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As of last I told you that I was having some pain, so I flew home to visit the University of Michigan on the 22nd of May.  My doctor said there was nothing abnormal that he could find, and since blood results were in the normal range, there was nothing to be concerned about.  I was still frustrated because I had not found out the source of pain on my right hand side.  My doctor suggested I have an ultra sound done in order to have some peace of mind about my health.  Half the battle of having cancer is more mental than physical.

I had my ultrasounds in Tennessee.  They could not find anything on my right side, however, they told me there was something on my left ovary…sigh.  They found a 2cm cyst on my ovary, which isn’t something too concerning, but knowing my history it hasn’t been easy to have my mind wonder again.  I’m trying to find a Gynecologic Oncologist in the Nashville/Franklin area, and since I don’t have insurance, I need to find a university which would be more willing than a private practice to help out financially   Knowing that, I hope to find a good Gynecologic Oncologist at Vanderbilt University.

In 6 weeks I will need to  follow up with the same 3 ultrasounds to keep track of the cyst.  I’m praying that the cyst dissipates and doesn’t become any larger.  I’m just thankful for the pain that I had on my right side because it caused me to go iin for an ultra sound that led to discovering the cyst on my left side.

Please pray that I find a program like I did at University of Michigan for those who are uninsured.  It is an added stress to what I’m already feeling, but I have to keeping on trusting–trusting that it will all be taken care of like last time.  It’s a miracle that I’m debt free and I’m hoping to stay that way.  He’s so Good to cover all my bills!  Also pray I find a specialist to follow up with my case.

Thank you for covering me with prayers!

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Hello!

It has been a while for those who have been trying to keep up with my health.  Sorry about that. Here’s a quick one, I’ve been having some pain the last few months which is in a similar location when I had a cyst before.  I went in to get blood work(CA125) about a month and half ago to see if my numbers where high, but they weren’t high enough be be concerned about it.  Which was a relief, but blood work is not  always reliable for having the answers that you can rely on.  I know the Lord has it all in His hands, but man, my mind is getting the best of me.   I’m praying that it’s nothing like last time.

I will be going to the University of Michigan this afternoon to see my doctor to make sure nothing is developing that shouldn’t be. I will update you with what the doc says when I have a chance.

Thanks for all your prayer support.  I’m so thankful for everyone of you!

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I went to the doc and found out that my lump is just an inflamed lymph node.  Thank God.  It’s a relief knowing that it’s nothing that I need to be concerned about.  I did find out that my sister’s dog might have something to do with my inflamed lymph node.  When the doc came his first question he asked was, “Have you been scratched by something lately?”  I was like…”Yes. I was throwing a frisbee with my sister’s dog and she came down on my leg and scratched it pretty bad.”  He said, “Sometimes a scratch could cause an infection and cause the lymph node to be inflamed.”  I smiled with delight and responded, “Really?  Now I can give my sister a hard time about how her dog caused this scare!”

Any who, thank you so much for your prayers.  I’m so thankful that the lump ended up being nothing.  Thank you Jesus; and Roxy!

Side note:  My sister said that I had to let you know that her dog Roxy is a sweet heart and the scratch was a freak accident.  I love that gal.

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I wanted to let you know that I’ve found a lump on my left hand side.  It’s in my groin area where my lymph nodes would be.  I felt it after waking up in the middle of the night thinking that I slept on my side wrong.  I felt that area today and was shocked to find a lump.

I tried to get an appointment today at the local hospital, but called the U of M to make sure that it was okay.  Here’s God’s hand in it….there was an opening for a 12.45pm appointment on the 16th which is this Friday!!!  Someone canceled, Thank God!  I will be able to check in with my doctor there.  I’m just thankful to get in earlier, since surveillance appointment wasn’t till the 30th.  It would normally take a few weeks to even get in.  God’s hand is in this even when I can’t see what’s the big picture.

Side note:  I had to reapply for the M-Support program at the U of M.  I called them today, but they still don’t have word on whether I was accepted or not.  Please pray that I’m accepted and that I hear from them soon…so, I’m not wondering what’s going on with that.

Thanks for your love and prayers.

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I’ve been working with a refugee family from Nepal, originally from Bhutan.  The Tamang’s were living in  a refugee camp for the past 17.5 years.  Suk Man, Basu, Babita, and Sabin have gone through quite a whirlwind.  From cooking over a fire to a stove; having bamboo walls and dirt floors to an apartment with carpet floors that they need to vacuum.  From shopping from their local market daily in Nepal to using a bridge card(food stamps) to buy groceries once a week.

The Tamang’s have been here since September 4th and I’ve been blessed to serve them the last few months.  My home church has been helping to resettle them with a small committee that’s more involved with the family.  They’ve been helping with ESL (English as Second Language), transportation, searching for job opportunities, grocery shopping, and so much more.  I’ve been the social coordinator and that’s evolved into the committee asking me what we need to be doing, since I’ve served overseas.  I don’t know what I’m doing since I haven’t done this before.  It’s only the grace of God that the Tamang’s are doing as well as they are.  It’s been good to be home and have Asia here, when I would love to be there.  Of all places He could have brought them.

I was talking with Suk Man asking what his story was, trying to get a better understanding where he came from.  It is quite a story if you can understand him talking in circles.   Towards the end of our conversation, he told me that he was in heaven, living here in Grand Haven, Michigan.  Talk about being humbled.

Please pray for the Tamang’s and the adjustments they’re still going through.  Pray that Suk Man, the father would be hired for full time job to support his family.  For Basu, the Mother to be able to pick up English, so she’s not “left behind,”  and that Sabin the youngest would be able to go to preschool this January.  Also, that Babita would continue to do well in kindergarden.

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The appointment with the new doc went well.  She’s great.  As for the pain I’m having it’s scar tissue, which is good.  I heard from a good family friend after she dealt with ovarian cancer awhile back that she still deals with pain from her scar tissue. Ugh.  Anywho, my doctor says that things look good, nothing felt or looked out of the norm.  So, thank God things are on the up and up!

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For those who think I’m going through chemo this paragraph is for you…that is not the case. The cancer that was found during my 2nd surgery was in the saline wash. I wouldn’t have been any better off having chemo since the cancer was not from a specific location. Other women in my situation were not any healthier having gone through chemo, so I’m under surveillance, which means every three months I’ll be having blood drawn (CA125) and physical.

The last few months have been mentally challenging with how to handle myself after what’s happened with my health. It hasn’t been easy, feeling depressed and uncertain for the future in heading back to Asia. I’m fighting fear. I just want to live my life and not have to worry about having problems with cancer. Having to question that while I’m in Cambodia (which I hope to be in beginning of this coming year) is not going to be easy. I know life is not fair, but man it sucks sometimes.

That’s enough of that. This coming Friday the 24th, I have my follow up appointment at the U of M at 2pm. I have a new doc and I’m feeling a bit anxious about that since she isn’t familiar with my body. I know she’ll be fine, it’s just a concern. I’ve also been having some pain in my abdomen and since I have a high pain tolerance, I’ve been wondering what going on. The pain is probably scare tissue, but it will be good to hear for sure from my doctor. I’ll update you on what the doc says.

Thank-you for your prayers.

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Heading out early for Ann Arbor was a bit early, but overall it went really well. I found out that I am stage 1C for my cancer. The “C” is for that it’s closer to stage 2 which is because I would have been stage 2 with what cancer they found in my cyst after my first surgery.

After talking with my doctor about having chemo to kill the cancer off. I found out that after the research for those who did have chemo in my stage that they were not any better off having it. So, after talking things out with the doc I’m more at peace to be surveillance with the CA125 (blood work) and physical exams to follow up every 3 months.

I talked with the doc about eating more healthy if it would be better since I kinda being doing it. He said that it’s fine that their not much medical backing for it, but when I was eating more healthy (more fruits, veggies, nuts and cutting out surgar and carbs) I felt better physically. For those who have recipes for raw fruits and veggies, please send them my way to help bring variety to what I am eating and thank-you to those who have. : )

Thank-you so much for those who were concerned about me going through chemo. I am going to be alright, for now. God’s got my back, it’s just frustrating not knowing what I’m going to do with going overseas and knowing how I can follow up with the surveillance in Asia. I won’t be heading out anytime soon, but hope to get out towards the end of this year. I’ve gone on quite the ride the last few months and I don’t wanna jump right back in quite yet.

Mahalo for support and prayers. I would be a total mess with out it.

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Here’s the latest with me. I am recovering well. Just getting annoyed about not being able to walk too far and trying not to forget to pick up anything more than 10 lbs (for 5 more weeks). Other than that I can’t complain. : )

Something that I have been praying about and asking God to do is to open the door for chemo. It was something that I wasn’t hoping to do for lame reason of the effects of it. The reason for chemo is for the cancer cells that were found in the wash that they flushed my abdomen. I am not sure of the amount of cancer cells that were in it, but I was told they don’t count the cells. I will ask my doctor if it’s a possibility to have chemo, since the tumor board already made their decision about having me go on surveillance (having blood drawn and ultra sounds every 3 months). Which is fine, but the thought of having cancer cells in my abdomen is very uneasy, since they don’t know where they are coming from. I am going to ask if I could meet with another oncologist to see what kind of chemo they could suggest for my kind of cancer. One thing about having chemo with my cancer is that it doesn’t really respond well to chemo, but the doctors mentioned it before.   So, it’s got to help.  I would like you to join me in prayer to have favor to receive chemo if it’s what I am to do next or to have peace about the decision the doctors have made or will make.

Ya’ll have been wonderful.  So, keep on being your amazing selves. ; )

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I received a call from the pathologist this evening with good news for the most part. The lymph nodes, layer of fat from under my ribs, and the left over ovary were negative for cancer!  Whooohooo!  The salt water wash did have cells of cancer in it, which stinks.  I am not sure how many cells, but I’ll find out more info when I go to UofM on the 25th when I see the doc.  The tumor board thought that surveillance would be best for me now, every three months I’ll have ultrasounds and blood drawn.  I am not sure how I’ll be able to follow up with that when I go back overseas, but I will be looking into where I could go.  

So, it was good news!  Which I am so thankful for!  Thank-you!  Thank-you, for your prayers, love and support!

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