Race for the Cure

Hello friends & family, it's Meredith again!

Race for the Cure 2010 Registration is now open!

We would love for you to join our family’s team:

Jesus ... My Healer

We will be racing in honor of my beautiful, amazingly strong mom Jill Greer, who is in the middle of treatment for breast cancer and our precious Grandma BK (Karen Penrod) who fought and beat breast cancer nearly five years ago. We are so thankful for the amazing medical care available to them and the healing power of our sweet Jesus. Racing for the Cure seems to be the least we can do to commemorate and honor their courageous battles with breast cancer. We would love to honor or include anyone you know and love that has fought breast cancer as well, just let us know who all we’re walking for.

If you’re up for it, we’d be honored to have you walk, run, or SLEEP in for the Cure with us on Saturday, October 2nd. That’s right... If running isn’t your thing, or if you live far away but want to be there in spirit, SLEEP IN for the cure. Instead of receiving a race t-shirt, you will get a pillowcase and can dream sweet dreams for us all while we go run around the city!

Either way, you can visit this link here to register.

http://www.komen-houston.org/site/TR/Race/General?fr_id=1080&pg=entry

You’ll want to select “Join an Existing Team”

Our team name is Jesus ... My Healer

(if you search "Jesus", you will see our team come up, with Jill Greer as our Captain)

We will be racing in the Family & Kids group-- don't worry we'll have walkers, joggers, runners, old and young!

Please feel free to pass this information along to your friends and family as well, the more the merrier!

You will receive an official Race for the Cure t-shirt when you register. We are planning on having custom shirts made— if you would like one of those, you can contact me with your t-shirt size. We anticipate them being no more than $10 per person.

Thanks so much for considering being a part of this special day with our family!

Love and blessings to you all,

Meredith

Questions? Contact me...

thetichenorfamily {at} gmail {dot} com

I owe everyone a huge THANK YOU ...

Hello friends and family! This blog post is my heart-felt out pouring to Thank YOU.

I now know that God has allowed this trial in my life and my families lives. I am convinced that the Lord loves me so much, He allowed this in my life. He's allowed it to teach me some amazing things. I am listening and approaching His throne with humbleness and a thankful heart. Yes ... HE loves me this much!

I am doing good ... finished my 6th chemo treatment yesterday. Have 6 more of this particular chemo, then I have 4 more treatments of a hum-dinger ... one potent doozie ... so they say. But this blog is for YOU ... to thank you for all the love, support, PRAYERS, food, cards, hugs, calls, emails ... words can't express our gratitude. So this is to you ... my thank you:

Thank YOU my amazing friends and loved ones!!! How do I even thank you for your sweet, precious, wonderful , loving tender care over me and my family? Words cannot thank you enough for the warmth you have covered us with. We are so incredibly blessed by your love and outreach during this time of trial, BUT also this time of incredible blessing and joy!

YES … this has been a time of huge blessings. My life and my families lives have never been so covered in prayer, love and honor because of YOU. Above your servant heart, we thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus. We thank you for your prayers. We thank you for loving us in such a huge, amazing way! While this walk is not what one would hope for … I would not trade the grand lessons I have witnessed thru your loving spirit and generous outpouring upon my life and my families lives. Thank you seems so small, so insincere. There are no words to adequately express the thankfulness within my soul for all you have done for me and my family. I am truly learning one more facet of Gods amazing love, blessings and riches through your loving kindness and through your hands that have washed our feet during this time of need, healing and renewal. Thank you from deep within my soul and from the bottom of my heart.

I have prayed, asking our Lord and Savior to make this a spiritual journey, not a medical journey. And as HE would be so perfect and so amazing … it has been just that! A season filled with HIS love, blessings and teaching largely because of YOU! God has truly shined HIS precious, loving face upon us. He has taken incredible care of us and used YOU to bless us immeasurably more than we deserve. Thank you my sweet friend.

I will be a better servant because of you. Because of your tender acts of kindness … I continue to learn what it means to love people. I pray God will continue to use this time to make me more like HIM, and to love and serve others as you have loved and served me and my family.
You may never know the magnitude of how you have blessed our lives. But Jesus knows, and HE is smiling upon you and will heap blessings over you because you have loved us in such am amazing, Christ-centered way. Again, I say thank you. A day does not pass that we are so incredibly blessed with Gods richest joy and perfect care.

This walk is because of HIS glory and HIS perfect plan. I rejoice and am glad in it! I pray He will use this to better His kingdom … because of YOU. Jesus came as a servant. Greatness comes from serving and what a mighty servant you have been. “The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted”. Matthew 23:11-12

Undeservingly and humbly filled with appreciation, joy and thanksgiving …
I Love you with The Love of the Lord,
Jill

Feelin a little skip in my step and ALOT of being THANKFUL!

Greater Things are yet to come … Greater things are still to be done in the city …

I woke up at 1:30 am … singing a song with a joy in my heart and a skip in my beat! Wide awake I laid there singing, “For all that You’ve done I will Thank You … for all that You’re going to do … for all that You promised and all that YOU are … Jesus will carry me thru … Jesus I THANK YOU!”

I have been on a passionate, emotional outburst of Thanksgiving to God the past several days. I could explode with a desire to give Him all the Thanks that He so richly deserves. My thank you’s seem so inadequate for all that He has done in this clumsy little walk we blindly, but faithfully are walking. I will continue to wreak havoc upon Jesus’s ears and sing Him songs of praise and thanksgiving! And I will fall on my knees rejoicing with prayers of thanksgiving and adoration for his mighty hand that is carrying us, sustaining us, filling us with peace and joy and healing us!

“I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:14

There it is … ask and it will be given to you! My family, friends, loved ones, sisters, brothers in Christ and complete strangers have prayed, we met with the elders on March 28th for prayer and anointing for healing, we pray with the nurses that administer Chemo to me each week, and I can’t go anywhere inside or outside of my home that someone doesn’t bless my heart and soul saying, we are praying for you- my prayer group is praying for you … what a covering of blessed, amazing, wonderful prayer lifted to the heavens covering this cancer (no wait it’s a … HEALING walk)! This is GOOD, SO GOOD. God Almighty is hearing, watching, listening to His precious children reaching out in love and praying for a family in need. You are fulfilling His command to pray for one another … we are a family in need, peacefully receiving ever prayer, every act of kindness and every hug filled with HIS love. Thank you … for all that you’ve done, this family thanks you.

Chemo started last Monday. It went well. Really well! With great trepidation we started our morning in prayer, got to the waiting area at MDA … and God was holding open the door waiting for us to arrive. I was so peaceful. So relaxed. So fine. Ready to get this show on the road. I can honestly say I physically felt “the peace that surpasses all understanding” come over my body- that scripture physically came alive in me. I had complete peace, and if the Lord isn’t amazing enough … I even had a joy within me! Felt it … physically within my soul. Talk about fun- that is about at the top of the fun chart!! MDA is an amazing place, they take great care of their patients with respect, joy and love. They are gooooood people, another gift from above. Day One of chemo went good. Had a very good week- a few days that were not completely “all me and my energy level” … but a blessed, thankful, very good week.

Chemo #2 was today! With 14 more to go! And guess where today’s treatment and the next 14 treatments will be? This little place 3 miles from my house in Sugar Land called MD Anderson Cancer Center located at St. Lukes Hospital in Sugar Land!! Just opened less than a year ago … it’s beautiful, clean and so convenient. A huge THANK YOU Jesus for this amazing gift. I prayed this morning early for the nurse that I would spend the afternoon with. Gaynor, Megan and I prayed with her (hand in hand) before she administered my chemo … and what a peaceful, great time with Harolina my nurse we had! Had a pretty good evening- and came home to one amazing meal from one amazing family from church. I am praying my week will be strong, healthy and a week I can serve Jesus and others. I pray as I get out of bed each morning Jesus will be my everything- all day, all week. I pray for strength to love my husband with energy and joy, I pray I will be able to play with sweet Carson and Slade, and embrace my daughters in anything they need. I pray I can continue to exercise (very important in this journey) and will be able to eat and nourish this temple God created- “ME”!!!

As I sit here at 3:15 am … my heart is heavy and prayers are confident, constant and bold for Julie Whaley and her precious family. Please cover this family with your prayers and your love. Julie and I are twins! We are both walking this “Healing Walk” … not really two girlfriends having a morning stroll down the beach but something the Lord has allowed in our lives. Julie has had a tough week … lift her up and know that God is her healer. Be confident in your prayers for her … HE wants His children healed and serving His kingdom. This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have ask of Him. Whatever Julie’s need is (or whatever your need is right now), we can find the promise in the Word of God. God’s will is His Word. Read 1 John 5:14-15 – BE CONFIDENT IN YOUR PRAYERS FOR JULIE, ETHAN AND THEIR PRECIOUS DAUGHTERS. I love you sweet Julie.

This week I will let HIS thoughts burst freely upon me … stimulating abundant Life … that I can serve and love His people. Jesus is the way and the truth and the life. As I follow Him, He will lead me to new paths in ways I have never imagined. I don’t worry about what is on the road ahead. I continue to seek my security in knowing Jesus more, the ONE who died to set you and me free! Hip Hip Hooooray!!!

Thank you my amazing family, friends, loved ones … this healing walk would not be the same without you. I love hearing from you … you lift me up!

“For all that You’ve done I will Thank You … for all that You’re going to do … for all that You promised and all that YOU are … Jesus will carry me thru … Jesus I THANK YOU!”

“AND I SOOO THANK YOU TOO!!!”
Because of HIM we are blessed … Jill

Thankful, and ready to go!

Hello everyone! It's been awhile since I have updated the blog. Here is a quick peek into whats ahead for me and my precious, loving family.

But first ... did you hear about the newest and greatest gift God brought to us last Saturday? Oh boy ... He out did it this time. Slade Greer Tichenor was born June 12th at 3:02 ... weighing in at 8lbs, 6oz! He is perfect and beautiful. AND ... Richard and I got to keep Carson for several days. We had a ball ... I love that little guy so very much. Meredith, Kevin, Carson and Slade are all doing great! Thank you Lord for growing our little family! And thank you Mer and Kev for bringing us another precious grandson. Love this SO MUCH!!

I completed radiation with flying colors. Felt great, plenty of energy and the staff at MDA was amazing. One more "thank you Lord" ... you take such good care of us!

I went to MDA Friday (yesterday) to complete a minor surgery to install the chemo port. All went well ... we were in and out of there in no time! While I awaited this surgery, there was one thing on mind ...

"Jill ... learn to laugh at yourself more freely. Don't take yourself or your circumtances so seriously. Relax and know that I am God with you. If I continue to desire His will above all else, life becomes much less threating. Laughter lightens your load and lifts your heart into heavenly places. Kinda like a parent delights in the laughter of their children ... The Lord delights in hearing his children's laughter. I am not going to miss the Joy of His Presence by carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. For it is written in the book of life:Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me. My yoke is comfortable and pleasant; My burden is light and easily borne!" Amen and Amen!!!

Next step in this journey is Chemo ... for 6 months. We start on Monday ... I am a bit anxious, but ready. The Good Lord is bringing peace to me and my family as this long journey begins. I pray this chemo walk will bring a more still, quiet Jill. A child of God that needs to slow down and be still before His throne. I know God is calling me to something for His kingdom ... and I don't want to miss it! Jill, Seek His Face with a teachable spirit. Come into HIS Presence with thanksgiving, desiring to be transformed. HOW EXCITING IS THAT!!! CAN'T WAIT FOR HIS PLAN TO BE REVEALED!!

Your prayers mean everything to us, if your looking for prayer requests I have a few:
1. Pray boldly for Richard .... he has been amazing thru this journey- pray for strength for him, that God teaches him something special thru this, and that our marriage and love for each other explodes with passion for His kingdom.
2. Pray for our girls ... pray for peace and God's will in this. They are the most amazing girls ... I stand in awe at what God gave to us.
3. I could use a bolt of prayer as I begin Chemo. I pray the side effects won't stop me from living life and loving people!

We have witnessed tremendous blessings during this walk that started in January. Can't wait to see what else HE has in store for us! Thank you, thank you, thank you for loving me and my family like you have. You have touched our lives in a most special way. Our Lord and Savior is working in you .... His face is shining upon you and bringing Him glory in all you do.

Exceptionally blessed,
Jill

Modern Medical Technology is a WOW!

Wow ... what a week ( or should I say couple of weeks)! Yesterday completed my radiation treatments- hip, hip hooray! I must say, the Drs., Nurses, Physicists and staff at MDA are amazing. Their tender care, love, compassion and humor took the "scary" right out of all this fun. They truly were terrific. I will miss their genuine smile and care ... but I'm not gonna miss the contraption that was inserted into my body on April 27th. Most unbelievable thing I've ever seen - for sure! I truly stand in awe at medical technology of today.

The definition of "contraption" is ... a mechanical contrivance, gadget, device. Yep ... I was sportin' a mighty contraption with me for 11 days! It's the latest and greatest type of radiation. It is truly the craziest thing I have ever endured in my body. A torpedo looking contraption inserted into my body that the Drs. hook up to the radiation. I was a "perfect" candidate for this partial radiation, which only radiates the area where the tumor was. Much easier on the body for the long term and a very high dose radiation attacking the cancerous area. We are truly blessed to live in a city that continues to improve the treatment and options for its patients. MDA is certainly "cutting edge."

Can I brag for one minute? Thanks. How do I even deserve the husband and children God gave me? I don't deserve them! They have been unbelievably"over the top" thru this little thing we've got goin' on! I simply would not make it without (The Lord first) and my precious, loving family. Thank you to my amazing husband and my beautiful girls ... I love you more than words can express ... you are my angels on this earth.

I have always been so healthy (and still am), never went to the doctor (until now)" but this past week reminded me so often of a quote from Beth Moore ...
"if I die suddenly, my gravestone might appropriately offer this insight into my departure: "God got tired." I require lots of work." I have prayed so fervently to the Lord, truly have laid all this at the Cross and have completely trusted God and His mighty plan since learning this diagnosis in February. I'm most certain my family would agree with Beth's quote ... I pray my precious family is not growing tired! I love them all so very much. Please keep them in your prayers. They may need a big dose of strength as I could be wearing them weary. Ugh!

A huge praise and note of thanksgiving to Our Lord God Almighty ... such a meek and humble offer of thanks. HE once again, met me at the door of MDA early Monday morning for my first radiation treatment. I have never felt the Lord literally carry me through what could have been a very difficult week. But it was far from it! We (God, my family and myself) blazed thru these 10 high dose treatments with joy and plenty of energy. The Lord was in that place. As I mentioned the staff was stupendous- treated me so tenderly and gracefully. AND ... HE brought Melinda there on Monday morning to begin her 10 radiation treatments. I was sad she had to walk this path, but I was so blessed to have met a new friend in Christ (and post cancer!!) Melinda and her husband John love Jesus with every fiber of their being. We became instant friends. You should have seen us trying to hug each other ... my contraption was on the right side of my body, hers was on her left side! But we quickly learned how to hug and not bother our hanging contraptions! I praise His Holy Name because Melinda is done with her cancer walk! Finished- History! She is cancer free and has no more treatment. I pray we will be friends for life ... thank you Jesus for bringing me a friend to endure every radiation treatment with! Just love her so much.

The previous post from precious Meredith shows the little celebration after we completed all our radiation treatments. They removed the crazy device from my body and I am good to go! I go back to MDA on May 20th to prepare for chemo. Richard and I met with the oncologist last Tuesday and she strongly recommended I do 6 months of chemo. It was our choice and after heeding her advice and seeking the Lords counsel ... it is best that I do it. My lymph nodes were cancer free, my margins were clear, tumor was 1.9 cm (still stage 1) ... but the type cancer I HAD (Drs. say I am completely cancer free now) was a high grade, fast growing type. So ... they feel chemo will kick it for the long haul of life.

I have a relatively positive approach to life and what is thrown my way ... but ... I am struggling with this chemo thing. I think we all know the side effects of this two sided thing called chemo (it saves lives everyday across the world, but it's one monster of a drug!) I have pleaded with God to humble me and let me gracefully accept the side effects. I am struggling with the hair thing ... there I typed it, but I can't even talk about it. Yikes! So, if you still have the energy to pray for this, I would be most appreciative. I may be wearing out my "prayer time" from you!

This journey could be very difficult, very lonely, very frightening walk. But it has been the absolute opposite because of you! Yes ... all of you! At 51 yrs. of age I've been thru some difficult moments in my life. I have trusted the Lord thru most of them. But I have never seen the footprints of Jesus walking before me and with me as I have in this current journey. I see Jesus in YOU. The love of the Lord is before me every moment of the day through YOU. We are turning into chubby little piglets over here from the delectable meals you have brought to us. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. My entire family has feasted on one meal after another ... from the most amazing cooks our big bellies have ever enjoyed. The cards continue to flood my mailbox, the emails, messages and outpouring of love and concern is a sweet taste of what heaven will be like. YOU have been the hands and feet of Jehovah ... Our Mighty God.

So I humbly Thank You ... "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
1 Chronicles 16:33-35. For it is thru the Lord that you have brightened this path we are on. YOU are amazing and so very precious to me and my family.

Love you all ... so very much,
Jill

Today is a blessing!

"This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Today was a BIG day for my mom (Hi, it's Meredith again!)-- she finished her last of ten radiation treatments and had the painful port removed! Oh happy day!! Megan, Carson & I went with her to her afternoon appointment to celebrate the end of this phase of treatment, and to watch her "ring the bell!" A little "ceremony" thing they do at MDA when you finish a round of treatment. Carson brought pink roses for his JiJi & a sweet woman named Melinda that we have been blessed to get to know the past few weeks. She and my mom have been on virtually the exact same surgery/treatment schedule. She got to "ring the bell" today too! Enjoy a few pictures of the "celebratory" last day of radiation treatment...

Pink Roses for JiJi & Melinda from Carson

Sending her off for her last round of treatment and port removal...

The MD Anderson Bell...

"Ring this bell 3 times well,

It's toll to clearly say

My treatment's done,

This course is run,

and I am on my way!"

Pink roses for sweet Melinda...

Mom walking out... Radiation ALL DONE!

Precious Melinda ringing her bell! She's ALL done with cancer treatments.

Treats for the incredible staff from JiJi...

Big hug for the wonderful Dr. Bloom!

Mom's turn to ring the bell...

This course is run... hooray!

The wonderful staff at MD Anderson Radiation Center of Bellaire... truly incredible!

How incredible are these two? Both of them have had TEN rounds of radiation treatments this week (two today) and both are just moments from walking out of having their ports removed... they look RADIANT! "The JOY of the Lord is my strength!"

My mom has asked me to let you all know that she will be posting this weekend... so be sure to check back for an update directly from her.

As Mother's Day is upon us, I simply cannot say thank you in enough ways on behalf of our family for praying over our precious mother this week, this month, and over the past several months... we believe in a God that can do immeasurably more than all we could ever ask or imagine. Thank you for partnering with our family during this faith journey.

Love & Blessings from all of the Greer's!

AND A VERY HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO YOU AND YOURS...

Be with me Lord...

"Be with me Lord, I cannot live without you. I dare not take one simple step alone..."

It's Meredith again...

Today, my mom is halfway done with her radiation treatments-- five down, five more to go. Radiation began first thing Monday morning, with her scheduled to have a treatment at 8am and 2pm every day this week-- her 8am treatment went well, she did great! The afternoon treatment didn't go as planned: the "radiation machine" went down and they were unable to repair it. After three hours in the waiting room, we were sent home with the hopes that a part overnighted from Maryland would fix the problem, and her treatments could resume as scheduled on Tuesday. Hooray, they got it fixed and she was able to receive two treatments both Tuesday and Wednesday-- tomorrow (Thursday) she'll go in very early in the morning, then again in the afternoon, and back again in the evening (each treatment must be 6+ hours apart). She'll have three treatments tomorrow to make up for her missed treatment on Monday. Then Friday, she'll finish her last two and have the catheter removed for the weekend!

She'll tell you she's getting more comfortable with the port/catheter, and that the radiation really hasn't been very bad at all... really, it can't possibly be as easy as she makes it look-- truth be told, she's simply AMAZING. She's so strong, so incredibly positive and resilient. She never complains, she rarely even lets you know she's uncomfortable... our whole family is in awe of her grace, her patience and her stamina.

We've been blessed to have met some precious people this week... even the staff at the treatment facility has been incredible. It's so refreshing that even in the midst of something so unpleasant, we are able to see God's hand, His goodness, His presence all around.

It wouldn't be right to go without continually thanking each of you for your prayers as this journey continues-- for the meals you have so graciously prepared for my parents-- for the overwhelming encouragement, support, and blessings you have showered over my precious mom. As far as we know Friday will be the last radiation treatment and port removal, then she will have a "week off" next week, and is set to begin chemotherapy the week of the 17th. As we receive more information and details, we'll update you all.

May the Lord bless you and keep you... thank you for being so wonderful to our family!