Yesterday’s devotional from The Upper Room so resonated with me. After tearing her second ACL, the author said, “I felt as if I would never understand where God was in all this or how God could possibly use this injury for my good.” But after reading Philippians 4, she said, “I decided that although I didn’t understand why I was going through this trial, I knew that turning to God would be the only way I could get through it. I took a leap of faith and decided to trust God.” (The Upper Room)
This was exactly my experience a little over a year ago when I first suspected that I might have breast cancer. I too took a leap of faith and decided to trust God. That was the most important decision I could have made–deciding to trust God changed everything. I didn’t decide to trust God believing that if I did, everything would be fine–I decided to trust God COME WHAT MAY. Isaiah 41:10 continues to be the verse I stand on: “Do not fear, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you by my righteous right hand.”
If you are facing difficult circumstances, I pray that you, too, will make a decision to trust.
I am taking a respite from doing my usual blogs, focusing mainly on resting and being restored, so this blog is mainly a health update for those who aren’t in a position to receive them.
1/12/24
For those of you who don’t know, I had cataract surgery on my right eye yesterday. It wasn’t much fun and my vision is much worse right now than it was before. They tell me that’s not unusual and the doctor said yesterday it looked perfect for the first day. Please pray with me that the blurriness in this eye would clear up. I have the other eye scheduled for 1/25 but I won’t have it done unless my vision is very good by then in the one that was operated on.
1/15/24
As many of you know, I had cataract surgery in my right eye last Thursday. My vision in that eye after the surgery was much worse than before. I had a follow up appointment with the ophthalmologist the next day and he said everything looked perfect for the first day. He also told me to see the pharmacist for, what turned out to be, some very expensive eyedrops which should help to clear my eye more quickly. On Sunday afternoon when I woke up from my nap, there was definite improvement in my vision —I still couldn’t see to read with my right eye, but my vision was definitely better. However, this morning, the improvement was gone. My instructions said if I noticed vision getting worse, I was to call the office right away. I have an appointment at 12:45 today to see the doctor. Please pray for him for wisdom.
Last May I had the first surgery in my cancer journey. Tomorrow I will have the second surgery. I need to be at Saint Elizabeth’s in Youngstown at 6:45 a.m. The surgery will be done outpatient. Please pray for good roads, wisdom for my surgeon, peace for Donn, and a minimum of pain and nausea for me.
Thank you so much for all your prayers. I appreciate them more than I can say
!
Eye Doctor Appointment update: January 15, 2024
I’m so impressed with my ophthalmologist and his staff. They are so thorough and kind. The tech person did some tests and the doctor came in and spent some time looking at my eyes. He said there is still a lot of swelling in the eye and he prescribed another type of eye drops for me to use in addition to the ones he already had me using. He said it has nothing to do with my macular degeneration. He wants to see me in a week. I really have confidence in him. Thank you so much for your prayers!
January 16, 2024 From my daughter, Angelyn Trumbull
Dad called to say that mom is out of surgery and the doctor said everything went according to plan. Praise the Lord! Thank you for your prayers and please continue 
Surgery update
1/16/23
8:15 pm
They tell me I did well during surgery, but I started throwing up in recovery after they started trying to wake me. They are in such a hurry to get people out of recovery they don’t have time to recover! When they weren’t able to get me awake to their satisfaction, the nurse told me to get dressed! Donn basically dressed me and got me home.
Thankfully, I slept for quite awhile at home, am in no pain, and haven’t thrown up since getting home. I felt good when I woke up after sleeping awhile at home but didn’t feel so great later. I just did find some food I could get down.
Please pray that I would be able to tolerate food and the medicines they want me to take. Thank you so much for your prayers.
Surgery Updates
January 17, 2024
Good morning dear praying friends!
My night went amazingly well! I haven’t gotten up yet but I had no pain at all and I don’t feel sick. I took one Tylenol PM last night, which my instructions suggested, although my surgeon prescribed pain medicine but praise God I didn’t need it. It hurt this morning when I turned to my right side toward Donn but not excruciating.
I had a question last evening about one of the meds my doctor had prescribed so I called the office number and my surgeon himself returned my call promptly to discuss it! I was so impressed! He was so kind and didn’t make me feel like a nuisance!
My vision in my right eye is still blurry but I think it’s affecting my vision less when I have both eyes open. Thank you so much for your prayers.
January 19, 2024 Update
I’m so thankful to say I’m continuing to do well. My eye isn’t all I want it to be yet, but I believe it is definitely improving.
I continue to be pain-free and nausea-free and have yet to need any of the pain medicine or nausea medicine that the doctor prescribed for my surgery on the 16th. I’m so thankful. I will see the surgeon’s PA on Monday.
As I read back over these updates, I wanted to add that other than my recovery room experience, my experience of having surgery at Saint Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown was all good. All of the nurses, doctors and anesthesia staff were wonderful. I suspect that the behavior of the person in charge of recovery might have been because she has instructions from the higher ups to get people moved out of recovery within a certain period of time. I’m hopeful to get a survey to fill out so I can pass along my experience to someone who might be able to do something about it.
Thank you again for all the prayers you’ve prayed on my behalf.
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85Jan Harpst, Roveen T. Yoder and 83 others