There won’t be any pictures in this post, but I think you’ll agree it’s okay!!
I wonder what’s the longest anyone has ever held their breath? 10 minutes, maybe 15? Surely no more than that… Well, since I asked the question, I felt obligated to look it up…it seems a Spanish guy, Aleix Segura Vendrell, held his breath for 24 minutes, 3 seconds in 2016.
I think I may have him beat…you see, I’m pretty sure I have been holding my breath since March 16th. That was the day my hubby had surgery and the biopsy showed his bladder cancer had come back with a vengeance. We were told it was very aggressive this time and considered high grade. Things seemed to have gotten very bad very quickly. It caught us off guard and I think that’s when I started holding my breath. We were told his bladder needed to come out in 4 to 6 weeks at the very latest…but we didn’t get an appointment for surgery until March 24th…If I’m not mistaken…that’s one day short of 10 weeks!!! See why I was holding my breath? The waiting was agony!
Wednesday (yesterday) we went back to St. Louis for my hubby’s post surgery check up and to find out the pathology results. His doctor talked to us about the trouble he’s been having in his groin area and gave us an order to get an ultrasound here in town, just to rule out a blood clot.
After he pulled the drain stints out of his stoma, there was only one thing left that hadn’t been discussed…that pathology report. It was like the elephant in the room…but his Dr. finally blurted out…”Well, I have good news for you…there was no cancer found in your body anywhere except your bladder.” He told us the cancer had gone through the bladder muscle wall but it had just stayed on the outside of the bladder. He gave us a copy of the 4 page pathology report and it had some really huge words, most of which I had no idea what they meant, but it was pretty easy to understand the summary…no cancer in the prostrate, no cancer in the ureters, no cancer in the seminal vesicles and NO CANCER IN THE 36 LYMPH NODES REMOVED!!!
It seemed like time stood still for just a few moments while we took it all in…we didn’t know whether to laugh or cry or clap or shout or dance or fall on our knees thanking the Lord for such wonderful news. Hugs are always in order…in “my” world, so I gave the doctor one!! (I don’t think he gets too many hugs, but he’s gotten quite a few from me!) The hug was folowed by a couple of teary eyed people.
My world isn’t quite as normal as it used to be, but it’s getting closer…and we are SO VERY grateful to all of the prayers and cards and encouraging words and gifts and love you have showered on us. There isn’t much that is any sweeter than friends who care….
…unless it’s taking that breath after holding it for 10 weeks!! :o)
Thank you everyone, and especially thank you Lord, for holding our hands through this long and difficult journey. We love You!
I’ll see you soon,
Blessings, Jeanne and George
Such good news to read before I start my day! Best wishes to you both as you slowly begin to breathe again…
I think we’ve All been holding our breath a little for you, too, Jeanne!!
This was the BEST news!! Thanks be to God!!
It’s 2:05 a.m., but no email from you blog yet; however, I was anxious, so I looked up your blog online. So glad I did!!
Oh Jeanne, what simply WONDERFUL news to start our day! I was thinking of you all day yesterday, knowing you were back and hoping and praying that things would turn out just the way they did! I had no idea there would be a post today, but I certainly am glad there was and I’m sure you would have shouted it from the rooftops if everyone would have heard! I guess it makes all the pain and uncertainty of the past two months melt away, and gives you a new enthusiasm again! That’s a good thing!
By the way, Charlotte, I too, used to get the blog by email, but in the past month or so, it hasn’t come, so I had to go looking for it. If you notice, right underneath the words with a green background “POST COMMENT” there are two options. I clicked onto the second one, “Notify me of new posts by email.”, and it is again coming by email. Try it and see if it works for you too.
Thanks for the tip, Linda; I’ll try doing that! (the email did show up in my inbox, and it says “2:01 a.m” (Pacific time), but I posted here at 2:25 PST last night, and it wasn’t in my inbox yet at that time–I checked!)
Computers can sure be weird sometimes…
Oh what wonderful news! Thank you God for your blessing and answered prayers.
I bet you both slept better last night. Hopefully you can take it easy for awhile and heal both your bodies, minds and souls.
Know that feeling of holding the breath for what seems like forever as I’ve done that a few times in my life. Waiting is agony the knowing is the easier part.
Fantastic news! Hoping George’s recovery continues to go smoothly and he’s taken it slowly.
All the suspense, all George’s pain, all of your tension, and all of that medical work has paid off. Yesterday was a great day, and today is going to be another one. Even the pain will remind you of good news, not bad news. Thanks so much for this report — a lot of us are going to have a nicer day because of it.
Thank You JESUS! Absolutely wonderful news Jeanne! Praising God and thanking him. And yes now it’s time to breathe and mend. Continued prayers for a quick recovery.
I’m doing a little happy dance here for you all.
Hugs
Ingrid
Jeannie and George…
GOD IS GREAT!
Best news ever.. truly!!!! Congratulations!
Now you can breathe:)
Love and hugs?❤️?
Good news. Hoping for a quick recovery. Prayers. ?????
Wonderful to hear the good news! So happy.
I’m going to try Linda’s click the notify of new posts idea and see if I can get back to receiving your posts by email. Thanks Linda!
Smiling here with the outcome. 🙂
You are very welcome!
Happy tears here!! I will be smiling all day. Life will be normal again soon — a new normal perhaps but a good one nonetheless.
So happy!
I don’t need to wish you a great day. I know you are having one.
Take care–
Dear Jeanne, what wonderful news! Thank you for taking the time out to share it with us. We know you are busy being a caregiver and you have little time or energy to do much else. Each of your little missives is precious to us and keeps us informed. Thanks for taking us on your journey. Prayers continue.
Jeanne this is wonderful news, now George can heal and recover knowing that hopefully the worst is over. This Wednesday was a special day for us as well as, after a two year fight with bowel cancer, my husband was discharged by the consultant. He will have to have follow up tests for the next few years but I know just how you feel about being able to breath again.
So happy for the both of you, Lorna!
Congratulations to you both, Lorna. Being a support person is not like being the patient, but it’s very hard in different ways, and the caregiver should be sure to give herself some major credit. I’ve been there and done that and am watching my sister do the same. I think everyone here agrees. You have earned treasures in heaven and been a treasure on earth.
I’m so Happy for both of you, Dear Jeanne !! Such Great News !!
Thanks Lord for your Husband and Yourself.
Please, go on taking care of both of you..
Love,
Joelle.
Thank you SO much, everyone!!
We are still rejoicing over our good news. It was all I could do to wait until this morning to share it all with you…if I could have, I would have called each and every one of you to tell you in person.
We had a home nurse help us with the ostomy bag again today. I was having trouble keeping the area dry while trying to get the bag adhered to his skin… this nurse today was a blessing and gave me some great tips and was going to order us some new adhesive to help it stick better.
We got up at 6:30 because his bag was leaking, and at 11:00 we were still working on it…ugh!
But that nurse who came really helped us and it’s good now!!
Thank you again for all your comments and blessings and prayers through all this. I really hadn’t planned on my blog being so much about all this, but in actuality, that’s all my life has had going on right now…so thanks for hanging around with me.
On the way home from St. Louis yesterday, I found myself thinking of doll dresses…and who might be up first for one when I get back to sewing…I’ll keep you in suspense, but you could give me your suggestions if you like… :o)
Thanks so much,
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh, my, Jeanne–I can sure identify with the leaking bag problem–sounds very familiar! We had quite a time the first weeks after Ron had his colostomy, too. Eventually, though, I think something “clicks” and suddenly it becomes easier! Hang in there!!
Prayers continue.
Praise God for the wonderful news. Now you can both relax and heal as you enjoy the beautiful summer weather.
If you thinking of doll dresses… things are already on the mend.
I’ll vote for that Civil War dress I believe Paula and I were discussing when you made the last AG dress. I think Molly was the model, but I’m not sure and Paula and I both thought that particular fabric would make a gorgeous Civil War dress. Do you recall?
We love ya’ll too, and that is exactly the news we have all been waiting for! God is so good and so merciful. I will still be praying for you and George, but now they will be prayers of praise and thanks.
What wonderful news! I’m shedding tears too, having just read your post. I will continue to pray for both of you, and I am also thanking God for answered prayer.
Seems I got notified of this post a day late. No matter! I’m praising God with you in this news Jeanne! God is so good. 🙂 A great bit of news to start my day.
It is 6:25 AM and I have just read your email. I praise God for his mercy, faithfulness and compassion. I praise God for this overwhelming gift that the cancer had not spread and for answer to prayer. For certain just as the poem “Footprints In The Sand” God has been carrying George and you. I recall the hymn “It’s Just Like His Great Love” verse 3:
Oh I could sing forever of Jesus love divine
Of all his care and tenderness for this poor life of mine
His love is in and over all, and wind and waves obey
When Jesus whispers peace be sill and rolls the clouds away.
It’s just like Jesus to roll the clouds away, It’s just like Jesus to keep me day by day,
It’s just like Jesus all along the way, It’s just like His great love.
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. III John 2
My heart sings and praises God for this wonderful news.
So beautifully said, Laureen–it certainly touched me. Thank you.
God is awesome! So thankful.
Heureuse nouvelle, merci Seigneur.
(Translated from French…)
Happy news, thank you Lord.
Jeanne, I am overjoyed at hearing such great results!! I will continue to pray that it stays that way!! ((((HUGS))))
I think everyone also exhaled! I did’t even know there was weight and worry on my shoulders until that exhale so you and your family must be floating around.
Medical devices are tricky but with practice it will become normal and almost routine and one day you’ll realize that it was done without even noticing, kind of like your car being on automatic pilot from church to home.
Anyway congratulations on the happy news and thank you for sharing your life and being friends with all of us.
Oh thank heavens! Wishing your dear husband an absence of pain and a return to (the new) normal as soon as possible. Doing the happy Snoopy dance in GA! 🙂
Oh my…that is the best news ever. The horrid waiting is over so now just to get used to your new normal. I am so happy for you and George…God has answered prayers from all of us and many more people!
(((Hugs!)))
Saturday morning! Today my sister and I will take our nephew to lunch to celebrate his recent trip to England. Too bad we don’t have an English restaurant here, but we’re settling on Italian, since there are lots of good Italian restaurants in England.
I hope all the good news has somehow made George’s pain easier to manage. Hope is such a help, and the knowledge that everything appears to be going right and you are learning the management skills that you need must be encouraging.
What era dress would I like to see you work on next? I’m going to go with Laura and say Civil War era. A beautiful summer dress should be nice to work on — you have lots of fabric and loads of trim that people have been sending. It might be nice to use some of that as inspiration. It’s good that the emergency breath-holding is over and you have a little time to consider sewing again. Just being able to consider sewing must be a lovely change.
Dear Jeanne, I hope you are able to get some rest and just clear your mind a little.
Today, is Saturday, June 9. I want to wish you and all of your blog family a Happy World Doll Day!
Jeanne I am so sorry your precious husband had to have this surgery but glad to hear it has not spread anywhere else. You have been in my thoughts and prayers.
With travel time and visiting, I haven’t adequately commented on the wonderful news. It’s wonderful to hear your joy at the pathology results. Quite amazing given the seriousness of the disease. We are all soooooo happy for you and your entire extended family, including your blog followers. We are all so relieved right along with you. Hope things get to a new normal very soon. If any two people can do it, you and George can. Thanks again for forwarding the wonderful news.
Thanks to Dorothy for telling us about World Doll Day. I have several dolls here who would like to celebrate with new outfits. I’m telling them to shop their own closets.
Marilyn, hello. Only one of my girls got a new dress for World Doll Day. That is because she had to attend a red carpet event (smile). It was so much fun!
I hope you are sending Jeanne a picture.