Blessings Abound

So God has been hard at work with me again today.  I’m so lucky to have so many people praying for me and I can certainly see the blessings that God is bestowing.

I called MD Anderson first thing this morning, as I’m just not good at waiting to hear things.  They said they’d contact me within 48 hours and it had been 24 so I figured I’d call and see what I can do to get the ball rolling. You know me Ms. Proactive.  I was lucky enough to have a nurse answer the phone.  She said she rarely answers the phones but they were so busy she just grabbed the line that was ringing.  Her name is Beth and she was a true blessing as she took my history and patiently answered the questions I had.  She then took my case to the doctors to see how quickly I needed to get into see them. 

I got a call back about noon and since my tumor is larger it would need to be removed so I’d need to see not only the medical oncologist but also the surgical oncologist.  They didn’t feel that it was critical to get there faster then normal, which I’m grateful for, and the first available appointment for the surgical oncologist is March 24.  However, when I got home, I had a voicemail from Beth.  She spoke directly with the doctors and had me scheduled for the 22^nd.  They said they wanted to get me into the system and get started and by coming in on Tuesday as opposed to Thursday we’d be several days ahead before the weekend came around.  So we will be headed to Houston Monday march 21 and have been told to plan on staying for 5-7 business days.  I really do not fully comprehend how this all will play out while we are there, how many doctors I will see, or what they will do exactly, but as I learn more I will let everyone know.  All I know is MD Anderson is the best of the best and I am giving this battle all I have to win. 

Some of you know, but not everyone, that I will also have to have a cardiologist, as I have an arrhythmia.  I will also need a hematologist, as I have a rare genetic disorder in which my white blood cell count is normally low; its called Cyclic neutropenia .  Since Chemo also does that to the white blood cells it’s a concern.  They said I might have to be in Houston longer then ‘normal’ due to my other health related concerns, and they want to be sure I’m monitored correctly, but that my treatment options were not limited due to the other two things. 

One of the first questions the nurse asked was about my fertility and had I thought about what I wanted to do.  I guess God has been preparing me for this question for 10 years now; we’ve been lucky enough to adopt 3 wonderful children and biological children really aren’t an issue.  Beth said this would be one less thing for me to be stressed over.  You know, God always does have a plan; and though Stephen and I have struggled with infertility for years, and wondered why, we’ve received three special blessings: Gavin, Arrington, and Delaney.  Now the burden of making a decision based on our desire to have biological children isn’t really a factor.  This makes it that much easier for me to focus on battling the cancer and not feeling the loss of losing the ability to have a biological child.

Believe me when I tell you that the emotions one goes through over the loss of having a biological child are real and deep and has taken us years to accept.  But since we’ve been blessed with children, and have had so long to go through the stages of grief. we've come to accept this.  I’m the better for it and it puts me a step a head of people that have not had to deal with infertility head on in the past.  I feel for anyone that must deal with the trauma of infertility now combine that with cancer and I can image the pain must be almost unbearable.

I am scheduled to visit the surgeon in Wichita tomorrow, however I’m not sure that I really need to since I will be getting treatment at MD Anderson.  I plan to call their office first thing in the morning to see if I should still make the visit.  I do plan to keep my oncologist appointment on Friday as I’m meeting with the doctor that has been treating my cyclic neutropenia for several years now.  I trust him and know that once I beat the cancer he will still be there to treat my other issue. 

Today has been a good day.  Yet another day in which God as watched over me and put the right people in my life to help me with this challenge.  Thanks for everyone’s prayers and support and let today’s events show that prayers are being answered so please keep them up.