Heat Stroke Update #2

Still working on the heat stroke...headed to the cardiologist next to do an echocardiogram, a 24 hour cardiac monitor test, and possibly an adrenaline infused stress test. All of this has been put on hold however...last Wednesday I had a suspicious mole removed that turned out to be a melanoma. If you look really closely you can see it in the below picture, its right in the middle of my chest about four inches below my collar bone. I was scheduled for an in office surgery this Wednesday to remove extra skin above, below, and internal to the original spot to make sure all the cancerous cells were gone. On Tuesday I recieved a call from my surgeon saying that the procedure was cancelled and that she was passing my case off to a dr. at MD Anderson. She believed that given my other health concersn and the depth of my melanoma was deep enough to warrant a dye test and a lymphnode biopsy to make sure the cancer had not spread. So we worried and we prayed and we waited to hear more from the surgeons at MD Anderson. I received a call yesterday setting up my pre-op appointment for next Monday and tenatively scheduled my surgery for wednesday the 18th. The amazing Physicians Assistant at MD Anderson took a look at my biopsy and pathhology report as soon as she recieved it and called us to let us know what to expect from my surgery. She said that based on her knowledge (from the best cancer hospital in the entire world) there was no reason to believe the melanoma had spread. Praise God! The surgery itself is going to under general anestesia in an opperating room and will affect a rather large area of my chest and possibly even require a skin graft. The PA said the scar it will definetly be a "conversation peice" for the rest of my life. It will most likely be an outpatient surgery depending upon the need for a skin graft. The surgeon said it will be about a six week recovery with no lifting of kids until at least the seventh week and with more severe restrictions in the first few weeks. We are just thankful to not have radiation or chemotherapy on our minds anymore. I will try my best to keep this blog updated if anything changes. I know there are a lot of friends and family that check this and I promise to update with any new information. I don't expect to have anything new to post until after my Pre-Op next Monday. We are hopeful that after my new surgeon does his own pathology report that he will concur with his PA about the non-agressiveness of this melanoma. Thank you all so much for your prayers and I ask you to please keep them up for our entire family. With the heat stroke and now this we are feeling pretty overwhelmed. More importantly we are in awe of the preciousness of this beautiful life that we have. God has already answered so many of our prayers and we know that he has allowed these sufferings for our greater good and sanctification. Thank you again, keep the prayers coming, and I promise to update soon.