THIS JUST RELEASED

I've been released!

My surgeon said "Have a nice life" and I said-OOOOOOH I most certainly will-Praise the Lord :)

My scars looked great, the biggest still red and a little sore, but otherwise fine. Everything else was great, great, great. Nothing to worry about, nothing to fret over-

ISN'T GOD AMAZING!!

I feel soooo good. My friend Lana's husband commented a few nights ago that I seemed like a different person-"you're just so bubbly and happy" AND I AM-and IT FEELS GOOD. I feel better than I have felt since before I had menigitis in 2007-and it is not anything that a doctor can explain or that man can accomplish-I give GOD all the glory :)

Surgery

Friday, December 19 @ 3:45 pm

That's the big day!

Hopefully an end to what has ended up being a crazy ride :)

We will drive down on 12/18, have pre-op the morning of surgery and surgery is scheduled to begin at 3:45 pm. I will be in the hospital through Sunday for sure and then as long as I am healing well, I will be allowed to go home.

They will take out a little less than 1/2 of my liver through a bikini hole and will use the other holes from gallbladder surgery for instruments, etc.

They are still very encouraged that things look good, that it is by their knowledge completely benign, but we will know more and get a 100% when they take it out.

Thank you for your prayers! I am nervous about being in Charleston, getting home, and everything being so close to Christmas.

Post-Surgery Update

It has been a week, since I came home from gallbladder/biopsy surgery. We met with the surgeon that preformed this and he says everything looks to be healing well. Dr. Srinivasan feels that there is a very good likelyhood that this mass is benign. He says because of some of the characteristics, they are unable to be 100% sure until they actually remove it. Dr. Srinivasan has spoken several times with Dr. Chavin at MUSC, and assures us that this is the best route to take. He has even said that if it were his wife or daughter that this is what he would want to do and even the surgeon he would want to use!

Our appointment at MUSC is @ 8:45 am on Friday. My Grandma and Grandpa Wall live in Charleston, so we will be staying with them. We will come home Saturday, because Isaac will turn 4 on Monday :) So, we have to have a Bday party on Sunday after church.

I still have no appetite, which isn't a problem, b/c I still have a lot of weight to lose, but I'm having to make myself eat so I will have energy-really not fun.

Still a little sore and tired-and this has been one crazy week, work, doctor, etc. I haven't even finished packing :)

Thank You for your prayers and encouragement this week. I feel God's touch in so many ways right now, but continue to struggle this week. I know it is the combination of everything, it's all a little overwhelming, but I'm ready to feel good again :)

The next step . . .

The next step . . .


We will be seeing Dr. Kenneth Chavin @ MUSC in Charleston on Friday, November 21 at 8:45 am. This will be for a consultation. While there we will schedule surgery #2. The plan is for laproscopic liver surgery to remove the mass on my liver. There are still no results from the biopsy, but both Dr. Chavin and Dr. Srinivasan agree that no matter what the results are, the mass should be removed.


The more I process this, the more anxious I grow. But I know without a shadow of a doubt God is in control. Our prayer is that this mass is benign, that they will take it out, and God will have all the glory. We know that the results are in his hands, and I am struggling to remember this as I deal with the realities that this entails.

Good Morning

Wow! It's amazing what a good nights sleep in my own bed will do!! I'm still a little tender, but I feel great compared to yesterday!! God is soo good. I still don't have much of an appetite, I haven't been hungry at all. But thanks to a sore throat, I've been able to drink a ton and stay hydrated. Russell slept with Isaac in his bed last night so I could have our bed to myself. I surrounded myself with pillows and had a great night. I woke up a few times. But it was much less interrupted then Wednesday at the hospital. We are hoping to hear biopsy results today so that we can move forward, I will post when we hear anything.

Home again, Home again

After one really long day and night we are home!!

Here's an update:

-They ended up doing surgery about 2 hours earlier than planned.
-Dr. Srinivasan was able to do the liver biopsy after he finished my gallbladder.
-I have 4 boo-boos, covered with bandaids and closed up by stitches.
-My abdomen is so swollen I could be 12 months pregnant.
-I spent the night, because they had a hard time getting my pain under control.
-I feel like someone has been digging around inside with one of my ribs-really.
-I'm home :)

Thank you for your prayers, phone calls, etc. I am still really sore and just trying to move around. I must return to the couch.

Tuesday Update

1. Surgery is set to begin at 5:30 pm tomorrow @SRHS
2. Surgery will include gallbladder removal and a liver biopsy
3. There is a 50% chance I will spend the night and 50% chance I will come home.
4. We have to be at the hospital at 3:00 pm.
5. My Mom will pick Isaac up from school and keep him.
6. I can't eat after midnight or drink after 6am, going to be a long time till 3:00 pm

I'm sure you all are taking this as certifiable proof that I am loony, however putting it all out there in list form really helps me to grasp it, and make sure we have our bases covered.

At present I have been dashing around completing different crazy tasks that I thought I would still have time to get done. I really want the house to be as clean and orderly as possible-and if you know me, you know I struggle with clean and orderly, unless we are having company. So far the kitchen, dining room and blue bathroom are good. Still have to work on Isaac's room and our room and then make a den sweep.

As you pray, pray for peace tonight as we prepare, pray for strength, knowledge for the surgeon, and most of all God's hand in all this :) We covet your prayers through this journey!

I will try to have a blogging stand in tomorrow, so check for updates

Surgeon

We got a phone call yesterday and now have an appointment with Dr. Srinivasan on Monday. This was a lot quicker then expected and we are glad to have one more thing fall into place with God's help. Dr. Srinivasan has a great reputation and is an expert in laproscopic procedures. There is still the chance of other tests being ordered. According to Dr. Mossburg, the only things I haven't been through at this point are an MRI and just regular Xrays. So, there is a very good chance that before Dr. Srinivasan makes a decision regarding surgery, he will send us for these tests. That's okay though-We want to go into this with the doctors being armed with as much information as possible, and if that means me going through more x-rays, etc., then we are willing to do it. If I had to pick a perfect surgery date it would be 11/21, because I would get 10 days in a row to reccupperate and only have to take 3 off and it would still be 6 days b/f Thanksgiving, so by then I should be feeling better. But, we all know picking the perfect date is impossible and that God already has all of that planned and in his control.

Sooooo, as we go Monday, I simply pray for grace in accepting what our Maker has paved the way for and remembering that through it all HE is in control.

Thursday Update

Sorry for the delay in updates this week-it's been a busy one!

I went to Dr.Mossburg, my GI, today. The liverscan didn't reveal anything significant to help them feel certain about anything. This is good and bad. They didn't look at it and think bad things, but they also couldn't be certain that it is benign. Soooo as always we are on to our next step.

The next step:

I am awaiting a phone call from either Dr. Mossburg's office or the surgeon's office. I will go for a consultation with the surgeon and then they will make the decision on how to proceed with biopsy, gallbladder, etc.

I must say that God has really gotten me through the last 2 weeks, but the more this drags on, the harder it gets to stay call and have peace. I don't want to be out of comission another holiday season and as we go from step to step we get increasingly closer to the Isaac's bday, thanksgiving, Christmas, santa's workshop-the list just goes on and on. So, I am really working on being ahead of the game, getting done what I can get done, and getting my house in order. I even thought I might try to do some ahead of the game cooking this weekend and freeze it for Thanksgiving or even do holiday baking. Who knows!

Prayer-Thank you for your continued prayers for us during this time! I have been so touched by the friends, coworkers, church family, and others, who have lifted us up to our Lord. We have truly been in God's hand through this. I know we are where we are because of HIS almighty plan and I hope I can carry out what he wants me to do! Pray that we are guided to a skilled surgeon who will be able to complete both procedures, that we will get appointments quickly, but that we will remember we are on GOD'S time, not our own. And most of all that we continue to seek his will in this and all situations :)

Saturday Update

Well, I got to work yesterday! It was great to be with my students, I have missed them this week!!

I did get to speak to the nurse at my GI's office yesterday, here's what I got:

1.NO results from liver scan yet, it could be Tuesday before we hear.
2.I asked for them to go ahead and line up a consult with a surgeon, and they will wait until they get the liver scan results.
3. My bloodwork is back. Blood cell counts were great, but the enzymes for liver function were off.
4. I see Dr. Mossburg again Thursday at 3:30 pm.(This is giving them time to read and study the liver scan)

Friday morning I had another gallbladder attack. I've been given something to help with the pain, but it didn't seem to make much of a difference. Looking back it might have taken some of the edge off, but not much. So, I'm really hoping that they will move quickly to take this gallbladder out.

I'm looking forward to the next 2 days at home with my boys :)

Thursday Update

Uggh-I am so weary of the drive back and forth to the hospital and doctors office-This was our 4th appointment in about as many days.

Liver Scan-I was injected with a solution so that they would be able to get a good look at my liver and the mass. I had to wait 30 minutes for this to circulate through my system, before they could begin the scan. The scan itself took about an hour. I had to lay still for extended periods of time while the camera took slow images. Then they would move and do it from another angle. It was not painful, or scary, just draining. We will not have results for several days.

I have only been able to work 1 1/2 days this week (due to the tests and appointments) and that is frustrating and difficult for me. As of now, I will work tomorrow and get to be there all day, which will make it 2 1/2. I am still juggling 2 hats at work and so it makes it even more difficult to be out.

At this point I am emotionally drained. Zapped! I feel like I have been drug through the mud and back. Yick!

Next Step: I will call the GI doctor tomorrow and try to schedule an appointment for next week. My hope is Tuesday, since we will be off for election day. We hope that at this point they refer us to a surgeon for gallbladder and biopsy. The quicker we complete all these steps the better.

Side Note: Yesterday Dr. Mossburg asked me how I felt about all this and I told him that we just wanted to know what to do. That we were faithful in God's promises and know that he is in control of the situation. I was thankful for this opportunity to let him know where our trust lies!

Prayer: Continue to pray for us as we deal with the unknown, as we try to face this adversity looking to God for direction and Guidance.

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen things I have experienced in the last 7 days:

1. Abdominal Ultrasound
2. CT Scan
3. CT Scan with contrast
4. Tons of bloodwork
5. Nuclear liver scan
6. GI appointment
7. Discovering I have a gallstone
8. Discovering I have a mass on my liver
9. Discovering the mass is the size of a golf ball.
10. A loving and caring husband who has been with me every step of the way
11. Fear of what the future holds.
12.The awesome knowledge that God is control
13.The comfort and power of friends who pray

Wednesday Update

We love Dr. Mossburg our new GI! He is personable, compassionate, and to the point. He was reassuring that in many cases this mass could benign. But he is not settling for assuming, which we appreciate greatly!

What we learned:

1. The mass is golf ball sized. (This freaked me out, I had pictured a marble)

2. A cyst/mass like this is particularly common in my age.

3. Due to my "youthful glow" as he put it, I am at much less risk.

4. Still no definitive cause

5. Still no reason for it being there

Our Next Steps:

1. Extensive Bloodwork: Completed today. This will test liver functions, enzymes, and markers that could possibly indicate cancer. (and Lots of other things I can't remember)

2.Nuclear Liver Scan: Thursday 10:00 am This will be yet another Xray type procedure, with contrast to give more views of the liver.

3. Gall-Bladder Decision: I am still having a great deal of pain/problems with my gallbladder. The only choice at this point is to wait or to schedule surgery.

4.MRI, more tests: The biggy for our doctor is that we do everything that is uninvasive first to learn as much as we can, then we move on from there.

5. Biopsy-This will be the last option for now, but if gallbladder removal is schedule, this will for sure happen and happen at the same time.

Prayers:

1-A clear view in the nuclear liver scan.

2-Calm nerves for me and for my DH as he waits and endures with me.

3-Quick answers confirming what they find

4-Patient and caring radiologists to complete and read the scans

5-That anything I swallow will stay down ( I think I have to drink the contrast this time)

Today, this is the verse I cling to:

It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great. You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn."Psalm 18:32-36

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."Deuteronomy 31:6

I praise the Lord for the doors he has opened over this last week. For the glory he has revealed and for the strength he has poured out over us. HE has gotten us through day to day and contiues to do so. There are so many things going on in our world, the future of our Nation hangs in the balance as this election draws near. Remember as you pray to pray for this Nation, for healing and for people to take action in electing a new leader. But let's not forget all we have to praise! I look around at the beauty of my surroundings, my amazing family, the children I am blessed to teach, the friends God sent me this summer, just everywhere I turn I see God's hand and reasons for Praise! We praise you Lord for your glory-for even the ability to call on your name and know that you will answer.

Prayers

WOW! How thankful I am for my brothers and sisters in Christ who are lifting us up in prayer through this struggle! I appreciate so much the hugs, love, and thoughts, but most of all your commitment to pray for us. I have said before how I feel God's hand in so many ways. This is a chance for me to share it and profess it! God is our everpresent help. He is right with us as we undertake this scary journey. He might not make it go away, but he's there to see us through it. I read The Shack this summer. And I keep thinking back to some of the encounters the main character had with Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit. I was reminded of so many profound things from this story. I think I just might read it again.

Again-for those of you that are praying thank you for taking your time to bring our petition before our most Holy God. I thank God for each of you!

Also, I would love to know that you are praying and keeping up with the blog here-I hope for it to be a witness of God's amazing power and presence in our lives! Please leave a comment and let us know that you've been here! You don't have to be a blogger to comment!

PS_I promise an afternoon update when we get back from the doctor!

Tuesday Update

Goodness! What a day! It amazes me how hard it is to get a doctors appointment and actually see a doctor. What a mess. My family doctor worked today on getting me an appointment with my GI-who I saw forever ago for IBS. He couldn't see me until NOVEMBER 10 and his PA couldn't see me until NOVEMBER 3. Needless to say this was not what I wanted to hear-waiting a week to even know the next step we will take. So, they are sending me to Dr. Mossburg tomorrow at 12:30.


This is such a praise! Not to have to spend any more time than necessary stewing over what will happen next. I have a peace about all this, but I don't like dwaddling through. I want to get on to the part where they figure out what is going on with my body and what they need to do to fix it!

I do have to say what an amazing support system I have! My husband has been super amazing. He has been there every step, holding my hand, holding me, and reminding me that we'll just take things a step at a time. Even when I felt like I should go alone tomorrow and him not have to miss work, he wants to be by my side, even just to hear what happens next. I praise God, to have such a supportive and loving husband. We have been through so much the last six years and he continues to be by my side plunging through it with me!

So-tomorrow at 12:30 I will be in Spartanburg (once again) and meet another new doctor. My prayer is that he will be knowledgable and compassionate about the situation and that whatever avenue he recommends will not be one that takes months to play out! Whatever is going on needs to be dealt with, or God would have never revealed it :) I just pray that through each step of the way God's light will shine through us!

Update

After a really looooooooooooooooooooong weekend filled with prayer, tears, and time with friends and family, Russell and I awoke this morning and trudged back to the outpatient center for my CT scan. I was nervous, but had the sweetest radiologist, who walked me through everything and was very low-key and patient. I had to have an IV to administer the contrast-and the contrast made me feel a little funny, but the feeling faded quickly. It didn't take more than 30 minutes, which was great, and they got all the shots they needed. I shook the whole time, prayed myself through everytime the machine coached me to breath, and made it to the car. Then as we prepared to call our friends and let them know this step was over, I lost all composure I had struggled so hard to keep. The tears came quickly and it was too late to turn them off. We tried to busy ourselves in Spartanburg, praying for quick results like those we received on Friday. But, by 1:00 we were done, and weary from hours of anticipation. We spent the afternoon at home playing with Isaac, knowing that we were much better off if we didn't get a phone call. Then, at 5:00 the phone rang. My doctor, not his nurse, called to let us know that they definetly saw a mass. He has decided instead of jumping straight to a biopsy, that I will go to a GI doctor, hopefully quickly, and then we will move from their.

I feel God's hand everywhere in this! This mass was found because of God's amazing power, and whatever needs to be done will be done. I have truly felt the power of each prayer as we have muddled through these days and nights. Of course I deepest hope and prayer for today was that there would be nothing there, but I had also prayed another prayer. I have prayed that the doctors would see what they need to see and we would continue to cling to God's promises. My new issue of HomeLife pointed out a verse I have clung to
"Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorius hand." Isaiah 41:10

He is holding me up no matter what. This is beyond my control, I can't do anything to change it, but God is ready and waiting to help. It might not be in the form of removing the mass, but more in the form of providing doctors with the ability to find and do what they need to do. I am resting in the promise that I am in his hands!

We are so blessed with friends, family, and church family who have gathered around us and showered us with love and prayer! This is such a scary place to be, it makes it so much better to have a God who is in control and friends who are lifting us up in prayer!

Pray for us as we wait for this next step and try to keep our eyes fixed on our Lord!