tell you!

So, I am fighting this battle on two fronts, at least; the obvious one and one not-so-clear. The best part is that I am not responding the way that was expected. While I do feel the oppression, I am not reacting; no, I'm not caving; no, I'm not being fooled; no, I am not eating!!! PRAIZE GOD!!!

The end of the day was much better than the start; thank you, LORD!

My prayers and hugs are with you Rosebud :-)

THANKS, GARY ~ likewise ... hugs & prayers for you & Angie too ...

You know, I was just sharing with a friend that DH still cannot accept the diagnosis; he doesn't want to talk about it. He asked me the other night, if there wasn't anything that we could do to fix it. Couldn't we pray it away? I reminded him that we have all been praying about this from the start (me for years really); and that we will continue to do so.

And today, I told him, "I am so sorry -- to my knowledge there is no cure for this disease." (as the nurses were so quick to remind me). Plus, "I am sorry, I cannot wave a magic wand and make it all go away! Oh, how much I wish I could!"

Plus, that blaming others and running -- was not the answer, becuz no matter where you run or who with, it will still be there; but your life and others will be much harder for it ... and that you will have to face it all, eventually, so why hurt other innocent people for nothing.

I reminded him of the Serenity Prayer -- that there are some things in this life that we can change; and there are some that we cannot, so we have to do what we can to change what we can; and we have to ask GOD to give us the grace & strength we need to accept and face the rest.

I am also asking for a sort of divine peace of mind for him as he is really struggling with it this way; I know he is scared. GOD reminded me through a devotion: forget the mistakes & regrets of the past; don't fret about the future; just focus on today -- one moment at a time. This seemed to help him, for now. Thanks to you all for your prayers for him, for us both ...

rosebud, I went to a funeral this week, this was in honor of a brilliant man who had received many honors in his life, he was quite famous in his field. The last few years of his life he had Alzheimers and was not the same person at all. But his memorial service, Rosebud was amazing, the love and respect given him in the Eulogies was just remarkable. People whose lives he had touched and many that he had mentored all spoke so lovingly and had such respect for him. In addition to all this he was a fine Christian man. I guess what I am trying to say is that he is remembered for the remarkable person that he had been and not for the disease that he endured .
Rosebud , I will continue to keep you both in prayer that you both will find the peace that passeth all understanding.

BARGOO ~ thanks for sharing that; I so agree. I know that DH will be remembered by many for his many good qualities. So many times, he has done kind gestures towards and for others (many unknown too). The LORD has been touching him in his spirit this past year; I have seen it. He just has these off days - moments where I hear panic, fear & frustration; and focusing too much on the few things he feels aren't perfect in his life (like not being able to drive anymore -- this is the biggie).

Today, he felt better. I am trying to get him to focus on the positive -- getting him to watch a happy movie in the evening before bed. Gave him a beer to help him sleep; he slept a bit better too. Getting him to go out for a ride or walk every day for fresh air. Helping him focus on all the blessings he has -- he can walk well, he can ride a bike, he can go up town and talk to people, plus he can go out for a coffee if he wants to too.

I'm trying to encourage him to do what he can; change what he can; and then make the best of the rest. We have been mulling over some other ideas too, but they take time to bring about (and he is impatient). Your prayers will help him too; I just know it. Thanks again so much ...

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EDIT2ADD ~ this also reminds me -- I was talking to a Christian lady last night about why GOD answers some prayers and not others. This is so related to what my DH asked. My BIL, sister, and I all put hands on my DH and prayed for him after the diagnosis. Many have and are still praying for him.

This lady lost her DH to an infection (after having cancer 4 times); and he was prayed over by a whole church congregation (plus many more, including us). She said now she was afraid to pray for people becuz her prayers weren't answered for her DH (well, in the way that she wanted, as she wanted him to live longer; he had already lived another 12+ years from his first cancer bout).

So, many prayers were answered for him, just not the one that she wanted -- to determine how long he would live. There are some diseases that defy prayers; many are healed, but not all! Some get treatments and live "longer" lives (like her DH), and some eventually pass away from something else too.

Does that really mean GOD hasn't answered our prayers for these people? Or just that one prayer about the "time of life", which only GOD knows really. Plus, just becuz one person passes on, doesn't mean the next one you pray for will. Many, many people are cancer survivors (same goes for heart attacks, strokes, etc).

Now, about the "time of one's life" -- isn't this really about accepting GOD's sovereignty? To do what is good, and right, and best for that person? Isn't that GOD's will for us all? GOD loves us -- He doesn't want us to suffer any longer than we need to. And what about her DH's wishes? He said he was tired and ready to go. Again, what about respecting his wishes?

Sometimes, loving someone also means that we have to let them go. So that they don't keep suffering just to keep us from grieving their loss. Hey, I know losing loved ones is tough; we have lost many in our family, and that's not even talking about our beloved pets, which were like family to us. There is no greater sorrow ...

These diseases and illnesses cause so much pain and sorrow. May GOD grant us all the grace & strength & peace we need to face them. May the LORD JESUS, the LORD OF PEACE, be our strength. May the GOD OF ALL COMFORT -- comfort us in our losses ...

In time, the pain fades -- but the beauty remains ...

Rosebud, are there any support groups for Caregivers of Alzheimers in your area or on the internet ? I think it would be helpful to be able to talk to others with the same experiences that you are going through.

Yes, I am looking into that. We will be seeing DH's doctor on Friday and I will ask him if he can find out what is available for us in this town? There is nothing in the phone book here (we live in a very small town).

Plus, I will also look into the Alzheimer's Association/site. Just haven't gotten around to that with so much to deal with here each day ... 24/7.

Hi everyone. just a quick check-in. I'm back from spending a few days with my sweetheart. Had a very nice time. Came home with a nasty cold on Monday though. Spent all day in bed yesterday but today I'm a bit better. Got some shopping and house work done. Tomorrow I plan to get back to the Y and my workouts. Although I expect I'll have to ease into it after having such a bad cold and not exercising for a full week. I think I'll aim for just 2 hours and see how I feel. Nite everyone.

Rosebud - I agree with you so much on what you shared about giving up loved ones. So many times we’ve prayed for different ones to be healed who were and then prayed for probably more who weren’t. Why? Only God has the answer. When my precious Mother had cancer and died, I had a wonderful young minister tell me... “She has seen heaven and decided to go on”. She had been healed of cancer before. I prayed my previous husband back from death so many times, but the last time I found him, I felt the Lord said to me “Let him go”. What I didn’t know was that 3 months earlier and man and his family had come to the place that they had to give up his wife and let her go. He knew she wasn’t going to get better and that her quality of life wasn’t going to be any good as she was already blind and now she would lose her legs so he asked her “Do you want to go be with Jesus?” And she said “Yes”. What neither of us knew was that a little over 3 months after my husbands death that we would meet and get married. That man is my husband today. We have tough times, but we know that God answers prayers and He has a plan for our lives. I hope your friend will come to realize that God healed her husband 4 times (I can’t tell you how many times God healed Bill and let us keep him before he gave up and went on home to the Lord). I have always felt blessed that God gave us those wonderful victories. However, I never felt Bill’s death was defeat or unanswered prayer. I felt it was Bill’s Ultimate victory and someday I will be with him again in that place where we will never be separated again by death. Oh how I pray your friend will come to understand that in her heart and find her peace and not rob people of her prayers.
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I know nothing of Alzhimers so I really can’t give any advice, but Bill’s Mother had dementia. She loved doing Fin an Circle word puzzles. Bill did crossword puzzles. He knew I loved computer games so he told me before he died to always play the games to keep my mind alert. I don’t know if your husband would like anything like that or if it would help, but thought I would mention it. I will definitely keep the 2 of you in my prayers.

Hope you will be feeling better soon.

Trish, what a wonderful post, thank you so much. I firmly believe in prayer and that God answers prayers, ALL prayers. It may not be the answer we want but He does answer. I have been prayed for, too , in Church and on Prayer Chains and here at 3FC, I still have cancer but what I have been given is even more important. I have the peace that passes all understanding. Philippians 4:7.