Hello to all our special friends and associates where-ever you are.  This is a first time occurrence, this is Curt writing this.  So don’t be too disappointed.  Today was a huge day in our lives.  Carmel underwent breast cancer surgery this morning. It has been a day packed with serious busyness (& business)!  She was scheduled for 10:30 a.m. surgery at Memorial Hospital here in South Bend, and she had to be there by 6:30 a.m. to have several other tests and procedures done prior to surgery.  They started those immediately at 7 a.m. and then brought us back to the Ambulatory Care Center (ACC) at 9 a.m. thinking we would have some time to rest before surgery, but the nurses didn’t even let her out of the wheelchair at the room before they called down to see if she was ready & we were, so they took her in 1 & 1/2 hr. early. So she was all done by 10:45.

Dr. Tim Noveroske did a lumpectomy (partial mastectomy) not a total or radical mastectomy. As he consulted with me and Carmel’s sister Dee after the surgery at 10:45 a.m. he confirmed that the cancer is a ductile carcinoma insitu.  Which basically means that although they removed a cancerous nodule of around 6 mm 2 weeks ago, that the cancer was not encapsulated, in was also in breast tissue outside the nodule.  They removed what they think is enough tissue to achieve the margins that they need, and also went over towards her left armpit and removed 5 Sentinel Lymph Nodes – where the cancer cells would likely move or drain to in the body. Initial indications are that the cancer cells were not present in those nodes – according the pathology lab here that did on site testing of them; however, they have been removed and sent to a pathology specialty cancer laboratory. Initially that would be good news however we are cautious over that assumption!  We will not have the results before seeing the Dr. next Tuesday Feb. 5th in his office.

He has already told us she will be having radiation therapy, because of not removing the entire breast, to be sure that all the cells are removed or killed.  We will also then either know or schedule the next round which is to have the cancerous Thyroid gland removed; which will involve both Dr. Kletzing and Dr. Noveroske.  We anticipate the radiation may not begin until after the Thyroid is removed.  This is all that we know for sure right now.

She is resting at home and got home before 3 p.m. this afternoon.   I will be trying to work here at home and keep a few appointments over the next couple of days. Requests are:  please keep praying for us.  Carmel is much more upbeat and positive about this whole experience than I am. I am having real challenges with it, and don’t mean to minimize or pretend that I am unaffected!  It is driving me crazy and is a real challenge of my faith and trust – sorry if that seems spiritually weak but I am not a bit happy about any of this!  Except for one thing, and that is that it is somewhat miraculous that we even found these cancers this early. However, I am thankful to God for my lovely wife Carmel!  As some of you know I sometimes call her ANGEL; because she has been truly an angel from the Lord sent to bless my life, and the lives of our kids too! She is feeling very well at present and very upbeat at around 8:30 p.m.

Please continue to pray with and for us; and be assured that we also are praying for many of you, as we know of challenges many are going through as well.  Thank you for your kindnesses in many ways.  We are confident that the Lord’s will, will be done in and through our lives; and that daily we continue to walk in His will for us, as he shows us the paths we are to follow.  One of our prayers of course is for total healing of her body, to become cancer free!  God bless all of you and let’s continue to do together what the Lord has called us to do, in spite of the difficulties in the path.  Contact us by email or through this blog.

Thanks again, Curt