Rejoice!!!

"...Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen." 

~ Luke 24:5-6 ~

Happy Easter!!

Surgery Finally Scheduled

I met with Dr. Ver Halen Tuesday afternoon to discuss my abdominal CT results and my upcoming DIEP flap surgery.  The scan was good.  He says I have a very good artery that he can use without any problem, and my skin looks good enough to have the surgery in early June.

The next day, the scheduler called to tell me my surgery is scheduled for July 15.  Wow!!!!  That late?  At first I wasn't pleased with such a late date.  She said Dr. V is very booked and that was the earliest available.  She marked my file to move the date up if someone cancels.

Now that I've thought about it, I see some positives about having a late surgery date.  The upside is that we may be able to take a vacation in early July - right before my surgery.  The girls would have to miss church camp though.  But at least my entire summer wouldn't be spent cooped up like last summer was.  The down side is I won't be in any shape to help Rachel move into the dorm in mid-August.

No matter when it takes place, I'm just thankful to have this option and to have health insurance that pays for it.  :-) 

Diagnosis - One Year Later

One year ago today, Monday, April 5, 2010, I answered the telephone around 8:30am.  The call was from Dr. Patterson.  I had awaited this call all weekend, for he was calling to give me my biopsy results – whether they were positive or negative.

I can almost remember the conversation verbatim.  He said he had “received the results from the lab, but it was not good news.”  He said the biopsy revealed cancer calls in my breast tumor.  He actually got the call on Saturday, but didn’t want to “spoil my Easter Sunday”.  I don’t recall what I said, but I think all I said was “Oh my goodness” or “Oh no”… or something like that. 

In a sense, it seems like that was a long time ago, but on the other hand, it seems like only yesterday.  The past year has been a roller coaster ride for me, but without the exuberance.  :-)  I’ve felt shocked, fearful, sad, stressed, confused, loved, lonely, and peaceful.  Physically, I’ve felt pain, fatigue, nausea, numbness, and tingling…and some days I’ve felt quite normal. By the way, I’ve come to appreciate those days very much.

All in all, it’s been a good year.  God has healed me and has carried me through the first year, A.C. (after cancer), and I know He’ll continue to walk with me beyond.  “Once a cancer patient, always a cancer patient”, I’ve been told.  I know my life will not be the “same”.  Every unusual pain I feel will lead to worry.  Every story of relapse will humble me greatly.  Every time I hear of someone dying from cancer, I will shudder.  But for now, I’m in remission and I feel good.  I’ll take it! And I’ll praise God for it!

Last Year This Time...

...was Easter weekend, and my last weekend B.C. (before cancer).  Who knew that my life would change so much after that?