September 21, 2007

Joshua 1:5
No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

My parents arrived at our house at 7:30 this morning. We all left together for the hospital. I was not able to eat or drink anything after midnight last night because of the surgery. The eating part was okay, but I drink so much water... that was the hardest part. We arrived at the hospital at about 8:20 and checked in. My appointment was not scheduled until 9:00, and they were pretty much right on time. I had the same technologist that did my last mammogram. The entire series of mammograms lasted about an hour, most of which time I was in compression. Before all of this happened to me two years ago, believe me this stuff was so embarrassing for me to talk about. I grew up with all boys! I was gradually forced to become comfortable talking about it all. Anyhow, for anyone who has had a mammogram done, you know they are not comfortable. I also have scar tissue from radiation which does not help anything. While in compression, the radiologist has to come in and insert a needle with a wire inside of it. They take another picture and then remove the needle, leaving the wire behind. It seemed like ten minutes went by before the radiologist came in to insert that needle, and I was not able to move at all during that time. Coupled with stress, and nothing to eat or drink, and the pain of it, I got closer than I ever have to passing out. They had to stop and let me sit down. I usually do really well with pain but that was worse than what I have had before.  They were able to successfully finish the procedure, and then I was wheeled over to pre surgery. My family followed behind. After I got into my bed, Mike's dad came around the corner in his scrubs. He works in the OR, running the heart/lung machine for heart patients and he had a case that afternoon. He stayed and talked to me awhile and then anesthesia came to start my IV. The worst place to get an IV, in my experience, is in your wrist. And that is always where I have it for surgery because it's the best one I have left. After he finished, my family was able to come back and sit with me. We were notified that there was a delay and my surgery would not start until closer to 1:30.

At 1:30, sure enough they came to get me. Everyone kissed me good bye and I was wisked away to the OR. Everyone that worked with me was so nice and so friendly. I could not have asked for better treatment. They told me I would be asleep 30 seconds after they gave me the medication. I remember them telling me I would wake up in recovery and then my family could come see me. I said "Yeah, they're my entourage..." and then I was out. Next thing I know, I looked up at the clock and it was 2:30. I had an oxygen mask on and my body was shaking. I fight so hard to wake up, probably because I am afraid of saying something silly! I was allowed to get dressed, and eat something and my family was paged to come and get me. I was given discharge instructions, and wheeled out to the parking deck. I was home by around 4:00.

I haven't taken anything for pain, I just keep icing the incision. I'm all bandaged up so I don't even know how big the incision is.

I have an appointment with the Neurosurgeon on Monday at 10 am, and then with my oncologist at 3 pm. That is when I will get today's results. Please pray for wisdom during these appointments as some pretty major decisions will be made.

On a positive note, I learned today that I have been approved to take a short term leave from work. This is a blessing because it is so hard to make all of these appointments around work. It will allow me to keep my health benefits and will hold my job for me when I can return.

God continues to help me through every step of this process.  I, again, felt his peace today and I was not afraid. I will give Him all the glory for what He is doing in my life. I feel a closeness to Him that I don't know that I would have found had I not faced what I have. His strength truly is made perfect in my weakness. I love Him more today than yesterday.

I also want to say how much I appreciate all of the emails I have received. It is hard to respond to them all, but please know that I check it several times a day and God encourages me through them. My family has been so great and so supportive through this too. Please keep Mike and the rest of my family in your prayers as well. We all get tired and need Him to help us find rest.

Please continue to praise God for the things He is doing and what He will continue to do. He promises never to leave us or forsake us. And if He is for us, who can be against us?

Click here to go back to my updates