I'm posting to you from Room #613 at St. Luke's Hospital. I'm now three full days out of surgery and finally in a coherent enough frame of mind to post the results of Friday's surgery:
My doctor said that surgery went better than he had expected, meaning that once he got inside my belly, he found less disease than he thought he would. He was able to remove the primary mass in a radical hysterectomy, along with any cancerous lymph nodes he was able to see.
Finally (and this is the interesting part), there was one tumor, which had spread from the primary mass, that he expected would be small enough to remove as well. He ended up not removing it at all because when he got a closer look during surgery, he found that the tumor was gone from the last round of chemo. All that was left was scar tissue! Now, I ask you... what can't my God do?!?
I still have a very long road ahead of me - with three to six more chemo treatments planned and then radiation after that. I'm still far from being out of the woods, but this surgery was really a landmark event!
My doctor was thrilled that we had made it to this point and it wasn't until just recently that I began to really understand the gravity of his joy. He had made a comment to me in a past appointment that, had we not gotten to this point of being able to remove the primary mass in surgery, my cancer would have been much more difficult to deal with. In a recent conversation with him, I asked him to expand on that original comment. He shared with me that, in the beginning, my cancer was so bad that he was worried we would not even make it to the point where we could do surgery... and had that been the case, not only would the cancer be much harder to deal with in the present, but the chances of it recurring in the future would be that much greater. The bottom line is - we'd most likely be having conversations about the quality and length of my life going forward.
Truly, this surgery was a milestone event!
With my doctor repeatedly using phrases like "remarkable improvement" and "unbelievable progress," I know that I haven't made it to this point just as a result the medicines that I've been taking. I know that God's hand has been in this process in a very real way, giving wisdom to my doctor and making it possible for my body to respond so very well to treatment.
So... I ask you again, "What can't my God do?!?"
Zephaniah 3:17 ~ "The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."
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Tears of joy! Truly Heather, so happy for you. I have had a hard summer(nothing comparable) but you have helped keep my faith going strong. My daughter(Katie-the current FB Pic) often asks how my "friend is doing" She is very happy when I tell her you are getting better and we just have to keep praying:)
ReplyDeleteOn another note, after 2 c-sections-one with my miracle baby, please go easy on yourself, abdominal surgery can be very hard on a person. Stairs are a nightmare:)
That's wonderful. Jesus is awesome!
ReplyDeletehey, darlin'...i just wanted you to know that you've touched another life...way down here in georgia...!
ReplyDeleteof all things, while i was out today, i heard a pretty song. i googled what i thought might be the title: "just a phone call away from my knees" and i got your blog! i still don't even know if we're talking about the same song...but i wanted you to know that the Lord led me to you and i think to better understanding thru those words! i am thrilled to read yesterday's entry regarding your surgery...and i will remember you in my prayers....
when i heard this phrase today, my mind went in a completely different direction: my son is a drug addict (some-what recovering, but only because he's currently on felony probation); for the last 12 years he has taken us on a terrible oddessy. for years i have dreaded phone calls from his area code...it's so often terrible news...another kick in the gut, if you will...
the phrase from the song made me think to myself "yep...that's it...i always feel like the next call will bring me to my knees:
from shear exhaustion/heartbreak, what-have-you.
i'm ashamed to admit that being on my knees before the Lord is not what occurred to me. but God knows the wacky ways we think sometimes, His thoughts being so different from ours and all...He knew i had it wrong, and he brought me to your 5 month old blog post to remind me of what He tried to remind me of today! so now ive been re-directed to the right path...and i will once again bring my worries and fears to God...and when i kneel it will be in prayer....not in defeat! thank you so much for sharing yourself...i do pray for your recovery...remember the plans He has for you!!
Heather, have been praying for you, I am so glad that things are progressing well, it has been awesome to see God working through you, the lives that you are touching with this. Thanks for all your honesty. God will continue to lift you through this,
ReplyDeletePulling for you and SO happy to read the good news--and glad that you're here. You're very generous and brave to blog about your disease. You have no idea where and who on the earth it might really help. : )
ReplyDeleteThanks from Pasadena, Calif.