[Zacs Mom]

I have not felt really well for sometime ~ I thought I was fighting a low grade infection or some thing. On February 26th, without understanding what what happening, I suddenly and rapidly grew very weak and could not breath ~ I was able to summons my husband who immediately called 911, thank heavens for me.

Somehow, thru bleeding internally unknowingly and for an apparent extended period of time, I had lost most of the blood in my body. I was critical upon admittance to the emergency room, with the hospital telling us that while a normal woman has between a count of 12 to 16 and that mine was barely 6 ~ that had I not been rushed to the hospital and received the immediate transfusion, I'd have not made it thru the night.

The following week brought me 3 surgical procedures and was been filled a number of invasive, painful and downright scary tests, which have produced some not very pleasant and quite sobering preliminary findings. The tests showed I have several small masses in my brain, a number of growths in my esophagus and upper lung area and at least one large mass in my right lung.

During one of the procedures they preformed while I was hospitalized they were able to gather a lot of tissue from the growths in my esophagus and upper lung area and when the lab pathologies finally came back a week or so later , my pulmonary specialists were totally baffled. The pathologies all came back as NO CANCER!!! (Thank you for all the FReeper Prayers that brought me through that trial). It was totally a different result from what they anticipated ~ the growth are definitely there and they are multiple and large, but these areas do not appear at all to be cancerous.

I spent about a week in the hospital recovering from the bleeding ulcers (which, thankful, did not require further surgery to stop the bleeding ~ again, thank you for FReeper prayers) and from the 2 other procedures they'd preformed (one of which required them to cut my throat) ~ needless to say it was a really tough week for both my husband and myself. (to say nothing of my poor dog who only knew that six big men burst into our home and swept his "mom" away)

Since they had not biopsies the masses in my brain nor the large one in my lower lung, and since there seemed to be a number of masses, the doctors decided the best course of action was run a bunch more tests to see what all we were dealing with before we planned out a course of treatment. So over the past couple weeks I have been undergoing countless tests, cat scans, MRI's, sonograms and some I can't even start to explain or understand. What is scary at this point is that each new test seems to reveal a new problem area. It now appears that I also have lesions on my adrenal glands, and another mass in my pelvic area. Additionally, I am still way low on my blood ~ I'd lost some of the transfused blood during the procedures and I am still only at 8.1 units. Further tests show that my body is replacing my blood and doing what it's suppose to in that area but it is going so much slower than I'd hoped. I can't seem to muster any strength and feeling so weak for so long is really starting to tick me off! (lol)

I am scheduled for one more "look-see" test early tomorrow morning. This one is called a PET-scan ~ they inject your blood with radio-active sugar and after about an hour you lay in their big machine for a half hour while they track where it goes through your body. As I understand it, this test is supposed to give the doctors the information they need about all of these masses to determine and, hopefully, move forward with whatever procedure and/or treatment deemed appropriate.

My FR voice has grown a bit quieter over the past few weeks as I've not had the strength to go online. I miss "being with" y'all on a daily basis! I miss the humor and I miss the insightful, often poignant dialogue I've witnessed here. I hope, as my strength returns, I will be able to be back on a more regular basis! Realistically, though, I'm afraid my voice here may well grow even quieter over next few next few months ~ hell, it may actually be silenced once and for all, but whatever the future brings I know I am walking with God and will happily and gratefully go where ever He leads me. (for now I hope that is back to strength ~ I've some beautiful grandchildren I'm not done playing with yet!) I also know I give thanks for having had such a great chance to 'meet' such wonderful kindred spirits!! You've each added a very special dimension to my life that is a blessing in and of itself!! Thank each of you for your work and your commitment to keeping this great nation free and strong. I'm proud to have shared so much of this journey with you and hold you each dearly in my heart. (((((thank you)))))

PS ~ I am providing my husband with the name and phone number of a FReeper so that in case he can get an update to y'all if I cannot. I am also providing a couple of FReepers with my personal info so they can contact my husband or I if they'd like.

[El Cid]

My prayers go out to you, your husband, family, and wisdom for your doctors. I'm glad to hear that you don't have cancer, but that apparently is the only 'good news' amongst the different discoveries.
Just trust the Lord and lean on HIM. With the Fall in the Garden these 'thorns' and maladies attack us all -- but through it all we have one we can trust and one we can look to.
God Bless you, and may the Lord's peace be with you.

Matthew 11:28-30
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

[IYellAtMyTV]

Prayers for you and yours.

[Basselope]

Goodness, you poor thing! My sincere prayers for you and your family as you wade through all this information and try to heal. May God restore your health fully! Blessings to you, ZM!

[amom]

Goodness ZM! Prayers up on behalf of you, your husband and all concerned with your well being.

[Pegita]

Heavenly Father, we return to thank You that Zacs Mom has entrusted her life and her wellbeing to You, the Creator and Sustainer of Life. Let not her heart be troubled this day, O Lord, as she undergoes further testing, but may the Comfort of Your Presence remain with her and her husband throughout each trial. Grant the greatest wisdom to her medical team, that they would be guided to the correct diagnosis, and may You work through their skills and knowledge to bring about full healing to her body. Thank You for our FReeper family who gathers around the Throne of Grace on her behalf ... may healing and health fall mightily upon Mom, to the Glory and Honor of Your Name. Amen ...

[sarasota]

You have a wonderful attitude. Walk with God in confidence that you are blessed with His grace.

[8mmMauser]

We will continue our prayers that Our Lord at your side bring you comfort and courage and healing.

8mm

[Exit148]

I must have missed your earlier post, but be sure that you are now on my prayer list! May the good Lord guide your doctors as they diagnose and treat you and may the readings continue to be non-cancerous and may you retain your positive outlook.

[murphyb]

Prayers for you and your family.

[Hi Heels]

May God bless you, my friend, and keep you strong and courageous.

[Horatio Gates]

Prayers for your getting better!

Please get better. God bless

[WV Mountain Mama]

Prayers for you...

[tuliptree76]

Prayers sent for you.

[Ryan Spock]

Sincere and fervent prayers going up for you, precious FRiend.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

May your health prosper as your soul prospers and may your soul be ever more Christlike and healthy, in Jesus' Name, amen.

You're a blessing to FR, hang in there!


HUGS

[Zacs Mom]

Thank you all so very much for such an incredibly wonderful response to my request for prayers for me and my hubby. We were both moved to tears as we read through these uplifting and faith confirming posts! Your prayers and good wishes mean so very much to both of us! I could feel my spirit grow stronger with each message and a precious calm settled into my heart. Prayers have been a part of my life since I was a very small child and I know God hears each and every prayer our hearts utter. Thank you so very much for your prayers and warm thoughts on our behalf ~ they mean so very much to us! (I've printed out the entire thread so I can reread it again and again while I'm resting offline.)

The tests today proved a bit more than I had anticipated ~ I hadn't realized that while they were doing the PETscan they would also be doing a CT-scan which meant before we could start I had to drink another gallon of barium!! I'd just done this late last week and getting down that volume of liquid (yucky liquid, at that) was almost more than I could handle. When you're not very big (which I'm not) the sheer volume you are required to drink of that stuff is daunting. Once I got it down, keeping it down took all of the strength and mind controlling tricks I'd ever learned. (I suspect they thought if I knew I was going to have to do this again I'd balk so they didn't mention it until after I was already strapped down with a needle in my arm! ... lol)

Speaking of needles, I swear I'd rather be bit by a snake than have a needle poked into me and, since I worked at zoos for most of my adult life, I've actually been bit by quite a few snakes, so I know and mean what I am saying! I've had so many needles jabbed in me the past 3 weeks if the police ever stopped me for anything, from the 'track marks' all over me they'd think I was a junkie for sure!! Lucky for me I'm not strong enough to venture out, I guess!! (lol) But, anyway, I did get through it and that is one more hurtle behind me.

The doctor's office called this morning and asked us to please come in Monday to discuss the results of all the tests we've conducted over the past weeks. They said the specialists will have all of the results in by then, so I'm thinking Monday will be the day for answers and decisions. I am looking forward to this. I'll not "borrow trouble" by worrying about what might be ~ I'll just spend this weekend watching spring burst all around me and giving thanks for simply being alive to witness it once again!

My thanks again for all of your prayers and support ~ I will stay in touch as much as I am able and post an update as soon as I have one.

Until then ...

May we all continue to walk with our Lord

[ladyinred]

Bless your heart, you are really going through a hard time, and I am so sorry to hear this. Thanks be to God that the growths aren't malignant! That is a very good piece of news. My prayers will be with you now that I know this, and for your hubby too. Keep the faith, and know that we are all with you!

[Ditter]

Oh dear girl, you have been thru so much. You have my most sincere prayer for a complete recovery.

[El Gato]

Further tests show that my body is replacing my blood and doing what it's suppose to in that area but it is going so much slower than I'd hoped. I can't seem to muster any strength and feeling so weak for so long is really starting to tick me off! (lol)

Eat Meat, and green beans, spinach, etc. You can't build new red blood cells without a good supply of protein and iron.

Seriously, do what your doctors say to do, and get well ASAP.

[A knight without armor]

A zoo keeper! You are a hoot.