The Hope Hospital

     Tracey’s first official day, Wednesday, began with registering as a new patient. There was a lot of paperwork to do, but the wonderful lady who helped made it quite painless and easy for them. There were a lot of papers to sign!

     Next they went to patient relations where they discussed how the center helped their patients and what treatments and therapies they had. The woman she talked with made her feel at ease and once again showed great consideration to Tracey.

     She met the Nurse Navigator, known as the "GO TO GIRL" to whom Tracey is supposed to go with all of her questions. She makes sure everything runs smoothly for her.

     What impressed Tracey so much that day was that wherever she was during all of her appointments so many people stopped and asked if her needs were being met. Never had she felt so warm and cared for. I thank the Lord so much that He provided them with such support! There are sick people around everywhere, but the atmosphere of love and care and hope doesn’t make the Center feel like a real hospital.

    At 9 a.m. a doctor gave her a physical and looked over her medical history. He gave her many good tips about the herbs that would help her during the chemotherapy.

     At 10:00 her blood was drawn by a lady with quite a lovely name, Tracy. :)
They had financial counseling at 11:00. Tracey said, "They are so good down here that even the money aspect went smoothly."

     Lunch consisted of some of the best food they have ever eaten! Well, Tracey mentioned she enjoyed it very much. She didn’t say anything about Pastor! "Out of this world" beef and lots of organic vegetables and spices. Also, the best cornbread in the world! Tracey had it for lunch and supper. She might have even had it for breakfast!

     Tracey is so very thankful that Tony has made friends at the Center. A farmer from South Dakota and a pastor from South Carolina, and Noel have been not only a needed blessing, but also an answer to prayer for her. It is much harder to be helpless at the sidelines watching someone you love suffer. But God has given so much encouragement to Pastor Tony this week, through people from many different walks of life sharing together with one thing in common, "We are on a journey of hope."

     After lunch she had an MRI and an IV put in. She has a portacath, so she had the IV put in her chest. Thankfully the nurse had a "magic touch". She used to work with small children and her different techniques made it less painful. "So thankful for that."

     And the very last thing of the day was meeting a mind- body medicine doctor. He is a psychologist with a wonderful Christian testimony, everything he said he used a Bible verse for.

     "I know not everyone who comes here knows the Lord, and that saddens me. I do not know how they get through this. God has been our strength and our comfort. I want to leave you with this verse the psychologist gave us." Love, Tracey

Isaiah 60:1

"Arise, shine.

For the light has come

and the glory of the Lord

is risen upon you."

     I love Tracey and her family, and I didn’t understand why cancer happened to her. I didn’t want her children to hurt. But when I read this last note from her, I got a glimpse of what it could mean. Not only has it drawn them closer to the Lord for even greater comfort and guidance, Tracy said that many around them at the Center do not know the Lord. I’ve heard Pastor Tony speak about several people and doctors who have noticed how differently they have accepted this sadness. Not only have they touched others, even if it was just a nudge, it’s touched me, too, and encouraged me to be stronger in the Lord.