Today was a long day. About 6 1/2 hours of appointments, waiting rooms and lab work. We met with the surgeon, Dr. Mulligan along with his PA, the surgery coordinator, surgery counselor, the anesthesiologist's nurse and blood draws. Due to the location of the nodules on the lung and the areas they are effecting, the decision was made to remove the lower half of Mama's left lung. Also by doing this, they will be able to remove what they call a marginal area around the cancer sites. This is done as a precaution in case there are any other cancer cells that can not be seen in the region where the other nodules have popped up.
Dr. Mulligan comes very highly recommended. He is also a lung transplant surgeon. We were told "He's the best in the West!". He is hopeful that he will be able to make 4 small incisions and do the surgery laparoscopically rather than the larger incision and the removal of a rib. To do the surgery with the scope would cut the recovery time in half, which means 3-4 days in the hospital and then 3-4 weeks at home. The more invasive surgery would be done only if Dr. Mulligan runs into difficulties during surgery.
On a positive note, we were told by one of the staff members that Dr. Mulligan is a man of faith and he prays before going into surgery. Mama had been praying for a Christian doctor, so this was an answer to prayer.
Mama will be going back up to UW Medical Center this Thursday for breathing tests and then return for surgery on Friday. We won't be given the time of surgery until Thursday afternoon, but they said our arrival time could be as early as 5:30am.
This news has been hard to hear, but God is forever faithful. In His Word, He promises never to leave us or forsake us. Therefore we are assured that He is always near, even in life's greatest storms. Please pray for peace for Mama, Daddy and our family as she is waiting for surgery. Of course surgery day we covet your prayers also.
Thank you for your continued love and prayers. We will keep you posted.
With love,
Carmen and family
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1 comment:
We will absolutely be covering you all in prayer during the coming days. Words cannot express how much your family means to me and my family! Love you all!!
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