February 11th Update - On Waiting

There may be some people out there who enjoy waiting and there may be some situations for which waiting is an enjoyable experience like waiting for Christmas or waiting for a new baby to arrive. For the most part though most people do not like to be kept waiting. I have had my fair share of being disciplined in this area. I can't say I am now good at it but there has been improvement. I admit these last two weeks while I was waiting to hear scan results and to set a date for surgery were hard. I struggled with feeling anxious and fearful. I recently finished a book a friend sent me and found this little gem in it. "...the things that annoy, irritate, and disappoint us have just as much power to reveal the truth about ourselves as anything else. Learn to linger with what provokes you. You may just find the Spirit of God moving there." So I am learning to linger.

Charis and I met with Dr. Rubin today to discuss scan results and decide on a date for surgery. I know some of you were praying/hoping that perhaps I could avoid surgery altogether. Sorry, but that is not the case. In fact, it is a good thing that Dr. Rubin is going to go ahead with the surgery because it means that I tolerated the treatment well, the treatment (and all my various attempts to enhance it) is working, the cancer is shrinking and the surgery is worth doing. (It will help me.) This is not always the case with this type of cancer in this stage. Today I met the mother of a 27 year old with stage 4 ovarian cancer who has not tolerated the treatment so far therefore I am adjusting my perspective and counting my blessings.

The surgery performed by Dr. Rubin at Fox Chase will be Friday February 26th. They plan to do a complete hysterectomy, remove a fatty layer around my stomach (and I was only joking about him throwing in some free liposuction) and any visible tumors. I should be in the hospital three nights. 

Please pray against fear and anxiety. Pray for serenity for myself and my family. Pray that the cancer has not attached itself to other organs. (They won't know for sure until they operate.) Pray that the surgery is wildly successful!!!