"A lot of water has gone under the bridge" since I last posted. Let's see, where should I begin?
GOD is GREAT and GREATLY to be PRAISED! I had been diagnosed with Bladder Carcinoma back in 2002. Had some minor surgery since the CA was barely in the T1 stage. Which meant the cancer cells were only on the surface and could be scrapped and fulgurated (cauterized). This was done and I had to have cysto exam follow-ups every 3-months for 2-years and then every 6-months. I was just getting to the 1-year follow-up exams when another spot appeared. The specialist I was seeing at that time changed hospitals and no longer had privileges at the hospital my husband works at. I had to change physicians in order for our insurance to cover more of the cost!!! As it turns out... I'm glad I did! The above Urologist/surgeon had done a biopsy in his office and it came back from the pathologist as CIS or Cancer Insitu! This was NOT good news! Bladder cancer spreads very quickly if not caught in time and that is why the frequent cysto exams once diagnosed.
I prayed about another physician, I didn't want to change, but knew I had too! :( I had asked my husband to check around with some of the nurses where he worked and find out who they thought were good physicians/surgeons in this field of medicine. Finally, I had one to call. He saw me within a week and I was scheduled for the Surgery/Biopsies within another week. I was scheduled for surgery on January 24th at 7:30am.
The surgeon wanted to do several biopsies at different locations from my bladder. He warned me of the possibility of a total Cystectomy. In the mean time, once Bud knew that I was going to have surgery with the possibility of a Cystectomy, he started a fast without a definite ending date. He ended up fasting 11-days.
Now for the GOOD NEWS... after prayer and fasting... there was NO CANCER INSITU and while there were cancer cells present... they were like "lint" on the surface of the bladder... the surgeon did some major fulguration and I'm supposed to have the same thing done again at the end of April. This was done on an "inpatient/same day" surgery with the possibility (depending on what they found) that I could be "admitted".
Through all this... after the initial prognosis, I found a PEACE in the middle of the storm and the fear and worry of the unknown left me.
All this occurred during our 30-days of prayer! What a blessing for me!
I haven't questioned God with "WHY ME"... that isn't important. We are all on this earth and exposed to many different diseases. I'm not any better or less than anyone else. Do I want to live? Of course, I want to see my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren grow up. No, I don't want death to come to me before my parents... I don't want them to go through that at their age... I'm an only child. My death would be devastating to them. Am I fearful of death? NO... it would take me to my Heavenly home with Jesus!
Once you've been exposed to the horrid word, "cancer" life is never the same. Each day is a realization of the Newness of Life and each day is of the greatest importance.
I have rambled enough... perhaps I've not expressed this as I'd like... but I want to give my God all the PRAISE, GLORY and HONOR He deserves! God is good all the time... Good and Bad times! He is there all the time!
