Meals and Child Care for Round 2 of Chemo

We would like to start up meals for the Beachy family again. Amy is having her second round of chemotherapy on Monday, October 5. We hope to provide every-other-day meals. Once again, if you would like to provide a meal on one of these dates, please comment below, call or text Laurel at 823.0544, or email laurel.greer@gmail.com

Meals:

Monday, Oct 5- Melissa Heller
Tuesday, Oct 6- Melaina Wiker
Wed, Oct 7- Missy Jeanes
Fri, Oct 9- Patti Beachy
Sun, Oct 11- Aggie Lawler
Tues, Oct 13- Deb Strohecker
Thurs, Oct 15- Andrea Weaver
Sat, Oct 17-Freda Beachy

Child Care: Amy may not need an entire day, or may not need childcare at ALL--but we thought we'd schedule it anyway... Amy or I will let you know what the needs will be after the treatment. Thank you for your flexibility! Also, transportation can be provided, just let us know. Same as above, call or text Laurel at 823.0544, or email laurel.greer@gmail.com

Mon, Oct 5- Laurel Greer
Tues, Oct 6-Freda Beachy
Wed, Oct 7- Karen
Thurs, Oct 8- Alison McLennan
Fri, Oct 9- morning: Michelle Troop afternoon: Lauren

Turn off Blog Music First!

Meals for the Beachys

At this point, Amy is doing great for meals. When the next round of chemo begins, (Oct 5), we will begin an every-other-day meal schedule for a few weeks.

If you have any questions about dropping off food, please call or text Laurel at 823.0544

Wed Sept 16: Becky Hager
Thur Sept 17: Karen
Fri Sept 18: Joyous Derner
Sat Sept 19: Susanna
Sun Sept 20: Jen Fisher
Mon Sept 21: Marni Van Grouw
Tues Sept 22: Bobbi Jo Martin
Wed Sept 23: Tiffany Porter
Thur Sept 24: Laurel Greer
Fri Sept 25: Anna Fillgrove
Sat Sept 26: Christina Kyllonen
Sun Sept 27: Becca Hansen
Mon Sept 28: Marissa Kmiec
Tues Sept 29: Wendy Shonk
Wed Sept 30: Lauren Hammack
Thurs Oct 1: (anonym?)
Frid Oct 2: Ann Schiler

Campbell's gift of hair for Amy

From Campbell's mom, Renee:

"I'm so proud of Campbell! She cut off nearly 10 inches of her hair and donated it to a place that makes wigs for Cancer patients! We did this in honor of our friend, Amy Beachy, who just started Chemo on Wednesday... Amy this is for you! We love you and we're praying for you!"

Update

First off, I want to thank all of you who have been bringing me all these delicious and amazing meals each day since my chemo treatment. What a blessing they have been!

I want to apologize that it has been awhile since I have updated you on how I have been doing. On Thursday, the day after my first chemo treatment, my dear friend, Alison, watched the kids for me all day so that I could just relax in case I wasn't feeling the best. Thankfully, I felt pretty good all day, so later that morning my friend, Stephanie, picked me up and we went out to a late breakfast and afterward, walked around the mall. A fun-filled day!

On Friday morning I felt up to going to the gym in the morning and getting a small workout in and seeing friends I had missed for a couple of weeks. My wonderful husband was able to be home on Friday, just in case I wasn't feeling well, to be able to help out with anything. It was great having him around to spend time with.

Saturday morning I cleaned the whole house really well and it felt good to even be able to do that. The beautiful weather that morning gave me the energy I needed to zoom through the house and get everything done. Later that afternoon I had a fun time shopping with my sister for scarves and hats.

On Sunday, Ben had free tickets to a football game with friends, so my sister came over to spend time with me and the kiddos and we had a relaxing day at home.

Yesterday morning I woke up and had it in my mind that I was going to run a few errands and go pick out a wig at the American Cancer Society. My precious kids were having a rough morning and I felt like there was no way I was going to accomplish my goals for the day. I checked with my dad to see if they could come down and play at their house for a little bit while I went and ran a few errands and he was more than happy to have them for a little. He and my mom took them to the park and they had a terrific time. I am so blessed to have my parents living right near us.

I was able to stop at the American Cancer Society and look at all the wigs they had available. They told me that I could have one wig to keep and take home with me at no cost and also two hats or scarfs. I picked out a wig I liked that was a honey pecan color with 100% human hair that felt even nicer than my own hair. I also brought home two new hats.

When I got back from all my errands, and the kids were back from the park, I let Kaitlyn try on the wig with me and she took some pictures of me with my new hair because she was so fascinated and excited about it.

I also received a very special surprise in the mail! It was a book compiled of many letters, pictures, scriptures and notes of encouragement from many of you. I read through it with tears in my eyes from the many sweet words from all of you. What a wonderful day!

So all in all I have been feeling pretty good everyday since my first chemo treatment. Some afternoons I have felt a little out of it, but I have been listening to my body and I rest when I need to and get to bed at a good time most nights.

Thanks for all your prayers and love!

Love,

Amy

from Laurel

So sorry-I was out of town the entire week and missed several calls on our home phone about meals. Please call my cell (not home) if you have questions 717.823.0544

Amy's First Chemo

Today

Thank you all so much for your prayers today...I felt them!! I just can't tell you all how much your thoughts and prayers mean to me!!!

I only slept from 11pm to 2am this morning because my mysterious rash was still bothering me and I just could not sleep. This morning my sister and I got to the hospital at 7:45 am and I filled out the necessary paperwork and then they started my treatment at 8am. They started the treatment with rotuxin, which is the one drug that they have to monitor you closely for because it can cause allergic reactions and/or side effects that they need to treat right away. Everything started off great and I felt good aside from being very tired and out of it. They start the dose low and every 15 minutes bumped it up after they check your vital signs to make sure they can go on. I went through 3 different doses and then my throat started to feel a little scratchy and then all of a sudden it felt like it was starting to close up. So they immediately stopped and gave me Benadryl and one other medicine to stop the reaction and we waited till I felt better then they started back up again at a low dose. From that point on though I felt really good and didn't have any other problems. I tried to get good naps in too but I just couldn't seem to sleep for very long at a time because of all the noises. I did manage to catch a 10-15 minute cat nap which gave me enough energy for the rest of my day. I finished up with the chemo treatment at 4:50pm and have felt great since. I am so thankful to God that He is allowing me to feel this good right now!

My sister was a wonderful support to me all day and I loved having her by my side through my first treatment! I also had some other dear friends stop by to visit and show their love for me. I truly felt at peace all day because I know that God was right there beside me holding my hand and all of you dear ones were praying for me!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!

Love,
Amy

9 Hour Day

Amy is home and feeling good, despite a long (8am-5pm)first day of chemo. She is so thankful to be feeling as good as she is!

First Round of Chemo

Please pray for Amy as she spends today getting her first round of chemo. She'll begin at 8am and it could go 5-8 hours. Please pray for her body as it receives this powerful drug. Please pray for her mind and heart as she continues to focus on God above and in all of these hard things.

Dear Family and Friends,

Our family had a relaxing time at the beach last week, even though the weather wasn't the best. The night before we left I did catch a cold and haven't been feeling the best. Then Sunday morning I woke up and had a rash all over my body. I'm not quite sure what I am allergic too and neither was the Dr. this morning. Last night I was up most of the night because I was so itchy.

This morning, Ben, my mom and I met with Dr. Gottlieb and he went over all my results. My MUGA heart test looked great, and the biopsy of my lymph node did show that it was low-grade. Dr. Gottlieb said that low-grade non-hodgkin lymphoma tends to come back quicker over time, so over the years they will keep an eye on my body and continue to do scans to make sure that it is under control. The bone marrow biopsies did show a small amount of lymphoma in the bones. Overall he was very encouraged by all the results as well as the blood work looking pretty good.

This Wednesday morning, September 16th, I will be starting my first chemo treatment at LGH at 8am. They said it will probably be five to eight hours long. My mom will take me in to the hospital and my dad will stay here with the kids. Then my sister is going to meet us in there and stay with me all day and my mom will come back and watch Kaitlyn and Daniel the rest of the time. I am so blessed to have an amazing family who is so loving, supportive and encouraging, and all of you dear friends who have meant so much to me! Thank you all so much for your prayers!!

I was really ministered to by a song we sang in church yesterday, In Christ Alone, and wanted to share it with you:


In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
here in the love of Christ I stand.
In Christ alone! who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones he came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied -
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.
There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine -
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.

To God be the Glory!!

Love,
Amy


Amy could use meals starting Wednesday for the next 2 weeks. If you are able to provide meals, please comment below and list which day you will be able to drop one by. Thank you so much.

Also, as Amy will most likely be fatigued during this time, we'll be posting when childcare would be needed/helpful.

Thankful

We had two really special days with Kaitlyn and Daniel this week. Here are 3 cute pictures of them- Kaitlyn making peanut butter playdough and then two pictures of the kids wearing pirate blow-up hats while playing in the "pirate pool" at our neighbor's house. They are such happy children who love life so thoroughly. Kaitlyn at one point was telling me in her 4 year old language, "I'm fankful for..." She encouraged me with her thankful attitude! Thanks for allowing us to play with your precious kids Amy and Ben!

I am so thankful that all my tests, surgery and bone marrow biopsies are done for this week. Yesterday, the bone marrow biopsy was definitely my least favorite procedure yet.
Dr. Gottlieb decided that he wanted to biopsy two different locations on my lower back.
It is very difficult to describe the uncomfortable feeling and pain that it was. Yes, I had some Novocain shots but they didn't seem to cover up all the feeling. :)
I can definitely say that the beach is going to be the highlight of my week!!! I truly can't wait and am so thankful for the opportunity to get away and relax!
I want to thank all of you again so much for all your kind, encouraging words of inspiration, your prayers, watching the kids for me, and bringing me meals!!
-Amy

1pm Bone Marrow Biopsy

Please pray for Amy today as she'll have her bone marrow biopsy.

Thank you so much for the meals that have been provided (and are being provided) this week, they have been such a blessing as Amy's energy has been down.

Home

Amy's home and said things went well today. Her surgery was about an hour long and uneventful. She is home and resting. Thanks for your prayers!