Month: February 2020

This afternoon Val and I met with her Doctor about scheduling the next surgery she needs along with answering a variety of questions for us.  Her surgery is scheduled for Tuesday, March 17th.  The surgery is going to be the “full zipper” treatment where he opens her way back up.  The goal is to remove about 2cm of the lower tube area (there was a medical name for this but “tube area” will suffice).  It sounds like the hospital stay will be a few days rather than a week this time and as a bonus, the goal is to have her stay back on the same floor since we already have the nursing staff broken in there.

The doctor was very surprised to find cancer cells that low and, as in years past, we heard someone in the medical community tell Valerie, “you are an unusual case”.  There is one longer term challenge with finding cancer cells in this area.  With her stomach removed, this lower area is now isolated and not really being used or accessible.  That is going to make monitoring any sort of future cancer growth in this area challenging.  She will have regular follow-ups and be monitored, but still no real way of telling if something decides to grow there again.  With all that said, we are going to seek a second opinion from an oncology doctor about any sort of preventative steps we may want to consider.  I shared with Val that the Lord has always seen fit to find ways to let us know about a health challenge she may be having and He will be faithful to let us know again in the future.

She has been doing wonderful adjusting to a new life style.  It hasn’t been without its ups and downs, but in general she has exceeded expectations for recovery.  We look forward to putting all this surgery and hospital stays behind us in the near future!

Please pray for wisdom as we contemplate any additional treatment along with an easy recovery for this next surgery.  We so appreciate the prayers and encouragement that we have received and are beyond thankful that you all have been Jesus’ hands and feet to us!  As new updates occur, we will keep you posted!

Marc

Val had her post op doctor appointment this past Wednesday.  They went through the pathology results and it seems like the Lord has seen fit to give us a little longer journey.  Praise the Lord that the results show the cancer has not spread to any lymph nodes and was completely contained in her stomach.  That is such a blessing that it was caught early and she doesn’t need to have any chemo or radiation.

Unfortunately, it was also discovered that there still remains a small portion of stomach tissue, at the lower end, where cancer was shown to still exist and a clean margin not obtained.  So she gets to go back into surgery for a little “warranty work” to remove this tissue.  The doctor has about 2mm to remove and then re-seal the lower portion of her reconstructed connection.

This development was difficult to process, especially in light of how smoothly her recovery has gone so far.  We have had other setbacks on our previous cancer journey and you begin to wonder (worry) if this is the start of more trials.  Also, I was unable to be at the post op appointment but a dear friend of ours was able to attend in my place.  Once again, the Lord providing for us through the many folks being His hands and feet.  Never doubt the impact that God will make through you, for His glory!

As Val and I worked through and came to grips with the fact that there is still some length in this journey, she totally flipped the situation on it’s head.  She looked at the situation in this positive light.  She pondered aloud how blessed we are that the doctor cut low enough to actually get some of these cancer cells in the removed stomach.  He could have cut just a little higher, missing the cancer cells all together, leaving them attached and us not even knowing they existed at all.  Now that is perspective and wisdom gained through trial, showing great maturity and faith in God!

As our Pastor likes to ask at the end of his sermon, “so now what”.  Well we are not entirely sure the exact steps other than she will be going back in for surgery.   They can’t operate less than 6 weeks following a previous surgery so we are at least looking into mid to late March.  We are also not sure if the surgery will involve a “full zipper” scar like her last one or a smaller incision.  There is another meeting set-up with the surgeon on Wednesday, February 19th at 3:30 to work through all the details.

Our family continues to be so grateful for your prayers and support.  Please continue to pray for us in this new development.  Also pray that the Lord continues to be made much of in this journey and that His purposes are accomplished.