Today, Anna Marie shares an update as she heads for surgery out of state. Please be in prayer for her! — Love, Sarah
Hello everyone,
I love spring—a celebration of new life as brown turns to green; leaves, flowers, and new plants emerge; and my favorite of all, we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus! Because He lives, we can face tomorrow!
There are a few notable things happening right now. Perhaps the most interesting (and urgent as far as prayer requests go) is that I’m flying to Nevada today for surgery. I’ve had an inguinal hernia for a number of years but it’s become more of a problem in the last few weeks. We had recently talked with my doctors and established a plan of when and where to get surgery done (May seemed like the perfect time for a number of reasons), praying that the Lord would make it clear if it should be done sooner. Well, a week ago Friday night it became clear that it’s pretty urgent to get it repaired when I nearly ended up in the ER due to the hernia.
My naturopathic oncologist was concerned about the use of mesh in the repair; so we are grateful to have found a surgeon in Nevada who specializes in mesh-free hernia repair, and was able to fit me into his schedule this week for surgery.
With another long-distance, intense recovery medical issue for me, we are again so grateful for family support and help! On the home front, Christopher will be home with the children and Grandma Maxwell will be helping with school. My family in Washington has graciously rearranged their schedule on short notice, and my mom will fly to Nevada so she can meet me at the airport, drive me to and from all my appointments, and stay with me at our VRBO. I’ll have my pre-op appointment this afternoon, surgery Wednesday, and then post-op on Thursday. My mom is flying home with me to Kansas on Friday and staying with us through Tuesday when my sister will come. Since I’m not to pick up anything for a couple of weeks and not over 20 pounds for a month, it’ll be a blessing to have help around our houseful of little people. And of course, we are really looking forward to spending time together again.
We appreciate prayers for safety and health in travel, and that surgery and recovery will go as smoothly as possible.
I am coming up on the one-year mark from when I began the chemo and current HER2 blocker/targeted therapy (Phesgo, which is a subcutaneous injection of Herceptin and Perjeta). I finished the chemo in July but have continued the targeted therapy which is a one-year therapy. When that is done next month, I will switch to a different type of HER2 targeted therapy which is a daily oral pill called Nerlynx. We were grateful for the unanimous recommendation amongst my doctors to go on Nerlynx, because I really had no desire to—but, obviously, I’d also rather not be dealing with cancer and the whole purpose of Nerlynx is targeted toward my type of cancer, so even though I’d rather not be taking cancer pills, it does seem like the right decision. I will be on that for another year; so I guess we are basically at one year down, one to go!
The most exciting news is that I had an MRI a couple of weeks ago that was cancer clear! That’s a huge praise since one of our oncologists mentioned that MRI scans often give false positives, so to not even have a questionable element was a blessing.
Thank you all for praying!
~Anna Marie
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
Such good news about the MRI! Praising the Lord with you! Praying for safe travels and a quick, smooth, pain-free, peace-filled surgery and recovery for you this week. “Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.” Exodus 19:4 KJV Keep us updated!
Praise ye the Lord, Praise ye the Lord!!
Anna Marie, your testimony continues to be AMAZING because of our AMAZING God and what HE has done and continues to do, in your life and then you share it with others!! Thank you for encouraging us!! Will continue to pray about the travel, surgery, and recovery as well as the continued treatments. Again, you are an inspiration for all and beautiful inside and out! Thank you for letting your light shine for JESUS!
AMEN!!!!
Thank you for the update and rejoicing with you all over the good news from the MRI scan.
I will continue to pray for you and especially during the days ahead with surgery and recovery.
Was just praying for you last night and wondering how you are going. What a blow to have this hernia issue, but may He give you a glimpse of the good He has planned through this added permitted trial. 7 of us here in this house praying for the surrounding of you – (another good reason to have as many children as God has planned!) that every step you will be aware of the awesome wings of God covering you and holding you perfectly safe. Our God is the God of deliverances.
Much love in Christ.
Praising God for your good report, and for His many provisions for your needs! Praying for your upcoming surgery!
Our thoughts and prayers will be with you, Anna!
Praising the Lord with you for the good MRI report!
I love what you said about Easter. Praise the Lord that you are cancer free! We are praying for your upcoming surgery. I have had that same repair done. I was anxious about how it would go. I had a kind and helpful doctor. After my surgery, he told me to go home and enjoy my children. So, I will tell you the same. Make sure you get your rest and enjoy your family and the beautiful spring!
What a blessing! Thank You, Jesus!
Also, your hair looks so cute short and curly like that. 🙂
Anna Marie!
Thank you immensely for sharing this news. I appreciate your health update and will be praying for the Lord’s wisdom to guide the surgeon’s hand in your surgery, and for HIS PERFECT PEACE for you and your family’s hearts. What a BLESSING that your own Mom is coming to Nevada to help you out so much, while your Kansas family will be tended to and cared for by your relatives there. The Lord’s loving-kindness is deeper and wider than our needs :). Just now when I asked the Lord which verse I should share with you, He brought to mind one of my favorites that has been a huge help to me in my life, “The LORD is my light and my salvation; *whom shall I fear?* The LORD is the strength of my life; *of whom shall I be afraid?*” (Psalm 27:1)
What heartwarming news to hear of you being cancer free! “GREAT is the LORD, and GREATLY to be PRAISED.” ~ Psalm 48:1. What a beautiful photo! Your hair is gorgeous, truly a gift from the Lord, your Saviour!
With love in Christ and Thankful to be washed in the precious Blood of the Lamb,Colleen in Upstate NY, near Buffalo.
Thank you for the update. I’m so grateful to hear your good news on your recovery journey. May God bless you and your family during your surgery and recovery.
Praying for you guys!
Mrs. Maxwell, Thank you for sharing an update on such a private issue. It leads so many of us to prayer & Thanksgiving remembering just how merciful is the Lord. And on an entirely superficial level your short, curly hair is adorable!!!
Hello Anna Marie, I’m praying for your surgery and recovery, and giving thanks to God for his kindness in giving you a clear MRI! What a joy to rejoice with you in that! I’ve prayed often for you in the last year.
Anna H.
Much continued prayer,so glad that the MRI is cancer free! Praying for a quick recovery and no problems during surgery. I know you like old hymns and well this one isn’t old it is one that I have had going through my head lately,
When God Has Another Plan.
Forsaken by his brothers didn’t fit the scene,
Being made a slave was not what Joseph dreamed,
The coat of many colors was stained with blood and lies,
But from this Divine appointment, a ruler would arise.
When God has another plan, walk on and just say yes
When God has another plan, be assured that He knows best,
When all your dreams are shattered,
Rest in His sufficient grace,
We don’t have to understand, when God has another plan.
Alone and broken hearted, questions fill your mind
Changes can be hard that come by God’s design,
But if you can see tomorrow with a view from Heaven’s throne,
Every unexpected struggle has led you closer home.
When God has another plan, walk on and just say yes,
When God has another plan be assured that He knows best,
When all your dreams are shattered rest in His sufficient Grace,
We don’t have to understand when God has another plan.
When God has another plan.
That’s beautiful, thanks for sharing!
Aw, thank you. The pain isn’t too bad… I haven’t taken ibuprofen since Friday and am doing fine. Yes, we were very happy with the MRI report!
So thankful you have a naturalpathic oncologist. Praying for you and your family as you fight this disease.
Anna Marie,
I love your hair, its beautiful!