God is good...

...all the time!!! So my results of the biopsy are in. No sign of cancer or disease in the two spots!!! Instead, it was a false positive caused by scar tissue. Also, the surgery was able to be done laparoscopically which means a shorter recovery time. Such an answer to prayer. Thanks so much for your prayers!!!! My dad came to town to be my driver and fishing partner after the surgery. I can't lift anything so he would do all the work including reeling in all the big fish. Andrea and I were actually driving him to the airport when my Dr. called. There were tears of joy and relief and I'm glad Andrea was driving as I broke down completely. 

So I feel this whole experience was a wake-up call for me. God has been telling me for a while to put down the pole and pick up the cross. HE wants me to be a fisher of men first and a better husband and father second and maybe a fisher of fish somewhere after that. I've been ignoring this calling. When I had this  diagnosis, one if the first things that jumped into my mind is that I can't die, I haven't done enough for God!! I've done a lot for my own enjoyment and glory. Well now I have this chance and don't intend on blowing it. I have a quote from a song that I keep under my visor of my truck. "How can I further Your kingdom when I'm so wrapped up in mine."  Well, even carrying that around for the past few years, I've failed to really change. So my prayer request is that I can find a way to further His kingdom in the remaining time he grants me on this beautiful planet. 

So the morning after getting the great news from my Dr. I turned on the radio. The first song that came on was so awesome I wanted share it with you all. Here are the lyrics:

I've been running through rain that I thought would never end
Trying to make it on faith in a struggle against the wind
I've seen the dark and the broken places
But I know in my soul no matter how bad it gets, I'll be alright

There's hope in front of me
There's a light I still see it
There's a hand still holding me
Even when I don't believe it
I might be down but I'm not dead
There's better days still up ahead
Even after all I've seen, there's hope in front of me

There's a place at the end of the storm you'll finally find
Where the hurt and the tears and the pain all fall behind
You open up your eyes and up ahead there's a big sun shining
Right then and there you realize, you'll be alright

There's hope in front of me
There's a light I still see it
There's a hand still holding me
Even when I don't believe it
I might be down but I'm not dead
There's better days still up ahead
Even after all I've seen, there's hope in front of me

There's a hope still burning
I can feel it rising through the night
And my world's still turning
I can feel Your love here by my side

You're my hope
You're the light I still see it
Your hands are holding me
Even when I don't believe
Oh, I've got to believe, I‘ve got to believe

I still have hope
You are my hope


So the song was perfect. The picture I'm including was taken after a celebratory dinner with Andrea and my two kids (and  Lexy's boyfriend) who are still in town. My California kid was with us in spirit and text!!! Thanks again for all the awesome support. Jeff

Surgery went well

Thanks all you prayer warriors!! I love the notes, thoughts and prayers. God is good!! The surgery yesterday went great. My awesome surgeon was able to take the biopsies of both spots laparoscopically again...no big incision. We should find out the results by next Friday. My dr. gave it a 50/50 chance that it is scar tissue so that's what I'm praying for, knowing that it also could be cancer. My verse this week is from Phillipians 4:6-7

"6  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

My dad is in town helping drive me around in the car and boat :)  We fished the day before my surgery. He lost a big one and I was lucky to catch the one in the picture. 

The results are in.....

The two little spots that showed up in the "halfway scan" were still there. Most likely I have two forms of lymphoma. The NLPHL was probably the large area that showed up in my pre-chemo scan. That is no longer there and was gone after the halfway point. The second unknown entity is still there and wasn't treated by the chemo. 

Somehow my dr. set me up with my surgeon right after my appt. with him so I'm currently waiting in the waiting room to see him. I've already met with his "fellow."  So the plan is to biopsy the two nodes or spots to see what they are before coming up with a treatment plan. The two nodes that were removed in April had two different things going on. The big one was nlphl while the small one had folicular lymphoma insitu. My onc surmised that the two remaining spots could be folicular lymphoma.  The good news is I feel great physically, am only a little upset emotionally, the two spots are small 1.9 cm or less, they haven't spread or grown and everything else was clear. As I was writing this, I just met with my surgeon. He is going to get me in in the next few weeks. So at least it is going quickly. Thanks for the positive thought and prayers AND please keep praying. The picture is a 10 minute charcoal drawing my son did of me before I knew about the lymphoma. When I saw it today, it kind of summed up how I feel. A little down, in thought and prayer. Jeff