Karla's Health Update - 4/13/08

Hi, All!

Surgery was yesterday—tonight, I’m sitting at my desk. Thank you so much for your prayers and words of encouragement! We won—we all won! Thank you!

I had a left mastectomy, and I look and feel a little like I lost a fight with a big guy. But we are beating the big guy! They found NO lymph node involvement during surgery! An earlier MRI had shown 4 lymph nodes suspicious of malignancy, but the sentinel node biopsy performed during surgery showed ZERO, ZIP, NADA, ZILCH. (Lymph nodes are how cancer spreads from one place in the body to other organs.) The MRI had been right on other things, and we knew the tumors were large and aggressive, so it would have been reasonable to assume that the lymph nodes would be attacked. We specifically asked for prayer for clean lymph nodes. We were granted that request. I don’t feel worthy, but am so grateful.

Heather and Dave and Dave’s sister Margaret joined Jack during the morning surgery. I, however, joined the doctor and the anesthesiologist, who said he was taking me to some wonderful vacation place. Heather and Dave and Jack tended to me after I got into a room at the hospital. We were all so happy with the news. We laughed a lot, though I wasn’t very alert. I’m glad we didn’t get kicked out. Dave thinks he could have beaten me at Scrabble in that condition! After Heather and Dave left, Toby joined Jack and me for a quiet evening. Jack went home to get some sleep, while Toby and I watched a really good movie on the TV by my bed. The staff let him stay until midnight. Again, because of the news, it was just a really, really nice day for our family—mastectomy and all.

The doctor came and took off the bandages today before releasing me, and Jack decided to stay married to me, anyway. J The scars aren’t pretty, but they will improve, and I will eventually get my girlish figure back. A tissue expander was “installed” during surgery and be expanded gradually, starting in a couple of weeks. That’s about when chemo should start, too.

We will see a final pathology report on Thursday. That will tell us for sure what stage the cancer is in and will tell us what chemotherapy recipe will be needed. Please pray for an infection-free recovery, the ability to sleep comfortably and exercise as instructed, and a good path report on Thursday.

My dear hubby called almost everyone listed in our cell phone directories yesterday to give them the news about the lymph nodes. It reminds me of what he did at the hospital when the kids were born, and he went through a pocket of dimes (for pay phones). Yesterday was another momentous occasion in our lives. Thanks for being a part of it all.

The week of my diagnosis, I searched the Scriptures for comfort, especially Psalms and Isaiah. I needed comfort and protection! I then typed up a list of passages that jumped out at me. Some of you have added to that list, too, and I re-read it frequently. It isn’t just comfort—God has truly been merciful. I read the list again this morning and cried as I identified with the passages and their application to this part of my journey. Let me share the first two that hit me:

· Psalm 18:16 – He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.
· Isaiah 41:13 – For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

These mean so much that there isn’t even anything else to say…except…thank You, God, and thank you, friends and family!


Love,
Karla