The Saga Continues

My last post documented my gallbladder surgery on Saturday, February 20, 2021

And the hope that the pain I was experiencing would be rectified by such surgery.

Unfortunately, my journey has not been so simple.

The following Saturday, February 27, 2021 

I was again back in the ER with terrible pain

In my abdominal area.

Unfortunately again, after several hours in the ER

And a slew of tests

I was sent home with no knowledge of why I was experiencing such pain.

I made it a few days at home

Until the pain became impossible to endure

And returned to the ER

At midnight on Tuesday, March 2, 2021.

(I have certainly put Cindy through the ringer!)

The pain was so intense

Morphine hardly made a dent in reducing its severity.

Fortunately, this time

A CT scan of my abdomen 

Revealed infection in the liver

And a blockage of the bile duct.

A gastro-intestinal doctor was summoned

IV antibiotics immediately administered

And an Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) surgical procedure

(Quite a mouthful, huh?!)

Scheduled for Wednesday afternoon

To clean out the sludge blocking the bile duct.

I woke up from the ERCP

In terrible pain

Which was very discouraging.

Would I ever have a moment again without pain?

At 7pm I was given two Percocet pills (oxycodone and acetaminophen)

Which did nothing to relive the pain.

At 7:30pm I was given Morphine

Which again did nothing for the pain.

At 8pm I was given another Morphine injection

And was able to fall asleep.

I awoke at 11pm

PAIN FREE!!

It was a miracle!

I thought I was dreaming

I had not been pain free in months.

I was released from the hospital yesterday, March 5, 2021

And continue to be free of the horrible pain I was experiencing

My pain at this time the healing that needs to happen

Coming out of two surgeries in two weeks.

I am very thankful...very thankful.

And, at the same time,

Never cease to be amazed at all the crazy 

Twists and turns this cancer journey has brought.

Which brings up next Monday, March 8, 2021

I will be having a heart CT scan 

To try and determine what is going on with my heart

As I am retaining LOTS of fluid in my feet, ankles and legs

And the walls of my heart are not functioning as they should.

The concern is one of two things:

There is a blockage of one of the arteries needing a stent, or

The tumor is putting pressure on my heart causing its malfunctioning.

To say the least...

I am looking ahead to Monday

With a great deal of heaviness as to the seriousness of what we will find out

And what it means in moving forward.

Dear Father, please continue to teach me to trust in your goodness

And rest in your faithfulness! Please give me and my family your sufficient grace as we face the 

Uncertainty of what lies ahead knowing that you are good and cause all things to work together

For the good of those who love you and are called according to your purpose.

One final note:

I received an email from a fellow pastor and cancer companion, Scott Pennington, on March 1st

The day before I reentered the hospital

Checking to see how I was doing and

Letting me know that he had been in the hospital at the same time

I was in for my gallbladder surgery.

I saw today a Facebook post made on March 5th

That Scott is not expected to live past tomorrow, March 7th.

Cancer is a ruthless enemy!

It adds a renewed heaviness to my journey reading such things.

Please pray for Scott's wife and family as they traverse this juncture in his cancer journey.

Thank you again for your support and prayer,

Dave