Thanks again to all for their loving thoughts and prayers. I am still this morning trying to come to terms with the news. Maybe it is why God gave me such a peace in Canton; He knew what He would do.
I never take for granted God's mercy and healing. My wife has suffered with various health issues since she was a teenager. She was essentially anorexic when we met, weighing in at 100 lbs. They called her "Anna-Rexic." Over time she put on weight and that became a non-issue.
At another time her kidneys were so bad that her urine was the color of coffee. Her regular doctor was horrified and sent her from her office directly to a specialist. God began to work again. She seemed to be just inches from full-on kidney failure. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers us out of them all (Psalm 34:19).
I could mention many other 'lesser illnesses'.
In 2000 my wife had our youngest son. The doctors were in a confusion, that, in my opinion allowed my wife to go until the baby was 10 lbs 5 ounces. They knew that the baby was near 10 lbs and comforted us by saying that at that size it may be born with a broken collar bone. No kidding. I was beside myself for a month not understanding why they would not induce labor. The baby was born fine and so 'mature' that he could grab and pull the wires on the incubator. He was larger and more alert than some 3 month old babies I have seen.
All seemed well until the night she came home. She was laboring for breath. Her breathing rate was about 90 or so and her oxygen was dangerously low. Her lungs had filled with fluid. I rushed her right to the ER. They have a diuretic and 25 lbs of water came off in about a day. The pregnancy had taken her into what is called [i]post partum cardiomyopathy[/i]. She had congestive heart failure. The same illness that took her mother at 55 years old. Her EF was 30%,(55% and above is normal at 20% and below they start talking heart transplant). She was 29- almost 30 years old and we had a newborn baby and 5 other children.
By way of testimony and for God's glory He led me to fast for my wife a special 'fast' not letting my right hand know what the left hand was doing. It was a morning 'fast'. No food could be eaten until lunch time under any circumstances. No snacks, no donuts, no anything but water (as I recall). This went on for just under 7 months. I did not expect my wife to live but about 5 years. Her mother lived only about 3 years after her diagnosis. Her legs swelled daily with all manor of symptoms of the heart condition (tiredness,weakness, etc.).
Slowly she got stronger and her EF came up to just around 40% which it has stayed to this day aside from what was thought to be a heart attack leading to a heart catheterization in 2006. We were told her EF was at 20% and she would be disabled and likely need a pace maker. In March 2007 she returned to the cardiologist for more testing and the EF was at 40% again. To make along story simple; that is almost like having a new lease on life. She was 5% away from needing a heart transplant.
The cancer was first 'suspected' in 2005 when lymph nodes were swollen in her neck. The Dr. ordered several tests and a nuclear scan to look for cancer. Since cells upload glucose a batch of glucose with an isotope can be put into the body and since cancer cells eat up lots more glucose than normal cells they can look at where those isotopes are accumulating with a nuclear scanning device. They found 'hot' spots on the thyroid which are generally NOT cancer, but were divided on what to do next. Finally they took a wait and see approach.
The thyroid lump was spotted by a different ENT Dr.Actually, a very highly qualified Dr. with quite a history. She was in for treatment of exema of the ear canal (which is one of the ongoing other issues we deal with). He felt the thyroid nodule it was so large. He sent for a ultrasound. It was 3 CM. He then ordered a biopsy- calling us on our way to Canton.
I will not soon forget the circumstances surrounding her getting the news that it was cancer. I came to pick her up at work and two workers frantically came out to tell me to come inside right away. Tragically, one of the workers passed away suddenly and unexpectedly about a week later. I went inside and her Dr. had called with the news as she was leaving the building. Cancer is a very disturbing word to hear. She was obviously shaken down and very vexed and emotional. Workers came around to console her. Tony posted the message here in the forums. It has been a long several weeks. God has given us strength. We were expecting CANCER spread at least to the lymph nodes. In a few day we will have all the results back; but as it stands she is Cancer free. She has effectively gone from cancer to no cancer.
