Once more into the breach...(MDA & surgery sched for this week & next)

The scars have *almost* become invisible. Therefore, the only logical thing is to create another one...*sigh*

Back to MDA for yet another surgery--the last one, Lord willing! If you've been following my updates, you know there's this one spot of uncertain biology. (meaning, they don't know what it is) It's been there all along, since my 1st surgery in July 08, and is still there. Very small (1.3 cm) and very slow growing, if it's growing at all. But it does light up the P.E.T. scan, so...my medical guy there said he was not gonna be patient much longer, and the surgeon agreed when I saw him the next day.

Thus, this schedule:

Thurs. 7/15 - travel to Houston (in a *nice* ride, thanks to a generous friend!)
Friday 7/16 - pre-op mtg w/ anesthesia folks & w/ surgeon (no actual medical procedures today)
Sat./Sun.7/17 & 18 - eat lots of Tex-Mex & poke around Houston doing...well, whatever comes up on the calendar (in other words, chill massively this weekend!)
**Monday, 7/19** - surgery @ 0-dark-30 (my Surgeon likes to operate 1st thing, like @ 6:00 a.m....)

Probably a couple of days in hospital, & then home. We're predicting/hoping Wednesday. Dr. Mehran said a day or so; I'm thinking "or so" meaning out Wed.

He said I'd be good to go w/in a week in terms of activities. (Note to students in MBA 689: Lord willing, I *will* be in class Thursday, 7/22, although I'll have to be chauffer-driving down by one of the Madarians. Not supposed to drive for a week...which raises the question of who's gonna haul me down to The Depot for my fix of coffee & a muffin there? *laughing*)

A couple of notes:

--Pray for Lisa! She'll have to drive all the way back fr Houston w/ no help from me. My job will be, in the great words of my friend Jason to his spouse once upon a time, to "sit there & look pretty." (unfortunately, whereas Jason's spouse and mine can do this, I'm...much less equipped, let's say. *grin*)

--Quoting the surgeon, "whatever this spot is, it will be gone!" *loud raucous applause & whistles & vuvuzela noises...and that's just Lisa & me!*

--The spot's on my chest wall. More precisely, it's on my rib, which means he'll cut out a piece of rib. (Supply your own punchline here) Sounds painful to me, but what do I know? *sigh* On the *huge* plus side, it's not down in my lung like the other spots were; thus, it should be an easier procedure (acc. to Dr. Mehran) Basically, I'm hoping no chest tube this time, as having several feet of plastic tubing pulled thru one's chest wall on checkout isn't as much fun as it sounds...

--I *HATE* the effects of anesthesia on me! W/o doing into *too* much detail, one of the effects is that it only matters a very little what I order for bkfst the next day (let's just say, & leave it there)...Plus, my conversational skills will be *seriously* limited on the way back from Houston. Informed sources (Lisa) suggest that I'll go from lively, cogent conversation to deep sleep and back in a matter of seconds. I am about as un-pumped about the anesthesia as about the surgery itself.

The *strong* hope/prayer is that this leads to years of boring, un-lit, "nothing-to-see-here" P.E.T. scans after this surgery! Again, quoting the surgeon: "You have a very good biology of your disease" which means this could well be my last cancer-related surgical event for a while at least (well, other than the regular scans & sticks...). Which would be AWESOME!!

If you are a praying type, we welcome and GREATLY APPRECIATE your prayers!

My Bible reading took me to Isaiah 12 this morning:

You will say in that day:
“I will give thanks to you, O Lord,
for though you were angry with me,
your anger turned away,
that you might comfort me.

2 “Behold, God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid;
for the Lord God is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.”

3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 4 And you will say in that day:

“Give thanks to the Lord,
call upon his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples,
proclaim that his name is exalted.

5 “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;
let this be made known in all the earth.
6 Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”

Yeah...those verses work pretty well at capturing my soul this week...

Thanks SO much for your thoughts & prayers, my friends! I'll keep you posted as best I'm able.

Drawing deeply from the well of His salvation & hoping His greatness in our midst shines forth in me,
Mike