A Surprising Friday

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

This week was a rough one. Let’s face it . . . this month has been a rough one. However, I knew this week would be extra stressful due to the nature of the appointments. There were days I woke up in sadness – still in disbelief this is my life. Sobbing in the shower because the only reason I was getting clean was to spend the day in a hospital undergoing tests and discussing my “condition.” The crying continued as I would do my best to get ready one-handed and then have to explain to my precious daughter why I have to leave her . . . again . . . and that I will do my best to be home when she wakes up from her nap (and let’s be honest, I never got home that early). Leaving to her cries of “Mommy hold me. I want you!” More sadness.

Yep, this week won’t rank in the top ten of my life – not even close. I was very excited that Friday’s agenda was empty. No tests. No appointments. No trips to Mercy. No more hard news. That all changed when my phone woke me up. I am learning to answer unidentified numbers because they are always important. It was the neurosurgeon’s office (Dr. Wienecke). He wanted to see me Friday afternoon at 1:30pm. More crying. So, I got dressed. Kissed my sweet girl good-bye. Then mom & I headed to Mercy.

Don’t get me wrong. I am thankful for all of the tests, brilliants docs and technology providing a more clear diagnosis. I am thankful for all of the docs getting me in so quickly. I was just weary.

However, the Lord knew this and He spoke to me in such a special way yesterday. We made it to the appointment and met Dr. Wienecke. He’s another amazing doc who said he felt like he knew me due to his conversations with Dr. Smith (my amazing orthopedic oncologist). As we discussed the upcoming biopsy on my C7 vertebrae, I interrupted him and said, “I have an appointment at MD Anderson next Thursday, is there any possible way we could do the biopsy, have the pathology results and I could be fit to travel by then?” Anyone in their right mind would know that one of the top neurosurgeons in the state couldn’t fit me in that quickly. But that wouldn’t be factoring God into the equation. Dr. Wienecke paused and said, “I think we can do it Monday, I just need to check with my scheduler and make sure Dr. Smith will be there as well.” He left the room and about five minutes later I had a surgery scheduled for Monday morning at 8:30 with two incredibly skilled surgeons. The procedure will involve going in through a small incision on the front of my neck, bypassing a few important arteries, removing a sample of the questionable tissue from my C7 vertebrae and possibly filling it in with bone cement. The two docs will tag team on this procedure. I will be required to stay overnight so they can monitor my recovery. But enough about the procedure. I get nervous thinking about it.

I was overwhelmed by God’s specific and timely answer to all of our prayers – including yours. After checking out, I was whisked away to the hospital for pre-op tests, including blood work, an EKG and a chest x-ray. I am not looking forward to another surgery, but I am thankful that God has provided the opportunity to address the missing piece of this equation before we head to MD Anderson. I can’t emphasize how huge this is! By no merit of our own, God has given us tremendous favor with the best cancer minds in the state, and very soon, in the nation.

I have joked with a couple of you, it doesn’t seem God is answering our prayer for miraculous healing, but He is answering our prayer for healing through medicine. (I’m not giving up on the miraculous healing, so you don’t either). Although it has been the longest month of my life, I realize things could have been much less efficient without God’s hand in this matter. He has done marvelous things.

Thank you again for being the most incredible prayer team in the world! I wouldn’t be writing this blog without you. Even in the dark moments, I know He has a plan for my good and His glory. Thank you for being a part of that. I need you and I need Him!

Specific prayer requests:
-- Pray for a successful biopsy and a speedy, complication-free recovery.
-- Continue praying the results of the biopsy will be clean and that the cancer is contained only in my right forearm.
-- Pray for preparation as we head to MD Anderson. There are lots of logistics we need to work out – including laundry. Ha!