A Spring of Joy

Glimpses of our world…

The Results Are In…

… and (deep sigh) looks like it’s cancer again. I will have surgery on December 5th for them to remove some residual thyroid tissue (from my thyroidectomy 11 years ago) and remove the enlarged lymph nodes. It’s a 2 1/2 – 3 week recovery period, then after the holidays we’ll look at follow-up treatment.

The follow-up treatment consists of scans and radioactive iodine treatment. Probably take a month or so. Thankfully, no chemo.

I’m kind of numb right now. This is certainly not as scary as the breast cancer, because thyroid cancer is slow growing and it is extremely rare for it to spread. It is also considered a primary cancer, so this is not related to my breast cancer at all. But it is still cancer all the same. And no matter how you look at it, cancer is big and ugly and scary.

Once again I am staring fear in the face. Once again God is whispering peace. He will not deny me the daily strength I need to walk through yet another turn in my tunnel.

Please pray. Pray for healing. Pray for the surgery, for skill in the surgeon’s hands. (There is a greater risk of nerve damage and damage to the para-thyroid glands in a second neck surgery.) Pray for peace. Pray for eyes to see God’s hand in every detail.

He is with me. I am confident of that.

angie

November 21, 2008

The Doctor’s Office

23 responses to “The Results Are In…”

maretta

November 21, 2008 at 11:29 am

Oh, Angie, I am so sorry.

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Tammy

November 21, 2008 at 11:37 am

Angie I will pray for all of those requests you wrote down.

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Carrie B

November 21, 2008 at 11:41 am

Hey, sweet Angie! I am praying! And hard! Love you so much!
Isaiah 43: 1-3
“1 But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.

3 For I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…”

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Rochelle

November 21, 2008 at 12:33 pm

Monica called me as soon as she got off the phone with you! I wept for you and your family, but know that God is THE GREAT PHYSICIAN! How blessed we are that He is also our loving Heavenly Father! I will be praying for you in the weeks ahead!

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Lindy Landes

November 21, 2008 at 1:23 pm

Angie, it makes my heart sad to know that you are dealing with this monster again. I will pray for all the things you requested, and I will give Him thanks that there is no chemo this time.

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Kelly

November 21, 2008 at 1:44 pm

Woah. I am so, so sorry. God knows what He’s doing. He is in control. And I will pray for you.

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Kristen@nosmallthing

November 21, 2008 at 1:55 pm

I’m so very sorry Angie. Your friends, all of us, even those you don’t know, are here with you. I know that we can care for your family when you need us, we can hold your hand when you need us, we can pray for you when you need us. And God is with you, always.

Thinking of you, and praying for you always…

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Monica

November 21, 2008 at 2:17 pm

Dear friend (and even more dear),

I trust our Savior to intercede for you with the words I cannot find today. I would trade places with you if I could–take your pain and fear–endure the needles and the knife–give you another day without cancer. I love you.

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judieyoung

November 21, 2008 at 3:34 pm

My dear Angie,

We have fightings within and fears without. We are in a battle of faith and are the winners, but it is so hard to see in this clouded mind and to untangle the thoughts that are holding us with such a grip. We despair for life, a sentence of death is placed upon us so that we will take no confidence in ourselves. May God perform that which He has appointed to us. Our weakness is so great that we do not know how to pray as we ought, but thank God we have the Holy Spirit who prays with utterances far deeper than our words can go and our Saviour is interceding for us.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly to what we could ever expect or imagine according to the power that works in us mightly through Jesus Christ.

Grace, mercy and peace abound to you in fullest measure,
Judie

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Natalie Wood

November 21, 2008 at 4:07 pm

I am so sorry to hear of the news. We are praying for you. May our Lord and Savior take of you and your family.

Love,
Natalie Wood

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Sarah Wingard

November 21, 2008 at 4:33 pm

“For my grace is sufficient.”

With love and prayers,
Sarah

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Melissa Bruining Teeter

November 21, 2008 at 4:56 pm

Angie,

Prayers and love. Wish I could just hug you right now.

Meliss

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Christina Rogers

November 21, 2008 at 5:25 pm

You were on my mind a lot today. This certainly isn’t the news that you wanted. I am sorry to hear this. I will be praying for you. I know that you know that it is good that you do not have chemo, and that the cancer is still in its primary location and that it isn’t the breast cancer again. But yes cancer is cancer, and it is scary and big especially when you have been through all you have been through. Keep your eyes on Him.

Christina

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Becky Leung

November 21, 2008 at 5:55 pm

My prayers are with you and your family, dearest Angie. Please let me know if there’s anything I can help out with to serve you and your family. God be with you, dear sister!

Much much love,
Becky

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Christy Bailey

November 21, 2008 at 7:17 pm

Oh, my dear friend.

I am so sorry. I love you, and trust your care to the One who can care for you and comfort you when our feeble words fall so very short.

Christy

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Carol Crabtree

November 21, 2008 at 8:46 pm

Angie,
We will be ever more faithful to remember you daily in our prayers. I am so sorry you had to get this news, and that you have to have more surgery. We will pray for a very successful surgery with no complications. Striving with you in prayer-

Carol

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The Roost

November 22, 2008 at 12:53 am

I am sorry about your news. I am praying for you faithfully, please know that. You have been in my prayers and on my mind all day. Please let me know how else I can pray or help!

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Natalie

November 22, 2008 at 2:59 am

I too, like Monica, would give anything to trade places with you in hopes that it would give you one day without cancer and without worries about your health. I am praying for a miracle Angie, whatever that might look like, because nothing is impossible with Our Everlasting God.

Love you Angie. Hope Ash enjoyed his Feast!

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Karen Mirabella

November 22, 2008 at 8:02 am

it makes me sad to hear that it is cancer again…i’ll keep praying that in your weakness He will give you strength b/c i know that in and of ourselves we don’t have what it takes to go through struggles and trials well. thinking of you, angie…

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Julie Pizzino

November 22, 2008 at 8:45 am

Dearest Angie,
Your sweet mom called yesterday with this disappointing news, so we began to pray immediately. Angie, I read Isaiah 40-66 this time of year every year, and there are so many verses in this portion of God’s word that emphasize that God’s character never changes, that his salvation is real and close, that He alone is God. (I noticed a friend has already quoted from Isa. 43…such good words.) When all around is changing and the ground is shifting, may God be your portion, strong tower, fortress, sure reward, defense, your hope, your friend, your God. We’re praying for the very things you requested and look forward to reaping His answers with you. Im going to be praying that this Advent season you will know pure, unmitigated joy that no enemy can shake, not even cancer. We love you.

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Cristen

November 22, 2008 at 11:07 am

Angie, we are praying for you here in Roanoke.

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Chanley

November 22, 2008 at 11:39 am

I am so very sorry, Angie! Praying for your peace & comfort. I am thankful it’s not the kind that normally spreads, though. May God take it all away!!
“But those who wait on the Lord, shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run & not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Is. 40:31

Love,
Chanley

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Emma Henkel

November 22, 2008 at 8:37 pm

My Dear One,

How it breaks my heart to know you must have surgery again. May our Lord be pleased to give comfort and peace to one that is so very weary. You are in my prayers and upon my heart tonight. I love you Ang.

Emma (Second Mom, I loved that!!!)

Psalm 84: 5, 6 says, “Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee…who passing through the valley of weeping, make it a well.”

“I have been through the valley of weeping,
The valley of sorrow and pain:
But the ‘God of all comfort’ was with me,
At hand to uphold and sustain.

“When He leads thro’ some valley of trouble,
His omnipotent hand we trace;
For the trials and sorrows He sends us,
Are part of His lessons in grace,

“So we’ll follow wherever He leadeth,
Let the path be dreary or bright;
For we’ve proved that our God can give comfort:
Our God can give songs in the night.”

(Unknown author to me)

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