Update on the Cancer Fighting Front

First off, let me say thanks to those who have been helping me pray through these steps toward battling cancer. God is hearing and is answering!

We saw the surgeon today and just as we had been praying, God began drying up the drainage that was seeping out my side through the tubes and into a bulb. It has been hitting right at 100cc every 24 hours. I requested prayer specifically that it would begin to dry up because I knew it had to slow way down from that for the surgeon to even consider removing the tubes.

A couple of times today I checked on it and I knew that it was draining way, WAY slower. I just didn't know if it was slow enough!

We went to the surgeon to have the 32 staples taken out of my chest (thanks for counting, Lauren). The nurse looked at the amount of drainage and said she doubted if he would allow the tubes to be removed. Then the doctor came in, took one glance at it and asked when it had been emptied last. We told him 2:00 on Sunday. ...so it had been 26 hours, and without even blinking he said, "Get it out of there...let's go ahead and get it on out." Wooo-hooo!!!

This is such a tremendous blessing to me because of the whole I can't move any direction without feeling like I was being pinched in the tender area on my side about 8 inches below my arm-pit...a very literal pain in the side!!

I won't lie...it hurt like crazee having those things pulled out because there were 12"-16" on each one embedded into my chest. The nurse said, "I'm going to do these one at a time and when I get hold of each one, we're going to go fast...just hold your breath...Ready? Here's the first one, let's go!"

I did have to fight back tears. I squeezed Rusty's hand hard and he wiped the sweat on my fore-head. I let my breath out right when she said, "Here we go with the second one...stay strong!" Yeee-owww--cccchhhhh!!!

But, praise God, they are out! I'd appreciate your prayers that all the drainage in the chest would just go ahead and just dry up so that it won't collect into a pool internally. If it did, it will get really sore and also runs the risk of infection....which they would end up having to drain off with a needle. Now don't get me wrong...I've prayed all along that God would give me the grace to deal with whatever today held. ...even if it meant the tubes needed to stay in longer...so I'm not doubting now...just soliciting the added prayer coverage.

I do feel like a dog off a leash!!! Life is sooooo much easier without the drainage tubes! I'm looking forward to lying all the way down tonight to sleep! Yippee!!!

And the surgeon said he needed to see me again...are you ready for this??.... in SIX MONTHS!!!

Thanks for the prayers, y'all! And keep 'em coming!!

Humbly,

Momma Kay

Well, as most of you who know me well enough to even be interested in reading this already know...I've got breast cancer. CORRECTION: I HAD breast cancer. As of Monday, Nov. 26, the surgical team completely removed the left breast and the 'axilla' (fleshy part of your armpit that houses your lymph nodes). Therefore, I no longer have any breast cancer in me. What I still MAY have however, are the cells floating through my blood stream, particularly around the axilla that can cause it to come back fairly soon. Because of this, I'm fighting back with chemo and radiation. The chemo purges the bloodstream of cancer cells and the radiation zaps the area around the axilla. So the area where it was gets a double whammie...the chemo and the radiation, while the rest of the body gets the chemo.

We go tomorrow to see the the oncologist (chemo doctor) to determine when the chemo will start and to find out who my radiation doctor will be and when it is that I will meet him for the first time. I may have a consultation with him (radiation doctor) fairly soon, but it won't be for the purpose of receiving radiation...not for a while. The chemo is first. And more than likely, I will not be finished with that until the end of April.

So as you can see, there is a long haul ahead of us. We have been able to stay strong because of all the prayers of people like you. I've received prayer cards from Louisianna, Texas, Florida, and South Carolina not to mention Tennessee. So, we know that there are people praying. I've yet to go through a single day since being diagnosed and not be told at least 5 times, "We're praying for you and your family." Those words are so empowering.

If you are one of the ones doing that, don't be surprised if we come to your mind at the oddest times. When ever we do, please stop and pray. Here's why...when we have one of our "moments" (what we call it when things get so overwhelming that all we can do is feel helpless and cry) we stop then and there and pray asking God to start an intercessor (praying person) to praying for us. Even during the night, we've asked God to wake up intercessors to pray for us. So if you happen to wake up in the middle of the night with us on your mind, for seemingly no reason at all, now you know why. Please stop and whisper a prayer because at that particular time, we are needing strength, reassurance, peace, and/or comfort.

So for all of you who say over and over, "If there is anything I can do for you..." now you know what it is. Stop, drop and pray!

This is absolutely no fun at all. Each of us would much rather be on our happy little trail to Christmas break, winter, spring, breaks, Allie's prom, graduation, recitals, concerts, etc....but there's no denying we now have this interruption in our lives. However, it is not the worst.

We have much to be thankful for! We have been surrounded by so much love and support....it is overwhelming...even more so than the dread disease we are fighting. I had a friend say "Why you?!? Of all people, why you?"

Well, to that all I can say is "Why not me?" I have a strong faith in God. I've seen Him heal people and bring them through cancers much worse than mine. I've got a husband who will not turn and run just because things are rough or because I'm now flat-chested on one side with staples running from my breast bone to my arm-pit! He has barely even left my side...not just since the surgery, but since the diagnosis. He is constantly there. And even when he happens to be in the other room, he hollers to wherever I am and checks on me. I have a wonderful daughter who has offered to give up her Europe plans and other things thinking that we'd need the money more for me now than her... and who is being a great 'team-player' for our family right now. Things that used to be taken for granted no longer are...she has rubbed my back, wiped my tears, fanned my over-heated neck...anything at all to try and make me more comfortable! I have a great job that is still going to be there no matter how many days I have to take off for surgery, doctor's appointments, chemo, etc. I have a wonderful major medical insurance plan that is taking care of nearly all our expenses. I've got a cancer insurance policy that will do far more than just 'take care of the rest'. I've had family who came and helped clean my house well enough that I'd let pretty much anybody in who wanted to come and visit. (something that I would not have done before) I have a 'small-group' of high school girls, who came and pitched in to get the rest of it done when the family had to go home. I have a church family who all wore pink on the same Sunday just to show us how they were behind us. And they've cooked and cooked and cooked. They came and sat with Rusty and Allie during my surgery. They've called and called.

Breast cancer sucks, but it is not the worst. I have never felt more loved. I am blessed beyond the curse...struck down??? Maybe. But definitely not destroyed!!!

I can't wait to be on the other side of this...stronger than ever...celebrating how wonderful God is and how He is perfectly able to heal those who call on Him.

Thank you forever and ever for your prayers for us! It is not easy. Not by a long shot! It is hard on me...but I think it is even harder on Rusty and Allie. And we are only in the beginning part of it. So your continued prayers and support are appreciated more than my little blog could ever express.

Gratefully,

?Momma Kay

People and Prayers

So last week, I made an appointment for Monday (10-22-07) of this week to have a yearly girl check up. I wasn't looking forward to it, but knew I needed to not wait until Christmas break to schedule it (which is what I usually do so I don't have to take sick days from work). I knew that I needed to get in sooner rather than later. And while this may make you blush, don't worry about it cause I'm not lookin at you. There've been some definite weird things going on with the ol' left boob. Yep, I said it, left boob. So I went ahead and scheduled. So the nurse practitioner who was checking things out also checked that out. That was 7:30 Monday. It is now 5:50 p.m. on Wednesday. Since then, things have sorta been a whirlwind!! The doc's office set up a same day mammogram and I went in @ 2:00 on Monday and had that tended to. (hurts like heck, I must say!!) Following that, they had me to change rooms and have an ultrasound. Then back for another mammogram cause the first five weren't very clear. So anyways, they didn't like what they saw and scheduled me for a breast biopsy today.

Now I'm no mental heavy weight, but I do know that I'm at a certain risk for breast cancer because of the fact that my twin sister has battled it.

That being said and the fact that all my mammograms in the past ended with a pat on the back and a "We'll see you in a year," and these being anything but that, it's enough to put anyone on edge!!!

We immediately set people to praying for us. We (my hubby, Rusty and me) came home and while I took phone calls he broke the news to Allie, our 17 year old. I won't lie, this has all the potential to be a completely scarey situation!! However, we 3 embraced and wept on the couch pouring out our own fears and comforting each other in theirs. Then the neatest thing happened. I looked up the Bible verse in James that talks about anointing with oil and praying. I have oil, I keep it just for that purpose. Well, my husband and my daughter anointed me and began praying.

The word has spread like wildfire. We've chosen not to keep any of it quiet whatsoever for privacy sake or for any other reason. NO THANK YOU!! Who wants privacy? Not me!!! I want prayers!!!!

Anyway, this morning was the biopsy. Now I'm the type to be a nervous wreck going into any unknown situation. This morning, however, I knew that tons of people were praying, some called, some stopped by before hand, some sent texts and so on. So I knew the prayers were there. When we go there, the folks would not allow Rusty to go back with me. Bummer!!! I began to get worried about getting nervous and not having him to rely on for strength. Then it occurred to me...so many people are praying for you and "I" am your strength. Whoosh!!! Peace came all over me and I was not the least bit nervous.

Aside from all that, I had the opportunity to chat with the technologist and found out that she is in fact a person of faith. Cool!! Her name is Tosha. The doc's name is Dr. McCorvy...she's on loan from a breast center in KY because one of the doctors here is out for 3 weeks and they were very short-staffed. Turns out that Dr. McCorvy is also a person of faith. Cool again!!! I shared with them both that there were folks praying for them. They thought I meant me. I explained, no they're praying for you, too. Coolness all over again!!!

Bottom line is, though they went in the side of an already sore boob-wah, and dug in to the middle of it (literally) with needles and a cutting/routing device, I felt no pain whatsoever! I'm absolutely not kidding one dern bit!! They asked continually if I was doing okay. The answer was a firm yes every time they asked. I was expecting way worse. I had people telling me of way worse. I know that this went this smoothly because of all the prayers. There was some difficulty getting the bleeding to stop when it was all done and over with...not surprising. I bleed fairly easily. One funny thing happened when they got ready to place the bandage on because they thought the bleeding was stopped. It wasn't. It was beginning to set up a hematoma under the skin and when she pressed to put the bandage on, the blood shot across the room. She squealed and I got tickled. I don't know why...it just looked like something out of a movie or something...or discovery health. I don't know...it was just funny to me. Anyway, it finally stopped, she finally got the bandage on, and 2 hours later, we were out of there.

Now I won't lie. The numbing agent is wearing off, and I'm sore. That's true. But I'm doing the ice-pack thing and I'm popping the tylenol like they said to do, so it's all going to be okay.

I will not get results until Monday afternoon, so if you all would just continue with the prayers, I'd sure appreciate it...not only for myself, but for Rusty and Allie as well. I know they really don't want to show me how scared they are. .. but I know... I know because I know how scared I'd be if it were one of them instead of me.

It's overwhelming how calm you can be when people are praying you through a storm.

I want to express a big thanks to all you who are praying. And I especially want to express a big thanks to Corrie, Deena, Denira, and Jarrett who have done an absolutely fabulous job of keeping Allie busy.

I love you beyond measure!! And I'm thanking God for each one of you in my life!
♥Momma Kay

Family and Friends

So in my 'about me' I definitely referred to how important my family and friends are to me. I seem to have an ever increasing number of them! And the other ever-increasing factor is my affection toward and appreciation of them. I love my family! It's amazing to me that I've been married to the same wonderful man for over 24 years! I am so proud of him and his spiritual journey. He is a man of integrity who is deeply devoted to God and to our family. He is without a doubt the wisest person I know. My prayer for our 'younger couple friends' is that they will always have the joy in their marriages that we have had in ours...that they will keep Christ as the rock of marriage and that they will continue to love and respect one another the whole journey!



Then there is Allie, our daughter and her 'boy' Jarrett! They are completely awesome together. Their relationship has been at least 2 years (if not longer) in the making and it has been rocky. But God definitely has made a way for them and they are solid. They compliment one another perfectly...make each other laugh, hold one another accountable, and besides that, they are just plain ol' cute together! What a blessing it is to see them serve alongside one another. Who knows what God has in store for them. I don't know, but I think I have a pretty good idea!

















And how about Bobby and Denira! Jarrett's bro and sis-in-law! No words could ever explain how much we adore and respect them! Same for so many others! Oh heck! Lemme just go ahead and splat their mugs across here. Obviously if I'm blogging them it's cuz they mean a lot to me!!




























And this photo hunt is taking forever....I'm going to have to come back and edit it in.

Rainbows and Promises

So I'm new to all this and yet I feel so compelled to get on board with it. I am a Sistuh in the Faith! And just because we are called to believe in and submit our lives to Jesus Christ and just because we have enough faith we're certain that we could walk on water if charged with such a task, that doesn't mean that we never struggle. I have faith ...a firm foundation of faith in Jesus Christ. Yet, I must confess that there has been an ongoing struggle for quite some time. And I am not alone. The really neat thing is that all through this struggle each person who is paddling alongside me has received his/her own specific reassurances and promises. How cool is that? Our God deals with each one of us accordingly...on a very personal, very intimate one-on-one basis!! I sat through a difficult meeting last night wondering why I was even there. It was by far one of the hardest things I ever done in my life...sitting there and trying my best to represent well not only folks that I love, but folks that I love who are on two different sides of the same coin. Man, I tell you, it was difficult! I started to not even go at all just as a way of avoiding the conflict. I knew that my inaction would bring great disappointment ... from myself and from others. So I tried to just 'suck it up' and go. At one point I considered walking out... thinking though, 'What kind of message is that going to send and what kind of confusion will that create!?' So I stuck it out. And it was hard!!!! I want to always do what's right. I don't mind at all doing what's right. Where my struggle is are the times when everything is so gray, you can't see where the right is and where the wrong is to even be able to figure out which one you're doing. Last night, there was gray all over the place! As I laid down though with thoughts from that meeting swirling through my head, I asked God what He thought about it. He reassured me that my integrity was in tact. WHEW!!! He reminded me of things that I could have said that I did not...which was good! He reminded me of things that were put on the table by others, so that I didn't even have to bring them up. He reminded me of where I had hung in there and stuck up for and supported an opposing view, even when it was difficult to support. And I drifted off to sleep. I slept like a rock!!! Then this morning, the greatest blessing of all. I received a random phone call that said, "Go outside your front door and just look!" So I did. There right in front of me was the most vivid, fullest, most beautiful rainbow that I have seen in ages! In fact, I think the last one that I saw that was that beautiful was while on a mission trip in New York. We took a day for sight seeing and visited Niagra Falls. The mist from the falls keeps a constant rainbow set above the falls...well except for when it's dark. In my heart this morning, I claimed that rainbow as my very own!! It is my promise that He has not nor will He forsake me...it was my reassurance that He was pleased and that the storm is passing. I can see the light that is coming for the heart that holds on...there will be an end to these troubles but until that day comes...still I will praise You...still I will praise You...still I will praise You...STILL I WILL PRAISE YOU!! I love it that He never lets go!!