God created fruit too!

Oh, how I love fruit.  I thank God for creating fruit.  It is healthy, good and comforting.  Did you realize that fruit was comforting?  Well, it is!  Especially apples. 

Maybe apples are comforting to me because they make me think of Christmas time.  When I was young (long time ago) we only had 2 fruits that we could afford at Christmas; apples and oranges. 

Honestly, I can pick up a orange or apple, close my eyes and smell either of them and they take me back to the days of my childhood when my mother was still living.  My mother died when I was very young, so I enjoy smells that take me back to the days of comfort when my mother was there to "mother" me.  Our sense of smell is connected really well to our memory.

We made a trip to Ellijay, GA today.  Ellijay is the Apple Capital of Georgia, or so they say.  I LOVE going to the apple houses.  I try to stop at everyone of them when we make the trip up to buy apples.  Actually, we only buy apples from a couple of them but still, I enjoy stopping by each one and walking around and smelling the apples, apple pies and apple cakes.  Of course, there is always apple cider to taste test.  And no apple house is worth it's salt if it doesn't have apple butter and apple sauce to be tested as well.

We had a wonderful day.  Enjoyed the beautiful sites of changing leaves that God had on display for us.  The beauty that our eyes beheld only enhanced the trip.

My husband and I had a long conversation on the trip up about the many, many blessings that God heaps on us everyday.  You might think, with the cancer diagnosis we are living with in our lives now that we would not find it easy to see so many blessings.  However, we can even see the cancer as a blessing in a very unusual way.  My husband faith in God has grown from a seed to a huge redwood tree.  Praise God, that is a huge blessing.  My faith has grown stronger. 

Take whatever comes to you in life and turn it into a blessing.  That can be done, we are living proof.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Storms With Rainbows

GOD PUT A RAINBOW IN THE SKY, WHEN IT LOOKED LIKE THE SUN WOULDN'T SHINE ANYMORE, GOD PUT A RAINBOW IN THE SKY

My last post was one of a woman that was in awe of the miracles of my Lord and Savior.  This post is from a woman who is STILL in awe of my Lord and Savior.

The Pathologist as well as the Surgeon felt sure there was cancer in the mass, so he continued to dissect the one lymp node as well as the growth removed from my husband and he FOUND the cancer.  Naturally, when the Surgeon talked with us on Monday I can honestly say that "shock" came no where close to describing how we felt.  I could not wrap my mind around what I was hearing.  I called a dear sweet friend and let her pray me through it.  She talked with me until I could get calmed down and start to look at things objectively.

There was so many blessings in this Rainbow that God put in the middle of my storm.  THEY found this cancer before my husband was sent home from the hospital, had they not found it; I shutter to think of what might have happened in the coming months. 

Surgery for the 2nd time was performed on Tuesday.  They took out 12" more of the colon and all the lymp nodes.  Final reports on Friday revealed that 3 of 38 lymp nodes had cancer and the growth had cancer in it as well.  There is no cancer in the liver nor in the lungs and with the surgery, the cancer is no longer in the colon.  However, he will have to take Chemo to raise his chances of the cancer not re-occuring in the colon from 50% to 80%. 

At the end of the Chemotherapy treatments (6 months) then the Seeds of Radiation will be implanted into the prostate. 

God is so good, all the time He is so good.  He put us in a place at this time in our lives where there are wonderful Doctors, Nurses, Hospital and Cancer Treatment Centers.  How blessed we are.







In Awe

 I stand in awe and complete reverence of the miracle that my Heavenly Father has given to my sweet husband.  This miracle also effected every family member and friend of the family.

The colonospy that I had mentioned George had to have on the 3rd turned out to be a real "life saver for him".  They found a huge mass that was growing out from the wall of the colon.  However, the mass WAS NOT what the Radiologist had felt.  What he felt was just a small polup that was easily removed.  This mass was located at the end of the large colon where it connects to the small colon.

The surgeon came and talked to me after she finished the colonospy and told me she was admitting him immediately and would do surgery the next day.  She was 90% positive that it was cancerous.

I could not breathe, I started hyperventilating, I was afraid, I wanted to cry, I wanted to run, I had to tell my husband this terrible news.

He had no problems that would have indicated such a monster growing in the colon.  The fact that his father died with colon cancer and one sister was a colon cancer survivor, another died of colorectal cancer and yet another died with lung cancer REALLY put fear in our hearts.

God had not had the final word and believe me, until He speaks the final word, then no sentence is complete. 

I fell heavily onto Him, my heart cried out as my mind swirled.  Fear was gripping my mind as I clung tighter and tighter onto God's hand and His comfort.

Surgery was performed around 1PM on Thursday.  We were prepared for the worst when the surgeon met us in the consultation room to say.....NO CANCER WAS FOUND!!!  Praise God....Yes, my Heavenly Father had said the final word.....no cancer in this colon....He is my Lord and my Savior, my strength, my hope, my refuge.  He carries me when I can't walk, He lights my path, He lifts me up when I fall.  I thank you God, I praise you God. I worship you God.

Had the mass not been found and removed the chances of it turning into cancer was about 100%. 

God used a lot of people to get this problem taken care of.  He used 4 doctors and lots of events to bring the final curtain down on this performance.  I stand in complete awe and am totally amazed at the way He performs.

Cartwheels

Has been much too long since I updated my blog.  The title "Cartwheels" really explains what I feel like me and my sweetie have been doing since the 15th of July. 

A week after the diagnosis we met with the Radiation Oncologist.  While doing his exam he felt a rough spot on the colon wall so, another appointment had to be made with a surgeon.

Met with the surgeon today (26th) and a colonospy is now scheduled for the 3rd of August.  Went to the hospital and had the pre-admission papers filled out to speed things along.

Meanwhile, the Radiation Oncologist has scheduled a ultrasound of the prostate to be done on the 10th of August.  He told us that normally after the ultrasound is done then the seeds of radiation will be planted 2 weeks later.  OF COURSE, if the colonospy reveals a problem, then all the above schedules will change.

Now, do you see the reason I say that I feel like we have been turning cartwheels??  Our lives are very topsy turvy at the moment. 

Our God is still in complete control of the situation and we are both very much at peace with all these procedures.  So many wonderful friends and all the family are praying for my sweetheart.

I can honestly say there have been very few times that I have felt fear in the past few days.  I did feel fear and a sick feeling when the Radiation Oncologist found the spot on the colon.  Since my husband lost a sister to colorectal cancer;  another sister to lung cancer and then a third is a survivor of colon cancer.....you understand why I would have fear??

But still, my God is in total control.  I put my faith in Him and I leave my problems in his protective care.

Sweet Spirit

God's sweet, sweet Spirit was with us today when the doctor confirmed what we already knew deep in our hearts.  My sweet George has prostate cancer.

I would have told you a few years ago that if a doctor told me, that me, my husband, or one of my children or grandchildren had cancer that I would have collapsed, cried, thrown up, screamed....that list goes on and on.  You see, that was before.  Before I really studied God's love letter to me, before I put my complete faith and trust in Him. 

God said that He would give me a peace that transcends any human understanding.  He gave me that peace and it is a peace that does surpass human understanding.  The doctor could testify to that, as could many of our family members and friends.  People are having a hard time understanding how we are being so calm about a diagnosis of cancer.  Our God and His love for us is so much greater than cancer cells. 

God's word tells us,  all the things that He can and will do for us.  All that He ask us to do is believe, such a simple little word...believe.  It really takes no effort, just trust and faith.  I have both and I BELIEVE! 

There are no words to describe the peace that my sweet George and I feel tonight.  This won't necessarily be a easy battle, however, God did promise to fight the battle for us.   If we just BELIEVE in Him, then He will do the rest.  AND I BELIEVE.

Yes, that sweet, sweet Spirit of God has not left us.  He said that He would be with us now and always....and my friend, I BELIEVE HIM.

There is blessings to be found with every storm in our lives.  I can already see blessings as my faith, trust and love for God gets stronger and stronger.  My husband and I have always had such a very, very close relationship.  I would have said earlier that there was no way we could get any stronger in our love for each other, however, this has drawn us even closer than before. 

I love living my life with God's Spirit with me, there is no peace like His peace and I love it!!

Biopsy Done

On the 7th we went for the pre-op meeting with the doctor and then yesterday we were back again for the biopsy.  Very surprised that they allowed me to stay in the room with George while the biopsy was being done. 

12 samples were taken to be sent to the lab to be analyzed.  The report should be back next Friday or the following Monday at the latest.  Now, the wait begins.  What ever the results might be, we know that God has a reason and a purpose for allowing this occurence in our lives.  We were not meant to understand or question the reason why.  It has certainly drawn us closer to God, even when I felt that I couldn't get any closer.  In His time, all things will be revealed to us; not a day too soon or too late, but in His timing.

Both of us were at complete peace yesterday; matter of fact, we are still at peace both mentally and spiritually.  There have been so many, many prayers said for us and the situation we are facing.  The Peace I feel actually transcends any human explanation, just as God's word says will happen; if and when we put our total and complete faith in Him and give Him our worries and troubles.

We shall patiently wait for the scientic evaluation of the biopsy, while we are standing firm in God's hands.  There is sweet peace to be had from this sweet Spirit.