Fighting the Good Fight - 11/17/09

Hello Everyone,
I am Peggy's scribe...her brother Joe. She asked me to start updating the blog for her. Here is what is going on since last Saturday. As she said, she had a rough Saturday and had trouble breathing. She had good family time Sunday. Monday morning Peggy had difficulty breathing and Larry call the paramedics. She went to the hospital at appx. 7am on Monday. (Separate story but the Lord asked me (joe) to come up from San Diego Sunday night.) So I met Larry and Peg at the ER just after they arrived. She was put on an IV and oxygen. She arrived with swelling in her face and arms and some purple tones to her skin. She was and is weak and is getting normal skin tones back. Larry and Peggy are setting up Hospice care at home. They are working with her on pain meds. It is Peggy's preference to minimize pain meds. She desires to be alert and interacting with those around her. Peggy is planning to fight this until the Lord heals her. It is His call when it is done. She is very balanced between a full hope of the Lord's intervention in this and an intricate knowledge of what is going on in her body.

An example is when the paramedics came, Peggy sensed that they thought it was a "panic attack". So she said (I am paraphrasing) "Ok guys, I am a cancer patient, I have a tumor surrounding my superior vena cava (sp) and the constricted blood flow is impacting my ability to breath." I think she stumped these guys, but they did give her oxygen, checked her vitals and transported her.

On the personal side, my sister is a real strong person committed to being used in whatever way God wants to use her. She is talking to the nurses, doctors and anyone else new on scene to give them the Light that emminates through her from God. Her tone is great. The room she is in faces the west and there was an incredible sunset over the Ventura Coast. I could see Peggy's eyes getting comfort from the view. She was thanking the Lord for giving her this room.

When we were in the ER Peggy wanted to focus on 2nd Cor. 4: 15-18. " And as God's grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why WE NEVER GIVE UP (emphasis from Peg). Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed everyday........" We reflected on the verse with Peggy. "No point in giving up. You must seek completion. You need to get everything you can out of the journey you are on. Don't worry, don't look too far ahead, look at the path under your feet and count the journey a joy, TODAY! You cannot be bothered by the weight on you..... you need to embrace it. Don't seek the easy path, seek His way. Take the weight head-on, whatever it is and SEEK HIM!" In prayer Peggy said, "I trust you, Jesus!".