To say that I am thankful today doesn't begin to cover it. It's amazing what has happened over the past month or so. …
First of all, I had a meeting with my oncologist in November after all the hassles of not being able to get the sixth chemo treatment since the end of September. She got my blood tests out and said that my CA-125 numbers had stayed stable, and she didn't see any need for further chemo treatments. Meaning, I'm officially in the remission stage! Glory! I will now be going in for check-ups every three months for the first year, and then have more spaced out check-ups in years 2-5. After I test cancer-free in year 5, that's when I'll officially be considered cancer-free. Well, I consider myself cancer-free right now in the name of Jesus! (Isaiah 53:4-6)
On a visit to the hematologist last week, he said that my WBC count, my platelet count and my iron count are all going up, and it appears(!) my body is starting to recover from the effects of the chemo drugs. The smile I had coming out of there could have lit up the clinic! :-)
Now that I had my official OK from the doctors, I started looking for work again. I re-opened my accounts with the temp agencies I had worked with in the past 2 years and started sending resumes. My dear sister Coco also sent links to some job boards with other job openings, and I applied to those, too. My most recent agency (Randstad in Foster City) was able to get a one-day assignment in
San Mateo, which was a last-minute substitution for their receptionist. Needless to say, it was good to be driving down the road to a job! It went well, except for the drive home in traffic - ugh!
BUT a glitch! Since I went on that job, and I did have to report it to the Disability Department, they said 'thanks' by stopping my benefits! And me without a full-time job!! At this point my DH and I really started praying. After all, we like having a roof over our heads with heat and electricity AND gas in our cars, too!
So, I received a call from one of the jobs I had applied for, asking me to interview last Friday. So, after praying with my hubby and cleaning up a bit, I went for the interview. It's in a secured building, which left me standing in the rain until my interviewer came and let me in! (I didn't get TOO wet out there.) The interviewer asked me the standard questions about work history and stuff. And she gave me a description of the job and said they would do a background check & call my references & contact me this week to say if I got the job.
Well, they called me yesterday, and while they hadn't been able to contact my references (if you're reading this, please keep your phones on!), my background check came back ok, so COULD YOU START DECEMBER 17TH? What do you think my answer was??
(After putting him on Mute so I could yell a bit.)
So, praise God, I will be back to work on the 17th!! Yea!
Now, I'm typing this on the 5th. SO...I need some short assignments to keep funds coming in from now until my first paycheck, which probably won't be until the week of CHRISTMAS! (UGH!) My friends at Randstad-FC heard back from my one-day job, and they said they like me and want me to come in on Friday (1/2 day) and a full day on Monday. That will definitely help!
In the meantime, we'll have to rely on God to provide a way to receive a financial blessing so we can make our utility payments and get some small gifts for our family members (at least the kids and parents, if not everyone). But since God has healed me AND my husband as well as provided a job for me, we have faith that He will provide for these needs, too! How He'll do it isn't up to us to know. Our only job is to praise Him for what He's already done, and in advance for what He's going to do. Who knows....there may be even more surprises to come...
Thanks so much for your prayers for us. And, as always....STAY VERTICAL! - JC
First of all, I had a meeting with my oncologist in November after all the hassles of not being able to get the sixth chemo treatment since the end of September. She got my blood tests out and said that my CA-125 numbers had stayed stable, and she didn't see any need for further chemo treatments. Meaning, I'm officially in the remission stage! Glory! I will now be going in for check-ups every three months for the first year, and then have more spaced out check-ups in years 2-5. After I test cancer-free in year 5, that's when I'll officially be considered cancer-free. Well, I consider myself cancer-free right now in the name of Jesus! (Isaiah 53:4-6)
On a visit to the hematologist last week, he said that my WBC count, my platelet count and my iron count are all going up, and it appears(!) my body is starting to recover from the effects of the chemo drugs. The smile I had coming out of there could have lit up the clinic! :-)
Now that I had my official OK from the doctors, I started looking for work again. I re-opened my accounts with the temp agencies I had worked with in the past 2 years and started sending resumes. My dear sister Coco also sent links to some job boards with other job openings, and I applied to those, too. My most recent agency (Randstad in Foster City) was able to get a one-day assignment in
San Mateo, which was a last-minute substitution for their receptionist. Needless to say, it was good to be driving down the road to a job! It went well, except for the drive home in traffic - ugh!
BUT a glitch! Since I went on that job, and I did have to report it to the Disability Department, they said 'thanks' by stopping my benefits! And me without a full-time job!! At this point my DH and I really started praying. After all, we like having a roof over our heads with heat and electricity AND gas in our cars, too!
So, I received a call from one of the jobs I had applied for, asking me to interview last Friday. So, after praying with my hubby and cleaning up a bit, I went for the interview. It's in a secured building, which left me standing in the rain until my interviewer came and let me in! (I didn't get TOO wet out there.) The interviewer asked me the standard questions about work history and stuff. And she gave me a description of the job and said they would do a background check & call my references & contact me this week to say if I got the job.
Well, they called me yesterday, and while they hadn't been able to contact my references (if you're reading this, please keep your phones on!), my background check came back ok, so COULD YOU START DECEMBER 17TH? What do you think my answer was??
(After putting him on Mute so I could yell a bit.)
So, praise God, I will be back to work on the 17th!! Yea!
Now, I'm typing this on the 5th. SO...I need some short assignments to keep funds coming in from now until my first paycheck, which probably won't be until the week of CHRISTMAS! (UGH!) My friends at Randstad-FC heard back from my one-day job, and they said they like me and want me to come in on Friday (1/2 day) and a full day on Monday. That will definitely help!
In the meantime, we'll have to rely on God to provide a way to receive a financial blessing so we can make our utility payments and get some small gifts for our family members (at least the kids and parents, if not everyone). But since God has healed me AND my husband as well as provided a job for me, we have faith that He will provide for these needs, too! How He'll do it isn't up to us to know. Our only job is to praise Him for what He's already done, and in advance for what He's going to do. Who knows....there may be even more surprises to come...
Thanks so much for your prayers for us. And, as always....STAY VERTICAL! - JC