Defining Moments...A New Journey

Yesterday's post was to explain being M.I.A.  Today's post is to handle some "business".  Tomorrow?  I still need to catch up on some fun pics and posts.  Then I can return to regularly scheduled programming (totally random postings).

So have I ever told y'all that I'm married to a wonderful man?  My best friend and the love of my life?  Well, I am! 

One of the amazing things about Christopher is that he actually goes to the doctor every year for his annual check up.  Shocked?  We kinda have this pact.  You know those wedding vows?  I may have laughed at the "richer or poorer" part, but we took them very seriously.  We're in this for the long haul.  Six kid...nobody's bailing out!  So we both follow doctor's orders and get our annual poke and prod.  (Just thankful that these don't have to notarized now that we aren't compiling adoption paperwork!)

A bit after Christopher's check up, the doctor's office called.  That's a little unusual. 

(Please know that I don't understand a lot of medical stuff.  If you do, great!  If not, just nod your head and smile.)

So his PSA number was up.  (Remember...just keep smiling)  Last year it was below 2, but this year it had risen to 2.7.  Not a huge, big deal.  Most of the time they wouldn't even be at all concerned unless it was 3 or more, BUT his dad had prostate cancer.  Option #1 - Wait six months and test again.  Option #2 - Do a sonogram and biopsy to check for cancer. 

Easy answer - Option #2!  No, we were NOT waiting six months wondering if everything was a-okay.

So during the whole biospy and sonogram the doctor said things looked pretty good.  One measurement was elevated at a 35 for Christopher's age.  Normally, it should have been in the 20's for someone so young (yep, for this, we are young).  However, usually there is no cancer unless it it over 40.  Maybe in a week we'd be discussing some diet or lifestyle changes to bring it down.

ONE WEEK LATER...

I sent Christopher an inocent text, "Done yet?"  It had been about an hour since his appointment time.  Now I had just spent two hours with three kids at my oral surgeon's office the day before waiting to have stitches removed.  Since I had the three with me again, I didn't go with him to his appointment.  Driving down the road my phone ringtone sounded as Steven Curtis Chapman sang out, "I'm gonna be the man whose comin' home to you..."  (Yep, I love hearing that every time he calls!)

I don't even remember exactly what he said, but within just a few seconds I heard a word that rocked my world..."cancer"...the big "C" word.  I went silent on the phone.  Christopher is asking me if I'm okay.  Stoplight...turn signal...tears..."Just give me a minute"

During the biopsy procedure, they took 12 core samples.  Two came back with cancer. 

Honestly, we/I just wasn't prepared to be walking this path at this point in our lives.  Everything kept coming up questionable, but not pointing directly to cancer.  Shock and fear came first.

So, what now?

We'll meet with his surgeon on September 2nd to schedule an actual surgery date.  Given Christopher's age, the best option seems to be just removing the prostate.  If the cancer should re-occur, then that leaves other treatment options open, but surgery should be able to remove it all.  Christopher is looking at a date in early November for the surgery.

Why so long?

Uhm...it's a slow growing cancer.  His doctor assured him he could wait a whole year and the results would probably be the same (90% cure rate).  PLUS...he wants to run his annual marathon in October.  Yep!  He wants to hold off cancer surgery so he can run a marathon.  (Gotta love this crazy man!)

By nature, I'm probably best defined as a pesimist.  One of my aunts defined me as a glass-half-empty person during my teenage years.  Thought you should know that before I started listing all the incredible positives.  See, God has been working in my heart and life for years now to teach me how to praise Him in all things(just try a couple international adoptions).  So are you ready for a little bit of praising?

We caught this cancer EARLY!  Way early!  Remember that nothing looked too bad?  That's cuz it isn't too bad.  Even the cancerous samples they examined were more good than bad.  Can't even begin to explain all those numbers and such, but for bad it looked good.

Christopher is young (for this type of cancer) and in pretty good health.  This is awesome for him!  Now the surgery is projected to put him down for three or four weeks (nobody at home is excited at this), but he should be able to recover well...if he just remembers to REST and not push it too hard.

Wanna hear another exciting way I see God at work in all of this?

Hadassah!

Do I detect a puzzled look on your face?

See, when I talked about wanting to adopt again, Christopher talked about all the YEARS we needed to wait.  However, God, in His great wisdom and with His great sense of humor, set us on the journey to bring Hadassah home WAY before we were ready to grow our family again.  She's our little unplanned adoption.

Why is this at all relevant?

See, China has LOTS of rules about who can adopt.  Medical conditions and surgeries can prevent you from being approved.  I have had to have my doctor write a letter each time we have adopted that explains why I'm still fit to be a parent because of my C-section 17 years ago, when Caleb was born.

 A recent surgery for cancer?  NO WAY!  No way would China approve us to bring another child home.

Hadassah has perfectly completed our family.  I can't imagine waiting longer for her to come home, more years spent in an orphange.  If we had waited years for the right time, we might have totally missed our opportunity because of something we never expected to face.

One year ago, we were waiting for the offical approval from China to become Hadassah Peiwu's family.  If cancer had been discovered then? 

Thanking and praising the Lord, for His grace and mercy, His perfect timing...inspite of my less than perfect plans.

Lots of challenges still lie ahead.  We are only at the beginning of this journey.  However, one thing that we've talked together about is how we both desire NOT to be defined by the word "cancer".  This is not who we are!  It is just part of the journey of life that we are passing through.  We appreciate your prayers and support as we walk this out. 

So, that's that!  Business taken care of.  Now, I am free to catch you up on our other adventures from the summer.  Then who knows what else each day will bring?  (Well, actually, I do know Who knows, but I also know that He's got it all under control.  Thank you, Father God!)