A Few Highlights & an Update

Just a few highlights and an update... My mom and dad flew in from California towards the end of last week to visit for a few days. I don't get to see them often because they live out of state but as I have mentioned in a previous post my mom checks on me daily and she was the one God blessed me through to take care of the out of pocket expense for my surgeries and procedures. I can't remember the last time we spent Valentine's Day together. I was glad to see them. On Saturday while eating out with them, towards the end of our dining experience, the waiter looked at me and said "is it cancer?" In response to his question, I was able to share what God had done in regards to the battle/journey to overcoming thus far and to my suprise he shared that in November of last year, at the age of 19, he had been diagnosed with testicular cancer and that while he had to take a break from school and from work for a while to heal up from surgery, he was now doing well, back in school (and work), and majoring in biology before going on to me a radiologist. It's really something how God works because my degree is in biology, when he heard that he asked me how it was-I was honest and said it was a challenge and tried to give him a little practical advice but prayerfully meeting someone who had the degree he was seeking was an encouragement to him that God could bless him to get there too. When he shared about his testicular cancer, he said he never tells anyone about it. He also told me to stay strong. I'm glad God arranged things the way He did and moved upon him to share. That was a pretty AWESOME experience-only God could orchestrate that. He has a way of reminding us in one way or another that He's still right there with us. This past Sunday was the first time in a good while that I was able to not only go to fulfillment hour (Sunday school) but also sit in the congregation rather than in the balcony with the sound&tech team. Of course nothing against them but I missed the rest of my church fam and while I'm also thankful for the live streaming it's not the same as being there in person. BLESSED God continues to bless me to make progress towards getting my arm back up to where it was flexibility and strength wise-last week continuing continuing to use stretch it via touching the top of the door frame every time I left bathroom, using it more to put dishes up (reaching up to the top shelf in my cabinet) but also some light weights and getting some workouts in, here in my apartment-working chest (including push-ups though not as many as I used to be able to do but still thankful), shoulders, triceps and even got a little leg work in. Still have an area on my triceps that is kind of numb and sleep feeling, similar feeling under my arm too but should only be temporary and it has not caused an issue as I work to build that arm back up-thankful for that. Yesterday God blessed me to get the drain taken out and today I was back in the gym hitting the weights :-) Friday I have an appointment with my oncologist as well as with my breast care doctor. I should find out more details about the next steps (radiation, and further treatment via infusion- the 2 drugs that I will have to continue recieving via my port to complete a total of a years worth).