The Week Ahead

Last week we went through some very rough seas. But HIS grace was sufficient! We peer into the next seven days aware that we will need HIM to walk us through the next steps.

Monday will begin with another visit from the visiting nurse. Pray that the wound continues to heal and that Nancy continues to regain strength.

Tuesday KJ will head back to New York. She will take a winter session course at FIT before finishing her Bachelor's Degree with the Spring Semester. Pray for her focus, and for a plan to emerge for life after graduation. (Could it be Romania? A phone call from Cluj last night further raised that probability.)

Wednesday we expect to get a fuller pathology report. Pray the initial optimism will be confirmed when we get these results. Pray for us to wait with patience and hope.

Friday we expect to meet with the our surgeon. Hopefully, he can remove the drain that day.

Meanwhile, at some point Leah and Jonah need to return to Fulton, NY. Pray for them and Aidan and Chris as they prepare to welcome baby Katharine into their family at the end of next month. Hanging out with Jonah again has been a soothing mercy during a challenging week.

I will also return to the office this coming week. Pray for the timing of that return, and for me as I resume my work.

A month ago today we got the results that confirmed something scary was going on inside Nancy. A week ago today, we were staring an invasive surgery in the face even as we sang Christmas carols. It has been a wild ride to date, an adventure that has led us into moments of stark terror and wonderful assurance that HE is in control and HE cares for us. We are sustained by HIM who uses HIS people to carry us along.

Steak, Silly String and Sleep

After Nancy posted last night we had a wonderful family dinner which celebrated both Nancy's return home and KJ's 22nd. Karen Keller provided a great dinner and we marked KJ's birthday with birthday melon, rather than cake. The evening ended with a silly string fight on the front porch. Silly string duels are saved for the most festive family occasions.

Today the visiting nurse came, and Nancy is settling in at home, and getting some needed sleep. Clearly she is regaining strength and her spirits remain good. We are glad to see this week drawing to a close.

I'm home

At 2pm today I was released from Abington Hospital. I feel so much better than I did yesterday so I am thankful for the extra day to get my body working again, but now very glad to be home.

Today is KJ's 22nd birthday. Twenty two years ago I was in the hospital giving birth to my youngest.

Thank you for all your prayers.

Nancy

a hard day's work

The day after major surgery is never fun. There is a bit more pain. Lots of post op visits, etc. etc. It all makes for a hard day's work. And Nancy worked hard and well today.

Nancy's heart rhythms stabilized, a few other less important functions have yet to return to norm. Maybe that was HIS way of helping her get an extra day in the hospital.

We were once more overwhelmed by the prayers and support of folks near and far. Taco casseroles, phone calls, visits to the room and responses to the last posting reminded us that HIS people are helping us along the road.

This has been a special family time to be sure. In my fatigue last night I forgot to mention that Anne had spent the whole day in the waiting room with us. She is great daughter and wonderful sister to Leah and KJ. Then tonite Chris called me from Fulton just to see how I was doing. The evening ended with Nancy taking this picture before we left her to the work of resting. We'll see if she comes home tomorrow for KJ's 22nd birthday.

Good News so far!

It's not even 9.30pm, but this feels like one of the longest days of my life. Long, exhausting, frightening, but sweet and promising. It began with a drive to the hospital for a 7:45 check in, and a 10am procedure.

Before 1pm the surgeon told us that the nodes look clean. We have to wait for the full pathology reports in several days, but it looks good so far.

My wife "stayed in character" throughout the day. While in post-op she convinced her nurse to call me in the waiting room because she was worried about me and she didn't want ME to be afraid.
(Wait, who just had major surgery?)

Her stay in post-op was delayed when her heart raced for a while. Many of you prayed for her spiritual heart before today. Please pray for her physical heart to remain steady over the next few day---even as we continue to lean on HIM as we move forward.

Also, Josh and Anne , and KJ were with me throughout the day. Leah and Jonah arrived from Fulton around 1pm. They were wonderful support as were others who dropped by. After Nancy finally settled into her room we were able to all reconnect.....What a sweet reunion that was.

So, tomorrow will bring new challenges, but today HIS grace was sufficient.

One last thing for those who are tracking. Dr. Newman told us that "the bear" was a great help during surgery!

WHO is in control here?

This Christmas season I have often thought of Joseph. It seems to be me that he had to let go of a lot of things that a man of his time and culture would have expected to control. His family was begun under circumstances that would have made for rich tabloid gossip. He lost the "right" to name the son coming into his home. The move to Egypt was not his idea, so he gave up the right where to set up housekeeping. Instead, he abandoned the "illusion of control," trusting himself to the God of Israel. He submitted to God as he walked by faith through a very important intersection in the history of redemption.

The past few weeks, I have wrestled to forsake the "illusion of control" as we have approached this intersection. I have wanted to ignore this illness, pull back from this path, negotiate a way to regain control. But of course I have never controlled Nancy's health, the well being of the fam, or much of anything else.

Instead, we are called to renounce the illusion of control. I am so thankful to know that lots of folks around the world are walking this road with us as you pray.

Chief Surgeon Arrives

Lest you think this journey is all gloom and tears, not to worry. Last week an urgent call was made to the Vermont Teddy Bear Company. They dispatched their crack surgeon. Last night after our Christmas Eve service, he and Nancy met for the first time.

We are told that this new character we have come to know as Dr. Who? will be with Nancy to assist in the procedure and to supervise post-op recovery.

Our path is far too important to be walked without laughter.

Preparations Complete

It's Christmas Eve and I am sitting here catching my breath, holding my breath. Months ago I arranged vacation for the last two weeks of the year--a fortunate circumstance. We truly have spent the week preparing for the Dec 26 surgery:

• Contacting family



• Mobilizing prayer



• Doing medical prep



• Reviewing finances and paying bills



• Straightening up the house



• Laughing, talking, weeping and praying with friends



• Doing last minute Christmas stuff

And, this is to respond to my bride's post yesterday, having some time together as a couple. The wonderful truth is that instead of shaking my love for Nancy HE has used this time to remind of all the reasons why I love her. So, these few weeks have been already gifted us with a revival of love--a revival amidst terror and fear and worry and doubt.

Yesterday Marc Davis preached this wonderful Christmas sermon about Herod. He credited Herod with understanding that the arrival of Jesus changed things forever. But Herod would not let go of his "autonomy." His fight for control led to the slaughter of innocent children. Marc reminded us that embracing the "new" that Jesus offers will necessitate letting go of the status quo. The application was clear: Cancer is bringing us a season of new things--can we let go? Can we believe that this is part of the path destined us to conform us fully to image of Christ?? By HIS grace, granted us in response to your prayers we can, we will, we must.

Toot Toot

Guess I should back the choo-choo up to the station. There is really only one thing I am consistant with, in taking care of myself, and that is my yearly mammogram. Year after year it's the same normal test. This October 29 appointment began and ended routinely. A few days later I received a letter saying please call us to make an appt for another mammogram and ultrasound. In order to have both tests done on the same day I was given Nov.30. Afterwards, I was asked to wait in a little consulting room where they had folders for "fast track" patients. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out something was up. The radiologist doctor came in and compared last years mammogram and the one just taken. I saw it with my own eyes. He told me that it is 95% cancer. It was sort of an out of body experience. I felt numb and fearful. Dreading telling my sweet husband that I had a malignancy in my left breast. My first fearful thought was, will Dan still love me? Then I wondered does God still love me?

I have enjoyed reading Spurgeon's Morning and Evening. "He shall gather the lambs with His arms." Isaiah 40:11. Our good Shepherd has in His flock a variety of experiences. He is impartial in His care for all His sheep, and the weakest lamb is a dear to Him as the most advanced of the flock. He finds weak minds ready to faint and die, He consoles them and renews their strength. What a quick eye He must have to see them all. What a tender heart to care for them all. What a far reaching arm to gather them all. How gently did He gather me to Himself, to His truth, to His blood, to His love.

the kindnesses of strangers....and friends

Remember that line in Streetcar Named Desire "I have always depended on the kindness of strangers?" Anyway, yesterday began like that.

Nancy spent the morning at Abington Hospital doing pre-admittance stuff that included an EKG, and tons of questions. But kindness came through her nurse who also follows Jesus. Hearing that woman's story of finding Christ and His faithfulness to her over the past 30 years provided a cup of cold water on along a rugged road.

When we came home, I braced myself to take on an airline. We had planned to attend the WHM team leaders' meeting in Austrian in early January. But our doctor had already nixed that. So, I wanted to cancel the tickets without losing lots of money. Dealing with this kind of issue has not always been easy in the past.

This time I found myself with a hugely helpful agent who personally arranged a very favorable arrangement with her supervisor, and got him to waive a ticket change fee. After that she told me, "I will pray for your wife." When I assured her that I, too, valued the power of prayer her response let me know that this stranger was someone who also followed HIM.

Last night as we waited for a table at Iron Hill Brewery, our old Ireland Team Leader Hunter Dockery called. He had just heard that Nancy was sick and immediately dialed us. We have been through so many battles together with Hunter and Julie, it was strengthening to know that they were in our ranks as we march forward into this one.

Yes, the arrows flew this day. But HE also showered us with unexpected kindnesses.

Preparations Continue

Last night we went to the elders of New Life so that they could pray for us. It was wonderful to hear the prayers for us, see their tears for us, feel their love for us, feed on their faith. That was the most important surgical prep we could do.

Then this morning we spent 2 1/2 hours at Abington Hospital doing pre-admittance stuff. Nancy has another appointment later today, and there are x-rays to reclaim.

This is like preparring for battle. So,
Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hads for war, my fingers for battle.
He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield in whom I take refuge-Ps, 144:1, 2a

Please issue that battlecry on our behalf

The Journey Begins

This journey began with Nancy's annual exam. A suspicious x-ray was followed by a second set of pictures and two biopsies.

Now we face surgery on December 26. Our world has been rocked, but we know that this part of the road unfolds under HIS watch. We shall see where it goes.