Xenia Kathryn

V for Victory!  I was so proud of my girl.  Can you guess who she played in the school Christmas program last week?  She also sang a solo!  Although we had a rough start to the school year, I think this role was a great confidence boost for my sweet girl.  She did a great job, and I'm proud of her hard work.  I *do* have a picture of S. around here somewhere; she was the most adorable angel :) 

Watching the girls' school program was one of the highlights of December.  You see, this year has had it's up and downs.  November was wrought with the unexpected stress of a foot injury for Job, which required double "MOM DUTY", since Daddy couldn't be up on his feet much, or drive anywhere for that matter.  I had to do all of the family driving... boo hoo, I know, right?  :)

Then at a routine follow-up appointment with my hematologist earlier this month, I had a surprisingly LOW platelet count again (12,000- yikes, I know).  Which is something I really wasn't expecting, since I was not experiencing a lot of fatigue, bruising and bleeding like I had with my initial diagnosis of I.T.P. earlier in the spring.  I had been eating fairly well (with a few "cheats" on Thanksgiving), although sleep and exercise were a little harder to maintain with the added stress of November.

My doctor wanted to see me the following week, which was last Friday.  I was hoping to see an increase.  I was hoping the first lab draw was just a bit of a fluke.  I was hoping I wouldn't have to burden anyone with more prayer requests, since there are other people out there suffering so much more than I am. 

But Job came with me to my appointment, which was a great help.  I had a great talk with my long-time friend Amy the night before (she's an oncology/ hematology nurse who shared some helpful and optimistic information for me regarding my condition).  I was glad I went into the appointment with good head-space.  Because... I was flabbergasted that my platelets decreased in half (6,000... not good at all).  So.  The next morning, I was back steroids, and I have been for the past 2 days.    

I'll take the steroids to reduce inflammation for the next 4 weeks, which will theoretically give me enough time to wean my sweet baby Maria... (pause to sob)... so that I can go on to the next treatment option, an IV infusion called Retuxin. 

I won't bother you with the details.  All I know is that this next procedure should "do the trick", and if it doesn't, then a splenectomy might be in my future. One or both of these procedures is very successful, so that is very encouraging.

Please keep me in your prayers.  I'm so thankful to have good doctors who encourage me to live my normal life (just no ice-skating, biking, wrestling with kiddos, or any other activities with potential head-bonking trauma).  I'm thankful for a supportive family and good friends who show concern, love and offer their prayers. As you might imagine, it makes me extra thankful this holiday season.

The past few years, I haven't always entered the Nativity season with the best attitude.  The level of expectations seemed so hard to meet.  Making Christmas perfect for "EVERYONE" was daunting.  It all left me overwhelmed, over-ambitious, overly-negative and stressed.  But this year, I'm just thankful to celebrate another Christmas with my sweet family.   I'm thankful that my kids had a year of fairly good health.  I'm thankful that my hubby's badly sprained foot is healing, and that he can drive again... and SO thankful that his accident was not much worse (no broken bones!).   I'm thankful that my "affliction" is not terribly worse, and yet it's been "enough" to open my eyes and teach me a lot about myself this year.  To be a mom, and a wife, is the biggest blessing for me, ever.  God forgive me if I ever took it for granted!!! 

Tonight, I say good-bye to "year 30" of my life, and step fully into my thirties :)  Yep, my birthday is tomorrow.  Which is not something I share to gain attention, but something I sort of want to publicly bid "adieu" to.  I'm eager for 2014, and for adding another year to my age starting tomorrow.  I hope that my 31st year is full of God's healing, direction, joy, love, strength, togetherness, growth and GRACE. 

Thanks so much for reading, and thank you for your support and prayers.  Much love to you all. God is good!!!!