Getting a little closer to a game plan

Today I met with both my Dr. and the Oncology Dr (who is actually a pediatric oncologist, but she will accept patients up to age 30. I have to see a pediatric oncologist b/c this type of disease is more common in 10-20 year olds). I decided that I do want to continue receiving my treatments at Shands in Gainsville. The hospital is one of the best in the country and my Dr's are also the best in their respective fields. I just really feel that I will not only receive the best care here, but that my Dr.'s genuinely care about me and helping me to get well. I entertained choosing a place to receive chemo closer to home to make it easier on those that would be helping me get there, but I felt in my heart that I needed to choose Shands and trust the Lord with the getting here part.

Tomorrow I will have surgery in the morning to install a port in my chest that will be primarily used for chemo. It can also be used for drawing blood and giving me IV meds. It's basically like a permanent IV. That will make life much easier. As it stands I've been poked up and down my arms so many times that my arms resemble pin cushions, lol!!!

I have been doing PT since Friday. The epidural that I have to manage the pain has made it very difficult to do the PT, so after the surgery tomorrow they will be removing it. The PT that I'm doing this time is much different that when I had the first surgery back in December. Which leads us to another big decision that was made today. Sometime soon (this week hopefully) I will be going to a rehab facility where I will do more intense PT three hours a day. It will be broken up throughout the day though, lol. Otherwise it would be like boot camp lol. I'm very relieved that they are sending me to rehab and think that it will make getting around and doing for myself (even if it's only little things) much easier when I return home. I will be in the rehab facility for approximately seven days. It's also located here in Gainsville. Once I am done in rehab I will be admitted back to the hospital to receive my first round of chemo. Then I get to come home for a little while :) YAY!!!

Whew...... that's a lot of information isn't it. I'm still absorbing all of it. After discussing all these things with the doctors today I think the reality of it all started hitting me. Today was my first hard day. I know it won't be the last, but I am praying and hoping for more good days than bad!

I have a few specific prayer requests:
Total and complete healing
The swelling in my left leg to go away
Successful surgery in the morning
The Lord's continued strength & peace
Jarred's comfort
To be a good testimony and a light to those around me in the hospital and in rehab

Ok, so I would love to write some more but I am seriously fall