Chemo and ORGANIC GUMBO!! (bet I have your attention now!)

Bet you're wondering how I can combine my first chemo story with GUMBO! What do you expect when "Boudreaux goes for chemo?" So I started the day asking God to take away my anxiety and when I was ready to give it up, he took it and it vanished. Thanks for the prayers for that. The unknown is always the scariest part of doing something new. God replaced my fears with courage, (add courage to my new favorite words list) Speaking of courage, the young man in the picture with me is Stephen Prevost. He is a cousin of mine (on the Zaunbrecher side) Stephen has been undergoing treatments for cancer for quite some time. I was humbled to share my chemo time with such a fine young man who amazes the nurses with his tenacity and ability to keep on truckin' in spite of his rigorous treatments. Please keep Stephen in your prayers each day. Soooo anyway, the gumbo thing... Stephen was telling Ricky and I that he was on an all organic diet, and said that he had made an Organic Gumbo. Well, of course we got the recipe and will try it out. His cute little fiance', Sara, said you would never know it wasn't regular gumbo. He makes his own roux with organic whole wheat flour and olive oil and then adds the other organic ingredients of choice! There's one of the unexpected blessings of chemo.
The actual process of the chemo was surprisingly painless (all that wasted anxiety and worrying for nothing!) The little stick to insert the needle into the mediport was easy and I didn't have any particular sensation as the drug made it's way throughout my body "cleaning house" as someone described it to me. I did have a nagging headache today and really laid low all afternoon. The next few days I may have some bone and joint pain associated with the meds given to boost my white blood count. Everyone reacts differently, so this week is like my trial run, so then I'll be able to gauge how I can schedule work, play and rest according to MY own individual reaction to all this STUFF!.
The nurses were super and I think going to a small center will have some great benefits as far as patient/nurse ratio and relationship. Everyday I thank God for the unique individuals he sends my way to care for me. The nurses in the picture will be my "peeps" for the next few months. Both of them are named Tracy. I made a new friend over the phone through Dr. Breaux's office. One day soon she and I will meet in person, but for now we just support each other over the phone, journeying into the unknown. Her name is Jenny and she also started her chemo today (in the Lafayette office... I was able to do mine in Crowley as a convenient location) Please pray for her as well. Well that's all I know for today. As each day unfolds time will tell me what to expect. For today, LIFE IS GOOD, WAY BETTER THAN I EXPECTED!

"And who of you by worrying and being anxious can add one unit of measure to his stature or to the span of life?"
Matthew 6:27