Cancer Journey

Dear family and friends,

Since this has become a source of updates already for family and friends, I thought I would begin to post updates here on my latest journey...my journey along the road of breast cancer. As many of you know, I was diagnosed last week with breast cancer, and here I will try to post details for family and friends who wish to be kept up-to-date, and who want specific prayer requests. I will tag these updates as "Cancer Journey", and you can pull all the updates up by clicking on that label in the right sidebar. I hope to keep family updates here still, besides. And I hope to continue recording other thoughts on my other blog (found in the links in the right side bar, or here).

Here is a synopsis of where we have been so far:

• Wed. 4-9-08: routine yearly mammogram

• Friday 4-11-08: abnormal nodular area noted in mammogram, follow-up required

• Monday 4-21-08: Ultrasound revealing what looked like a cyst with an irregular border. Aspiration of cyst and possible biopsy needed
• Wed. 4-23-08: No fluid found, so it was not a cyst, but a solid mass. Core biopsy done.
• Thurs. 4-24-08: preliminary pathology report is invasive ductal adenocarcenoma. Normal life shifts and my landscape changes quite suddenly.
  
• Friday 4-25-08: Appointment with surgeon

And here is where we *think* we are going at this point:

• Tuesday, 4-29-08: MRIs
• Thursday, 5-1-08: possible surgery (lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy), dependent on the findings of the MRI and the surgeon's consult ith the medical oncologist.
• Both radiation and some sort of chemotherapy lay ahead for me, yet-to-be-determined by the pathology following the surgery.
  

And some specific prayer requests:

• Please pray that whatever is in my future, I will do nothing to shame my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. His preparation for me to walk this road is perfect, as is His plan in it. He is amazing, and worthy, and sufficient. Ask that in my moments of fear or doubt i would trust Him.
  
• Please pray that the MRI will confirm no other major involvement with cancer hot spots.
• Please pray that my lymph nodes will remain clear.
• Please pray for my choral group, Los Alamos Homeschool Chorus, who has their dress rehearsal for their spring concert on Thursday, likely without their director. And their performance will be on Thursday, May 8. Pray for my dear friends who will jump in and fill in the gaps for me: Dawn, Tom, Valerie, Gretta, Amy.
• Please pray for traveling mercies for Ben (my eldest ds) and my parents, who will be arriving on Wednesday. Pray for Tim, who will not be here, but will wish to be. Ask the Lord to assure him that he is right where he needs to be!
  

And lastly, some praise reports. Join me in thanking God for these mercies and blessings:

• We have moved incredibly quickly so far. What a God-ordained blessing! Thought my mind feels like a blender on high at times, I am grateful for this.
  
• We have seen God preparing the way for me, not only in the speed of things, but in my spiritual focus, through past experiences, in His leading as I study His word. He is gentle and gracious to me!
• God has raised up an army of support already: friends to hug and pray and cry with. What a blessing and comfort you all are! Included in these are my ds Ben's in-laws, who are helping make it possible for Ben to come out this week. Thank you, Chris and Donna, for your incredible love and care!
• God has given me a most precious gift in my best friend, Dave. Not only did he walk his own cancer journey in the past with strength and courage and faithfulness, but he loves me and serves me beyond anything I could hope for. He is God's hands and feet and arms of love to me. I am so very grateful and humbled by God's gift to me in him.
  
• And Jesus has saved me, kept me, prepared me. To Him be honor and glory and dominion and power forever!