Here we are on September 30, 2017. It has been ten days since my last blog. I have several friends who have asked me to give an update on what is going on with me and my health, so here goes.

Before I start, I want to say that my heck of a catch, funny, kind, handsome, talented and ever so tolerant of my crap husband is a jewel. He has a saying that he is kind of famous for in some circles..."It's all good".  You can dole out the biggest load of you know what on him and he will work through it and eventually kindly say, "it's all GOOD." It is because he has this spirit of faith. It is wonderful to live with. He really believes it is going to work out for our good. He believes "God's got this", and he lives like it. His attitude is ALL GOOD for me right now, because that is the spirit I need to be around! Thank you Tom.

On Tuesday of last week I had my appointment with my surgeon/oncologist to go over the findings after my surgery. Tom was sweet enough to go with me to support me. I was nervous as we walked into the doctor's office. The first thing that they do after calling you back into the examining area is take your blood pressure and record your weight. Tom noticed that right next to the scale where they weigh us female patients was a huge picture of a bunch of elephants. He pointed this out to me and the nurse and neither one of us could stop laughing. He suggested they find pictures of slim animals to display above the scale. GOOD point Tom. And thanks for the belly laugh at just the right moment.

The sweet nurse ushered us into an examining room. We had to wait there for about 20 or 25 minutes. There was an LED screen right beside us that kept changing images. All of the images were quotes about keeping a good attitude and trying to find the positives and humor in life. One screen suggested all kinds of different ways to find something to laugh about. There was a screen that debunked the "myths" about patients diagnosed with cancer. There was a big picture of delicious looking cookies. The screen explained that although diets with lots of sugar are not healthy and sugar shouldn't be over indulged in, eating a cookie will not cause your cancer to get worse. Not eating a cookie will not cause your cancer to get better. Good to know, since one well meaning lady told me in quite emphatic terms to stop eating sugar. "People with cancer should not eat sugar".  Thanks friend! Great. I've got cancer and I can't even have an occasional cookie. GOOD news about that being a myth. All of the messages that came across the screen were about "hanging in there."

As we waited we kept reading the screens and I finally said to Tom, I don't think it is going to be good news today. I told him, "I don't think they would have put us in the 'keep a stiff upper lip' room if it was good news." About the time I made this observation my surgeon/oncologist walked in. I really like this lady. She is brilliant. She did an amazing job on my surgery. I have had so little pain and today I feel better than I have felt in months. She has a no nonsense approach to everything she tells me, yet she remains positive and she is actually very funny. She has a dry wit which I love and somehow I have a lot of confidence in her. She has the kind of demeanor that gives you confidence in her and her brilliance and her ability and her experience. I like her. It is a GOOD thing that I really like her because she had some not great news to deliver.

So, she took some lymph nodes when she did the complete hysterectomy. Two came back with tumor cells. So, I have stage 3 cancer. NOT GOOD. I started to cry and have a little melt down. She kept saying, "you're stronger than you think you are". Tom kept rubbing my back as I had a little pity party.  Dr. Vasquez kept talking and I heard a lot of it, but my mind was kind of racing with the thought, "stage 3 cancer, DANG!" Tom listened intently to everything she said. It was GOOD that he did, because he helped me understand everything later after I had calmed down.

We had hoped the surgery would be the cure. The surgery was successful, the surgery was GOOD. I feel so much better after taking out all of those woman parts that I wasn't really using anymore anyway. They had served me well, but I was quite fine with saying goodbye to those parts that had gone bad. "I don't need you anymore, be gone!" So, the surgery really was quite GOOD. But, it wasn't the cure. It was mostly the cure, but this ain't horse shoes, so we have some more to do before this chapter is behind us.

As soon as I am completely healed from the surgery I will have 6 weeks of radiation. My brilliant doctor cared enough to take my case before a board of doctors and discuss the way to proceed. Apparently, I have stage 3 cancer, but the bad cells in the lymph nodes are truly very, very small....grade one.  Because of this, they all agreed radiation should do the trick.  I felt even more confidence in her direction to proceed in this way because she had talked to several other oncologists about my case. She cared that much. To my way of thinking radiation sounds GOOD in comparison to chemo. Chemo seems to be a terrible kick in the pants. I know that could be in my future; but, right now it doesn't look like that will be necessary. That is REALLY GOOD.

I have to confess I was a bit of a blubbering mess. I told her that I remember her telling me that only one percent of her patients with this type of case have cells in their lymph nodes. I said, "how could I be so unlucky?" She replied, "I have had to tell a patient today that they are dying. My dear, I'm giving you good news." See...don't you love her? She is so to the point. I deal with honest, direct, put me in my place if you need to truth tellers quite well. She changed my perspective immediately. That was GOOD. Thanks Doc!

We walked out of the doctor's office after coming up with the plan on how we are going to proceed. I like having a plan. We have a problem and we have a plan, created by educated, experienced, brilliant doctors who are much more intelligent and knowledgeable than me. That is very GOOD.

So, here is the deal. Tom always says, "It's all good." Tom gets that attitude from his belief in the scriptures. Specifically the one that says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose." You can find that one in Romans chapter 8 verse 28. Now that is GOOD news.

Did you notice that in every detail of this story there has been something good?  I've got a fight ahead of me. "It's all good". I've got two parents who are praying for me all throughout the day. They have Bible study groups, and church groups and prayer groups that are also praying for me. "It's all good." I have these friends who text me, call me, do kind things for me like bringing meals, sending flowers, giving me a gift card to restaurant. These people have been a blessing to my soul at a time when I desperately needed it! "It's all good." I have a work family that checks in on me regularly. They tell me my students have missed me. They tell me they miss me! My boss might be the most understanding boss on the planet. "It's all good." I have a son who calls every day to check on me and to check my attitude. He tells me I'm strong and I can do this. Kinda cool that he thinks I'm strong. I need to be if he thinks I am. "It's all good." My church family has been praying for me, the elders prayed over me and did the anointing my head with oil deal.... a little messy, but a true blessing to my spirit and my soul. And then, there is Tom. My "it's all good" hero.

You need to know something. Tom was diagnosed with cancer one week after I was. His surgery will be coming soon. We are hoping it will happen later in October before my radiation begins. Lots of stuff to juggle these days.  I told my surgeon this news and she said, "you two are so weird...do you do EVERYTHING together?" And we said, "apparently so".  If we have to go through this, it is GOOD to have someone to walk through it with.

So, pray for us, ok? We are doing well. It was a beautiful day today. We led worship at a Kid's Hope training this morning and headed out to the church to get things prepared for worship at TBC tomorrow. We had brunch together afterwards and laughed and talked. We are blessed beyond measure to have each other. I am blessed to have breath in my lungs to breathe another day. I truly believe, like Tom does, that "God's got this." He uses all those brilliant doctors and nurses, kind techs and receptionists and radiologists and all those medical professionals to bring about healing.  I'm confident He will heal us both. And we both believe that whatever happens, it truly is, ALL GOOD.

Blessings to you all! I've inserted a song below that I recorded a few years ago. The message couldn't be truer in my heart than it is today. GOD is GOOD.

PAM



https://www.reverbnation.com/pamburchill/song/21234440-you-are-still-holy-written-by-rita

Today is September 20, 2017

On August 22nd I was diagnosed with cancer. What a surprise. I didn't see that coming! When you hear the C word, it does take you a few minutes to digest it. Lots of horrible thoughts come flooding into your mind. Then, after a little while you realize, "Oh, ok. This is something I have to walk through. Put your big girl panties on and get through it."

So, that is what I'm doing. I'm walking through unknown territory. I had surgery one week ago today. I am amazed that it went as well as it did and I feel as good as I do. I'm a fortunate person who has not been sick too much in my lifetime. Modern medicine is truly remarkable. My cancer was in my uterus, so I had a hysterectomy. It was done laparoscopically, which means my surgeon is skilled with robotic surgery! Because of this, my recovery time will be much shorter than it would have been had they cut through muscles, etc.  The pain has been minimal. In fact, I think I feel great and start doing things around the house and then I get dizzy and crash. So...I'm taking it easy and trying to follow doctor's orders.

My surgeon took out some lymph nodes and we are still waiting on the results from the pathology lab. The prayer is that the pathology report comes back completely clear with no cancer cells present. Then, the surgery will be the cure.

Do I have any pearls of wisdom as I walk through this unexpected journey? Nope. Absolutely none. In fact, I'm kinda sick of people who seem to think they have it all together and can give you all of life's answers tied up neatly in a few paragraphs. I don't intend to be part of that club.

I was pretty sure I had my year all planned.  I had worked on my lessons for the upcoming school year during the summer and had attended some cool training before school started and I was ready to go. I also had been offered a weekly duo gig with Tom. We love playing together so I was so excited about that. Both of these things have had to be put on "hold". I wasn't planning on that. I guess I don't really know what to expect now.

But, I know that I will walk through whatever is put in front of me. I will make it through because I have a Savior who holds me in His hand. God will see me through. He uses kind nurses at the hospital and helpful techs. He uses brilliant surgeons, oncologists, anesthesiologists. He uses prayerful friends who offer a word of support and maybe stop by to just say hi, send a bouquet of flowers or a thoughtful card or text or instant message.  He also uses loving folks who bring a meal to help out.

I know I am thankful for Tom, my husband. He has been a jewel. He is so helpful, so kind. He's a true, loyal, best friend and understanding, loving partner for sure. I'm thankful for the prayers of friends. I'm thankful for parents who call every day to say they are praying for me and cheering me on. I'm thankful for a son who will take a break from his busy life to drive up from Austin to hang with his mom for a couple days as she recuperates. I'm thankful for a boss and a workplace full of good people who have all been supportive and understanding. I also have friends at church who are praying for me as well.

I'm ready to get back to work. Ready for some good news (hopefully, clear pathology report). This has been a wake up call. We can't always count on having all the time we thought we would. So, I plan on changing some things. I plan on doing things I love and looking forward and moving forward with purpose. I plan on giving up past hurts and complaints and moving on. I plan on not wasting my time with people who don't care two cents for me. If the big C word does anything, it makes you stop and think and decide. I've decided to enjoy my days and live my life to the fullest that I possibly can.

One last thing....I'm tired of chicken. It seems that when people bring meals to sick people the "go-to" meal is something with chicken. Over it.

That is all. No big words of wisdom. Just a wish and a prayer that all will be well and that we will move forward finding  joy and happiness, meaning and purpose. May God bless you, who took the time to read this! It is well with my soul.  Pam