We will know more tomorrow when we meet with Dr. Sidloski (Karen’s regular oncologist). This morning we met with the radiation oncologist who did the cyber knife procedure this summer on the mass in Karen’s lung. We expected to get the report just on the result of the cyber knife. However, the situation with which we are dealing is serious and Dr. Ove (the radiation oncologist) spent quite a bit of time with us explaining what is happening.

The good news is that the cyber knife seems to have worked. No cancer showed up in the old mass in her right lung. That’s where the good news stops however. Now her other lung, the left lung, is filled with fluid. Even as I write, the staff is working on scheduling her for a pleural thoracentesis. This is where a radiologist will tap the lung and drain the fluid. He would have sent her immediately to the hospital this morning except she takes a baby aspirin and apparently the radiologists didn’t want to touch her for five days because of this. We’ve just got the phone call. Her procedure will take place on November 8th at 9:00 at Mercy Hospital in Lorain. The doctor also told us to be prepared that probably the fluid is cancerous.

We know that the cancer has spread to her stomach and is almost certainly the result of the adenocarcinoma cancer in her right lung. Somehow these cancer cells made their way out the lung before the mass was “obliterated.” Tomorrow we will find out when Karen starts on chemotherapy and what kind it will be.

Let me be really honest with you dear friends. As bad as all this sounds, it really does have good news for us. Here are some very precious blessings.

First, in the doctor’s examining room, Karen took my hand and whispered to me, “Michael, do you feel it? Do you feel it?” It just looked like her face glowed when she spoke to me of the peace of God that was flooding her life. What a joy to have a wife, a mom, a grandmother who is walking with the Lord and experiencing His power and peace in a personal way in her life.

Second, there is a good news for us in that it treatable. Our regular oncologist tomorrow will talk with us about the treatment plan that will attack this outbreak of cancer. We know that her left lung is filling up and we know also that the cancer cells have gotten to the stomach lining. I had a sense of, it’s hard to describe, it wasn’t that I was terrified, but I have had a sense that the doctors were going to tell us that the cancer was everywhere and that there would be nothing that they could do. I honestly thought that was the news that was going to be told to us today or tomorrow. Instead, although it is not the news that I would want, it is wonderful news to know that there are treatment options.

Third, what a wonderful blessing to know that Karen is ready for the fight. She told me on the way home that she is ready to take on the battle as long as I go with her. I was holding her hand and through my tears just whispered, “You can’t rid of me.”

I know there are tons of questions. We don’t have many answers yet. I have shared everything we know so far. Karen and I love you all and I cannot begin to tell you how much you mean to us. My cousin Kris sent a very special card which arrived this morning and quoted Zephaniah 3:17. In the NIV it says “The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” How awesome is our God. The worst thing that could possibly happen to Karen or me is to have one of our children, grandchildren, or friends rebel against the Lord and be angry with Him for Karen’s situation. We want every one of you to remember that you are precious to us and to the Lord as well. Run to Him. Love and honor Him. Please know that we are sending huge hugs from our hearts to you. Thank you so much for praying. We surely need the Lord.