Take THAT You Crappy Cancer!

The past week has been a whirlwind! I really didn't want to post much about it until after the fact... because, well, I didn't really want everyone on the internet who may happen upon my blog to know that I was alone for 4 days with my 7 month old baby and my 10 year old niece! I may watch too many forensic shows... but I sure as heck know that I don't want to be ON one! haha!



Anyway! Last week was my father in law's surgery. If you have been reading my blog for the past few months, you'd know that he was diagnosed with Stage 3 Esophageal Cancer. The tumor was so large that he couldn't swallow anything but liquids. They were able to go in and "open up" his throat so that he could eat again... but the tumor was still there... and so was the cancer.

After weeks of chemo... we got a report that there was no more cancer visible on his scans! We were THRILLED! He was scheduled for surgery in early August.

The day after he got the scan reports back... he told Cory that he wasn't sure what happened... but all of a sudden.... he could swallow again! Even though they had cleared his throat a month or two beforehand... the tumor was still making it difficult to swallow (try having to chew each bite of food like 30-40 times just to be able to swallow it!). Cory told me that he was hoping the doctors went in for surgery and that the tumor wouldn't be there. We were praying for that!

The surgery got pushed back to August 24th - which happened to be my sister's 30th birthday!


So, while Eloise and I were at my sister's house celebrating her birthday... Cory's dad was in surgery and I was getting updates every few hours via cell phone.

I can't tell you how ecstatic I was to get the call that the surgery was over.... and that THE TUMOR WASN'T THERE!! Can you believe it!? I can! That's the power of prayer, people!!!

The doctors still wanted to take precautionary measures to make sure that they got all of the cancer cells... so they removed part of his esophagus and stomach (and I think some lymph nodes -- I'm not good with details)... but they said it was one of the quickest surgery of that type that they've ever done... and they were shocked that the tumor was gone! They credit the chemo, of course.... but we are praising GOD!


So tomorrow is the day that he comes home.... and it also happens to be his birthday!! Eloise and I are going to take flowers and balloons over and hang up a banner that I made. We won't be there when he gets home - I wouldn't want people at my house after I just got out of the hospital! But hopefully he'll know that he is loved!

Cory and I want to thank all of you who kept his dad in your prayers! We truly serve a mighty God!