STILL DANCING!

OKOK, so maybe I am dancing a little slow, but I am definitely dancing the “happy dance!” Can you believe I went home the day after surgery? Being the over-achieving, “A” student, they must have been impressed with the way I squeezed their fingers, pushed against their hands with my feet, and stuck out my tongue. I must have also passed the “after-surgery MRI.” Bob and I were in a state of disbelief as we pulled away from the hospital curb.

How am I doing now? As reported earlier, the surgeons were quite pleased with the way the orange-size tumor “fell out” of my head. Although there is still a piece of the tumor left in my cavernous sinus, I was told not to worry about it as it is very possible nothing will be affected. It will be watched, but, at the moment, we are not considering radiation therapy.

I have very little pain. Occasionally I will take a couple Tylenol, but I do not need anything stronger. My left side of my face, mostly near my eye and cheek, are still a little numb which may be why I am not in much pain. The chewing muscle was cut, so I do have a little difficulty opening my mouth very wide. That, in itself, is a blessing!!

Bob and I went to the Healthy Back store to buy a foam wedge so that I can sleep sitting up. I found that laying flat, for several hours, tends to put unwanted, added pressure on my head. Surprising, I did not lose much hair. The staples, which will come out on Tuesday, December 30, start at my ear, travel up, slightly away from my face, and then make a big U-turn and head for my forehead. If they shaved any hair, it appears they only shaved it on the staple track as there is hair above and below the “track.”

The best part of my recovery instructions is to be up and around and not napping all day. I take a walk, each morning, which really jump starts my battery, and keeps me up and moving most of the day. Yes, I get tired, and I am slowly learning my limits. Bob keeps a close eye on me and knows when I need to rest.

Given the size of the tumor, and the area it displaced, it is no surprise that I still have double vision. It could take up to a year for my vision to be corrected. I meet with the ophthalmologist on January 27 and will have a better idea of what to expect.

Through it all, I am being taught patience as well as how to trust the Lord. It is my hope to share how He prepared me, months before the tumor was discovered, and how He continues to work through my life. We all face challenges. This is just one of many challenges I have had to face in my life. However, with each trial, with each challenge, I have been blessed with renewed strength, confidence, and faith. Life is to be embraced, and by trusting in Jesus, He will provide an outpouring of grace and love.

On December 25th we celebrate the birth of Hope! I pray each of you will join me in celebrating Jesus, our provision, our peace, and our joy. I pray you will continue to walk with me on this “journey of hope.” Turn on the music and dance with me!

Hugs,

Laura

Still smiling!

Many of you have probably been waiting all day to read another post. Well at 1pm we heard the phone ring.. it was the nurse from the PACU (post anesthesia care unit). Bob, Jamie, and Sean rushed over to the phone to hear the latest. Bob talked to the nurse and the nurse told Bob that Laura was awake and waiting to see her family. One by one they filed in to see Laura.  Each of them spent only a few minutes with her. When they came back to the waiting room, all three of them had the biggest smiles on their faces. They said.. she looks awesome and she is so Alert and with-it.  Soon after they visited, she couldnt see any visitors for a little while because she was given more pain medication (IV Dilaudid), if any of you know drugs.. this is an AWESOME one. It is stronger than Morphine and works amazingly. 

Anyways.. she is doing awesome. In the afternoon we all went our separate ways, while sweet Bob waited patiently for the moment he would be able to see her again. Sean and I came back around 5pm to check on her, and she was still in the PACU. Apparently the entire hospital was FULL. Therefore they had to wait hours for a room. It got to be ridiculous, so I decided to use some of my nursing skills. I went over to ICU and asked their charge nurse what the hold up was? She stated that they just needed to receive report from the PACU and then they would transfer her over. 

So then I went to ask PACU why they hadn't called over report. The nurse decided to make up a story, so I asked for him to talk to his supervisor. Long story short, We got her moved over within minutes to the ICU. 

It was a long day, a long GREAT day. 

Please continue to pray for an amazing recovery. 

We will try to keep this blog as updated as much as possible.

We truly appreciate all the emails,cards and gifts that have been sent.

Laura is still dancing, even in her beautiful blue hospital gown!!

The picture above was taken by Sean's phone as she was being wheeled into her ICU room. Do you notice her big smile?

The plan: They are monitoring her closely tonight in ICU, then possibly tomorrow afternoon will move her to a MED/SURG floor for recovery for 2-3 days. All of this is, of course, depending on how Laura feels.. 

Thank you again for all your thoughts, encouragements, and prayers!

Our God is GOOD!!

MIRACLES STILL EXIST!!

At 10:25am this morning, I recieved a phone call from Sean stating, that the MD just called the waiting room to speak with Bob. It was great news!!!
They neurosurgeon said that it was the best case scenario for Laura! Things couldn't have gone any better. Originally they said the tumor was the size of a lemon. It was actually the size of an Orange.  MIRACLES STILL EXIST!
The tumor was very soft tissue and therefore they were able to remove the 99% tumor without complications!!
They are finished removing the tumor and now are just sewing her back up.
The procedure was supposed to take 5+ hours, but it looks like it will be done very soon
I will continue to update as we know more, but for now.. IT IS WONDERFUL NEWS!!
Thank you for all your prayers.
We love all of you,
Brianne

CRACKED POT!!!

Today is the day before my surgery, and I have been seeking to find words that will offer hope, that will bring a smile, and that will provide encouragement to all of you who wait. After going to my pre-op appointment, and hearing more about the procedure, I have concluded that I am a “cracked pot!" It is my hope and prayer that like a “good cracked pot,” I have shed some light in your life that has helped you to grow and helped you to dance.

My check in time is 5:30 AM, Wednesday, and the expected surgery time is about 5 hours. I have asked my son, daughter, and/or daughter-in-law to post to the BLOG as soon as I am out of surgery. The goal is for all of us to be dancing Wednesday night!!!

Thank you all for your prayers and for all your encouragement. I am so glad that this will soon be behind me, and that I will have an opportunity to share, with others, just how the Lord worked in my life during a difficult and occasionally scary time.

From your "cracked pot" dancing in La Mesa.

I love you all,

Laura

Cracked Pot Inspirational Story

A water bearer in India had two large pots, one hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house. The cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream." I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?""I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said. The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house." Moral: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them. There is a lot of good out there. There is a lot of good in us! Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape. Remember to appreciate all the different people in your life! Thank you to the cracked pots in my life. You have made life more interesting and beautiful.

Every family needs a lil laughter this season- Enjoy the Renfro/Walker Christmas Spectacular!!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Dancing with God!

It is so interesting to see how easy it is to lose focus. In the past couple weeks, I have grown a line-backer's neck, an expanded tummy the size of a 7 month pregnant woman, and a cabbage patch face. Now that I am off the steroids, I have my mind back, no more super-sonic chatter box, but all the side affects have taken my focus off what is truly important. Although I need to care for my physical body, it should not be the focus of my attention. This morning I prayed that I might "adjust" my focus. As you all have seen, throughout this journey, I have been getting timely, direct messages. Today is no exception. Today's topic of Baseball Chapel just happened to be: The Gift of Trials ( or HELLO, LAURA, I'M TALKING TO YOU!)

Bev Sparling (author of today's Baseball Chapel) reminded me:
There is no growth without rain.
There are no roses without pruning.
There is no gold without fire.
There are no diamonds without pressure.
As every weight lifter knows, even our muscles must tear in order to grow stronger!

Bev also writes, "The 'bad things' that God allows in my life are good things and a demonstration of His love for me." James 1:2-4 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

In addition to the Baseball Chapel message, I was given a poem today, called Dancing With God. I can't help but believe my prayer, to adjust my focus, has been answered. So, I am taking my focus off my cabbage-patch face and re-focusing on trust. I trust that this journey I am on is "refining" my spirit, my faith, and my hope. I trust that this journey might be a light for all that are struggling with their own focus. Put on your "patch," hold my hand, and let's continue to trust that we will learn and grow from this experience.

Let's dance, together-
with God!

Laura

Dancing With God
When I meditated on the word Guidance,
I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word.
I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.
When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.
The movement doesn't flow with the music,
and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.
When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead,
both bodies begin to flow with the music.
One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back
or by pressing Lightly in one direction or another.
It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully.
The dance takes surrender, willingness,
and attentiveness from one person
and gentle guidance and skill from the other.
My eyes drew back to the word Guidance.
When I saw "G": I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i".
"God, "u" and "i" dance."
God, you, and I dance.
As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust
that I would get guidance about my life.
Once again, I became willing to let God lead.
My prayer for you today is that God's blessings
and mercies are upon you on this day and everyday.
May you abide in God, as God abides in you.
Dance together with God, trusting God to lead
and to guide you through each season of your life.
I Hope You Dance !

GIVING THANKS!

As we gathered around our Thanksgiving table, at San Elijo State Beach, Sean turned to me and said, "You pray." I hesitated, a moment, and then turned it back to him. Later, I knew I I needed to respond. Here is my prayer, for all of you, my circle of friends, family, and those I have not even met yet:

Father, God in Heaven, thank you so much for loving each one of us and providing for all of our needs. We all have experienced difficult times in our lives. We have all felt empty, lost, and alone. However, through each of these times, you have taught us, encouraged us, and loved us through them. Just as the rain poured out on us this week, off and on, you then opened the sky with your beautiful sun and filled out hearts, to over-flowing, with grace, joy, peace and love. Thank you for the food you provide and the hands we are holding. Amen!

As I opened my eyes, EVERYONE had a patch on their eye. I was so touched as it made me realize...

WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!!!

I LOVE YOU ALL!!! I LOVE YOU JESUS!

God bless each of you with His love and joy.

Hugs,

Laura

We have a plan!

"Life is a series of choices. Today yours are good ones."

This quote came from my Pei Wei Restaurant's Chinese fortune cookie a few hours after meeting with the surgeons. I was given the choice to 1) do nothing but "monitor" the tumor, 2) radiation, or 3) surgery. Despite the fact that the "choice" was a bit of a "no brainer," I felt God's gentile hand on my heart reminding me He is near.

Another interesting twist to this day was waking up, the morning of the appointment, with a date stuck in my head: December 17th. Talking to the surgeons, I expressed a desire to get this going as quickly as possible. The doctors noted that it usually took about 2 months to book, but they, too, had some seasonal cancellations. Dr. Cueva checked their schedule, turned the calendar to Dr. Mastrodimos, who nodded and said, "How about December 17th?" I instantly knew that was to be the day and exclaimed, "WOW, I dreamt that date last night!!!"

The best news was when I was told to stop the steroids! Soon I will be "me" again. I can't wait for my stretched-out, chipmunk face (no pictures please) to be restored, my super-sonic chatter mouth to be stilled, and my mind and body to be re-connected. It will take about 12 days to wean me off.

I will spare you the details of the surgery only to say they will be going in from the side, near my temple. It will take about 5 hours as the lemon-sized tumor that I have been likely carrying around for over 10 years (the doctors are quite certain this is a benign tumor), has met and embraced my carotid artery just to make the surgery a bit more interesting. It is wonderful to know that my team of surgeons are Kaiser's "special A team" who get most of Kaiser's brain tumor patients shipped to them from all over the country. I am in good hands.

It is also wonderful to know that God's little messages to me, through a cookie and a dream, remind me that I am really in Good Hands!

Embraced by Grace and still dancing in La Mesa,

Laura

MAGIC GLASSES!

Just like the bottled water and cup of soup, from the Doubletree Hotel, God continues to pour out his grace and provide for me in an amazing way. Thursday I had my ophthalmologist appointment. Yes, he confirmed, I was seeing double! However, there is no way of knowing how the tumor is impacting the vision until the surgery is over. In the meantime, the doctor referred me to Vanessa. It was 3 PM when Bob and I attempted to make an appointment with Vanessa. The first available was December 19th and the second available was January 5. But WAIT! Look! She had a cancelation TODAY. Do you want a 4:15 appointment at Vandevere??? YES!!!!

What does Vanessa do? She measures eyes to fit for a prism. Apparently, one of the muscles in my left eye is weak (likely because of the tumor) and is elevated. This means my brain is seeing two separate images (double vision). A prism, over one eye, can trick my weak eye into seeing the same image as my strong eye. Unbelievable! Even more unbelievable, Vanessa has been taking Thursday’s off, for vacation, for several weeks, but, today, she had several urgent patients and decided to come in. One of her patients cancelled their 4:15 appointment! After measuring me for the prism, and seeing the urgency, she contacted another lab tech to see if he could stick around and fit me with the prism, which is merely a film over a regular pair of glasses.

At 5:45 PM, with my eyes fully dilated (from my first appointment), and no contact lens in my right eye (for distance) I walked out of the office with a pair of Magic Glasses!! The double vision was gone, but, because my eyes were dilated and no contact lens, I had no idea what I was going to see.

Friday morning @ 6 AM—I CAN SEE! Single vision! Close up! Far away! But, wait, don’t move my eyes off the center part of my magic glasses or the world becomes a kaleidoscope again. I must confess, throughout the day, I discovered the magic glasses will take some time getting used to, but I am up for the challenge!

Next stop…November 25 @ 10 AM…Our visit with the surgeons. In the meantime, I will be on vacation, all Thanksgiving week, giving thanks to the Lord who has provided for me in such an amazing way.


Dance with me,

Laura

WALK WITH ME.

I am sitting in my hotel room, at the Doubletree Hotel in Denver North, after an hour workout, on the treadmill, at midnight, to help “regulate” my body from the affects of the medication I am on. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the way God is meeting my needs as well as how he is using me to speak to others. This is my favorite hotel, as I have experienced God meeting my needs in the most insignificant but powerful way. Last time I was here, I had a very bad cold, and, out of the blue, I found a grocery bag on my door with a cup of soup and other cold remedies. I never asked for these items, from the hotel, but the hotel shuttle driver overheard my “need” and responded. This trip, 2 bottles of water appeared, magically, in my room, both days. Water I did not order, or pay for, but was given to me to meet my need during my midnight runs on the treadmill. God is truly my portion. It is the little things that speak loudly to our hearts.

It is interesting how we first respond to potentially life changing news. We explore our faith, our relationships, and our finances, not necessarily in that order. My first reaction was to send out pink slips, right away. The first went to the house cleaner, the second to the trainer, the third to the newly hired aquarium cleaner. We couldn’t send a notice to our gardener, because Bob the Builder, Bob the Makeup Artist, is still Bob the Gardener! The night we arrived home, on the last day of our house cleaning, we realized how important she is to us. Not just because she leaves our house sparkling, but because she is a part of our “house.” We immediately withdrew the pink slip!

My second wake up call is to keep moving! The medication I am on is in preparation for surgery. It has amped me up to become a super-sonic chatter box. It also has some toxic affects on my system. After a 30 minute run on the treadmill, to fight back the “body attack,” I realized giving the trainer his pink slip was also a mistake! God reminded me I must continue to care for this body and not let it down! Walk, stretch, exercise, and drink your water! At work we have a group called Fit Together. We meet once a week, for 15 minutes. We have 2 teams, a list of healthy living items, and earn points for each item we accomplish each day. At the end of 6 weeks the losing team washes the winning team’s cars. God’s message to you, and me, is to put on your running shoes and start moving! Take care of your body, eat right, exercise, and stretch. WALK WITH ME ON THIS JOURNEY. If you want a copy of our “Fit Together” list, you can e-mail Dianne (DShapiro@squiresbelt.com) and she will be happy to forward you a copy of the spreadsheet.

God’s message to me, and to you, is that He will see all of us through whatever trials we face, no matter how large or how small. We merely need to trust Him. Are you facing the possibility of losing your job, your house, a marriage? Are you facing a physical scare? How will you handle these challenges? Will you be “self-reliant” or possibly let “The Lord himself... fight for you; you only have to keep still.” (Exodus 14:14). He will see all of you through these very difficult economic times. God will provide for you in a new, fresh and wonderful way, no matter what you are struggling with, no matter what you may have lost, no matter how large or small your trial is. You do not have to have a brain tumor to hear this message! His plan may not be the way we plan things, or in our timing, but there will always be a valuable lesson learned along the way. That is God’s grace, to meet you right where you are. “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.” (Lam. 3:24)

I have embraced the song “All The World” by Point of Grace. (Yes, Jesus gave it to me on the treadmill!) This has become the song of my heart. It is my calling, my purpose and my strength. Enjoy the song. (lyrics below). This continues to be an amazing journey filled with hope, joy, and peace. Thank you so much for your many thoughts, prayers, and messages from God. I am amazed at how little time I spend being anxious about the future. It is all about today. Live “today.”

Still Dancing,

Laura

“All The World” 

by Point of Grace

All the world is a story, all the world is a stage, all the world is a canvas, all the world is apage. All the world is a horizon, all the world is a field of dreams, all the world is an open door way, all the world is a place for me, to be your voice, to be your touch, to give an answer, to show your love. To hold out hope, to offer peace, to shine you light for everyone to see in all the world. All the world is a someone, all the world is a band, all the world is a moment, all the world is a chance to be your voice, to be your touch, to give an answer, to show your love. To hold out hope, to offer peace, to shine your light for everyone to see, in all the world. You are amazing mercy, you are undying grace, I want the world to see how wonderful you are upon my face. To be your voice, to be your touch, to give an answer, to show your love, to hold out hope, to offer peace, to shine your light for everyone to see in all the world. Be your voice, be your touch, give an answer, show your love, hold out hope, offer peace, shine your light shine for all the world.

Bob the Builder AKA Bob the Makeup Artist!

Bob learning how to properly apply.

Jamie the onlooker, cheering her dad on!

All the Squires Belt Beauties!

I am in good hands! 

Husbands, check it out! That is Bob, my husband, learning how to put on my make up. Bob has been a steadfast, caring spirit in my life. As you can imagine, this past week has been very difficult on him. Please pray that the Lord will help him to maintain his sense of humor and quick wit despite the pressures on his shoulders.

These are all the wonderful ladies at work that are teaching me to ask for help. They embraced me when I got the “call” and they have lifted me up daily.

You are all my messengers from God. Please keep listening as the Lord truly is speaking directly to me through you. For example, my small group of women, I meet with weekly, have been studying the word grace. I really have never been able to define it. This past week, I EXPERIENCED it in such a magnificent way that the need to define it has become very important to me. As we shared, April gave me the following verse:

Lamentations 3:21-26 (NIV): 

21 Yet this I call to mind 
 and therefore I have hope:

22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, 
for his compassions never fail.

23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; 
 therefore I will wait for him."

25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, 
 to the one who seeks him;

26 it is good to wait quietly 
 for the salvation of the LORD.

The lord is my portion! That is it. That is truly grace. The Lord knows what I need and He is meeting my needs, every day, by providing me just what I need. This past week, through you, I was overflowing with grace.

Thank you for taking this journey with me. Despite the circumstances, I am full of hope, joy, and peace because this has been an opportunity to be “hugged by God” through so many of you.

Still dancing in La Mesa, California.

Laura

ALL CLEAR

Dancin for JOY!!

The PET scan came back CLEAR other than the "known" tumor in my brain. This is the most wonderful news. They were unable to report whether the brain tumor is malignant but we are holding on to hope that it is a grade I benign meningioma. There is "dancing" in the Walker home. Thank you all for so many wonderful prayers and thoughts. As stated below, Bob and I will be meeting with the surgeons on November 25th to schedule and discuss the details of the surgery.

This amazing journey has already filled me with God's love and peace through each of you.

In His Grip,

Laura

Laura Update:

The pirate mama and the rockstar daughter.

Jamie, Billy Idol (Christian) and Me.

Arrrr.. Pirate Laura

Dear Family and Friends,

Many of you have already heard the news of my condition…some of you I have just added to my distribution list. As shocking as the news is, it is my hope and prayer that through this journey I may be a testimony to encourage you as the Lord encourages me no matter what I will face. It has been 3 days since Bob and I were given the news of my brain tumor. I have been struggling with double vision for the past couple weeks which led to an MRI on Sunday, Oct 26, 2008. I have only driven a car, one day, since 10/16 with a patch over one eye. The patch removes the double vision, but it also eliminated my periferal vision. I realized that driving was not a “safe” idea. I have been wearing a black pirate’s patch, publically, for 2 weeks. When I want to see close up, I put the patch over my right eye that wears a distance contact. When I want to see your face, or distances, I patch my left eye which is my near-sighted eye. Today I am dressing up as a pirate, and, for the first time in 2 weeks, no one will suspect there is anything wrong with me.

This is the first time I am looking forward to going into public with my friends dressed up for Halloween! Yippee! The MRI picked up a 5 cm mass that I believe is near my optic chiasma. It's hard to explain where it is – my friend Nancy googled it and went to wikipedia and got a little bit of an idea. It appears to be in the front part of my brain, kind of in front of my ear (depth) and behind my nose, or the back of my mouth (position). I have been working with a team of doctors to schedule follow up tests and consultations before a treatment plan is laid out. Please pray for the following appointments. Most important, please pray for my family and for yourself first.

Although most of you want to direct your prayers to my needs, I know, first hand, that it will be more difficult for you to bear this burden on your shoulders than it will for me. The Lord is truly filling me with peace and trust…even though I have had, and will have, anxious moments, my 25 years of seeking the Lord will prepare me for all that I will have to face. I know some of you have many more years of training, some of you only have a taste of the power of faith, and there are even those of you that may be just in the beginning stages of understanding eternity. Please pray for yourselves, first, as the Lord will prepare your hearts and mind to know specifically what I need from you. He will give you the words I need, the love I need and will send His strength to me through you.

Here is what November will look like:

11/1 - Nuclear Medicine. A PET scan has been ordered from my Oncologist to determine if the tumor is a matastic melanoma. I found out today that they were able to fit me into the schedule for tomorrow. IT IS A Miracle!! They will have the results back on MONDAY!

Many of you know that I had melanoma 5 years ago. It was found on my leg. Because the melanoma was less than a stage 1, (it was insitu-sorry for the spelling…I didn’t have time to look it up. But it means we caught the melanoma in its very earliest beginning and is hopefully a non-issue!) Over the past 5 years, when I started having cluster headaches, I was assured that melanoma would not “jump” from my leg to my brain. However, if it did spread to my brain, it is likely that it has also spread to my lymph nodes (in the groin area) as well as possibly my liver and/or lungs and then would make it to my brain. That is why I am having this scan, which, as you can tell, will be the MOST anxious part of all the testing and would change my course of treatment, drastically, if the cancer is found elsewhere in my body. Pray that cancer will not be detected in this scan.

11/5-Wed @ 8 AM-Opthamology (Kaiser-Vandevere-level 5) This is the lab tests, not an appointment with actual Opthamalogist. Because the tumor is near my optic nerve, the opthamalogist will be on the team with the surgeons to plan the surgery.

11/12- 11/14 – Business trip to Denver. As I attempt to keep myself calm, I am going to attempt to lead a relatively normal life. At this point, I have not canceled my trip to Denver and hope that I will not have to. This will give me a wonderful opportunity to hang out with people I have known for over 20 years.

11/20-Thurs @ 2 PM-Opthamology- Dr Clorfeine (Kaiser-Travelodge-El Cajon) I will be talking to the opthamologist about the test results from the 5th. He will be consulting with the surgeons to determine the best plan to prevent damage to my eyes when the tumor is removed.

11/25 @ 10 AM -Neuro-surgeon (Mastrodimos and Cueva) (Zion, 1st floor behind pharmacy) We are still working on getting this scheduled earlierI suspect, the outcome of the PET scan will most determine if I will undergo surgery. (Hopefully Brianne, who is creating the BLOG, will be able to add the bio link of the surgeons that are on my team listed below).

11/22 – 11/26 –San Elijo State Beach for Thanksgiving. In God’s plan for my life, it appears he has given me a rest period, prior to the next chapter in my journey of healing. I will be giving thanks to Jesus for sustaining me through this month.

Finally, I have a wonderful, family doctor, Dr. Fuchs, who I love and trust. He will be working along side the entire team of doctors for my care. I pray for each of you as you take in this news. I pray that you will find strength in the Lord as you come along side of me. Here is an example of how God can work through you to encourage me. The morning before the MRI results were in, a co-worker of mine gave me the following verse. She said that the Lord had spoken to her heart that morning and asked her to share this verse. I have clung to the verse for the past several days which has given me a true sense of God’s presence in my life. I hope that you might memorize this verse, as well, to give you encouragement and peace.

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:14. 

I love you all…I will let you know each time the BLOG is updated. I pray you will find comfort in the arms of Jesus.

In his grip,

Laura