As the iconic Michael Buffer steps to the middle of the ring and holds the microphone at a boxing match or pro-wrestling match, you immediately know the first words from his mouth with be, "Let's get ready to rumble!!!" Those words have become a part of pop culture and are used frequently.
But, can you imagine .... The Israelite army shouting those words to their enemies??? In most battles, I'd like to think they relied on God more than their own strength to win each battle and secure the Promised Land for future generations. Just like we should rely on God more than our own strength and wisdom to win our battles - large or small!!!
Since my last doctor appointment and CT scan at the end of July, it was a long month of waiting and wondering what was going on in my body. I finally received word that another CT scan was approved by my health insurance and I could now schedule the scan. On Friday, September 17, I went to get the scan in the afternoon and then had to wait until Thursday, September 23 to get the results. Since they didn't call that afternoon, I figured they didn't see anything horrendously bad, but I still had this horrible feeling that I would be needing to go to the hospital to get that left pleural effusion drained.
Finally, Thursday came!!! I had my family doctor appointment in the morning. Everything was "normal" as normal can be for me!!! LOL!!! Although, she did put me on some blood pressure med because my BP tends to be a little on the high side. She renewed my other prescription and I got a flu shot. She also told me that she didn't think my pleural effusion was big enough to drain. WooHoo!!! She even showed me the CT scan of my lungs. WOW!!! Now to go home get some lunch and pray & prepare for my afternoon oncology appointment.
After waiting in the exam room, I was first "interviewed" by a medical student. He asked a LOT of questions and then listened to my heart & lungs. He couldn't even hear the pleural effusion!!! Then the doctor came in and talked to me about the CT scan, how my CA-125 went from 71 to 127, and her meeting with the tumor board. At the end it came down to ... 6 more rounds of chemo!!! She confirmed that the pleural effusion wasn't big enough to drain and the lymph nodes weren't big enough to biopsy. We are hopeful that chemo will knock these things out of me for a good long time!!! So .... I'm ready to rumble with my 4th Recurrence of this silent killer.
In the meantime, I would appreciate your prayers as I do battle with this cancer again.
I'll update again when I have a starting date.
This song is soooooo good. Sung in this video by the amazing CeCe Winans. It's "Never Lost." I know that someday, I may lose this battle with cancer, but HE will NEVER lose. And as Paul states in Philippians 1:21, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
Prayer Requests:
- For strength & energy to keep my body strong & healthy while getting chemo.
- That my body will tolerate a slightly different mix of chemo drugs and that I will not have any allergic reactions.
- For my family as they are again thrust into the caregiver role.
- That I would be a shining light for Jesus wherever I go.
Only by His Strength,
Sandy
