Day November 30, 2016 Praise That Tonight Can Say, It Is Well With My Soul

In nine hours I start the procedures to begin chapter 2 of treating the breast cancer. I will start with a wire insertion in both my breast and my armpit in order for the surgeon to better locate the marker where the tumor and lymph node was...I did say WAS because there is nothing there anymore for her to find  without the marker! That's a huge praise! Then my favorite surgeon ever, Dr. Jennifer Manders,

will successfully complete a lumpectomy and do a sentinel node biopsy. Depending on what the initial pathology looks like, I will either be done at that point or she may need to do more aggressive surgery on the lymph nodes and I would then stay the night. Honestly, I'm confident that I'll be home tomorrow night. 

So how am I, really?  Pretty excellent, to be honest. I have received many calls today and am being lifted in prayer by many, so I have a sense of  my most special loved ones covering me in prayer. I am a bit anxious about  that wire insertion part because I'll be awake for it and have to have needles stuck in me to get numb, but it will be over before I know it. Then when all is done, I'm looking forward to spending a week with my mama as she came down from Illinois to care for her favorite second daughter. :0) We may not go kayaking or anything as adventurous as that this week, but we will hopefully do a little baking, put up our Christmas decorations, and make a few more stops to DLM.

In fact, mom came with me today to my first consultation at a local radiation oncologist, Dr. Ryan Steinmetz. I liked him, but still will meet with one or two others before I decide on who I'm most comfortable with. Thankfully, my sister, Karen, is in the radiation oncology field in Milwaukee and gave me great questions to ask and what to look for.  Unfortunately, he informed me that I would need at least 6 weeks of radiation. I had originally heard 3-6 depending on my pathology, but he said that is not the case.

Then mom and I had a little excursion to Dorothy Lane Market and I fed her a couple delicious treats from their bakery, an almond-filled buttery croissant and a salted caramel coconut macaroon. Once we arrived home, my adoring and servant-hearted husband made us a scrumptious dinner with fresh wood grilled venison filets smothered in garlic butter, Apothic Dark  wine, grilled asparagus, and a salt roasted baked potato with sour cream and Kerry Gold butter. This was then topped off with  very tiny scoops of 4 flavors of ice cream with fresh black raspberry sauce I made last night and chocolate ganache. Ok...NOW I can go to sleep and have surgery. All is well with my tummy AND my soul.

So no matter what happens tomorrow, all truly is well and I love being in God's will. I trust Him. And if anyone has any doubts about that, please watch Dr. Mary Neal's  video. It totally changed how I view all of what has happened in my life since my diagnosis. It has been one of my personal greatest gifts since May 10th.

I'll leave you with this great song that speaks the words of my soul tonight. I can't wait to lift my hands and sing and worship with my Red Door family in a few weeks when I return. It's been too long since I've been regularly attending church, but the great news is I did not get sick and my immune system has been strong. So I'm mentally, physically and spiritually prepared for tomorrow.