UPDATE ON CHUCK

I was thinking I had already posted how things were going with Chuck since his procedure for Prostate Cancer, but I guess I haven't so here goes.

The Procedure went superbly! It could not have gone better. They got all the cancer. He had cryotherapy instead of radiation and chemo. It is a new procedure and was performed by Dr. Ellis in Arlington at USMD hospital which is a physician owned hospital. Dr. Ellis is a Cancer Surgeon specializing in Prostate Cancer.

The first doctor we went to suggested twelve weeks of radiation with radiation seeds. He informed us if Chuck did not have the procedure he would die. Well being the child of God that I am, I thought no one can predict death but God. I have faith to move mountains, I believe God can do anything and above all that I could even ask or think, so I began to look for alternative treatments.

I found two procedures, one being HIFU, which is High Intensity Ultrasound and the other is Cryoblation. Both have been successful, HIFU is done in Canada and other places by american doctors. The other is being done here in the US, so we elected to do it. We were met by Dr. Ellis, he explained to us that anytime in the past when he heard the word cancer, he immediately thought...cut it out! But now he believes surgery, radiation, radiation seeds and chemo are some of the worst treatments. This is not to say they don't work in some cases, this is just his view.

So we elected to go with the Cryoblation and Chuck is cancer free. He had the treatment at 7am, he was home by 11am, he had a catheter for seven days, but was able to strap it to his leg and go wherever he wanted, he had hardly any pain and was back to work in two weeks. He has to go in for a checkup in six weeks, three months, one year then three years, but the success rate is really high. He has no pain and no side effects at all.

So I give God all the glory, He has been good to us. I am thankful for doctors who are wlling to try new treatments!

General Thanksgiving - By the PRESIDENT of the United States Of America

WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houfes of Congress have, by their joint committee, requefted me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to eftablifh a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and affign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of thefe States to the fervice of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our fincere and humble thanksfor His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the fignal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpofitions of His providence in the courfe and conclufion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have fince enjoyed;-- for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to eftablish Conftitutions of government for our fafety and happinefs, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;-- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are bleffed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffufing useful knowledge;-- and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleafed to confer upon us.

And also, that we may then unite in moft humbly offering our prayers and fupplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and befeech Him to pardon our national and other tranfgreffions;-- to enable us all, whether in publick or private ftations, to perform our feveral and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a bleffing to all the people by conftantly being a Government of wife, juft, and conftitutional laws, difcreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all fovereigns and nations (especially fuch as have shewn kindnefs unto us); and to blefs them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increafe of fcience among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind fuch a degree of temporal profperity as he alone knows to be beft.

GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand feven hundred and eighty-nine.

(signed) G. Washington

What Would Love Do?

As I was reading my bible yesterday, it seemed God was guiding me and showing me things in my life. He took me to my job, my coworkers, our doctor, to my husband, then my children, then to the other children God has given me, He then guided me to our home, to our ministry and to the Church, to my blog friends, my neighborhood, our soldiers, their families, the world around me, the homeless right here in my town, there are people everywhere who need our prayers. I was so moved as He spoke to my heart, He gave me answers to so many questions I have and when I feel I don't have answers to everything, and I can't fix things I want to fix, He spoke this to me..."what would love do?"

Many times as we travel this journey of life I believe God guides us and speaks to us. I was broken yesterday and He lifted me up. My husband just had cryotherapy for Prostate Cancer and both of us realize the cancer was a gift. God is using it to His purpose. It has made us stop and think, it has made us listen, it has made us realize none of us are getting out of this life alive, yet we have the hope of Life after this and how incredible that will be. The cryotherapy was successful, it went very well and Chuck is doing great, but if it hadn't, He is still holding us in the palm of His hand.

I am thankful today and I am so so blessed. You are all in my prayers, your comments mean much to me. Although we may never meet, you are each and everyone special. Some of you are going through trials and sicknesses, hurt and pain. God knows and hears, He is working out His plan and it is wonderful. I will lift each of you up today!!