Details - Thursday is a comin'

Many of you have asked for some of the details below, so I hope placing them here helps.  THANK YOU for caring about me, man, I can't say that enough.  I feel your love and support so strongly it makes me a little teary-eye...in a positive way :)  Thank you so so much.

~Love Flows~

Surgery Date: Thursday, February 28th
Surgery Time: Check-in time > 6:00am, Surgery about 8 or 9am-ish or earlier
Hospital: St. Mark's Hospital, 5th Floor, Women's Center (I believe)
Length of Stay: 1-2 days, but you never know, I may be good enough to go home that first night

Thank you for those who have wondered if you can come and visit.  I'd love to see anyone who comes to the hospital or my place - my only concern is that I won't get to see you because I might be really out of it...which could be fun ;), but if you would like to come, I would love to see you. At the same time, please do not feel by any means that you should come if you were not planning on it or hoping to.  Thank you again, everyone!  Loves to you!

Thank You :)

Dear Family and Friends,

Thank you to each of you for your prayers, fasting and faith.  Today, I felt it all so tangibly; I felt unafraid, supported, loved, and I knew again that everything would be okay.  It was so refreshing to feel like me, my happy, free self.  At points when people at church asked me how I was doing, or wished me luck with this week, I found myself saying, thanks, it's going to be great!...like I was excited about it or something ;).  Funny, but I really felt so good.  Your love and support, your faith and prayers have literally strengthened me, and I truly feel more able to go forward.  The Lord is so so good to us, and that feels never more true to me than today.

Loves to each of you :)

Preparing

My angel mother, who has researched so much for me throughout this journey, found this extremely helpful blog.  Britta McKenna was also diagnosed with DCIS and shares her journey, things she experienced, felt, and sources of information she discovered.  The most helpful shares for me this week are her two pages on mastectomy preparation.  In case it is of interest to you and also so I have a place saver here on my blog :), I'm including them below.  Man, I'm so grateful for those who have been willing to share of their experience.  Reading her prep lists has really helped me.

* Top Ten Pre-Mastectomy
* Top Ten Post Mastectomy 

Diagnosis: DCIS

Really quick - my apologies for not explaining my little health situation for anyone who has read these few posts without having that information.  After doctor visits, exams, etc. during July and August last year, and after an MRI in August and a biopsy through MRI in September, I was diagnosed with a type of breast cancer called ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS).

Honestly, I'd be happy to explain more about that if people are interested...it just might take me some time to respond, but I will.  Whereas DCIS is usually in one or two, maybe a couple of ducts, mine seems to be wide-spread and there has been concern that there may be other stuff going on as well.  Who knows, but we'll find out soon.  Mine was thankfully found early, it's quite likely that it has not spread to the lymph nodes, and if removed it has an extremely high likelihood of being cured.  Hope that helps :)

Surgery Date

Dear ones -

So...I thought I'd be great at updating this lovely blog...but I have not done so...that's pretty much how blogging has gone for me for years, no?  ;)  Things I'm planning on including here include my morning routine, the healthy foods, supplements, and teas that have been making it into my body, as well as great books and other resources mom and I have drawn from to determine what I've been doing for the last many months, and my feelings and reflections throughout the experience.

Those will get on here at some point, but I do want to let you all know that after receiving results back from my MRI at Christmastime and seeing that things hadn't improved but were slightly progressing, and after a lot of prayer, fasting, time in the temple and time to myself, I decided to have the recommended surgery (mastectomy).  Single or double?  I'm going for single.  I'll lose these one at a time if I'm going to lose them both, but hopefully I won't :D.

Do I feel 100% confident in this choice?  No, but I feel there have been times of peace after a blessing, after a conversation with someone which have helped me feel that "whatever happens, it will be okay."  Maybe this means that just like many have said to me, with whatever I choose, things will be okay.  Doubt not, fear not.  Trusting and letting go of fear has been such a lesson my mother and the Lord have been teaching me...I'm still in the heart and depth of this lesson, but I can tell that it is a significant part of this journey for me. 

The surgery date will be February 28th.  My mother and Megan will be here, so I'll be in good hands.  There are other details, but I'll leave off for now.

Thank you all for your prayers, for your love, your faith and your goodness to me.  As mom continually reminds me, the Lord is helping me, He is there and He loves me as He loves all His children.  This is a great opportunity to learn and I hope the Lord will mercifully "grow me" as I move forward.  He is light.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

A moment of happy smiles and peace

Enjoy :)