Tom and I thought and prayed about the liver ablation procedure and decided that we wanted to do that, if I was a candidate. Well, the radiologists read all the scans and decided that I was indeed a candidate. They set the date for this procedure to be done on Tuesday, September 25th. They are going to use a "nano knife" on one of the cancer spots on my liver because the spot is near a large vein. This type of procedure doesn't damage the vein at all. The other cancerous spot will be removed with radio frequency (called an RFA). All of it is beyond my understanding, but I'm just grateful that the spots can be removed! I will go in early Tuesday morning and they said the procedure will begin at about 7:30 am and take approximately 3 hours. It is not really surgery. They use needles to touch the cancer. I will have general anesthesia. The nurse said the hardest part is getting the needles placed. Then they use heat to "zap" the spots. (I will have general anesthesia.) She also said that Baptist Hospital was the first in the nation and the world to use the nano knife and that they've done hundreds and hundreds of these with great success. That sounded comforting.
After we got the date for this procedure set up, my oncologist's nurse called and said I would do chemo the following Monday after the hospital procedure. I will begin a new chemo (by new I mean one that I haven't used before) called Carboplatin. We are already praying for this one to work.
In the meantime, God has been restoring my body with strength and my heart with hope, and I know that is from all the loving prayers. The last couple of weeks have been incredible. God has sent encouragement in many, many different forms! Dear family members and friends have come to visit me. That is such a great boost to my heart. I've received notes, phone calls, a worship CD, emails, cards and more. Last week I received two painted pictures from 2 young friends under 10 years old that had scriptures and truth written on them. They're beautiful. (They are sitting propped up near our kitchen table.) Three different groups of friends came last week specifically to pray with me. Food continues to arrive with love. I've had so much encouragement...it's been amazing. I call it Manna...like the heavenly bread that rained down on the Israelites. God has rained down encouragement to me everyday...and just enough for that day.
Last weekend was especially manna-filled. My dear friend Gloria from Colorado flew in Friday to visit. Some more dear friends Deb and Paul from Ohio flew in on that Saturday. And some more dear friends, Rosemary,Jessa and Jessa's 3 year old Jack, drove from Tennessee to come visit that afternoon. Wow! It was so wonderful! The Bible says "A cheerful heart is good medicine", and that's what it did for me...made my heart cheerful and full. THEN...last Saturday night was another Wow. Another sweet friend, Cindy, brought her girls and a couple of friends and played beautiful bluegrass music for us all !!! A private concert in my living room. SO sweet. The next day, on Sunday evening, the Lord blessed me with more than enough strength to play the keyboard for Prodigals again. We had about 200 people come to see it, which was so cool. Such a powerful weekend!
Day by day God sustains our hearts and day by day He takes care of my body. He is so good.
When my mind wanders down the road of thoughts that are difficult...the ones that whisper sad outcomes...I try to stop those thoughts. I pause and I remind myself of all the faithful ways He has taken care of me and our whole family. I remember (and many times others help me remember) that I am called to live this day, and that it is not good to look ahead too far. Is that foolish? No. It is what Jesus said to do...and it works. One day at a time...one moment at a time.
So...prayer requests?
They are the same...again. Please pray for no cancer. Complete healing. Pray that the spots wouldn't even BE there on Tuesday. They use CT scans to guide the needles to the liver lesions. Wouldn't it be cool if they are looking and looking and could not see any spots? Not impossible. Very possible with God. All cancer just....gone. And if they are still there... pray that the doctors would be guided by God, recovery would be easy and healing would come quickly. All of it is in God's hands.
Oh Holy God,
I praise Your wonderful Name and love You so much God! Thank You for sustaining me day by day. Thank You for Your encouragement and love that arrives daily through Your children. Thank You for restoring my hope. Thank You for today. I'm trusting You with tomorrow, God. Thank You.
With all of my love,
Lisa
1 comment:
So thankful for your thankfulness! What a testimony to us all! Prayers are constantly headed to the Father for you dear Lisa and your family. Praying for Tuesday! With love,
Donna Daggett
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