This is a wonderful time of the year as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

I am so blessed to be able to be with family during this season and I am so excited to see my grandchildren, Caleb and Carissa. age 4 and Kyle, age 1, to celebrate Christmas through their little eyes.

This past five weeks has been difficult for me because I tore my rotators cuff in November. It has been very painful and at the present time I have been doing physical therapy two times a week. I have had many friends and family that have been so kind to help care for me, bringing meals and taking me to doctors appointments since I have not been able to drive for five weeks.

After visiting Dr. Verdi today my blood counts are not responding to the new oral chemotherapy that I have been taking and I will need to go into the hospital for two units of blood and a platelet transfusion.

I would really appreciate prayer for wisdom for the nurses that will be administering the blood and platelets tomorrow; that my body would respond favorably with increased energy, that I will stay well, with no infection and be able to enjoy my family over the Christmas season.

I am trusting our Big God who is steadfast and so faithful.

May the joy of Jesus Christ fill your heart today and forever and wishing you all a Happy New Year!

God Bless You, Love, Sharon

He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might, He increases strength. Isaiah 40:29

Setback

The morning after Sharon arrived in CO to spend time with her daughter's family her right arm became immobilized due to intense pain in her shoulder. The cause? Unknown.

After consulting with her hematology/oncology clinic in AZ it was determined that we should take her to the ER. A number of hours later we had a new pain med in hand along with the recommendation to return to AZ for further diagnostics if the pain had not lessened the following day.

The pain continued so we booked her an immediate return flight.

Sharon's MRI results indicate that she has a badly torn right shoulder rotator cuff. Normally a severe tear like this would require surgery. But, with Sharon's low blood platelets surgery is not recommended. Instead her doctor is suggesting physical therapy.

Unfortunately the recovery is going to be long and painstakingly slow due to her body's inability to heal itself.

In addition to the rotator cuff Sharon has begun a new chemotherapy regiment. So far she seems to be handling it well with the help of anti-nausea medication.

Thankfully Sharon's son and his family have been able to care for Sharon full-time.
Please be in prayer for Sharon in the following ways:
1. for the pain to be released in her body and for mobility in her shoulder/arm
2. strength under difficult circumstances
3. her body to respond positively to the new chemotherapy drug
4. for her needs to be met both emotionally and tangibly (if you would like to be part of Sharon's care community please send an e-mail to angelakintner@hotmail.com - please include your first and last name and e-mail address)



"Our God is greater
Our God is stronger
Our God is higher than any other
Our God is healer, awesome in power
Our God, Our God" (pic of Sharon, aka 'Nana' with grandchildren Caleb & Carissa at their birthday party)

Thank you for your prayers and for walking alongside Sharon.

In Him

Angela

Hi To All My Prayer Warriors:

It has been a "Miracle Summer" for me and my health has been stable. I have been receiving chemotherapy weekly for maintenance and I have been feeling good.

I was blessed to have my dream come true to take my grandchildren to Disneyland in June, visit my sister and her family in July, and see my daughter,son in law and grandchildren in August for my birthday. We created many wonderful memories and I am so grateful for the Lord's faithfulness to me.

Unfortunately, Friday I just received the news that through the blood tests they have discovered that I am out of remission again and the leukemia (10% blasts) are showing up in my blood. Therefore, a new treatment plan with different drugs will be required to help my present situation.

I know that all of you have been standing with me, trusting God and believing for the manifestation of my healing.

I would really appreciate your prayers for wisdom for Dr. Verdi, my strength, no reactions to the new drugs, and continued faith for my Miracle!

I know that nothing is impossible with God!

Our God is greater, Our God is stronger, Our God is higher than any other, Our God is healer, Awesome in power, Our God, Our God!

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the VICTORY through our Lord Jesus Christ.

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." I Cor 15:57,58

Thank you for your continued prayers. God Bless!

In His Grip,

Love Sharon

My First Make A Wish

I had the opportunity as a Make A Wish coordinator to help fulfill a child's wish on October 16, 2010.
This is Elijah and his wish came true.Elijah's wish was granted by going on a shopping spree and purchasing many electronics. In addition to receiving a gratis laptop computer he bought a Wii, a DS for him and a sibling, an i-pod, clothes and more! As you can see we got to 'ride in style' in a white limousine.
The limousine picked us up and took us wherever we wanted to go.
This is me with Caroline, the other wish granting coordinator.

Elijah has one brother Jordan 9, a sister Josinda 12, and their grandmother Marcella who is raising the boys.

It was a very special fun filled day!

Big Hug from God

Another wish came true for me today August 5, 2010 because I became a Wish Granter with Make a Wish Foundation. I have wanted to be a volunteer for many years.

My first assignment was a little boy named Elijah who also has Leukemia. A wish granter meets with the family, spends time getting to know the child and submits paperwork for the wish.

Elijah's wish is that he would like to go on a special shopping spree and have a laptop computer. It was so special meeting him and be an encouragement to the grandmother who is raising him. I brought Church's Chicken because that was Elijah's favorite and he ate five chicken legs and drank root beer. His hair came in curly like mine after losing all of it. It was a special evening! Here are a couple pictures!

Back Home Again in Indiana

This July I had the wonderful opportunity to fly back to my hometown roots in Indiana. A friend blessed me with a free ticket so that I could see old friends, my sister Patty and her famly. Fresh corn on the cob, home grown tomatoes and cucumbers out of my sisters garden was worth the trip alone!

One of the highlights is that my sister took me to Chicago for three days. She surprised

me and took me to a Broadway musical called "Billy Elliot". I had not been to Chicago for 40 years so we enjoyed seeing all of the growth of Chicago with the manificent high rise buildings like the Trump Tower and Willis Tower. We took a tour on the double decker bus which was so much fun.

Back home we enjoyed the pool and spent a lot of family time with my niece and nephew

and their precious children.

Here are some wonderful pictures of my trip!

(Sharon, younger sister Patty and her daughter Michelle)
(Michelle and her beautiful family)
(Noah and Sharon)

(High School friend Anita, Sharon)

(High School friend Julie, Sharon)

Run for the Cure

This post is written by a younger friend of Sharon's named Lindsey who ran the Rock N' Roll Seattle Marathon in order to raise money for Leukemia research.

Lindsey writes:

June 26, 2010 was a day to remember. This is the day I would complete running a race consisting of 26.2 miles. It sounds almost impossible, but when doing it for a cure it becomes enjoyable.

The journey began in January of 2010, when I had just completed my first half marathon at the P.F. Chang’s event here in Arizona. The experience was so exhilarating I was anxious for the next event I could participate in. With that being said, I registered for the Rock’n’Roll Seattle marathon and began my training almost immediately.

While running on the weekends, I noticed this running group that always ran at the same time as I. I finally decided to stop one of them and ask what they were all about. The gentleman gladly explained that they were a part of a non-profit organization to help find a cure for Leukemia and Lymphoma—Sharon immediately came to mind.

I ended up giving the man my information to send me details about the organization and a week or two later I was registered to not only run 26.2 miles, but also to raise $4,000 for a cure.

Both of these feats were a little overwhelming but I knew I could do it.

The next five months I began asking for donations from people I knew and began hearing several stories about how those people have been affected by this horrible sickness. This was all more motivation!

By June 1, I had raised $4,116! The first milestone was completed and only one more to go. Although June was a very hot month here in Arizona, I was determined to keep training.

Before I knew it, it was June 24th and I was boarding a plane to Seattle with my best friend (a.k.a support) and I was on my way to conquering this marathon.

June 26, 2010, 3:30 a.m.: I was up and getting ready to run this race.

I first checked the forecast for the day and, of course, it said cloudy with a high of 52 degrees and a low of 41 degrees; huge difference from Arizona! I got dressed and met my team in the lobby to get on the buses at 4:30 a.m. The bus ride was only a half-hour, but by 5:00a.m I was at the starting line ready to go.

For two hours I had to wait in anticipation because the race started at 7:00a.m. When 6:30 finally rolled around, we began lining up in our corrals to get ready to start the race! 7:00a.m., the gun goes off. There were about 30,000 people running this race, 6,000 full marathoners and 24,000 half marathoners.

There is a huge mob of people slowly moving until there is enough room to kind of spread out. The half marathoners and full marathoners stayed together until mile 9; and then there were hills. Hills so steep my hand could almost touch the ground if I reached out.

This first hill continued for about 3 more miles and the it was downhill; which at this point it almost hurt more than running uphill because your joints and muscles are so sore. When I reached mile 15, I slowed down a bit to take in how huge this uphill stretch was; it was so long I could not see where it ended. Soon to find out the stretch went uphill the whole time! I made it up and down without collapsing, which was a miracle because I was HURTING!

When I reached mile 23 I was really thinking about giving up and just walking the rest of the way because I was in so much pain.

When this thought went through my head I immediately thought of Sharon. I couldn't believe all the complaining I was doing about this pain that I have only been experiencing for the past 2 hours when Sharon goes through pain worse than this on a daily basis!

When I came to this realization I shut my mouth and powered through the race. If it weren’t for Sharon I wouldn’t have finished. Completing the marathon was the biggest accomplishment I have ever encountered, but knowing that I did it to find a cure for Leukemia and Lymphoma was an even bigger one.

With love,

Lindsey Scott

Official finish time: 4:06:53

Money raised that the Rock’n’Roll Seattle marathon: $2 million

Disneyland

In June my dream became a reality.

I had the privilege to take my grandchildren to Disneyland and see it through their eyes for the first time.

Three days before leaving for our trip, my daughter Angela fractured her heel bone and tore a ligament. While it was a huge bummer we forged ahead and turned lemons into lemonade!

Both of us rented electric scooters - they were a blast to ride through the park! Best of all the kids enjoyed riding on our laps. The kids thought they were on a never ending ride! Also, in light of Angela's accident my sister Melanie changed her plans last minute in order to travel with us and help us make the trip go smoothly.

Here are some photos of our trip!

It was a Magical adventure where dreams really do come true!

May Day

Since I was released to travel this month has been an active time with my family.

I was blessed to go to Colorado to see my daughter, son in law and my twin grandchildren. It was a special week because I was able to attend my daughter's Voice Studio Recital with her 16 students, attend a special mother's day tea at Caleb and Carissa's preschool, and watch them begin swimming lessons.

Mother's day was a highlight as I attended Covenant Presbyterian Church. My daughter led worship and sang a special solo for me and my son-in-law preached a great message on being filled with the Spirit from Ephesians.

Link here to read my daughter's version of our Mother's Day.

Just recently my sister Patty flew in from Indiana. My older sister Melanie, my younger sister Patty and I had a fun sister week. It was a girly time and we seized each moment!

Another highlight is that my sisters and I were able to celebrate my son's graduating with his Masters Degree in Business and my daughter in law Angela graduating with her B.A.in Behavioral Science. I am so proud of their hard work and follow through while working full time and having a baby in November.

I know and believe with all my heart the wonderful miracle that God is doing in my life in regards to my health.

Under the suggestions of my doctor, I started weekly chemotherapy at the end of April as an outpatient.

The past few weeks I have been experiencing bone pain in my lower extremities. Pain weakens the body and wears me thin quickly. I would appreciate prayer for God's strength and His healing touch.

"Jesus bore my sickness and carried my pain. Therefore I give no place to sickness or pain. For God sent His Word and healed me." Psalm 107:20

God Bless,

Love,

Sharon

Miracles

REJOICE! REJOICE! IN THE LORD ALWAYS! :):):)

I am a Miracle.

The work of God in my life is nothing short of the supernatural.

If I had been the norm I wouldn't be here.

Acute cancer of white blood cells is deadly because it multiplies quickly and does not allow your body to fight off infection properly.

But I am here.

And I am living proof that I am a miracle.

Yesterday I received the report that my bone marrow has responded well to treatment. The 39 days that I spent in the hospital getting two rounds of chemotherapy were effective to eradicate the leukemic cells.

I was so excited when Dr. V told me the news. I was jumping up and down (literally!) and kept hugging the reserved Dr. V. It was a moment my daughter wished she had on video. In her words it was 'priceless'.

This report is a miracle and I give all the glory to God.

Additional miracles that I have experienced lately are:

• my body responding well to treatment, including the health of my organs
• lack of multiple infections common during treatment
• I did not loose my hair again. (This was HUGE for me)
• increased strength and energy
• increased appetite
• the ability to spend time with my family
• given permission to travel
• God's provision for hospital care and beyond

After the appointment yesterday I celebrated with my daughter Angela (who flew in from CO for my appt.) over a special lunch.

I shared my story with our waiter and he brought us this dessert as an affirmation of God's goodness in my life.

I continue to be blessed and humbled by God's extravagant love for me.

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name:

Make known His deeds among the peoples

Sing to Him, sing praises to Him

Speak of all His wonders;

Glory to His holy name!" I Chronicles 16:8-10

Thank you for your many prayers.

Praise be to God,

Love, Sharon

(writing helps by Angela:))

It's Time

It's time for another Bone Marrow Biopsy.

The biopsy is scheduled for the morning of Tuesday, April 6.

The results of this test will determine the next course of treatment. What, When, Where, How, etc...

We are all hoping for the best possible test result.

Please join us in praying for:

• Dr. V to get a good sample of the bone, fluid and cells from inside the bone marrow
• A miracle result
• Discernment for Sharon and the medical team in what comes next
  

Joy

Joy: "the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying"
Pure Joy.