Day Sixteen - February 24, 2026
If we give our attention to anything that God has created, we will find purpose in it. It is when we study the design that we begin to understand the Designer. (Sarah Henderson)
This has been on my mind, so bear with me as I ramble on for a few sentences… I’ve always loved butterflies, one in particular, The Canadian Tiger Swallowtail. It is more rare and beautiful than all the other butterflies. As I’ve come to struggle for so long, the picture of butterflies has been emblematic for me. Marijke bought me a small stone version made of quartz on a trip to the East Coast two years ago, and I keep it beside my bed.. It represents strength and beauty, even in fragility. Butterflies each go through the painful struggle of emerging from their chrysalis. Fluid is pushed into their wings from their body with the struggle; and without this fight the butterfly would never be able to fly. And I so want to be able to fly! Fragile they may be, and often find their demise on a pickup trucks grill, but they also withstand storm and wind to fly 4000 km from Canada to Mexico every year. Their resilience is phenomenal. I strive for resilience like the butterfly. And although the resonant verse on flying from scripture is not from a butterfly, it still gives me the joyous feeling of flying with strength and freedom, “But those who hope in the Lord, will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31
Today was a difficult day, but I will share the bright and wonderful moments.
Arrival…. cardinal singing in a tree (YAY!)
My lymph therapist, Kristi, lovely as always. asks how I’ve been since last Thursday so I have to bring her up to speed on everything “post-EBOO”. She knows working on me means walking a narrow line of not too much or succeeding in what is needed. She tells me every time she works on me she prays that it will be God’s hands not hers. I tell her Jeff and I also prayed this about her hands in the parking lot. She promptly prays for me that God’s will and hands would be leading the way in our appointment today. I cannot believe the beauty of the faith and grace in this place. I open up about my faith and they just pour into me. (During my afternoon doctor’s appointment today, he also opened up about how great their last sermon was on dealing with hardship)
I did a baby step today and was successfully able to get an iv saline solution to not blow any veins. This also would help flood my veins with more fluid and dilute the fibrin in my blood, and hopefully help the chest pain. There is a chance I will try an EBOO again tomorrow, so please pray for success in all areas of that potential attempt.
Still having difficulties breathing, my doctor discovered multiple ribs were out, so work was done to bring them in line. It was also discovered I have bronchiectasis. This is a condition where damage causes the tubes in your lungs (airways) to widen or develop pouches and is caused by prolonged exposure and infection to microbials, bacteria and toxins. Its one of a number of reasons my breathing is now difficult.
We started discovering as well that the metal in my jaw is indeed causing considerable damage in the body with leaching of aluminum and nickel which have damaged my pineal gland and large and small intestines. We will continue to learn more in the next few days.
My gratitude for your prayers. Please continue to uphold Jeff and myself as we know some of the diagnosis may yet be more complex in the time we have left here.
To be a human being is to be stained glass - beautiful in our brokenness - John Eldredge
