Christmas Day 2010!

It has been a wonderful day! I spent it alone by choice as I reflected on all that God has done this past year. This past week I saw the Oncologist for the last time until July right before I fly back to Africa. To God be all praise and glory!

The Night After Thanksgiving

 

It is the Friday after Thanksgiving and I hope that each of you that read this had a wonderful day and took the time to thank the Lord for the many things He did for you this past year. For those of you that get my News Letter you will see that I have a lot to thank God for this year, and the one at the top is my successful surgery for cancer, with no medication or further intervention needed!

It has been a very ''special'' two months since I found out that I had to have a mastectomy. After recovery, I went on a tour and came back to Atlanta via Seattle where they had snow! I am now looking forward to staying here in the South until I fly again, again to the west coast but south not north. 
I will begin now to update my blog on the 25th of every month. (That is because I love Christmas in any country I am in!) So, until the 25 of December, I will say goodbye; and remember: thank the Lord for something He did for you today!

I am now in beautiful Washington State! This tour will be over on Sunday so Monday I fly back to Atlanta. It is cool today but I bundled up and walked 2 miles this morning. I feel good and thank the Lord for that.  It is a great time of year and I look forward to being in Georgia at my place for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is nice not to have to fly out on tour again until January 8, 2011. Next Wednesday night will be may last weekly blog. I will then go to a monthly one.

Wednesday night in Minnesota

Many years ago this was the night before my kidney auto transplant surgery which was done at the University of Chicago hospital. I always remember that it as it was on Veterans Day, November 11th.

Tour is going well and I enjoy being back in Minnesota but I do not like the cold here! This week I was at Crown College and spoke at  Chapel. The picture on the right was taken there. Vicky is a roommate from college and was the RN that came to care for me after my surgery. Sue is a good friend from college and has been a missionary in Brazil for years.

My incision looks good and I am sleeping well and trying to rest when I can during the tour. The churches are very good as they know that I need time to rest and give it as needed.

Next week at this time I will be in Washington state before heading back to Georgia. 

A Friday night in Minnesota

I am late in writing on my blog this week. Tonight as I write I am in Minnesota and not Georgia. Last Friday I started on tour again and I praise God that I am able to be on it! It is cold here in the Twin Cites area. I even had to go out and buy some gloves to wear. As for my incision,  it is still somewhat painful but over all it is going very well. 

My last update in this blog will be on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.  

Off On Tour!

Yes, I am off on tour and I thank God for that! I am still having some discomfort because of the incision  and the infection but I can deal with that as I go. I fly to Minneapolis at noon tomorrow. Vicky, my dear roommate from college during my senior year, the one that flew down and cared for me after my mastectomy, will meet me at the airport. It is cold there and she says she has the blankets ready in their guest room and lots of hot teas to drink. I am packed and ready to go!

A Great Day Today!

Yes, a very great day!

Why was it a great day: because I saw my Oncologist and I am doing very well. I will not be on any medicationl as I have no cancer in my body! I am grateful to my Lord for all He has done!

I am also thankful for you: you prayed and I am well again! 

One thing I did find out was that I have osteoporosis  which was determined by a bone density test that she had ordered early. I will be on something for this daily.

Here is how it stands at the moment: I will see my Oncologist in November after I get back from my speaking tour for The Alliance. Then probably see her in February, and after that, not for two years! 

Until next week, goodbye.  

I am late in writing this.

I am a day late as I did not get it done last night. My dear Jetty reminded me of that in an email this morning. She is also the one that told me my wound was infected. We had Skyped and she saw that it did not look right after I complained of more pain. It is nice that she is a surgical nurse and helps me all the way from Africa! I do have great news: the incision is now only slightly infected and I was at the physicians office again yesterday and they tell me this is the last time I have to be there until July, just before I fly back to Africa! Next week I see the Oncologist, hopefully  for one last time also. Next week I will try to write on Thursday after having seen the specialist.Thank you again for your continued love and prayers, Peggy Drake

It is a cool Wednesday night in Metro Atlanta.

I said that I would update this blog site every week so here is what has happened since last Wednesday night: 

I had a set back in my recovery as I have cellulitis in my wound. I have seen the surgeon and she has put me on an antibiotic for the infection. I am doing much better now but it is still painful from time to time. Thanks be to God for His care and protection. God has reminded me that my times of rest these days are from Him. I am grateful for Exodus 33:14 where the Lord says, '' My presence will go with you and I will give you rest.'' I usually think of that when I am traveling and busy but it is for me when I am still and ''sidelined'' for awhile as I am now. Praise His name! Peggy  

Wednesday Night

This is the day that I was given the pathology report:

I had an  appointment  with  the surgeon and her PA this A.M. All went very well. They took out the drain, (that was painful)  and half of the staples.

The best news is that the pathology report came back that the margins were free from cancer and there was no cancer in the the lymph nodes. This is excellent news! This is not the norm as they should find some cancer cells in the tissue and all that has been removed but: they did not find it! To God be the glory! He has touched me of that I am sure! I went from the Surgeon's office over to the to see the Oncologist. She is wonderful person and has a PhD and M.D. from Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. She too said that the pathology report was the kind that she liked to read!

I went from the Surgeon to the Oncologist. She is wonderful person and has a PhD and M.D. from Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. She too said that the pathology report was the kind that she liked to read! 

I need to decide if I will go on medication now to make sure I do not get cancer in the other breast.

I will in all probability do this in December but will have more blood tests done first. 

As of now, I will start back on tour again on October 29, 2010.  I thank the many friends around the world who have prayed for me! How I thank my Lord for helping me through all this. To God be the glory for the things His has done! 

I will now start writing once a week in my blog. Peggy Drake

  

Monday Update

I had a good night's sleep.  The pain is decreasing and I find I am needing less pain medication.  Vicky and I are planning on a walk outside later today for exercise.  I am grateful for the continued progress and your continued prayers.  I will update you again on Wednesday, the 29th, after I see the surgeon and the oncologist.

Sunday 26, 2010

Third day home: Doing very well! Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement. Please do not stop! I will see my surgeon and my oncologist on Wednesday 9/29.  I will know more on that day.  My dear friend and former roommate from College (Vicky Nelson Phillips) flew in from Minneapolis to be my private nurse.  I did not think I would need help but boy am I glad that she is here!

Friday, the day after surgery

Surgery is over. Things went very well, better than expected. God has answered prayers in a marvelous way. Peggy is home. She was sitting at her desk to Skype with me. I told her to take it easy! She asked me to update the blog for her. Next time I think she will do it herself again.
Jetty

Wednesday Night

This is it, the night before surgery. The ladies prayed for me at church tonight. I do have peace but I do not look forward to the AM but will be glad when Thursday afternoon comes. The next time I write on this blog site the cancer should be gone!

Tuesday

Today I saw the doctor again. She will operate starting at 7:30 AM on Thursday. Total mastectomy plus sentinal nodes L and others. I should do well and she still says she doubts that I will need chemo or radiation. This is very good news! I am still afraid but the Lord is in control of all that is happening. Toshiko emailed from Shangri-la, China. I skyped with Jetty in Africa this afternoon and that was so helpful. Much prayer is going on for me and I know that the Lord will see me through all this.

Monday Night

It is Monday Evening. I hope to sleep well and get up early as I will see the surgeon again tomorrow. How I thank God for 'The Peace Place'. That is what I call the place where I am living. It is so quiet, such a haven of rest here in America. Even though I would rather be in Africa, thank you Lord for this place in this
time of my life.

Sunday Sept 19, 2010

It was a good day, no, a great day this Sunday. Lots of prayers going on for me today. A note from someone at church: Psalm 61 and Psalm 91. (Psalm 91, my mother would read to me if she were still alive.) Pastor spoke on Psalm 71 and I am praying that Psalm 118:18 and 1Peter 5: 10 & 11 will be true for me.
The orchestra played today at church, morning and night and the choir sang ''Even In The Valley, God is Good!'' That is so true! Jetty always says in Africa, ''Even if everything is going all wrong, God is still good!'' So even if I would be full of cancer, God is still good! 

Ready for Sunday

Yes, I am ready for Sunday. The Elders will pray for me in church tomorrow and anoint me with oil according to Scripture. It is a gorgeous Late Summer day here in Metro-Atlanta. I must say that I still do miss Africa, the sights and sound of Burkina. My things are ready for Thursday AM surgery. Lord, would you see fit to heal me before then? How will I know if you do?

The start of my journey

When I came back to the US for Home Assignment I thought that I had a mass in my abdomen. The Internist was concerned enough to ordered a C.T. Scan right away. The results came back negative. It was only a lipoma near the small intestines. I did thank God for that! I kept going on getting my physical out of the way before I started on tour. It was on a routine mammogram that they found the cancer.

Surgery, mastectomy,  is now scheduled for September 23. I am the first one in the morning so that is nice. Pray for me please! Pray too for the surgeon, a women with a lot of experience here in the Atlanta area. The Lord is in  control of me and all that has happened and all that will happen.         
May His name alone be praised!

The photo at the top of my blog

For those that like this picture it the top, you need to know that it was taken by my best friend Jetty Stouten on the island where she was born, in The Netherlands.

The first day of my Blog

Today has been a good day. I will share more later about my journey