Stories of Strength

Thirty years ago my sister-in-laws mom was told that her cancer was so bad that there was no hope.  She switched doctors (and provinces) and found a doctor that would do surgery and treat her cancer.  Her desire to live came from her young family that she refused to leave.  Thirty years later she is still enjoying life!  Over that past couple of weeks, through Devine intervention (I am sure) I keep hearing stories of strength and victory.  Stories that I needed to hear so that I could put away the negative that I had been told and focus on the positive.  

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. 2 Chronicles 6:19

God is looking for ways to protect and help his children 24/7 every day.

My medical oncologist has assured me that whatever medical intervention I need, he will ensure that I have it.  Whew! He still believes that surgery will help me and that there are options for my treatment. Praise the Lord! :) 

Daily, I am praying that God restores my health as I look at a photo of myself on my wedding day. I am also visualizing God destroying the cancer in my body.  It is with God's help that I will walk away from cancer. Each morning when I wake, I pray and celebrate the fact that I have another day to spend with my boys and husband.  

I have been praying that God will put the right people in my path so that will help me on this journey.  Last week, I met with a Christian homeopath who was told 20 years ago this summer that she had breast cancer and had 1 year to live.  Twenty years later she continues to do God's work by helping many people get healthy.  With my medical oncologist permission, I now have her on my team and am following her advice as how to regain my health.  

Yes, I am human and there are moments when fear grips me.  Things like not seeing my own children grown up, graduate, go to university, get married and have children make me very sad.  In these moments, I pray and remind God that I have asked Him to restore my health.  (Actually, I think this is to remind me that God is on my side.) It works and the fear leaves.


The PET scan was done on Monday and I am waiting to hear the results. This Thursday, July 4, I am scheduled to have more surgery to remove the cancer that was left behind with the May 16 surgery.  My father-in-law told me today that he is praying that they do not find any cancer.  I have to admit that being told there was 'no cancer found' would make me very very happy.

I am keeping busy and even made the news.  With a cap on my bald head and much support from my friends and co-workers, I participated in the Canadian Cancer 'Relay for Life' which is an annual event to raise funds for cancer research.  I only was there for a couple hours.  The rest walked ALL night! One way or another cancer will be done!  

Please, continue to pray and send me your words of strength.  

May God bless us all in more ways than we can even imagine.  Amen! :) 

Really?!?

What a day!! Ugh!  I met with a radiation oncologist who told me that it was time I started learning how to "live with cancer".  I was following the instructions from my oncologist to meet with her to find out if I was a suitable candidate for radiation.   So all I was there to learn was that if she thought radiation was a good idea or not. She proceeded to dump on me what her prognosis of what my situation was ... it was basically time to through in the towel ... game over ... 6 months worst case scenario or in the best case scenario she had seen patients live 10 to 12 years. The cancer metastasized and had to be somewhere else. It was just a matter of time.  I really did not appreciate being told that I needed to see a psychologist to 'learn how to die'.

All I could think was '6 months' who is she kidding? She proceeded to tell me that it was time to stop my treatment plan ... So no radiation, no more surgery, perhaps there were drugs that I would continue taking ..... Her 'you need to learn to live with cancer' theory is unacceptable to me. I kept on thinking what does my own oncologist have to say about this! I was a messy puddle of tears by the time she was done with her graphic explanation of what my short future held.

Perhaps one good thing came out of this.  She is sending me for a PET scan. So my CT scan for tomorrow is cancelled and I am being booked for a PET scan in late June 2013.  I feel that the results will surprise the socks of this doctor!

Tonight I am feeling jittery and yet praying for a clean PET scan and praising God for life .... I trust that no matter what, God is in control.  I just wish that it was not such a roller coaster ride.

1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your cares upon Him, for He careth for you."

Friday, June 14, 2013 Update:

Meeting with my medical oncologist on Monday, June 17, 2013.

PET scan is booked for June 24, 2013.
If the PET scan is clean, surgery will happen on July 4, 2013. (Independence Day from cancer for ME!)

I have decided that I just need to forget what the radiation oncologist said to me.  Her words just bring panic, fear and more negative thoughts which are just the opposite of what God wants for anyone.

I am still trusting in God and have total faith that He is in control.  When I walk away from this free of cancer, it will be an act of God! Praise the Lord! God is good!

Shattered Reality .....

After a few days, I am finally able to get my head around the events of last Wednesday.  

First, I met with my surgeon who informed me that the surgery was not a success.  There were clear indications in the pathology report that the cancer had spread and that it was still alive and well in my system.  He also told me that I would probably need more surgery and that would be decided by a more experienced cancer surgeon.  

Next, I went to see my oncologist who told me that the pathology report indicated that the chemo regime I had been on was not working.  He wants me to have another CT scan to ensure the cancer has not travelled to other parts of my body in the last two months.  Ugh!!   He was changing the drugs and I was to go straight from his office to meet another surgeon who would decide what to do with me.  

I literally ran from the Tom Baker Cancer Centre to the Women Health Clinic to meet with the new surgeon.  After consulting with me and reviewing my health history and pathology reports, he decided that he would proceed with very aggressive surgery.  I told him, "Let's get on it.  Sooner is better." 

I then had to run back to the Tom Baker to the pharmacy to meet with the pharmacist and get my giant bag of pills that I was to start taking.

These events left me feeling shattered.  Things had gone from being OK to panic mode in one afternoon just because of a single pathology report.

Again, I am clinging to God's promises and praying that God takes over my health issues and that He takes the cancer from my body. 

I am, once again, in fighting mode.  Get on with the surgery.  I so want this whole experience to be done and over with.

"... let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us ..." Hebrews 12:1