New Surgery Date

    I’ve had a call from the hospital.  The surgery date has been brought forward to March 8th, one week today!  Next week will be a busy time.   

Tuesday, March 6th  I go to have ‘pre-assessments’ done; EKG, EchoCardio gram, kidney function tests, blood tests, etc.  This determines readiness for surgery.

Wednesday, March 7th I have a new experience….a radioactive dye will be injected into the right breast.  (Here’s hoping  I don’t glow in the dark)  This will guide the surgeon to the sentinel node which is the first draining node from the breast.  The surgeon examines the sentinel node and surrounding lymph nodes in order to detect if further cancer cells have entered this area and possibly then gone to other areas of the body.  Depending on what is found here will help the oncologist better determine what type of chemotherapy is needed post-op. 

Thursday, March 8th is surgery day.  It’s a morning surgery.  For those in the USA it will be taking place between the hours of 3:00am – 5:00am Central Standard Time.  For those in Central Asia, the hours are 3:00pm – 5:00pm.  For those in Australia, the hours are 5:00pm – 7:00pm.  I am told I will be in the hospital only 2-3 days. 

Something specific for prayer.  I’m still feeling completely peaceful in my heart about the fact of being diagnosed with breast cancer but as the surgery day approaches, I find I’m starting to be a bit nervous about the operation itself.  The only time I’ve ever been hospitalized for surgery was when I was 11 and had my appendix removed.  That was a long time ago in the days when ether was used.  (Please, no remarks on how loooooog ago that must have been..:)  )   Anyway, for the last two nights I’ve awoken from disturbing dreams.  In one I was having surgery when there was a blackout in the city and the generators didn’t work.  In the second dream I was being intubated like a dog but not anesthetized yet; I’m being tied wrists and ankles to the table (again like a dog) and can’t let anyone know I’m still conscious.  I awoke from both, very happy it was only a dream. 

     Thanks everyone for your many encouraging words, cards received, emails and blog comments.  You bless me tremendously.  You remind me of the words in I Corinthians 12:25-27 where Paul talks about us as the body of Christ, “…all the members care for each other equally.  If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.  All of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and neccessary part of it.”