YEAH!!!!!!!!!

We woke to a sunny day and cool breeze, had a leisurely breakfast, and were both quietly anticipating the coming appointment at the oncologist's office today.  

We were pretty much numb...  trying to prepare for any news, especially any bad news, yet trying to remain optimistic.  We've gotten pretty good at handling the bad stuff... which explains why we didn't react much when the doctor told us the scans looked good!  

THEY LOOKED GOOD!!! 
Thank you, Lord!


The scans didn't show anything obvious, and that's what we were hoping for!  The small nodule is still in Rob's lung, but it could just be scar tissue  --  from what we don't know, but they will continue to keep tabs on it.

Yes, we gratefully breathed a sigh of relief!  

It took two different medical technicians, and three tries, to get blood out of Rob's tired, ol' veins today.  They have just about had enough of being poked and prodded, and poisoned and atrophied.  Just about enough.

We do, however, as Rob puts it, remain "guardedly happy" about our appointment.  We still have to see the urologist/surgeon in two weeks who will be doing a more detailed procedure in the urethra, and sending it off to pathology who will be looking for any microscopic C cells... that we are praying are not found.  

If all goes well, we will be able to relax a bit and enjoy the next 2 1/2 months of the beautiful summer season before we go back to the oncologist again.

YEAH!!!  Thank you, Lord!  

After that, Rob already has scheduled the next CT of the pelvis and abdomen, and the next CT of the chest.  In fact, we have appointments booked into 2014!  We'll check in every 3 months at first, and take it from there.

Saying thank you to all of you for your prayers hardly seems big enough.  There truly are not enough words to explain how grateful we are for each and every one of you.  You have kept Rob lifted high, and kept him away from being swallowed by the darkness.  You have given us both the strength to fight, and to carry on... to just be able to function.  And the peace... wow!  The peace!  We have been washed in it, and wrapped in it, and cradled by it.  We have been able to crawl up in the arms of Jesus and rest, knowing that no matter what happens, it's all okay.

When I look back and remember all that Rob has had to deal with since last October, I am blown away at how he has remained, even in his weakness, a pillar of strength.  And though his blood counts remain below-normal low, they are not "transfusion" low any longer.  We are praying the low ones continue to rise, and the high ones continue to normalize until all the numbers are back in the middle of where they belong.

Rob remains very tired... we are told it is the lasting effects of the chemo.  He naps several times throughout the day for hours at a time (that's where he has disappeared to at this very moment), and may continue to do that for a couple of months or so.  His arm veins are lumpy and hard and swollen, but they did the work he needed them to do.  Yeah!

We are so blessed, and so humbled by those blessings.  We are blessed to have loved ones around us.  We are blessed by friends who care so deeply for us.  We are blessed by all the prayers that have come our way from friends we've known for years, and friends we've yet to meet.  We are blessed in the little things and in the big things. 

We are blessed to have time... without doctor appointments or chemo treatments or tests or surgeries.  At this present moment, we are blessed with TIME.  And yes, even knowing what the future holds, we are blessed.

Thank you, dear ones.

~~~~~~~~~ 

My appearances here will be fewer and further between, but I will keep you posted on the surgeon appointment and the following pathology reports in the next 2-3 weeks.

Go and enjoy this beautiful summer, and know that you, too, are surrounded in prayer from two very grateful souls.


In Love and In Peace,

Cheri ♥