Some Not-so-good news

Well, my PET-scan results were not quite what I had hoped and prayed for. The good news is that my bones and organs are all nice and clean. As a matter of fact, the report said my "Brain was unremarkable." Now, I've always known my brain was unremarkable, but it's the first time I've been glad to hear it! :-)

The not-so-good news is that there are several nodes in the trunk of my body that show activity. The strange thing about this is that they don't follow the pattern we would expect with breast cancer. So my docs are left trying to fit the pieces together somehow. Here we find ourselves, once again, in that "few or rare" category we would rather not travel in.

The plan is to go ahead with surgery tomorrow (Thursday), and see what additional information we can gather in that process.

So, here are some specific prayer requests:

• Pray for surgery, scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, May 8, in the morning. Prior to the surgery I will be having a stereotactic MRI to specifically place my primary tumor for removal, and I will have an injection of a radioactive tracer that will help map my lymph nodes. They will remove the lump (lumpectomy) and take my sentinel lymph nodes. Please pray specifically that if the activity in the nodes in my body is, indeed, the breast cancer, that the mechanism for it traveling there would be obvious. If we can see this, we may not need to biopsy those active nodes. Pray that the surgeon (who is wonderful) would be wise and skillful.
• Pray that clear results would be found in the pathology, and a good treatment plan would be formed.
• Pray for the tumor board that will discuss my case next week and help the surgeon determine what to do from here.
• Pray for no additional spread of the cancer.
  
• Pray that I would keep my focus on the goodness of God.

And here are a few very important praise items:

• I am getting excellent, timely care. Join me in thanking God for the surgeon, Dr. Barker, his excellent office manager who is praying for me and getting everything scheduled, Loretta, and my incredibly caring primary care doc, Matt Fay.
• I spent over an hour yesterday going over the PET scan report with my friend Gregg Moore, on staff at Penn State Medical School. Nothing like having your own private, world-class radiologist. Not only did Greg help me understand everything, but his big, loving heart braces me to face what's coming. What a provision of God he and Lauri are!
• My family and friends are being God's hands and feet to me. What would I do without you all?
• The prayers of God's people are carrying me. Thank you!
  
• God continues to provide for me and bolster me on this difficult journey. I won;t pretend that the news of the lymph nodes was not a blow. But God had been working all day to prepare me. In the morning I read an amazing article here, and on the way home from picking up the report, I listened to the following and sang it at the top of my lungs. What a sweet and tender way for the Lord to provide for me He is infinitely good and loving towards me. And that is a huge item of praise!
  

So I Will Trust You by Stephen Altrogge

Almighty Maker, Universe shaper
You put the stars into space
Yet You descended, You have befriended
Those who had hated Your name, just like me

King of Glory, I know You love me
So I will trust You, yes I will trust You
God Almighty, You have saved me
So I will trust You, yes I will trust in You

Lord over nations, King of Creation
Heaven and earth bow to You
I am Your child, I’ve been reconciled
With tender affection You drew me to You

How could I not trust my King
The One who has formed me and shaped me
I will rejoice and will sing
For the One who has made me has saved me