Deb’s Update, and a Blessing:

Good morning and we hope this finds all well.

As you know, Deb decided on a second opinion, and boy, we’re all sure glad she did!

First off, no surgery, and since we had an appointment with her new Doctor Monday afternoon this was stressed once more…no surgery.
Upon leaving his office yesterday, we left with our game plan in hand. I have to tell you guys that after we had gotten back home, I literally could see that she obviously was relieved just from now, finally knowing the direction we are headed. Plus, we are finally fixing to settle in once more to some sort of schedule in our lives.

Wednesday we go to have a port placed in her body. I’m sure everyone knows this is for chemo treatments.

The doctor came in and said we have got the second best news we could have, the first being simply taking a pill. But now, after he has looked at the biopsy report he had us do, she would indeed have to take chemo.

This will start Wednesday the 15th, and continue once every three weeks, for at least six treatments. But before we left, he told Deb that he felt we stood a good chance of “kicking some butt,” in regards to her cancer. For those who possibly might not know, Deb has stage four breast cancer that has moved to another area below her tracheal tube…

Boy, she’s so comfortable with this Doctor and with her positivity on her end, she feels now that she’s with a Doctor with the same type of positivity on the medical end as well! She’s ready for her fight, and is anxious to get it on!

Let me thank each of you for all your support and prayers for my wife. I know that they’re intended for her, but I have to tell you what a comfort you guys have been for me, too. I feel so good, that so many, love and care for my wife, and you’ve shown it through your comments and e-mails to us. It truly is overwhelming to me. We are indebted to you all! Thank you again!

If you guys don’t mind, I’d like to share a story that happened to us yesterday. It is a testament to how Our Lord works.

Deb and I have never been church goers, but I talk to him every day, and Deb I’m sure, does as well. We both are strong believers in our Lord, and have no doubt he truly does exist, and guides our lives. We lean on him many, many times, and I promise the ones out there that don’t know of his love for you, you need to stop and take a look, He’s beside you even as you’re reading this. He is truly a God of love and we need to thank him for this throughout our lives…

Anyway, Deb and I found the experience we had happen to us yesterday such a blessing, and again, this actually happened. Here goes…
We go Hwy. 27 to I-4, and then take I-4 into Orlando. It’s about an hour and a half ride from our house. As soon as we got onto I-4 yesterday, the traffic was stopped. It took us 30 minutes to reach the next exit, which by the way is only two miles.

We had convinced ourselves top get off on that exit, call and reschedule her appointment, as we saw no way to possibly make the appointment on time.

We decided though, after reaching this exit to continue on to the next exit, about four miles up the road. At this point we could see the accident, a tractor trailer had turned over in the median, but we saw also traffic had started moving pretty well right past the accident…

We make the appointment and are sitting in the waiting room, and this place was absolutely crushed with people, they were so busy.

At this point a gentleman about my dad’s age walks in, goes to the desk and is telling the nurse that he was sorry he was a little late, but he had gotten backed up in traffic at Hwy. 27 and I-4. We informed her this was true and we’d gone through the same thing getting there today.

Well, it’s unusual to see someone from our neck of the woods in Orlando, and we struck up a conversation with him. He was from Lake Wales, and we told him we had come from Haines City, and that we’d contemplated just rescheduling because the backup was so bad. He told us he’d considered the same thing.

While talking we discussed where we were all raised, and we got a kick that we all were native Floridians, which by the way, is becoming more and more unusual. Once he found out Deb was from Live Oak, he said he was a retired State Trooper, and had worked that area.

He said he’d had a good friend up there, but his name just wouldn’t come to him at this time. He told Deb though that he had a used car lot, and Deb asked was it Mr. Poole? He ‘bout fell out of the chair and said, “Yes honey, that’s him.”

He thought that was just the neatest thing. Then he found out from the nurse that his appointment was for another day, not today, and they didn’t have his medicine ready.

He took it like a champ, and told us before leaving that we were at the very best place we could be in regards to this Doctor, and how fortunate we had been simply to just get in to see this Doctor. He also told Deb that when he first came to this group he was confined to a wheelchair, but look at him now. Seriously, this gentleman looked like a picture of health!

He then said goodbye, and left.

About 30 minutes later, he suddenly appears back in the waiting room with us, and I asked him what he’d forgotten?

He sat back down with us, and told us that he hoped we wouldn’t consider him crazy after what he had to say next.

He told Deb that if she remembered, Mr. Poole was an elder in the Mormon Church, and Deb said that no, in fact he’d been a friend of her Dad’s, and she didn’t know him that well.

He then told Deb that Mr. Poole had convinced him in coming to the Mormon faith, and that now, he too was an ordained elder in the Mormon Church. He also said that upon getting back to his car, he just couldn’t find in himself to go ahead and leave, and he thought back over what all we’d talked about during our conversation earlier.

He stated that because of the wreck on I-4, Deb and I had considered rescheduling our appointment…but didn’t, we come on anyway.

He then said that he’d told us the exact same thing earlier, that because of the wreck, he too considered getting off at the first exit and rescheduling his appointment as well…but didn’t!

He also stated that after changing his mind and coming to his appointment, he then found out that he was up here on the wrong date, and couldn’t even pick up his medicine!

So he said, “Kid’s this isn’t just a coincidental , or chance meeting…this was all done by God’s hand. This is what I was struggling with for so long down in the parking lot, and I almost drove off, but God had led us all here today, and we were supposed to be here at this time.

So, I’ve come back up here to see you guys once more…and ask if I may bless Deb? By my being an ordained elder of the Church, I can perform these blessings, and I feel strongly that God has pointed out Deb to me for me to Bless, would you mind?”

I personally almost fell out of my chair, and told him it would be appreciated by me, but was entirely up to Deb. Deb then told him that she’d be proud if he would do so.

That man then waited once more about another hour until we saw the Doctor, and got scheduled for the port installation, and her first chemo treatment. I mean the man just sat and waited for us to finish up!

Once leaving the office, we went down to the elevators, and found a quiet little corner, and that man performed a blessing for my wife Deb. This was just so unbelievable to me, and I and Deb both were convinced, just as he was, that this was not just a chance meeting, but we’d met through the grace of God!

How inspiring is that, guys? I’m telling you all that our Lord does indeed work in mysterious ways, and no matter what we’re faced with, he’s standing right there beside you!

We exchanged phone numbers, and I’m telling you right now, I’ll be calling that man TODAY, and thanking him once more for his love, concern, prayers, and blessings for my Deb!

Anyway guys, thank you all so much for your love and prayers, too. Thank you also for stopping back by to visit with us, and we wish the very best for you and yours! God Bless you all!

As Deb says, “Keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!”

Dub and Deb