Trial or Miracle???? Pam's story Continues... and Craig too!

Well, alot is going on in the life of the Mace's and Baldwin's. First let me update you on me. (Pam)...
Today was my 1 week followup from my cancer surgery. With that follow up came good news and bad. (which was expected). The good news is that they were able to go in and remove ALL the cancer in my left breast. So I am cancer free as of last week! However.... The pathology results also showed that there is an area in my breast where the lobular gland and duct meet at the nipple. The surgeon was not sure if he would be able to clear that area. And he was right. He was not able to. The pathology report said that it is not LCIS cancer, however it came back as Atypical lobular hyperplasia involving the large duct. Which basically means I am at a VERY HIGH risk of Invasive (spreading) of the cancer. The report also shows there are several benign and precancerous tumors as well.
At this time, all my files have been faxed over to MD Anderson Cancer Center and I should be hearing from them tomorrow or Monday, to determine further treatment. If the hyperplasia cannot be treated, a mastectomy may need to be done in the near future. So, we wait for MD Anderson to determine which direction they want to take. Considering there are several benign tumors in the right breast as well, the surgeon believes radiation will be the next step. But..... there is a chance they may just keep a close eye on me and see what comes up. I'm not to thrilled about the wait and see approach, as I know this was found early for a reason and I don't want to risk it going into full blown cancer and chemo. Although it would be nice to be cleared to go to Idaho for the 2 months in December as planned. So I will leave it in the Lord's hands.

My little brother Craig, on the other hand, has had a VERY hard week. After he was admitted back into the hopsital (thanks to a VERY good Oncologist), he has been through a zillion tests, procedures and surgeries.... This week they did a Brain MRI, a Spinal tap, (at which they also put in a bag of chemo during the spinal tap, as a precautionary measure, so if the cancer is not in that area, it will keep the cancer free from there as they go in and do the other procedures). After the spinal tap, his neck went stiff. And he has been in severe pain. The stupid nurse came and gave him a tylenol, (which he argued and said he was NOT suppose to have because of his liver) but the nurse argued and told him it was on his charts and ok to take. So he did. Later the doctor came in and had a fit as my brother IS NOT to have tylenol or anything like it because of a non functioning liver!
Yesterday, he also had a heart test (surgical procedure) done. Because this took longer than expected, his other procedures were put off. Today he went in for a PET scan which will tell the doctors where the cancer has spread to. Once again, because this took longer than expected, they were not able to do other procedures necessary.
Tomorrow the plan is to drain the liver (which is a very serious surgical procedure) in the morning, then do a bone marrow test, and hopefully be able to start the chemo. We do not know for sure if it will happen or not, but we do know that these are the last two procedures he needs to have done before they can begin the chemo. So we pray that there will not be any complications with the procedures tomorrow.
The Mace family and Baldwin family want to thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, love and support. Although this is hard on Craig and I dealing with cancer, we know it is especially hard on our kids. But we know the Lord is with us. We are eternally grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who knows what we are all going through.
As I have said before, and has become the Family Motto.... "WE WILL FIGHT THIS AND WE WILL WIN!!!!!! Until next time....