Again, thank you Suzanne for checking in with Rob. I'm sorry everyone I have been among the missing for the past 4 days. As many of you knew I had a needle biopsy scheduled on the Dec. 21st on the abdominal cyst. It turned into an incredible saga. On the 21st I was scheduled to show up at the hospital at 9 for the biopsy. The abdominal pain began at 7:30 am I couldn't take anything because I was NPO (no food, drink, medicine by mouth). The pain just kept intensifying. I managed to get the bloodwork done at 10:30 and the procedure was scheduled for 2:30. My husband tried to get them to put in the IV and administer pain med by IV, but they said they would cancel the procedure. But at 2pm I told Rob I couldn't do this anymore. I was at a pain level of 9, almost passing out. They finally agreed to get me on a stretcher and into the procedure as quickly as they could. I have no idea how the anesthesiologist managed to get the IV into me, since I was screaming and writhing, but he did. And I was so grateful. The next time I woke up, I was on a moving gurney, and it was dark. I was admitted to the hospital (from the ER, another story with that) with bleeding from the biopsy and the aftermath of the severe pain. I was released today. Rob managed to get me home around noontime, but I spent some time on the phone with Suzanne and then with a friend who came to check up on me and then I slept. There is lots more to the story, but you have the gist of it. I will tell you that I could not eat for 2 days because they were unsure if I would need to go into surgery, but hurray the bleeding stopped and is now clearing up. I am happily home, very tired but my handsome hubby is taking very good care of me. And I was sent home with good instructions on pain control and a small supply of better pain control medicine for when the pain intensifies. The doctors are beginning to agree that the pain is involving a nerve or nerves (where they have no idea or why) and I need to go to a much larger facility to get a better diagnosis and possible treatment.

We did get the news that the mass is benign, but no other info on it. And no idea if it can stay or will need to be removed in the future. We do know that if it needs to be removed, it will not be an easy surgery because it is located near just about everything, stomach, pancreas, small and large intestine.

I am so very grateful for 2 specialists, a surgeon and a gastroenterologist who have gone above and beyond the normal call of duty for me. And for the incredible hospital staff of nurses, CNAs, and kitchen staff who actually made a special plate of food for me when I was allowed solid food yesterday afternoon.

I know I have a bit of a recovery ahead of me, but I will get through this. And in January I have several doctor appointments, so the journey continues.

Thank you to everyone who have been and continue to pray for me. I know those prayers were very much needed this past week.

Rob and I will have a very quiet and peaceful Christmas filled with thankfulness for Christ's birth and the many blessings He poured out on us this week. I hope you all have a wonderful day filled with peace, love, friends and family.