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
4 comments:
Laura,
Thank you for sharing this with us all. We will keep you in our thoughts and intentions, and focus our energy on the best possible outcome for you, your health, and those nearest and dearest to you.
Love,
Carol, Chris, and Beck
Your Berkeley family
Hi, Bob and Laura,
Not sure what to say except that I love you guys so much, and am so grateful that you have each other and such great family and friends and faith to support, sustain, and hold you up as this unfolds. I passed the news along to Liz, and I was talking to Vicki on the phone as I opened the first emails forwarded by Aunt Peggy, so we were able to cry together and pray. Thanks to Brianne for this blog. Liz and I had such a great time with you all amidst the goings on at your house at the time. We love you and hold you in God's grace and love. Kate (and Liz). P.S. Vicki is camping this weekend, but has called for updates, which I can now pass along.
Laura, I'm praying constantly for this trial. I'm so grateful that you're sharing each step of your journey with us. I cannot wait to see how God uses you and I'm praying for the test results today. Post asap!!! I love you dearly and you've forever changed my life.
Love,
April and Jordan Ciervo
Laura,
I am so glad that my sister Linda contacted me about your situation, Laura. As she said, it is as though you "are a part of our sisterhood".
What a lovely approach to life. God has prepared you for the last 25 years for such a moment as this. There is nothing that is not planned by Him. Life is not one big happenstance, is it? Thank you for reminding me of that. Know that my husband, who is a wonderful prayer warrior, and I will be praying for you and rejoicing with you as the next few weeks unfold.
Thank you for sharing your story.
Love,
Lois Brown
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