The journey begins...

Dear Family and Friends,
In less than eight hours I will begin my journey to recovery of breast cancer. As most of you know I was diagnosed just one week ago and already we have been blessed with great miracles and tender mercies from the Lord. I know He is near and will continue to bless me and my family, and we thank you for your contined love and prayers. In the morning I'll undergo surgery for a bilateral modified radical mastectomy with removal of lymph nodes from under my left arm. Dr's Erik Anderson and Bryce Allred will perform the surgery at the new Intermountain Medical Center, and on Wednesday I'll meet with the oncologist, Dr. Litton at the same facility. I'm told I'll probably start Chemo immediately although I have no idea what the schedule and time frame will be, but I'm sure I'll know soon enough. When I'm finished with chemo I will undergo radiation and then reconstruction so I guess I'll have to bow out of the upcoming ward welfare assignment! I planned to go wig shopping today, but opted to soak up the sun for a couple of hours with Shan and the girls at Lifetime, so I'm hoping for a few good days to check out the hair scene before week two of chemo.
Thanks to my wonderful ward family and friends who joined in fasting and prayer yesterday-a miracle was granted. I was struggling with the previously planned procedure to operate on the left side only. My good friend and neighbor, Dr. John Nichols came over Sunday night and offered some very good advice. I was prepared to call Dr. Anderson this morning to discuss my concerns, but to my surprise he called me and said he'd been thinking about my upcoming surgery and felt we needed to remove both sides, but we would have to postpone for a week due to the fact it would now require more O.R. time and a plastic surgeon. He expressed his concern about postponing chemo for another week, but felt there was no alternative. I thanked him and hung up the phone. Within minutes he called back to inform me that he had lined up the plastic surgeon and extended the OR time and we were back on track. Thank you, friends and family; fasting and prayer works!
It is impossible to put into words the love and appreciation I feel for my wonderful, faithful, practically perfect husband, children, and grandchildren. Sweet memories of our recent family vacation will sustain me over the next weeks and months, and I can hardly wait to hug you and be with you again. You are the reason I will beat this.

My love to all-
Shirlene

(Mom wrote this June 30th @ 10:00 pm)