Below is the email that I sent to friends the day after we got the news back from the biopsy.
Today was by all accounts better than expected. The best thing that could have happened would be we walk in and they say that they were wrong and its not cancer. That didn't happen but what did happen was they said that it is a different cancer than they had told us. Randi has ductile cancer that is invasive. Tomorrow she gets an MRI to see how big it is in the tissue and if it is anywhere else. We might get a call that says its in both sides, but that is unlikely. What the MRI hopefully will reveal is how big it is. If it is more than a few centimeters then she would need to get a mastectomy. If is it small enough we may be able to do a lumpectomy followed up with Radiation. Both are equally as effective at removing the cancer, however a mastectomy would greatly reduce the chances of cancer in the future. She also got a genetic test done that will show us how likely she is to face cancer again. If that comes back with showing that she has the cancer genes then a double mastectomy would probably be the best route.
The bad news with a mastectomy is that she would never be able to breast feed again. So a question we would have to weigh out would be how much value do we put on breast feeding in comparison to decreasing risk of cancer.
From what I heard today, the best case scenario given where we are is that the cancer is only in the lump and that it is small enough to do a lumpectomy, followed with radiation and hormonal treatment. Worst case is that it is in more than one place, its very aggressive, and we have to do a double mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, and hormonal treatment. Chemo is bad because some of the side effects are issues with ovaries, which might leave us with the potential of being infertile. If we have to go this route, the recommendation was to freeze some eggs. Even if we did the lumpectomy, however we would at some point down the road still consider a double mastectomy for preventative purposes once we are done with having kids.
The type of cancer that Randi has is hormonal in nature (progesterone and estrogen positive) which means that regardless of results hormonal treatment would be done, more than likely keeping us from having kids within the next year or two, depending upon the risks.
The road ahead is long. I am so grateful that I get to walk it with the best woman that I know. We get to live out James 1:2-4 right now: Jam 1:2-4 NIV - [2] Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, [3] because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. [4] Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
I have been processing what that means to have joy in the midst of trial. I feel as though a hurricane has swept through our island of paradise. My prayer is that I can stay in the center of the storm, in the eye of the hurricane. It is easy to say God is good all the time, when all the time is good. Its another to say God is good all the time, and all the time God is good when time is not. As crazy as this may seem I have been thanking God for this. I was reminded of this verse: 2Th 1:3-5 NIV - [3] We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. [4] Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. [5] All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.
My praise to God is that He has counted Randi and I worthy to face such a trial. What an honor. I was also reminded of a quote from CS Lewis concerning the book of Job. When asked why do the Righteous suffer? CSL answered "Why not? They're the only one's that can handle it." My prayer is that my good God can be seen from the contrasting backdrop of awful circumstances more clearly to a world that thinks they are finished with Him. They haven't even started with Him yet...
I am fully persuaded as I have told some of you before that the Almighty has a purpose in this no doubt. This morning I was shown this verse and it has made it all the more clear: 2Cr 1:3-7 NIV - [3] Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, [4] who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. [5] For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. [6] If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. [7] And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
One thing we hear from those closest to us when we bring up eternity, God, Jesus, and truth is that we have never experienced life, that we do not know what it is like. I believe that this trial is a plank in the platform of which God is building for us to proclaim His Good News to all who will listen. That is why I praise Him in this storm, that is why I can say He is good, that is why I can have JOY, even as tears flow freely upon our circumstances. For whatever is over my head is still under His feet. No mountain is too high for my God to climb and no valley is too low for my God to traverse. Wherever we may go I have the promise that He is with me, that He is for me, that He shouts over me with rejoicing, and that He will never leave me nor forsake me. Isn't God good?
I ask that you pray for wisdom for us, to know what to do. But before you pray I ask that you would deal with whatever may be in your heart. Psa 24:3-5 NIV - [3] Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? [4] He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. [5] He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior.
Pro 15:8, 29 NIV - [8] The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him. ... [29] The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
Forever grateful for you!
Matt
Today was by all accounts better than expected. The best thing that could have happened would be we walk in and they say that they were wrong and its not cancer. That didn't happen but what did happen was they said that it is a different cancer than they had told us. Randi has ductile cancer that is invasive. Tomorrow she gets an MRI to see how big it is in the tissue and if it is anywhere else. We might get a call that says its in both sides, but that is unlikely. What the MRI hopefully will reveal is how big it is. If it is more than a few centimeters then she would need to get a mastectomy. If is it small enough we may be able to do a lumpectomy followed up with Radiation. Both are equally as effective at removing the cancer, however a mastectomy would greatly reduce the chances of cancer in the future. She also got a genetic test done that will show us how likely she is to face cancer again. If that comes back with showing that she has the cancer genes then a double mastectomy would probably be the best route.
The bad news with a mastectomy is that she would never be able to breast feed again. So a question we would have to weigh out would be how much value do we put on breast feeding in comparison to decreasing risk of cancer.
From what I heard today, the best case scenario given where we are is that the cancer is only in the lump and that it is small enough to do a lumpectomy, followed with radiation and hormonal treatment. Worst case is that it is in more than one place, its very aggressive, and we have to do a double mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, and hormonal treatment. Chemo is bad because some of the side effects are issues with ovaries, which might leave us with the potential of being infertile. If we have to go this route, the recommendation was to freeze some eggs. Even if we did the lumpectomy, however we would at some point down the road still consider a double mastectomy for preventative purposes once we are done with having kids.
The type of cancer that Randi has is hormonal in nature (progesterone and estrogen positive) which means that regardless of results hormonal treatment would be done, more than likely keeping us from having kids within the next year or two, depending upon the risks.
The road ahead is long. I am so grateful that I get to walk it with the best woman that I know. We get to live out James 1:2-4 right now: Jam 1:2-4 NIV - [2] Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, [3] because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. [4] Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
I have been processing what that means to have joy in the midst of trial. I feel as though a hurricane has swept through our island of paradise. My prayer is that I can stay in the center of the storm, in the eye of the hurricane. It is easy to say God is good all the time, when all the time is good. Its another to say God is good all the time, and all the time God is good when time is not. As crazy as this may seem I have been thanking God for this. I was reminded of this verse: 2Th 1:3-5 NIV - [3] We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. [4] Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. [5] All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.
My praise to God is that He has counted Randi and I worthy to face such a trial. What an honor. I was also reminded of a quote from CS Lewis concerning the book of Job. When asked why do the Righteous suffer? CSL answered "Why not? They're the only one's that can handle it." My prayer is that my good God can be seen from the contrasting backdrop of awful circumstances more clearly to a world that thinks they are finished with Him. They haven't even started with Him yet...
I am fully persuaded as I have told some of you before that the Almighty has a purpose in this no doubt. This morning I was shown this verse and it has made it all the more clear: 2Cr 1:3-7 NIV - [3] Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, [4] who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. [5] For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. [6] If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. [7] And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
One thing we hear from those closest to us when we bring up eternity, God, Jesus, and truth is that we have never experienced life, that we do not know what it is like. I believe that this trial is a plank in the platform of which God is building for us to proclaim His Good News to all who will listen. That is why I praise Him in this storm, that is why I can say He is good, that is why I can have JOY, even as tears flow freely upon our circumstances. For whatever is over my head is still under His feet. No mountain is too high for my God to climb and no valley is too low for my God to traverse. Wherever we may go I have the promise that He is with me, that He is for me, that He shouts over me with rejoicing, and that He will never leave me nor forsake me. Isn't God good?
I ask that you pray for wisdom for us, to know what to do. But before you pray I ask that you would deal with whatever may be in your heart. Psa 24:3-5 NIV - [3] Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? [4] He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. [5] He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior.
Pro 15:8, 29 NIV - [8] The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him. ... [29] The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
Forever grateful for you!
Matt
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