Calling All Prayer Warriors

The last week (really less than a week) has delivered some news for our family that is never what you want to hear.  Last Wednesday my mom was told a recent biopsy revealed she has breast cancer.  If you're like me the word cancer alone is just scary and even more so when it hits home.  A lot of thoughts go through your mind but mainly right now I want any and everyone who reads this to pray. Share this post, spread the word, add my Mama, Brenda Haley, to your prayer list.  We serve an awesome God who is in the healing business everyday and I have no doubt he will come through on this one too.  Mama is already a cancer survivor having beat melanoma skin cancer and so she is a proven fighter.  Right now though she is anxious and scared as anyone else would be.
Today she and I met with her surgeon, Steve Shirley, who discussed her surgical options.  As with most cases I'm sure the options are to 1.) remove the area where the cancer is, a lumpectomy, and save the breast, or 2.) have a mastectomy and remove the breast entirely.  With option 1 radiation would be a must and with option 2 there wouldn't be radiation.  He could not determine what stage this is right now, and said that would all be determined based on the pre-op blood work and what the lymph nodes showed.  Since Mama had many of her lymph nodes removed when she had melanoma, they have got to pull those records to determine if they can remove any lymph nodes in that area.  They will run a dye the afternoon before the surgery to get the lymph node answers.  Surgery has been set for April 8.   Right now she is leaning towards the mastectomy and is just trying to come to terms with this decision.  As you can imagine it is just hard to soak it in not only on the physical level but also on the emotional one.
Today during the appointment as I was trying to write down notes,  which can be tough with so many big medical words, I couldn't help but think that I too may be in that position one day and what would I do.  I also hate having to watch my mama have to go through this too.  In my mind she has been through so much already in her life.  While she has beat this mess one time in her life, she is now prepping to fight again only this time without her main supporter...my Daddy.  Instead she will do this with both me, Paula, Kelly, and so many wonderful friends and family members and most of all with God. I remind myself daily that this is all apart of his plan, which is perfect even when it doesn't appear perfect to us.  Every situation will have something good come from it.
Over the next couple of weeks please be in prayer for Mama for strength and comfort throughout this entire situation.  Pray for the peace that only God can provide.  Pray for the doctors involved, especially Dr. Shirley who will be performing the surgery.  She is in very good hands.  And please pray that there is no cancer in her lymph nodes and that this is contained to this spot only.   We appreciate every prayer that goes up lifting her name and for all the out pouring of love and support.  This community is awesome and really shows out when a member of it is in need.  I love that!
I also love this bible verse that I have clung to since losing my daddy...and it is very fitting in this situation I believe :)
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."   Jeremiah 29:11

And what is a blog post without a pic, right?!?  This is from B-Ren's birthday this year.  Cohen had used her Lalaloopsy Easy Bake Oven to bake her very own birthday cake for Mama.  We attempted a picture with my kids...hmmmm