Let Me Tell You What He Has Done For ME

Merry Christmas! I hope you had a wonderful day filled with special time spent with those you love best. I certainly did! We started celebrating on Christmas Eve with the annual Patton family gourmet Christmas Eve dinner prepared by none other than Chef Keith. This year his menu included prime rib, twice baked potatoes. steamed asparagus with lemon butter sauce, holiday ambrosia, and Pears Noel - a fabulous new addition to the menu that will definitely become an annual tradition. Paige and I took turns helping out in the kitchen, and we had such fun. It was quite the feast. Keith's mom joined me, Keith, Chance and Paige for the evening, and it was such a sweet time of celebration with my family.

On Christmas morning we went to my Mom and Dad's house for Christmas brunch. Again, it was another sweet time with family and lots of great food. We especially enjoyed having two new boys in our family this year! Paige's husband, Chance, and my ten-month-old nephew, Gabe!

We had decided that we would have a small Christmas this year and keep the Christmas gifts at a minimum. Everyone received something they wanted, but the gifts were not the focus this year. For one thing, I had surgery the week before Christmas, so we really have been focused on getting me through that. After we opened our gifts on Christmas Eve, we talked about how our attitude toward presents had changed this year. I think this was was our best Christmas ever, but the reason it was so wonderful was because we spent time together, enjoying one another, and we had family time sharing about all the things we have to be thankful for this year.

My favorite Christmas present was a handmade gift that Paige created at a little pottery store in Waco. She decorated a ceramic tile that sets in an easel. On the tile, she wrote out Psalm 66:16, the Scripture verse that I claimed back in my Sept. 6 blog: "Come and listen, all of you who fear God; let me tell you what He has done for me." The tile is now on my mantel as a continual reminder of the amazing story God has given me to share. Despite living with cancer these past six months, He has been more than enough to meet every need and to reveal Himself to me and teach me how to depend on Him for absolutely everything.

As you know, I learned last week that I will have to undergo six weeks of radiation therapy, despite all our hopes that I wouldn't need this treatment. I met with my radiation oncologist on Wednesday, and I like him so much. I set an appointment for January 15 to have all my markings (these are made with indelible ink) made on my chest to prepare me for the beginning of treatment. I also received the most encouraging news. Since I have to go in for treatment every day (Mon-Fri) for all six weeks, I was so concerned about how to make that work with my work schedule. The doctor explained that their office opens at 8am, so I can simply go by the hospital first thing every morning, get my five minute zap of treatment, and then head on to work. That means this should cause very little inconvenience with my normal work schedule. And the only side effect is a little fatigue - less than what goes along with chemo - so I know I can handle that.

As I was dealing with my new reality of positive lymph nodes, more treatment, etc. this week, I found such an encouragement in 2 Chronicles 20:12. It says, "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You." That's where I find myself now. I have no control over the cancer, over the results of the pathology, so I can only trust God and His plan. A few verses later, in 2 Chronicles 20:17, God told the Israelites: "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you." A few verses later, BEFORE they had been delivered, the people began to worship the Lord "for the splendor of his holiness."

So there you have it. I will face tomorrow, and God will be with me. I will worship Him NOW for what we know He will do for me, for the wonderful things we know He has planned for me. When I reach the end of cancer treatment (whenever that may be!!) I will have such an incredible story to tell..."let me tell you what He has done for me!" (Psalm 66:16)

Have a blessed 2009!

I had surgery on Wednesday, and I am happy to report that it was very successful, according to both my surgeon and my plastic surgeon. The surgery took about 5.5 hours, and after leaving the recovery room I was taken to a private room, where I spent Wednesday and Thursday nights. I had a little trouble on Wednesday night with nausea, probably from all the pain medication. But what a wonderful surprise when Paige walked into my room around 9:30 pm! I wasn't expecting her until the following evening, and I was thrilled to see her. Keith slept in the room with me that first night, and we experienced that fun hospital routine of being awakened every two hours by the nurses to take my vital signs, etc.

Thursday seemed to fly by for me although not much happened. I napped on and off. When I woke up Friday morning, I was ready to go home! I had a rougher day Friday - the pain was worse, and I just wanted to be at home in my recliner in my familiar surroundings. Dr. White came by around 11am, and agreed to let me go home, so we packed up and I was home a little after noon. Keith and Paige did laundry, cooked, and took such good care of me. My mom had made us homemade potato soup and cherry pie, so we were set. I will be home for the next few weeks in recovery mode.

Friday afternoon, Keith and Paige ran an errand, and when they came back, they started acting very suspicious! (Let me back up - Keith and I will celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary on Monday, 12/22.) Suddenly Paige had the stereo turned on, playing "our song" - the song that was playing when Keith first kissed me over 30 years ago. Then Keith knelt beside my chair, said some beautiful things to me, and then pulled out a little box - you know, the kind of little box that girls get very excited about! He and Paige had been conspiring for months, and while I left my wedding ring at home during my hospital stay, he had the diamond from my wedding ring re-set into a brand new setting!! Can you say bling?! Can you say beautiful? It is the most fabulous ring and I can't stop looking at it on my finger! Keith completely surprised me.

Unfortunately, Friday afternoon also brought some news from the doctor that we were hoping not to hear. Dr. Clifford called with the pathology results from surgery, and while we knew the chemo did a great job shrinking the tumor, apparently it did not do such a great job on the lymph nodes, because I have five lymph nodes that came back showing active cancer cells. So, radiation is no longer an option, but a requirement. I don't have any more details at the moment; I have an appointment with Dr. Clifford on Tuesday morning and will get more information when we see him.

I was so determined - and optimistic - that surgery would be the end of my treatment. I just didn't think I would have to go down the radiation path. But as I have said all along, God is in control, and I am in His hand, and there is no better place to be. So we will continue with whatever treatment plan is necessary and best to bring us to a positive conclusion to my treatment.

Today I read this passage in Ephesians that encouraged me:

"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ , the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:17-19

I can testify that experiencing cancer these past six months has certainly allowed me and my family to know Him more as we have trusted Him and placed our hope in Him regarding my health. Through his Spirit, those of us who believe have access to his incomparably great power - and his power is perfect, able to heal our diseases. Would you please join me and my family in praying for my complete healing as I recover from surgery and make plans for radiation treatment? My hope is that my life will be an testimony of God's healing power.

I'll give you an update next week after I see the doctor. God is good...ALL the time.

Phase Two

Well, I've had a few weeks since I finished chemo and I must say I haven't missed it! I am slowly regaining my strength - and my hair!! (yes, it has started to grow back - so exciting) just in time to start all over again with phase two - surgery. I am scheduled for surgery on Wed., December 17 at 7:30 am at Baylor Irving. I'll be off work for the remainder of December and possibly the first week or so of January. So right now I am feverishly busy at work, trying to get everything organized and wrapped up. I will be able to do some work from home via laptop once I'm a week or so past surgery, and fortunately things will be slow at the office during the holidays. But still...can they live without me?! Do I want to find out?

I have met with my surgeon and plastic surgeon recently, and actually am meeting with them again this week for pre-op appointments. The only real drama that's going on right now is the radiation issue. My surgeon and chemo doctor both said in passing that they didn't think I would need radiation, but the radiation oncologist said he thought I should do it. :-( The bottom line is that I am a borderline case for radiation since my tumor was 3.5 centimeters (they typically give radiation if the tumor is 5 centimeters or more) and I only had one positive lymph node (they typically do radiation if 4 or more lymph nodes are positive).

After talking to all my doctors, we have agreed to go forward with surgery and then see how the results of the pathology look after surgery. If all the tissue and lymph nodes come back clear and cancer free, as we expect them to, then I will forego radiation. Yea!! (Remember that the chemo did such a great job shrinking the tumor to almost nothing - so I am expecting that it got rid of any other cancerous tissue as well.) If we get a bad report, which I am not even anticipating, then we will re-visit radiation at that time.

SO, PLEASE be in prayer for me and the results of the surgery pathology from the tissue and lymph nodes. I am expecting to be finished with all treatment once I get surgery behind me. I am ready to be cancer free in 2009!