Mom in Recovery

Dr. Malviya talked to us about noon, and said they were finishing up with Mom's surgery, and that things went well. No big surprises. They will have more test results probably by the end of the week. He expects things to go well.

We (Bonnie, Allan, Dad, and John with me) just ate lunch, and expect to see her when she is out of "recovery".

We are so thankful, so thankful.
Always, God holds her and cares for her.
We are thankful.

Jesus, please heal my Mommy.

Jesus, please heal my Mommy.
This is my prayer.
A simple child prayer.
I stand back in awe, knowing You are love, knowing you have all knowledge and power.
Knowing that you hold me in your arms as a little child.

Where did I learn about that love?
And how did I learn to feel it?
I learned as a child.
I learned from my Mommy and my Daddy.

And if You hold me, then certainly, You hold them who taught me.

Tomorrow morning, in just a few hours, my Mommy will share my surgeon, Dr. Malviya.
He will take out the cancer inside her.

Please bless Dr. Malviya.
And please help him and the team as they do their work.
Thank you for their wisdom and compassion.

Please help my Mommy to be strong through surgery and recovery.
Please help us to trust You with child-like faith.
Jesus, please heal my Mommy.


And may we live your love with every breath.



Matthew 18:3-4 (Contemporary English Version)
"Then Jesus said:
'I promise you this. If you don't change and become like a child, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven. But if you are as humble as this child, you are the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'"

The Envelope Please - CA-125

My most recent test results arrived in the mail on Saturday.
Open the envelope.
CA-125 score (from a week ago Friday) was 11.
Good.
The ones from three months ago and six months ago were both 10.
So I don't like 11 as much.
But I would be told it is not a significant change.
I won't complain about 11.
In fact, thank you....thank you... thank you, God, for healthy cells.
Each day, each moment, each cell is a gift.
I am grateful.
Please help me take care of them...
and to be the whole person you want me to be...


Romans 5:1-2 (CEV)
By faith we have been made acceptable to God. And now, because of our Lord Jesus Christ, we live at peace with God. Christ has also introduced us to God's undeserved kindness on which we take our stand. So we are happy, as we look forward to sharing in the glory of God.

Late Night Note

I just read a Facebook posting that a dear friend has died.
I was working on the computer, and should not even be up this late.
It seems that it cannot even be real.
I will check again in the morning....

In the meantime...
I attended a lovely wedding today, at which Neal Harris played the piano. One of the songs he played, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" really helped to set the tone for worship. It stays with me now.

Theme:
Lamentations 3:22-23
"Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness."

Lyrics:
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Words: Thomas O. Chisholm
Music: “Faithfulness (Runyan),” William M. Runyan

CT News

The report of my May 26 CT scan arrived in the mail today.

"Stable appearance of the CT of the chest, abdomen and pelvis without evidence to suggest metastasis or recurrence of the tumor."


"Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever."
Psalm 118:29

CT Scan Day

I arrived at Providence Hospital Imagery Department at 7:20 am, was checked in, was given my special "milk shake", then walked around the hospital perimeter a couple times and then over to and around the local mall. Dr. Malviya likes me to walk for 90 minutes (instead of sitting for someone else's sixty), the better to move the contrast through my system.

Then onto the table I climbed, with my feet pointed toward that big doughnut (Multi-grain Cherrio?)-shaped machine. After two more contrasts (rectal and IV) and the pictures, I was on my way.

A day in the life....

Someone recently commented that he thought I was done with the medical thing.
That may be a logical thought.
(Or at least hopeful.)
But no. I am not done with the medical thing.
How do I explain my experience?
And how do I understand it myself?

The hysterectomy and the washing out of my abdomen and then the nine rounds of chemotherapy were supposed to remove and kill all the cancer cells they could find.

But it is Stage IIIA , which means some loose cells were found beyond the original site.... And it is a rare kind called uterine papillary serous cancer, which means it is sneaky. It tends to come back.

So no, I guess I can't say that I am out of the woods. I live in the woods. And yet, as far as I know, and hopefully, today's CT scan will not change that, the woods are not currently on fire.

And as long as I'm here....I'm going camping!

Jo Bargy: Memories

When I was celebrating my high school graduation (1973), I received a covered box in the mail, decorated with flowered paper. It was from Cal and Jo Bargy, our relatives up north by Kewadin. When I opened it, I found a beautiful soft green nightgown, a grown-up nightgown, different than my usual flannels. I was so surprised and pleased. I put it away to save for when I got married. But often, I took it out to admire.

Josephine Bargy died yesterday.
She had not been well for some time.
And John and I recently saw her in a nursing home in Bellaire, during our week of vacation after Easter.

Our family used to go up to their farm every year as we were growing up. Sometimes we would camp out for a few days, and my dad would help on the farm. I would often find a corner and read. Jo would feed us good farm food, fresh whole milk and fresh vegetables and fruit (I especially loved the cherries). I developed a small understanding, but eventually a great appreciation for farmers and farm life.

I remember the feel of rough gooey calf tongues licking (sucking) my hand as I tried to pet their heads. I remember once being allowed to climb the then-new blue Harvestore silo. I remember taking my own family back there, of visiting the barn with my small son in my arms, when suddenly, a cow "Mooed" with a much louder bellow than I remembered. And I remember learning that their granddaughter Anna, also a farmer, had a job at the post office as well. Farms and farmers are so important. Farmers are faithful to their disciplines, from early mornings to long nights, whatever the weather, whatever the holiday.

We had a little more connection the eight years my own family lived in Traverse City, when Jo would also talk to John about his job and churches and people we might know in common.

But mostly today, I am remembering that Jo is the special woman who sent me a graduation gift that seemed to say, "You are a woman now. Welcome."

I miss her.
I am thankful for her Homecoming, and look forward to seeing her again someday.


"Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies."
Psalm 36:5