Good News

In reference to my previous blog, I saw Dr. Marks on Friday, 11-19-2010. He read my test results and decided to do a deeper biopsy, leaving me with three stitches. The biopsy was OK but the numbing was horrible. He went ahead and scheduled me to have the mole removed on Wednesday, 11-24-2010. He stated he would be surprised if the melanoma had gone any deeper than a millimeter. If it had, he would reschedule me for surgery in the OR and they would check my lymph nodes. On Tuesday, 11-23-2010, the appointment scheduler called and said she had good news. My most recent biopsy showed the cancer had not grown down past one millimeter and I could have it removed on Wednesday at 10:00. Praise God for his infinite grace and mercy. On Wednesday, Dr. Marks removed the mole and melonoma with a "wide" incision as to not miss any of the melonoma. He stated this melanoma was discovered early and for me not to worry about it any longer. My back has been sore since, but I will take soreness over cancer anytime. I'm not supposed to lift anything heavy or do anything strenuously for about 3 to 4 weeks according to the Doc as to not open my wound. I had some extensive Christmas decorating planned, but I guess I will scale back on that. Maybe my grandson Dylan can help me do most of it. He is 14 and all muscle. He is as tall as me, now. My wife, Brenda, said she wasn't worried about the decorating and that she would rather have me than all the decorating I could do. She loves me more than life itself.

Today, my family and I celebrated Thanksgiving with a huge meal. Everyone pitched in and brought part of the meal. My oldest daughter, Jennifer, brought sweet potato casserole and deviled eggs. My youngest daughter, Missy, brought corn pudding, a pumpkin roll and a pumpkin pie(my favorite). My wife, Brenda, and I supplied the turkey, candied yams, green beans with whole potatoes, yeast rolls, cranberry salad, jellied cranberry sauce (for me and my son-by-law Zach), and watergate salad. Oh and don't forget Brenda's wonderful dressing. We all ate until we were past full, cleaned up the kitchen and then sat back down for pumpkin pie and pumpkin roll. Wow, were we all stuffed. My grandchildren, Ayden(1 year) and Alyson (6 years) also ate with us. Little Ayden will eat about anything and is such a good eater. He even liked the cranberry sauce and especially the marshmallows from the candied yams that his Aunt Jenn fed him. Alyson is a picky eater and ended up eating sandwich slices of honey ham and yeast rolls. Go fiqure. My oldest grandson, Dylan (14 years) decided to spend the weekend with his best friend, Seth, and his family at Seth's grandmother's house. He enjoys going there and they are his second family. He spent all day yesterday with us and helped us fix some things aroung the house. We all missed him, but we knew he was having a good time with his "brother" Seth and his family.

Only two more work days, Monday and Tuesday, until retirement. I don't plan on doing much work those two days, but I will be there. The people I work with are throwing me a party on Tuesday afternoon. I hope to see all my coworkers there and many that I have worked with in the past. I'm going to miss most of the people I work with now, but I won't miss the job. Too many stresses and too much to remember to do my job. It will be really strange being retired. I've had a job since I was 15 1/2 and I just turned 58. I don't think I will ever get bored. I can think of a hundred things I need to do around the house and yard. I'm sure Brenda has a list of her own for me and that's OK.

Better go. Have a wonderful Thankgiving weekend and a wonderful Christmas season.