A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage #113, Breast Cancer Recovery Update, and Thanksgiving Preparations

Welcome to another 

Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage!

Each week I share ways I've saved money, my thrifty and frugal projects, and my blessings from God. 

I am so glad you dropped in for a visit today—or tonight!

Please say hello! I'm always looking for new blog friends!

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Hey y'all! I'm back! Well, I'm back for awhile anyway. ~smile~ Here's the big news. My oncologist has now declared that I am in "rare, total remission"...and he smiled! I'd heard from the surgeon that the cancer wasn't in my lymph nodes or margins, but there was just something about hearing it from the oncologist that made it all the more real. I wasn't surprised the cancer is gone. I've known from the start that God is fighting my cancer battle. 

Still, the battle isn't over. I continue to recover from surgery. One of my incisions has been slow to heal, I still have pain, and I am trying to regain range of motion on my left (cancer and lymph node) side. The right side's doing great. Treatments will continue after Thanksgiving to make sure it's all gone, and it doesn't come back. There will be IV Herceptin treatments and a pill to take. I hope that I do not have side effects from those treatments. 

Radiation? Well, the oncologist is no longer absolutely sure I will need it. He's referring me to the radiation oncologist for his determination. Please pray for wisdom for the doctor and for my husband and I. We need to be completely at peace with the decision we make. We're believing God.

Well, enough about cancer. I hope you're making progress as you move toward Thanksgiving and Christmas time. I've not really done anything to prepare except to buy turkey roasting bags and marshmallows. ~smile~ This weekend I'll finalize the menu and make the grocery list. This year everyone will have to help with preparations and cooking. Fortunately, I've been teaching my children the family recipes over the last few years. It should be a really easy Thanksgiving for me. 

Well, enough for now—on to my blessings and a bit of our thrifty life.

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A Verse for You

“But this I call to mind, 
and therefore I have hope: 
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end; 
they are new every morning; 
great is your faithfulness.”
—Lamentations 3:21-23

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Here's my thrifty week!

• My daughter is reusing our Teaching Textbooks math curricula for Geometry. This is child #3 using it, so that's money well spent.
• My other daughter is attending the local community college. This is thrifty because her Pell grant goes a lot further than it would at a state university or a private college.
• My son is reusing our Teaching Textbooks Algebra II text.
• We were introduced to Khan Academy. They have lots of courses that can be taken for free online. My Amy is taking U.S. History and Health and Medicine. She finds the explanations quite interesting. 
• We bought cheese, bread, lunch meat, and microwave burritos for those times when the kids need to fend for themselves. My appetite comes and goes, and I'm not cooking much yet.
• We have received meals from kind friends through the Meal Train many times since my surgery last month. My favorite dessert so far was Deb's tapioca pudding! My favorite main dish was Donna's chicken pot pie!
• Friends gave us money for lunch and for dinner this week. Thanks Niki and Deanne!
• We received a check to help out with expenses from Donna and her family. Thank you!
• I wrote a book review for Zonderkidz and received the book for free.
• A dear reader sent me a gift check to help with Christmas expenses. Thank you Karen!
• My dear friend, who took me to church and helped me become a Christian way back when we were in high school, sent me a gift card for Olive Garden. Thank you Kim! Read about how it all came about when I was Frightened of God.
• Another friend sent me a box of tea, Christmas books, and scotch tape and a little fun money, too. Just what I need for December! Thank you Karla!

I've been blessed by so many people through this struggle.
Y'all have encouraged me so much in so many ways.
Thank you very much!
Love to you all!
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That's my thrifty week.

What are you doing in your home this week?

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ღLauraღ

...doing what I can with what I've got

where I am on a short shoestring budget!

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Have you started listening to Christmas music yet?

Last year, I reviewed ADORE by Chris Tomlin.
It's become a favorite. I worship with it year round.

Bonus! 
It's currently available on YouTube 
uploaded by Chris Tomlin. It's on my playlist.
It's in my car. It's on my computer. It's everywhere I listen to music!

Here you go! Take a listen!
I think you'll find it worth buying!

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 Related Posts

• A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage #44
• Stress Less This Christmas
• A Thrifty Week at Harvest Lane Cottage #45
• Christmas Expectations

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A Southern Sky... A Story of Thanks Living

   Once upon a time, a few years ago, we visited a planetarium in St. Louis. It was a school field trip with our close friends the Smiths. We loved those days. Since it was a school day, there were few visitors. After the program was over, I was speaking to the man who presented the program. I told him I'd love to see what the southern hemisphere sky looks like. He kindly pulled it up on the projector, and he pointed out several constellations. I couldn't help myself, tears fell as I looked at the sky that the other half of the world looks at each night.

  God is so much bigger than we can even imagine. Seeing a whole different sky highlighted that. Knowing that it is unlikely that I will ever see that sky, it was a very precious experience. I am so thankful that I had those few moments to do something impossible for me. 

  Yes, I am very sentimental. Don't even get me started on the National Anthem!


Laura
Contemplating my Blessings
with Thanks Living

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Related Posts:

• Strategize NOW for a Stress Less Thanksgiving 
• The Best way to Have a Happy Thanksgiving 
• Thanksgiving and Praise 
• Don't Fret! Thanksgiving's Coming Quick

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Thank you all for writing to me. I read every comment. I truly appreciate the support you've all given me during my recovery. If you'd like a response to your comment, please make sure that I have your email. I'm not taking time right now to copy responses onto the blog. Please understand. Thanks! Laura


Picture Credit Pixabay

Wonderful Wednesday

Pressing Through

I've had some hard times emotionally over the last few weeks. In part, I'm weary of the journey. In part, the medicines didn't agree with me. BUT GOD.

God is so faithful. In my distress, He prompted me to reach out to the right people —good friends who knew how to help. He also brought me in contact with a couple of local support groups, and with an acquaintance who is going through her own breast cancer journey in my own home town. She'll be starting radiation a week or two before I do. Neither of us is looking forward to it, but it will be good for it to be over. We have become fast friends.

For a number of years, she prepared income taxes for people. She said that every year, March 15th would come, and she would just become so tired and worn out. She just wanted it over with. Tax season is exhausting. It wasn't until the last couple of years doing taxes that she recognized the pattern. She said that she is going through the same emotions now. She's finished her surgery and chemo, and now, right before the final push for her, she is just exhausted physically and emotionally.

I'm feeling the same way. My chemo and surgery are now complete. I'm healing from the surgery, but have had some trouble with one of the incisions. I had it checked today, and I don't need any stitches, but it will need some extra tlc for awhile. I'm so ready to be done. I still have radiation to do. I'd hoped to finish by the end of the year so I wouldn't have to pay a new deductible, but it doesn't look like that's possible now.  I've also got another six or eight months of IV therapy to block the hormones that fed my cancer.  Then there will be pills. But that will seem much easier

It helped to recognize the feelings for what they are. Exhaustion from the journey paired with normal emotions from having a life-threatening illness and normal day-to-day life problems. Life does go on you know. It didn't stop for cancer.

Thanks be to Dr. Baker, Dr. Anis, and Dr. Hughes and mostly to thanks to God, my life won't stop for cancer either.

So, now I'll continue pressing through.

God bless you all!

Thank you all your prayers and encouragement through this time.

Please pray for my husband and children, too. It's wearing on all of us, and the holidays are fast approaching. Thank you!

Sincerely,
Laura Lane

I will trust the LORD at all times. HE'S GOOD!

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Related Posts:

• Burden Bearing... Don't Be a Donkey!
• The Diagnosis

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Share Your Cup

Thankful for a War Song to Fight This Battle!

I am thankful for war songs! The Israelites sang in battle!

This is the song that got me through the long wait for the initial diagnosis of cancer in the surgeon's office.

This is the song that got me through many of the times of fighting in the Spirit!

Okay, y'all. Don't freak out when you listen to this. It's a true war song 21st century style. It may not be what you're used to. It's not what I was used to. But I heard a man in our church a year or two ago sing this. He was battling cancer. He has won!

GOD IS IN CONTROL!

THERE'S POWER IN THE BLOOD!

I PLEAD THE BLOOD OF JESUS 

OVER MY BODY FOR COMPLETE HEALING!

I PLEAD THE BLOOD OF JESUS 

OVER MY FAMILY FOR SALVATION 

AND COMPLETELY GIVING THEIR LIVES TO JESUS!

Y'all, this really is a war! 

Satan's after you and your loved ones, too.

Plead the blood of Jesus!

What can wash away my sins?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Hugs to you all!

Be bold and courageous in the LORD!

Laura

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Related Posts:

• November is for Thanks Living

November is for Thanks Living! Breast Cancer Update

Surgery is complete.

Reconstruction complete.

Healing in process.

Pathology report complete.

No cancer in margins.

No cancer in lymph nodes.

No problem for God!

Praise God!

He is a God of His Word.

His Word Is Truth.

Declare His Word Over Your Life.

Laura

Halfway through the cancer battle,

but the victory is already won!

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And It Came To Pass... Cancer Surgery

Some of my favorite words in the Bible are, "and it came to pass."

The oldest known literature in the English language (at least when I was in college) was called Deor's Lament. It was a long poem that told of one terrible thing after another that had happened in the past. Each stanza ended with these words, "That now is gone, this too shall pass." It was written in old English, but the meaning was the holds truth for the twenty-first century.

So, the  cancer surgery, like the chemo, has come to pass. Some of my bandages were removed this week. A couple of the drainage tubes were removed. Hopefully, even more will be removed next week. It's been hard at times this last week, but God, my medical team, my friends, my prayer team, and my family have been faithful to take care of me. Thank you all for doing your part to help me through this tough part of my life that feels like one long lament. Thank you God, that with Jesus, it's not over. That now is gone, this too shall pass.

Surgery is Behind Me Now ~ An Update

Hi,

 I had my surgery on Friday, October 20th. The surgeons said that my surgeries went well. I'm still in pain and have limited mobility with my arms. I feel as good as my pain meds tell me I feel at any point in time. ~smile~ They make me groggy, too, but I'm thankful for them.

~ Thank you so much to all of you who are praying for me and for my family.

~Thank you to those who have shown us love in a tangible way such as bringing meals, cleaning, doing laundry,  sending food gift cards, or giving my kids rides have truly blessed us in a practical way, too. It's so hard not to be able to take care of my family and home the way I want to.

There's nothing like the body of Christ taking care of each other.

Hugs to you all!
Laura
Trusting God like never before

P.S. Please check yourself.