Merkel and Me

 Thursday July 24, 2025     The dermatologist appointment went well, nothing new to be concerned about. Tuesday I will be having the special blood test which will highlight if there are any markers or antibodies present to indicate a recurrence of the cancer. Prayers would be appreciated.      Monday, I had my hernia surgery.  It went well, but the process had a few hiccups. My surgery was originally scheduled for 11 AM, but Friday the hospital called and told me it was switched to 4:30 PM because of an emergency surgery the doctor was needed for in the morning. I arrived at the hospital at 2:30 and taken to pre-op around 3:30. We then learned the doctor was just getting out of surgery and had another one before mine. I finally was in the operating room before 7:30 PM. The surgery was over around 10 and at that hour, the doctor decided to keep me in the hospital overnight. I had a nice single room and great nurses throughout the experience.  It to...

 Thursday July 10, 2025      My church fellowship group meets on Thursdays (we have been off the past few weeks for a summer break) and then every other Saturday morning, the men and women meet as separate groups. The men have been working through the book The Practice of Godliness  by Jerry Bridges. There are three of us who have been taking turns leading the discussion. This week I'm up and the chapter topic is Peace.      That is one thing I know God has truly blessed me with during this cancer journey.  I have had complete peace throughout the experience. He gave me the wisdom and comfort to just take each day at a time, to patiently wait for, and through, each test and procedure, and to have full confidence that everything would work out exactly the way He had planned.           John 14:27         "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to y...

 Thursday July 3, 2025     It has been one month since my last post. I have been doing quite well. I've reached the point where I'm so close to normal that I have to remind myself that it really happened, it seems like a different time and different life.  Thank you, Heavenly Father, for your divine mercy and healing.      When it was suggested that I write this blog about my experiences, the person specifically said, "You can help the rest of us when it becomes our turn." I hope that is true, especially since during this past month, two different ladies in our fellowship group were diagnosed with cancer, one uterine and the other breast. The woman with the uterine cancer had her surgery today. We are praying for both of them, and their families, and I hope some of the thoughts I've shared, and verses I've pointed to might prove beneficial to them during this time.      When this year started, I had 2-3 medical procedures/issues I was go...