7/19-Meeting Dr. Cohen - USC

Dr. Robbin Cohen was great. He left us both feeling like he is a very knowledgeable and capable surgeon. He walked through the CT scan with us and pointed out that the tumor is in one place actually displacing my heart as well as my right lung. The tumor appears to be even larger than my heart. One concern and area of prayer would be since the tumor has been there for so long and up against other tissue that it may have meshed into other things. This could possibly be a complication in the surgery. I am praying that it is all free and loose and easy to remove. There is a possibility that the meshing could mean that my right lung could be in jeopardy. I'm really praying that I get to keep my right lung!! I know I could live fine without it. But, I would miss it terribly I am sure. Also praying that when this is removed that it will never come back!! The surgery itself if done my Dr. Cohen would be done at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena. He said the hospital stay would be 4-5 days and a month off for Mom. No lifting or driving or any of that. That's where we will be using all of you who so generously offered to help. Thanks in advance!! Dr. Cohen will be out of town until the 3rd of August. He said he could do the surgery the following week. That sounded good to me. We are keeping the appointment for UCLA on July 31st. And at that point we will make a decision. Pray that the Lord makes it clear!! We just want me where He wants me to be. Dr. Cohen said this is not just a little surgery it is a very big deal. But, I feel confident that the Lord is here with me and in this thing all the way. I have unexplainable peace!! Thank you Jesus!!!

7/15-USC Appointment

I have only just been able to set this appointment. It was a lot more work to get this set than I thought it was going to be. It appears this surgeon is just a busy. Now it is not that far away from the UCLA appointment that I still have set for Monday July 31st. My USC appointment is set for Wed. July 19th at 1:30. We leave the following Sunday for Forest Home family camp for the week. So the UCLA appointment is just the Monday after we get home. It will just feel like days apart. It will put us in a position to choose. We will see whose Surgery schedule is open for me the earliest. Also, we will go with the over all feel for the surgeon. I have researched both online and they are both eaqually skilled. Dr. Cohen of USC seems like he's been at it an extra 5 years or more than Dr. Cameron UCLA. We will just rely on the Lord to make it clear to us. Please just pray for this to be clear with us.

7/1-Hospital Change

Just yesterday I got a call from Dr. Bushnell's office. After seeing me this week he came to decide that he was not comfortable having me wait a whole month for my Dr. Cameron UCLA visit. So he is now recommending an equally capable surgeon at USC University Hospital. His name is Dr. Robbin Cohen and he is able to see me next week. I have not set up the appointment yet. I got the information so late in the day from Dr. Bushnell's office. Either place I decide to go Dr. Bushnell is still able to be at the surgery if his schedule permits. After talking it over with family and friends. I feel that the sooner the better especially since the doctor is recommending this.

That's the latest!! Peggy