The Biopsy

My mother flew in from Edmonton on Tuesday, the 16th of September.   She came in to be with me for my biopsy.  Surgery was scheduled for the next day.  To keep my body healthy and to build up my immune system, I had been hiking Vancouver's beautiful trails.    I love to hike around the trails in Vancouver and wanted to desperatly share the beauty of our wonderful trail heads with her.  She is into her 70's, so I chose a fairly easy trail in Belcarra.  We spent three hours marvelling at God's beauty.  It was a perfectly sunny day and it was wonderful to keep our minds off of the impending surgery the next day. 

The day outside was beautiful I noticed, as I was being driven to Vancouver General Hospital the next morning.  When we were scheduling surgery, I had asked Dr. Rootman, the ocular surgeon, to release me from hospital as soon as possible.  The last time I was in a hospital I caught three superbugs and ever since then I have been extremely leary of staying in hospitals.  Dr. Rootman assured me that he could do the surgery and release me the same day.  

Sphenoid Wing Meningioma

The tumor was situated behind my right eye.  Dr. Rootman planned to go through my eye socket to gain access to the area behind my eye.  We arrived at the Day-Op waiting room at about 10:30 am and waited our turn to be called into the unit.  It wasn't long before we were called in and I was placed on a stretcher in a little curtained-off area of the unit.  This particular Day-Op is in an area of the hospital for more critical cases.  I thought to myself that if this area of the hospital had the Critical Care Unit, the Burn Unit, the Trauma Unit, etc., then they must clean it pretty good to make sure there are no superbugs.  It made me relax a little more.

After a bunch of blood tests and pre-op preparations by a lovely nurse, Dr. Rootman came into the room and introduced himself to my mother and I.  He said that he thought that it was a meningionoma, although he was not sure, because this tumor seemed to be presenting itself differently.  He would know better once he got through with surgery.  He said that the muscle behind the eye is usually  paralyzed so that the eyeball cannot move from side to side or up and down.  I didn't have these symptoms, nor other symptoms normally associated with  this type of brain tumor.

Surgery went well and Dr. Rootman advised that he was able to get a good piece of the tumor.  What was amazing to me was that my blood sugar readings were right on for the entire surgery.  I am a Type 1 Diabetic and sugar readings can be all over the map when you cannot eat 12 hours before surgery.  Praise God, for He already created a miracle within me and kept my blood sugar readings in the 7's.  As my friend, Lisa, put it later - that is God's number.  Praise God, He was in control.    Dr. Rootman asked me to return to his office on September 29th for the results of the biopsy.

Update on Monday, October 6, 2008 at 1:27PM by Sylvia Achtem

I would like to thank everyone for their many prayers and support during this time. I also would like to thank you all for your words of encouragement and all the many wonderful flowers sent to my home. God is so great! What a wonderful God we serve! Praise His holy name! Here are some of the words of enouragement.

Dear Sylvia,   (October 6, 2008)

God woke me up at 5:15 this morning and after reading His precious Word, I had about 45 minutes prayer time. During that time you were one of the people on my heart and in my prayers. The Holy Spirit whispered in to my heart that I should share that prayer with you. So, in obedience, I will.

Father, Thank you for my precious friend, Sylvia. She is not only precious to me, she is infinitely precious to You! God, I bring Sylvia before you this morning and I ask you to minister to her today. You know all the disappointing things she has been through in the past months. You wept with her as she walked through them and you bottled up all the tears that were shed. Father, you also led her to victory over smoking and we rejoice together over that.

Father, Your promise to Sylvia this morning is that you will give her a deep peace that passes understanding that will keep here heart and her mind in Christ Jesus. Father, Your Word also says that you love her and that nothing shall offend her. You are her strength today, You are her portion today. You are her light today, You are her fortress today. Nothing that happens today, in Sylvia's life is a surprise to You because you know the end from the beginning.

Father, I bring Sylvia to you and I pray for her in regards to the surgery which awaits her. I firmly believe that You can heal her with just one word, or a touch from your hand. But we don't know what your plan is for Sylvia. We know that You do all things well and so we entrust Sylvia in to Your care. You said before we call, You will answer. 

If it is somehow in Your plans for Sylvia that she have this surgery then God this is my prayer for her. God, I bring the surgery to you now. I pray for the Cranial surgeon, the Ocular Specialist and the Cancer specialist. In the name of Jesus, I pray that as they meet together to discuss how best to do this surgery so that it will be successful that you would give them wisdom. And I pray that as they perform the surgery that you will guide their eyes, and their hands. I pray that you will keep Sylvia's blood sugar balanced before, throughout and after the surgery. Father I pray that you would bring Sylvia through the surgery with absolutely no problems, and that the time of her recovery will cause everyone to be astounded. And I know Lord, that you will complete the healing that only You can do.

And Lord, I pray that as Sylvia recovers there will be no lingering pain or swelling. I believe for total recovery for Sylvia, Lord. Father, there is so much You have in store for Sylvia. She has only just begun what You plan to accomplish in her. I know that as she takes time in Your word and prayer that you are renewing her mind. You are also equipping her for the future because you never call us in to something new without equipping us to do the work of the ministry You call us to. Father, you are so good to us. Just like Jesus put Himself into your hands when he died upon Calvary's cross,

I put Sylvia in your hands and ask you to continue the good work you have started in her. (Philippians 1:6) Thank you Father for hearing my prayer. In Jesus' name AMEN. Sylvia, be encouraged. I love you and I trust that you will sense His sweet presence today especially.

Janet

(A response from my parents)    October 8th, 2008

Dear Sylvia,

When problems come our way, it is good to know the Lord Jesus on a personal basis, and to have friends who do too. Better yet, when these friends know how to pray and partition the Lord on your behalf. Thank you for giving us insight into such a loving battle. The ‘Saints of God’ are precious in His sight and we love them too. Our thoughts and prayers are always with you Sylvia and your family that you all may all grow together through this time of testing; and be grounded in the ‘Faith of God’.

Yes, it is touching to read the prayer of Janet and in doing so to agree with her in all she expressed. When you phoned and gave us your biopsy-results, we can only put our trust in God. The next day a friend of ours, Debbi T phoned she also on the same day got her results of her tests, not so good for her. A massive growth on her ovary has to be removed on October the 8.th. But before we could even pray for her, when she heard about you, she interceded with such fervent anointed prayer for you, it moved me to tears. These prayers, Sylvia, are not said and done with; they remain before Lord in golden bowls, and are precious in his sight and are still effective and working.

As for our faith? Yes it is being tested! The apostle Peter shows us how we can make it even more helpful by bolstering its strength: ”For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2.Peter 1:5-8 Well I guess we can use all the help we can get!

So dear Sylvia we wish for you an increased sense of the Lords presence, his comfort and strength with much love and prayers

Mom and Dad.