Pre-Op

First of all, we are blown away from all of the support, prayers, texts, cards, and offers to help we have received since posting the blog. I honestly wanted to put our story out there to help other survivors and to show God's goodness despite how dark your circumstances may seem. 

I have been told "you are so strong" but I don't completely agree with that statement. I'm certainly NOT strong but I have a strong God on my side. He is fighting the battles for me. I have been praying since I found out the diagnosis that God would use this situation to show His power and love through me. 

I wanted to feel normal, feel productive, and see my friends... all good reasons to go on a work trip but in hindsight, probably not the best timing on my part. We got the news on a Thursday that my cancer was indeed back and I left the following Monday for a regional meeting in Tampa. 

The flights down to Tampa were uneventful and I settled into my hotel easily. I was able to see my other Medical Regional friends and relax. The next day I got sick, something that has been happening every week and a half or so. I missed a lot of the meetings since I was in the restroom. I finally waved the white flag and went back to my room for a few hours. I was able to rally and come back for the afternoon sessions. I know that I worried the pants off of Wil being so far from home and ill. Thankfully, I have a good support system with my work friends (big thanks to Lisa and Erin for looking out for me). The rest of the week was uneventful from a health standpoint but I was ready to be home and back with my family. 

Tuesday rolls around and Dr. Skinner took the time to call me to let me know that her and Dr. Stuart went through my scan. She had some good news that it looked like the surgery wouldn't be as involved as originally thought but I would learn more from Dr. Stuart. I can't tell ya'll how much it means to have such an amazing oncologist on your side. She is never rushed during our appointments, makes sure to let us ask all of our questions, jokes around with us, and is intelligent and an amazing physician and surgeon. 

Wil and I went to see Dr. Stuart, who Wil calls "a good ol' boy like me." He is down to earth and was a surgeon I worked with in ICU when I was there at the start of my nursing career. Dr. Stuart was always kind, even when I had to call him in the middle of the night about one of his patients. 

The good news we received was that the tumor on my colon is on the RIGHT side where my appendix was removed from the first surgery and not the LEFT side where the initial bowel resection was. If the cancer is just on the right side, he doesn't think that I will have to have an ileostomy. We take this all with a grain of salt since there is always a potential that the surgeons find more when they open me up than what is shown on the scans. 

Surgery is officially scheduled for Tuesday, October 29th. That means I have bowel prep on Monday (think of a whole bottle of Miralax in 2 Gatorade bottles- YUMMMMY). The hospital stay will depend on what is found during surgery. 

Prayer requests: That nothing else is found during surgery than what is seen on the scans, for a quick recovery and short hospital stay, for Wil as he will be taking care of me and the kids while I recover, for God to give us some of "glimpses" into His good plan at work this time just like He has so generously showed us during previous legs of our cancer journey, and for my dear friend Erin from work who is also battling this terrible disease.