Loop-de-Loops are Less Fun on Wooden Roller Coasters

Excuse all of my mixed metaphors, when I tell you that Math would be less of a nuisance if I always had the answers to the variables.  Figuring out what values are x and y, is precisely what I hate about the subject entirely.  Unknowns are lousy.  


Likewise, if you can bare through my analogies, wooden roller coasters are really fun when you're younger.  The older you get, the more they just beat you around and hurt your neck.  


*sigh*  Unknowns and wooden roller coaster beatings are part of the general structure of life, but I maintain that they are still NOT my favorite -- particularly when it all begins to get complicated. 


I finally make my way to the point:  Ray's surgery is scheduled for March 22, a long ways from now.  As his cancer began to make its presence known in November, the five month delay in removing it feels far too long.  We've been told via the doctor and through our research online, that ideally, you want to extract the cancer no later than 3 months from diagnosis.  Ray and I talked briefly over the phone and plan to keep the surgery as scheduled, but also keep our appointment with Johns Hopkins for Tuesday, a week from today.  We'll see if there is a chance at getting surgery sooner there.  We also will be researching another doctor, a friend of a friend, who called Ray from the Goshen Cancer Center in the mid-west to give an over-the-phone consultation of sorts.  He may also be available for the surgery sooner.  


We are so fortunate to have such wonderful Christian friends.  Mrs. Ellouise, a pilar, emailed me this morning and said: "When we face something as major as this, it is so comforting to know that nothing comes into our lives that isn't first sifted through the loving fingers of our Heavenly Father and then be able to rest in the ultimate purpose of bringing honor and glory to Him.  I pray that our Heavenly Father will give you both a supernatural measure of strength as you walk this journey.  I am thankful for all the marvelous medical technology that is available now."


Indeed.


**UPDATED** I called Johns Hopkins and the scheduling personnel said that typically they can schedule surgery 4- 8 weeks from consultation.  Best case scenario there is possibly getting Ray into surgery around the beginning of February.  We're still looking and talking, but that's the update.