Walking by Faith; Showers of Blessings

Flo Minor - junior high teacher:

"Walking by Faith; Showers of Blessings"

These Biblical sayings have always been personal favorites, but the past week, they have become words to live by.

On Wednesday, September 24th I entered the hospital to have a large ovarian cyst removed. By all indications, this was to be a routine procedure in which I was to spend a few days in the hospital and 6 weeks recuperating at home. After removing the cyst and beginning to examine it, the doctor determined the inside of the cyst was in fact cancerous.

The pathologists at St. Mary's Hospital were unable to make a determination as to the kind of cancer present, so samples were sent to the Mayo Clinic for further review and diagnosis.

This past Monday, September 29, the pathology report from Mayo was returned and it has been determined that I have a form of ovarian cancer known as grade 1, mucinous cancer. When speaking of ovarian cancer, most people are referring to a very serious, very aggressive cancer; this is not the case with me. Although an uncommon form of ovarian cancer, at this point my prognosis looks very good. My local doctor believes that we have caught this in the very early stages and that with treatment, I should be fine. I will be meeting with a gynecology onocologist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis early next week. After that meeting, I hope to know more about the treatment and time-frame I am facing.

Although this diagnosis came as quite a shock to my family and I; I am determined to fight and to do whatever is necessary to allow me to return to St. Joseph Cathedral School and to my kids. I would love for my doctors to be able to give me a guarantee that I will be fine, but I realize that this is where faith comes into play. I must let go, and walk in faith that I will be healed and given all that I need to face this journey.

I want to also thank you for the many, many cards, flowers, gifts and of course, prayers that I have received so far. I know how I feel about all of you, but it isn't often that we are given the opportunity to know what we mean to others. I have been given that gift and I am truly blessed. I am simply overwhelmed by the kindness and compassion you have shown me. There are simply no words to express the blessings by which I have been showered. I ask that you continue to keep me in your prayers, and I will continue to keep you in mine.