Forging Ahead

Okay, I continued my pity party for a while today. My frustration, fear, and fatigue have just reached a point where I guess I needed to let it out and then move on. Thank goodness for a few emails I received today and for the encouraging messages left by everyone on the blog yesterday. I got it together and tried to get something accomplished today. I sent an email to a secretary of Dr. Laquaglia at Sloan and asked her how to best get the scans and radiology reports to him so that he can review them. I also wanted to know why we still haven't heard regarding the final histology reports. Remember we are still waiting to see if the tumor that was removed still shows that Brady is in the intermediate risk category with favorable histology. This is a BIG piece of information as to how well Brady will do long term. The person I emailed returned my message within an hour telling me exactly how to send the scans to Dr. L and she also contacted the NB team personally to check regarding the test results. I feel relieved to have a direct way to contact someone who is effecient and timely. Thank you Gillian for this great tip!

An area for prayer is Brady's Broviac site. As you know we have surgery scheduled for June 5th which means we will have 2 dressing changes between now and then. I noticed his site looked kind of "gunky" tonight, so we decided to change it today. While taking off the old adhesive dressing, we noticed that there are two patches of skin that have come off leaving raw areas underneath. I am supposed to clean the area using a sterile sponge soaked with an alcohol solution. Imagine having to do this over an open sore. This was a terrible experience for me, but a horrible one for my poor Brady. We are just frustrated that this surgical date was initiated sooner and that we have to wait 2 weeks for a 15 minute procedure. Matt is going to call tomorrow to insist that our doctor does something, anything, to get this thing out sooner. The site where the tube comes out of his chest is starting to not look good, which raises concern of infection. Honestly, I don't think I can bring myself to do that one more time.

Hopefully if anyone else needs encouragement today you will find this verse as helpful as I do tonight:

Ps 62:2 He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
I'm so very glad I have Him to lean on :)