Trying to get stronger by 7:30 Tuesday!

Despite the flue, made it thru my pre surgical consultation - 
All talk from the surgeon is as tho this is cancer.....
Surgery Tuesday  3/1 at 7:30 a.m.

I survived 48 hours of the worst flu I've ever had -I prayed more arrow prayers "oh God - please help!" and "I can do all things through Christ" in 48 hours then ever before!  So thankful for my friends that stepped up and helped me out with laundry and groceries!  I was so blessed and so weak!  Thank God Todd made it home from Chicago and did not get stuck in the storm (700 flights cancelled - 1 airport closed - but his flight made it out safely!! ) So thankful!  

I am over the worst of it - still achy, but the "head on fire" feeling and vomiting is gone.
By sheer will power I made it to the Docs for my consult --Had Todd not encouraged me, I would never have made it! The fear of surgery being put off again was very motivating!  

Sadly, rather than excising the entire chain of lymph nodes, he is just going for a piece of tissue to test.  He said flatly that this probably is not just some benign growth - it probably is cancer and because of the delicate location, it would be better to have radiation shrink the nodes than go poking around in there.....

Very proud that I did not cry when he said that- Believing my God can do anything!
   and if he doesn't - well, I'll deal with that then...

There was the inevitable disclaimer that if something went wrong they would abandon laparoscopic and open me up -- not really what you want to hear...

Surgery will take about 2 hours - or longer (inevitable disclaimer!)
I will be in overnight, going home around noon the next day.  

They will do a frozen section if possible (they freeze and slice thinly a portion of the growth to determine if it is cancerous) However, the accuracy of a frozen section test is not high. Often the tests come back a week later saying "cancer " when the frozen section indicated otherwise.  
They will place a stint in the ureter to release the constriction and swelling of my kidney and thereby alleviate pain - we hope.  It will have to be changed every 3 mos - and I'll have to go through a "getting used to it" period - where my body will fight it....Can't wait to play that fun game!

Now I am trying to get stronger - I have 2 days before my liquid diet on Monday - which always weakens me.  In addition, I have to quit using advil, which means messing around trying to find a pain killing combination of drugs -- 

All of this is pretty much of a bummer, so back to thankfulness:
-that Todd made it home
-friends that prayed like crazy
-God who sustained me through horrible aches, vomiting and my head feeling like fire
-a beautiful patio to sleep on - or my nice comfy bed
-perfect weather in which to sleep
-clean water to drink and to do laundry with
  (no wonder people used to die from outbreaks like this)
-the birds twittering and keeping me company
-my surgeon being confident he can do this - you want swagger with something like this!!!
-drugs to help feel better
-cards upon cards - with sweet notes - each precious and encouraging to me
-God's promises being ever faithful...

I found this on Facebook and love the visual for crushing the enemy and for going before and standing behind -- hope you enjoy it as much as I do...just a regular guy - loving God with his gifts.  

https://youtu.be/X1E2K4Trcp8

Thank you for all your loving support -- it makes all the difference!  

Thank you also for the offers of meals -- at this point we are doing ok --I won't be eating much and Todd is pretty self sufficient.  We'd like to save those offers in the event that I need chemo....

If I do not acknowledge each text, email, card or gift it does not mean that it is not treasured by us.  It means I have no capacity to answer and deal with life!  Thank you so very, very much!

Thanks for checkin' in! love y'all!