Say Your Prayers...

I love my dad who turned 88 this year. He is a great guy, a retired minister. He has always been pleasant, an encourager and as corny as they may be, a joker, or a punner, as in one who likes to tell puns. I remember in college bringing a girlfriend of mine home during the Easter season and my dad picked up a chocolate covered marshmallow bunny, held it up in front of his mouth and said, “Say your prayers bunny, you are about to enter the ministry.” My friend got the biggest kick out of that.

Another thing about my dad is that he loves God with all his heart. He wrote me the sweetest e-mail yesterday and I really hope he doesn’t mind if I share it.

Dear Pam,

Read your latest email yesterday. Well, it looks to me that “the one last lymph node that’s kept you in stitches, has been replaced by skin that itches.”

Thanks for updating all of us as to your condition. I know that all your family and many of your friends have been interceding to the Lord on your behalf. It seems to me that for some reason or another you have been tossed into the fiery furnace. This experience was uninvited and something that you wished no one else would go through. However, no one else will experience the company of the Divine Son of God in the way that it is now transpiring in your life. Praise the Lord, deliverance from the furnace will come even though the fire continues to rage. I am sure that you will be like one of the three Hebrew children coming out of the furnace and being able to say that in the midst of the fire, the Son of God appeared.

I am not a prophet, nor a divine being, but I am an ardent follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe with all my heart that the purposes of God are accomplished in our life through circumstances over which we have no control. God’s purposes bring glory, honor, praise to his son Jesus, victory, happiness, comfort, strength, power, might and happiness to us, his children.

Somewhere, and somehow – either now or in the future – we will be able to appreciate the fortunate joyful outcomes of our present tribulations and trials.

If I were a millionaire, I would share with you my wealth -- to the limits of my possessions-- for your healing.

If I were an eloquent speaker, I would preach to the limits of my ability, if it would bring you healing. Your healing is the present need.

If I were a successful businessman who could maneuver, manage, and bring about success, I would devote these abilities to bring about your healing.

If I were a successful track star, football player, or home run hitter, I would avail myself of those talents for victory for you.

But as you can see, I am just a person redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, loved by God the father and his son, empowered by his Holy Spirit, inspired by his Word to trust God to meet every need I have.

Please let this letter be a means of encouragement only, and not an exhortation, great doctrinal presentation, or a ritualistic type of instructions.

My prayer for you is simply this:

 “DEAR LORD, HEAL MY DAUGHTER.”

My Dad & Me on the Saturday after my surgery.

Yea, that made me cry.  I am blessed to have a dad like mine!

On a side note - I went to the doc today to have fluid drained.  I'll probably have to do that twice a week for a few weeks.  Feelin' pretty good - a little tired, but that just might have something to do with my age!  I did have another birthday you know!


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Another Follow-Up

                                                                            
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Yesterday I got my stitches out!  Yeah!  (And by the way, there were 15.)  Also, I got rid of that drain tube and bottle.  I was so tired of that thing!  I'll go back on Friday to have any fluid that might still collect in the incision area taken out with a needle.  The soreness under my arm is from nerves that were cut. The doctor said that feeling should go away after a while.  He said I'm healing well.  I couldn't get my pathology report because the computers were down, but Dr G. did say that a 1 cm tumor was found in the one lymph node that had cancer.  That doesn't sound real good.  The treatment will be determined by the oncologist, who should be contacting me soon.

I feel pretty good, still a bit sore.  My arm is limited somewhat, but the doctor didn't put any restrictions on me.  I do my finger climbing wall exercises to help my arm move the best it can.

I think I'll go to church Sunday!  It's Easter!  I'll be lopsided, but I'll wear a scarf -- Scarves are my new best friend!

Follow-up

Tuesday I had a follow-up doctor's appointment.  It had been 6 days since my surgery.  I wasn't sure if the appointment was to check on my incision or for the pathology report.

The last couple of days I have been sore, not in excruciating pain, but noticeable pain.   I have about a 7-8 inch incision starting from the middle of my chest, where the top of the breast would be, that goes to my left, under my arm.  (Imagine a kind of Frankensteinish looking scare with all the stitches, as well as staples.)  Where it ends on my side is numb, about a 3 inch area.  I feel a tightening around the incision that makes me uncomfortable.  The underpart of my arm from my armpit, almost to my elbow, is tender to the touch; I think from lymph nodes being removed, but I'm not sure.  I have a tube that was inserted in my skin about an inch down from the incision on my left.  On the other end of the 2 foot or so of tubing, is a plastic bulb that collects drainage from the site.  I pin this to my shirt.  I have to empty it a few times a day and record the amount collected.  When it gets low enough, the doctor will take it out.

Back to the doctor's appointment--
I had this follow-up appointment on the books since the same time that the surgery was scheduled, and confirmed it on Friday. Wouldn't you know it, when I went for my appointment they didn't have it on the schedule; they said maybe it got dropped when someone was checking on it and didn't click on save. You know how these computers are! .....Well, they squeezed me in.

The doctor checked the incision, said it was healing well, and removed the 12 or so staples that helped hold it together.

He started telling me about the pathology report.  He said there was 17 lymph nodes removed and.....one came back with cancer.  I had hoped for NONE with cancer, but I guess the outcome could have been worse.

The appointment was short (being it wasn't planned!).  I didn't ask a lot of questions.  I guess it kind a threw me again.  I should be prepared for these things.  He showed me exercises I should be doing with my arm to gain mobility --sort of putting my arm perpendicular to the wall and climbing up it with my fingers. He did say he wanted to see me in a week to remove the 12 or whatever stitches that are still there. I'll write down my questions this time. 

Side note-- 
Matt went back to Waxahachie on Sunday.  Another 6 weeks and he graduates (May 3rd)!  Yea!  My goal is to make it to his graduation. The doc says it takes 6-8 weeks to heal before the start of chemo, so hopefully this will all work out before I loose my hair!

Scott and Jan flew out early Monday morning.  I'm usually the one who takes Scott to the airport at 4:30 Monday morning, but this week Jan could. (She had rented a car.)  She was flying back to Ecuador after being here for a week.  Thank you, Jan, love you!

My sister Jan

My sister, Bev, came from Santa Cruz and stayed Tuesday and Wednesday.  She took me to my appointment and helped me with some errands.  Love you sis!

Zach and Auntie Bev