My friend Lori's letter of THANKS.

Hello, All my Dear Family and Friends,
(sorry for the length but each of you are so special to me, I want to let you feel my experience)
I am just getting on my email this morning (Sat). I came home from the hospital Thursday afternoon. I THANK EACH OF YOU for your LOVE, SUPPORT & PRAYERS!! I felt each one of them. I also greatly thank my Mom for everything she has done and is doing, including keeping everyone informed - a special thank you to Mary Lou as well for sending this to so many of you.
Dr. Porterfield felt the surgery was successful. Additionally, our prayers for my post-op nausea worked! I thank the Lord and praise Him for His mercy that He has heard all of our prayers and blessed me so abundantly through this stage of the process! The Lord sent wonderful RNs and CAs to care for me - all that I can remember were Believers in Christ. I had my Christian books on my bed and as they saw them it opened up great conversations about how mighty our Lord is in all situations. One of the RN's mother is a missionary - she, Susan Velez, and I prayed together, a CA who had me for several shifts teaches Bible Study at FAU with her Pastor and we had great Godly conversations. Even pre-op when I met the Anestsiologist, we shared that we were praying for him and he said, "we try, He guides." He had an intern and several of us prayed with both of them and a Surgical Nurse who would be in the operating room with me who shared that she is also a devout Christian. This was awesome support for me. I felt His presence all around me!
As most/all of you know, my next phase is Chemo (about 4.5 months) then radiation (7 weeks). With my cancer having spread into my lymph nodes, the Chemo is especially critical to my complete healing because its purpose is to attack and kill any cancer that may be floating elsewhere in my body. The Radiation treatment thereafter returns to my breast area to kill off any remnants that might be there from my mastectomy. I will know exactly what chemo regimen I will do at my Jan 29th meeting with my Oncologist, Dr. Vogel, who is very highly regarded in his field. Please continue to pray for Dr. Vogel to have the Lord's Wisdom for my particular case and me to have His wisdom and discernment in what Dr. Vogel advises. Please know, while I talk of these treatments, I know the Lord is the True Healer and it is in His Sovereignty that I will be healed.
As for me physically, I am very grateful as to how I feel considering I have had two surgeries (lumpectomy then mastectomy within 2 weeks - 1/4 then 1/16). I also praise God for the advancement of medicine. I now have two drains post surgery (possibly to be removed next Wed) and feel some pain, mainly in the drain area, but the pain medication has reduced that significantly. I felt high energy when I came home but found by the next morning that I need to limit my activity to ensure that I have enough quiet time and rest. I plan to try to work some next week based on my body - I work for Michael Dunford who is a true blessing from the Lord to me! As some of you know, when I start chemo, I will have low immunity so will have to limit interaction with my dear friends/family, especially anyone not 100% healthy so my interaction at that point will likely be more by email/phone or through my Mom. I will also be very tired and very likely nauseated for several days around my chemo infusions. I plan to work during that time.
As I've shared, I am taking one day at a time as Jesus tells us to do in His Living Word (Matt 6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.") Interestingly, as I looked at my situation...where I'm at and where I still must walk with the Lord through this journey and the unanswered questions ... certainly not where I would have put myself, I said to the Lord, I know I am to be thankful for everything but it is hard right now to thank you for this ... and, the Lord laid on my heart Psalm 118:24 to help me "This is the day the Lord has made; We will be rejoice and be glad in it." I can be thankful for the beauty of the day and so many blessings within the trial - like all of you! Every morning I start my thoughts with these two verses, then remember many others like Psa 46:10 "Be still and know that I am God", Matt 11:28 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest..." Rom 8:28 tells us "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." He does not say we will like it or it will be pleasant but we can trust that all things are working together for His purpose and plan. Then I pray and find His strength. I know the Lord is in control - this is where my hope and peace comes from! I continue to persevere but only with His strength and try to remain open for the Lord to use me to spread His glory through this trial.
I THANK GOD DAILY FOR EACH ONE OF YOU! Your prayers have helped me keep my eyes focused on Him, helped me to stop my mind from wondering too far down the unhealthy paths of "what ifs." I ask humbly that you keep praying for me to have His strength and peace and for my complete healing if it be His Will. I thank each one of you for the calls, emails, hospital visits, gifts, all the different manners in which God has used you to bless me during this time. "Thank you" is not a big enough sentiment - many of you don't even know me but have received this through prayer chains and have lifted me up - what a blessing!!! I pray that God blesses each of you for your intercessory prayers! I send my love, my deep thank you from the bottom of my heart ... Love, Lori

Pastor Chet (the teacher)

 

These are some of the students and the finished Barn

 

 

Patmos has started.

Well folks it has been almost 8 months since we talked about starting this boot camp. The students are here and they all know what they have signed up for, most of it. Sunday (22nd) was the kick off day. They were woken up (at 5 am), for a prayer walk, (around the Camp). Then at 7:15am., was time for some breakfast. At 8 am (all staff) plus, went up stairs (Barn) and Pastor Chet, welcomed all and he did a name game. This was, take your first name letter, T for me. Then put a word that begins with that T, before your name and after it. Example, Happy Heather Hops. Mine was Trying Tom’s Time. If you know me I am always trying to fix it and I am consner about time. So now the game begins, Heather started and every student had to remember everyone’s name and what they said. It was a great time to meet all of them, and remember their names. By Gods grace, Pastor Chet came to me and just asked me what my name was. It is so funny how during all this time I was really trying to remember what they all said. Then after that we had a time to reflect on the rules and why we are all here. That night Pastor Fidel, taught on Rev. 1:9, this is the area that John is taken to Patmos and why God did what He did. There are so many places that he went to, and used a lot of items that we all can understand. Example, tea bag, the only way to know what kind of tea is in there is, boiling the water and sticking it in. Most of the time God does this with us. No Lord I don’t want to do that or it is to hot. But when you put the bag in the water then you can enjoy the flavor. Another example nail and hammer, the nail cries out don’t hit me, but if you don’t hit him you can not make a great looking piece of future. It is the hand you need to look at. That is example God’s hand making something. So next time you feel the water getting hot or the way people hit you. That is God trying to shape, sand and mold you. Well I have talked enough now. See you later on.

STILL PRAYER NEEDED, Thank you so much.
To all of you prayer warriors:
Lori's surgery went well. The doctor said now we must pray for the chemo and radiation to do the job of killing any cancer cells anywhere so she will have a complete recovery. The oncologist will go over all options with her on Jan. 29. and chemo treatments will follow when the doctor determines she is ready. Her oncologist is Dr. Charles Vogel. Lori will follow this with seven weeks of radiation then follow up medication for several years. The treatments altogether will probably be about 25 weeks or more. Much to go through but we know she is not alone. God is with her.
Dr. Porterfield, her surgeon, said she can come home in a day or so depending how she feels. She was not sick after the operation or suffer a headache after surgery this time but did have pain. The nurse gave Lori some pain medicine soon after she got to her room and will have it for the next day or two. Her spirits are good and her faith strong. We were comforted with the support of many of you at the hospital and we thank ALL OF YOU EVERYWHERE you for your concern and prayers. God bless you all. Please, PLEASE, PLEASE keep up those prayers in faith for a complete recovery. She has a long way to go and the success of these treatments are vital.
Love and God's Blessings, Lori's Mom, Carol

BIG PRAYER REQUEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is about Lori, she is a friend of mine from Calvary Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Hello, Dear Family & Friends,
I just received a call from Boca Raton Community Hospital. My surgery for a left breast mastectomy is scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday, January 16, at 11 a.m. I have to be there at 9:30 a.m. for prep. Again, I am so grateful for all of your prayers up until this point. I thank your from the depth of my heart for your continued prayers tomorrow (for Dr. Porterfield the breast surgeon, the Nurses, the Anestsiologist, and every one in the surgery room and who care for me that they may have the Lord's Hands and Wisdom in what they do; I was very sick after the surgery last time and prayful that the Anestsiologist can adjust what was done to help that be reduced; also, that I can be an excellent witness to all who meet me, and He gives me His strength for my body, soul and mind) and throughout my treatment. I am expected to stay at the hospital for two days (Wed/Thur), but that is largely determined by how I am doing.

Prayer request!!!!!!!!

Hello, All, This is a good friend of mine from Calvary Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

I just returned from my follow-up appointment from surgery. The breast surgeon, Dr. Porterfield, just received the pathology report. It was not good on two accounts ... One: It had 7 of my 15 lymph nodes removed as testing cancerous - the less the better so 7 is not great. Dr. Porterfield said, however, that he is treating women 10 years out who had more than 7 infected. The main impact this has is that my chemo will be more aggressive. Second: the satellite lesions they removed around the main tumor all came back cancerous - 4 of them. They are smaller but cannot be ignored. He said they are very close to the margin he cut out, and therefore, there could easily be others still there that the MRI did not pick up just outside the margin. Additionally, since I have this cluster, it means there is a good probability that I could have other clusters in that breast that are too small for the MRI to pick up. He had told me before surgery if these lesions were malignant that a mastectomy would likely be in order. This is what he said today. I have a call into my Oncologist to get his opinion, but it appears 90% that I will be going back for surgery next Tuesday (1/16/07) again at Boca Raton Community Hospital to now have a mastectomy.

Of course, this is not the news I wanted to hear or that the Doctor wanted to give me. However, the facts are the facts. I know my health is not a surprise to the Lord - just to me. I remain strong in my faith that He is in control. I had prayed before the appointment that the Lord would give me peace no matter the results. I know He was there with me because I was very calm and peaceful as the doctor gave me the news. I do not know the Lord's plan in all of this; I only know that I am called to trust that He will not give me more than I can handle and He will be with me through all of this. I am taking this one day at a time, Matt 6:34 says "Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." The Lord does not promise us a life without trials on earth - He saves that for Heaven. I do not know the day the Lord will call me home to be with Him - it could be soon or in many years - I just need to keep my eyes on Him. As Eph 2:10 shares, "For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." I would greatly appreciate your continued prayers ... both for my complete healing if it be His Will and to stay steadfast in my walk with the Lord because I love Him and want to serve Him through this to help others...I greatly thank you again for ALL of your prayers up until this point and going forward.. I send my love to each of you, Lori

May today there be peace within you. May you trust your
God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
"I believe that friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when
our wings have trouble remembering how to fly,
Hope you are drinking from your saucer, I've never made a fortune,
and it's probably too late now.
But I don't worry about that much,
I'm happy anyhow
and I go along life's way,
I'm reaping better than I sowed.
I'm drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.
Haven't got a lot of riches,
and sometimes the going's tough
But I've got loving ones all around me,
and that makes me rich enough.
I thank God for his blessings,
and the mercies He's bestowed.
I'm drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.
I remember times when things went wrong,
My faith wore somewhat thin.
But all at once the dark clouds broke,
and the sun peeped through again.
So Lord, help me not to gripe,
about the tough rows I have hoed.
I'm drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.
If God gives me strength and courage,
When the way grows steep and rough.
I'll not ask for other blessings,
I'm already blessed enough. And may I never be too busy,
to help others bear their loads.
Then I'll keep drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

When I think of how many people in this world have it worse than I do, I realize just how blessed we really are. Don't be too busy, Share this inspiring message with friends and family, Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endure. Happy New Year!

GOOD MORNING
While you have your first cup of coffee,
set back and listen to some music and read about HELLO.
Have you ever thought what this word stands for? Read on..
Do you know that a simple "hello" can be a sweet one?
The word H E L L O means:
H =How are you?
E = Everything all right?
L = Like to hear from you
L = Love to see you soon!
O =Obviously, You are my friend...
So, HELLO!
It has made me smile every time I say hello since then
so send this message the people you care about.
This is from a friend of mine.