Love Notes From God

She entered my room at 5:30am, greeting us quietly as we blinked and tried to adjust to the light.  Joel had slept in the recliner close to my hospital bed where I rested in between compressions on my legs and the smiling faces of nurses doing their jobs throughout the night.  The beautiful young woman who came in was there to draw blood.  We chatted a bit, learning she had experienced a health scare herself recently....and that she was adopted from Guatemala.....we talked about all of our kids.......and as she left the room with my blood she said, "Ill be praying for you."

A love note from God.

Early the morning before a nurse had prepared me for surgery.  The IV line in, clothes exchanged for a gown, info gathered.  We chatted some about the usual topics and chatted about her granddaughter who was dealing with childhood arthritis.  As I left for the OR later she patted my arm and said, "God bless you." 

Another love note from God.

As I entered the OR I was introduced to two nurses in the room.  One said to me, I did not expect to see you here, it is usually in our neighborhood we see each other.  Turns out the nurse anethesist was our neighbor at the end of our cul-de-sac.  Tuesday I received a card from her and a wish for my healing.

A love note from God.

The morning after surgery the Breast Cancer Nurse advocate came in and talked to us.  She provided us with a sweet Teddy Bear and heart shaped pillow she gives all women who are battling breast cancer.  She had some good advice for how to care for the arm they took so many nodes from......and how to care for the chest incision.

A love note from God.

When we were in the hospital a woman we knew from the church Joel is Interim at came in and talked to us about having home health care, paid for by Medicare.  We said no at first, as we felt we could take care of ourselves.........but as she talked I felt Holy Spirit nudge me to say yes.  So I did.  We have had nurses coming 3 times a week to check my vitals, change my dressings, and answer our questions.  Saying yes to their support was the best thing we could have done with this surgery.

A love note from God.

Yesterday I was laying on the sofa and someone knocked on the door.  Joel was gone so I slowly got up and made my way to the door.  The woman immediately asked me if I was ok so I told her I had had surgery last week.....a double mastectomy.  She said, "I had one two years ago.  You need to rest a lot for sure."  As we visited I learned she is a neighbor a couple blocks from us, so I said, "My name is Renee....and she replied, My name is N___"  As she left she turned and said, "I will pray for you Renee."  No co-incidence that this woman who had the same surgery as me two years ago came to my door to deliver an invitation.  I did not know her, but she offered to pray for me.  Only God.

His love notes continue....

Throughout this surgery and recovery God has been showing up in His people.  It has been especially comforting to have all these love notes from GOD  as we learned that 5 of 26 lymph nodes were positive for cancer  The "good news" within the bad is that the cancer was contained in the nodes and had not broken out of the nodes.  As I recover from surgery and continue with the three drains another week, we wait to hear from the Oncologist and Oncology Radiologist about what is ahead. We were hoping the battle was over, but it is not.   So many people have been praying and we are so grateful for their/your support.  And as we wait, rest, pray, and trust without understanding, we look for those special notes from God that remind us of His love.