Surgery is Tomorrow

Dad's surgery is tomorrow. Mom and dad will get up at around 4 AM as they have to be at the hospital at 5:30 AM. The surgery is supposed to begin at 7:30 AM and is expected to last 4-5 hours. Gretchen will be with mom tomorrow and my family is driving down tomorrow morning to be there as well.

They will take out the tumor in dad's esophagus so dad will go back to eating through his feeding tube only. They haven't decided yet whether they will take out the two lymph nodes as well.

Please pray for the surgical staff, for dad and mom, and for a full and quick recovery!


Heavenly Father, Healer of Wounds, God of Unconditional Love and Mercy, please hold Sid in the palm of your hand as he undergoes surgery. Please direct, guide, and bless the hands, minds, eyes, and instruments of the surgical team assigned to do the surgery and every person who touches Sid. Invite them to focus their minds to the tasks at hand and make each one of them perform their assigned tasks perfectly and precisely through Your guidance. Lord, please breathe love and peace to the family and loved ones, that they may continue to feel your warmth and love on this day of the surgery. Assure them that Sid will be healed so that he may continue to serve You in the ministry You called him to do for the proclamation of Christ's goodness, grace, and mercy. We lift up our prayers in Your Name, Lord. Amen. 
 
Laura Story - Blessings (Listen: Aline Barros) from jorgi on GodTube.

Preparation Starts Tomorrow

Dad's preparation for his surgery begins tomorrow. He will be on a clear liquid diet starting at 9 am. Then at 5 pm, dad will take Mucilax to clean out his system. He is in high spirits and ready to get the surgery under way so he can get to healing.

Exodus 14:14   Place your problems in God's hands and have faith that He will do the impossible in your life. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

Surgery is This Thursday

Dad's surgery is this Thursday. He is getting stronger and is ready to get the surgery done so he can get on the road to recovery.

Mom, dad, grandma, and Ashley went to the Army/Navy baseball games on Sunday and the included photo is from that day. Dad is looking great!

Confirmation Received, Surgery is On

It was confirmed today by the doctor that the spots on dad's liver were not cancer. They are called Liver hemangioma (http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/liver-hemangioma/basics/definition/con-20034197). Surgery is a go for May 1.

Joyous News!

Forgive the short update, but I wanted to get it out despite a busy day. Dad heard from the surgeon and they do not think that the spots on his liver that showed up during the CT scan are cancer. They will still do an MRI to make sure but they don't think it'll be cancer. Praise The Lord!

Psalm 98:4    Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises.

Surgery is Scheduled

Mom and dad met with the surgeon yesterday and surgery is set for May 1. Dad is the only surgery for that surgeon on May 1. They will go in through the chest and the side to take out that nasty tumor.

They are still debating going down through the esophagus to get to the two lymph nodes to remove them. That surgery is a bit trickier since it goes past the vocal cords and the lymph nodes are by a nerve.

The wound nurse has her marching orders (can you tell we are a military family) and is determined to get dad's stomach wound all better prior to May 1. Dad just has to continue gaining weight and getting stronger before the date.

They still need to double check on the spot on dad's liver. They will either do an MRI or a biopsy in the upcoming weeks. We believe that it will be nothing noteworthy but we continue to ask for prayers.


Loving Father, I entrust myself to your care this day; guide with wisdom and skill the minds and hands of the medical people who minister in your Name, and grant that every cause of illness be removed, I may be restored to soundness of health and learn to live in more perfect harmony with you and with those around me. Through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Mostly Good News and a Prayer Request

I just spoke with my dad following his appointment with the radiologist. As I had mentioned previously, he had a CT scan done on Tuesday so he had to go in today to find out the results.

The mostly good news is that the tumor and spots on dad's lymph nodes have shrunk and will continue to do so. This is very early to do another CT scan as the radiation is still working in his body to kill the cells. God is good and that answer was as we had expected given that dad has been able to eat and drink more and easier these past couple of weeks.

We do have a prayer request though. There was a spot on the liver in the CT scan. They don't know what the spot is, but they note anything that is different from the last time. It could be something as simple as a blood vessel, but they just don't know yet. We ask for prayers that the spot is nothing.

Mom and dad will meet with the surgeon tomorrow to get more information and to find out about next steps.

Exodus 23:25  “Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you.”

A Weekend Getaway and an Upcoming CT Scan

Mom and dad got a much needed weekend away and went down to Virginia Beach to spend some time with the Poole's. Mom played in the handbells with Janice and dad got a great surprise. Several members of the German Club came up to surprise dad. As dad said, "it was one of the greatest surprises of his life."

On the way home, dad had a Taco Bell taco and drove home. He's been driving more and more and has been happy to eat real food again.

Prayers are needed for tomorrow (Tuesday) as dad will have a CT scan in preparation for his upcoming surgery. Please pray that there is nothing new and that the cancer has disappeared or shrunk.

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. – Marcel Proust