Surgery postponed ...

The surgery has been postponed per the Doctor’s orders today about 1:30 pm. The story is too long to tell in an unabridged version, so I'll try the Reader’s Digest version. I, of course, have been trusting God for a healing. Two days before the surgery I had basically accepted that maybe surgery was part of my path to healing. Wanting confirmation about my current condition would involve another CT with the IV and contrast (and being obliged to stay in the bathroom for the rest of the day) - a day before a 6 hour surgery! All things considered I didn't want to undergo it again. Late Monday night Robin came to me and said , " I know it's your body, faith and healing, but I'm going to say one thing and then drop it .... at this point I interrupted her and said, " let me guess, you're going to tell me about the guy who was told to dip in the river 7 times to recieve his healing". She turned around and walked towards the back of the RV and then came back. I thought she was mad at me for interrupting her, but she was smiling and said "that's exacty what i was going to say!" She expressed her feelings that maybe one more CT was an act of obedience. Later Monday night as I was praying and reading the Word, I placed a blank piece of paper on my nightstand and waited for an answer. Nothing came for thirty minutes. Then I wrote down "Move on Dr. Pisters (surgeon)". I waited about ten more minutes and wrote" signs and wonders following." I then closed my Bible and went to sleep.

This morning I had a phone call from the Dr.'s assistant and found out that getting another CT would then move my surgery back at least two more weeks. At this point, I decided that since so many people have rearranged their lives and spent so much time and money up to this point that I decided to go ahead and have the surgery tomorrow. We then headed to a 10:00 appt with the assistant. In the car on the way to the hospital we decided that if the CA 19-9(tumor marker) returned to normal that I would do the CT Scan and delay the surgery. (The last reading of this number in Baton Rouge was over 2000 normal is between 1-47.) What I really wanted was a phone call from the Dr. telling me that I had to have another CT. Since the Dr. was out of down this was highly unlikely according to Robin.

During our appt we found out that the CA 19-9 number, while not normal, had decreased to 1100. This was up from my last visit here three weeks ago but down considerably from my bloodwork in B.R. seven days ago. But since the number was still elevated we decided to go forward with the surgery. I signed several consent forms and all that official stuff. After that I had an appt with the anesthesia group. While filling out paperwork for them the receptionist called for me saying i had a phone call. I thought "Who would be calling me here?" And I bet you can't guess who it was---It was the surgeon's nurse saying that Dr. Pisters had called and decided to postpone the surgery and ordered another CT scan. Remember what I said earlier, "God move on Dr. Pisters" and also "if the doctor tells me I have to have another scan I will have it done." So friends it appears God is still in control--even though I'm a slow and dumb sheep in His Pasture. Again, thanks so much for praying. We know God is moving on our behalf because of the faithfulness of our friends' and families' prayers.

Please read the comment made by Sister Eileen on yesterday's blog. She attached pastor's letter to our prayer partners and we would like you all to read it and be in agreeement with our church family.

Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers,
But with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. I Peter 1:19

We love ya'll,
Thank you for everything. GW and RW