Surgery and Home

We are happy to report that Ron's surgery was a success!!!

Dr. M said surgery went well though Ron had a hard time in recovery. 

He tore out his IV twice!!  And kept trying to get up.

BUT once the anesthesia was out of his system,

he was the happy Ron we all know and love!!!

Medical Update:  

~ tumor was 2.5 cm

~ tested two lymph nodes ~~ both were clean and clear!!

~ we see the oncologist on Tuesday morning;

we don't anticipate the need for chemo or radiation 

but won't know for sure till then

Ron is able to return to work

which we will do starting Sunday morning at 6am.

We are not sure of what our schedule will be

but we will work it out.

The nice thing about our job is we set our work schedule

and we have an alarm system o let us know when trucks are coming in

so catnaps are on the agenda.

***********

Some have asked how funding is going for Ron's surgery and medical expenses.

We were told at the hospital we do not qualify for assistance from them because we do not live in their county :(
and are having problems finding funding

1) because Ron is not a woman

2) can find for chemo assistance

Reality is that the resources for women with breast cancer are plenty and readily available, for me it is a totally different story, which is very sad

Our fundraising has raised $1633 so far,

our expenses so far:

$125 for initial appointment: paid cash in full balance 0

$1250 for initial mammogram & ultrasound: paid $200 ~ balance $1050

$284 for BRCA test: balance $284

$250 for processing of BRCA test: balance 0

$200 for initial visit with Dr. M: balance $200

$387 for upcoming initial oncologist appointment: balance $387

Anesthesia: unknown

Hospital: unknown

Dr. M surgery: unknown 

So you can see we have and will continue to incur some major expenses.

If you are able to help in any way, we would greatly appreciate it.

Donations can be made through 

Paypal ~ use thewanderingworkentins@gmail.com

(no fees)

or 

GetRonHealthy2018

Thank you all for the donations and most of all for your prayers and support.

We love y'all!!!

Guest Post by Ron Workentin

A note from 

Ron came to me yesterday afternoon and asked me if I would share the following on my blog with our friends and family.

I am so glad that my Father in heaven tells of His love in the Book He has given.  Wonderful things in His Book He has written but this is the greatest that 

Jesus Loves Me.

This song has been in my head for quite a while now. 

It has been quite a while since I have been to church.  It isn't that I have anything against church, it is just that with the jobs I have had this year I can't get there.  One of the things I do is think back on the songs that I know and love from years past.

One of my friends wrote on a Facebook post the other day.  She said the Bible doesn't say that we won't be given more than we can bear, but that God will bear our burdens for us.  I have seen this truth proven out multiple times throughout my life.  If I were to list all of the things that God has done for me it would take years and years to write it down.  Like I have said in the past "God hasn't failed me yet and He isn't about to start now."

At this point in time I am unsure about what the short term future holds.  (When I say short term I am talking about the next 5 to 10 years.)  However, I do know what the long term future holds for me and that is glorious.

As I think y'all know I discovered a lump in my left breast on June 6th.  Since then I have had mammograms, ultrasounds and a biopsy done.  On July 2nd, we found out that I have breast cancer.  Yes, men can get breast cancer too, just like women.

On July 18 I go into the hospital to have my left breast removed.  I am not looking forward to this but it is what it is.  When I said that men can get breast cancer also, it is true.  It is very rare for men to get it.  Less than 1% of all breast cancer patients are male and less than .0002 % of men get breast cancer.  This just shows how special I am.

I was writing this while waiting for trucks to come in.  I have had some come in and I lost my train of thought.  This is one more way that God has taken care of us.  After my surgery I can't pick up more than 10 lbs for at least two weeks.  That is okay as the heaviest thing I have to pick up is a clipboard with some paper on it and a pencil.  What we are doing is the perfect job to regain my strength.

I covet your prayers and good thoughts at this time.  I pray that I will be able to continue seeing God's blessings in my life.

Upcoming Surgery Details

Ron had his pre-op appointment yesterday, 5/12.

Surgery is scheduled for Wednesday, July 18 at 6:30 a.m.

We are planning to leave Pecos/Barstow about 4:30 a.m.

Ron is expected to be in the hospital 24 to 48 hours.

He will be at Midland Hospital, Midland, TX

I will be staying at Hope House

just across the street from the hospital.

Prayer requests ~

~ for anxiety levels to stay low

~ for God's guidance of the surgeon's hands

~ for all of the cancer to be able to be removed

~ funding continue to come in

Praises ~

~ wonderful company to work for who have gotten coverage for us for four days with the understanding that we may need a few extra days

~ for the $663 that has already come in towards the hospital bill

~ for the driver who brought us dinner the other night

~ for all those praying for us ~ we feel them  ~ God's Peace is Amazing!!

Requests ~

Please feel free to share the link below of our fundraising campaign

Get Ron Healthy 2018

Donations ~

there are two ways to donate:

PayPal

thewanderingworkentins@gmail.com

(no fees associated if you use friends/family)

or the link above

Thank y'all for your prayers,

your donations,

sharing our needs,

and encouraging notes.

Holding Pattern

One week to go!!

Ron is scheduled for surgery on Wednesday, July 18.

We still don't have a time, just the date.

We have been doing research,

looking for assistance with funding.

We have been told the surgery will run between $10 & $15, OOO

One thing that was suggested to us was to do fundraiser

So that's what we did

It is not easy to ask for help

but have been encouraged by many that people want to help others 

they often just don't know how.

Since many of our friends and family are a distance away

this is a tangible way for you to help us out

There are two ways to donate to the fund:

PayPal

thewanderingworkentins@gmail.com

(there are no fees if you use friends/family)

OR

GetRonHealthy2018!!!

through mightycause.com

You can click on the link above and go to the website.

Most of all we covet your prayers

~ for physical healing for Ron

~ Ron has had some pain in his left side where the lump is located, 

so please pray for the pain to lessen to nothing!!
~ for strength and stamina for Ali
~ for financial responsibilities to be met
and
continued thanks for the peace that passes all understanding
that is surrounding us.

As well, please feel free to share our fundraiser page 

or this blog post.

God is Good

All the time God is Good

and we know He will provide for our needs

even the one that seems so out of reach right now.

To give you an idea of the cost of Ron's care

~ $50 for gas each time we have to drive to Midland

Ron has a trip tomorrow for his pre-op appointment

Wednesday, July 18 for surgery

Thursday or Friday to return back to Pecos

One week later another trip to Midland for follow up

= $200

~ surgery

$10 to $15,000

this does include the doctor and anesthesia and hospital stay

barring any complications

WE ARE PRAYING FOR NO COMPLICATIONS!!

~$250 for the genetic test, BRCA

that Dr. M had performed last week

this test is important as it will let us know if our boys and grandchildren 

will have a disposition to this type of cancer.

Thank you so much for reading our blog,

praying for healing for Ron,

praying for peace for the both of us,

praying for the hands of the surgeon

Thank you for the donations that have been made.

As of 7.11.18

8:06 a.m. CT

$225 raised!!!

Living in the Fog ~ Not Really!!

(photo taken by Gordie Earl; used with permission)

Our friend, Gordie posted this picture the other morning and immediately my heart resonated with it ~ you see it captures where we are right now, today in our life.

June 6, Ron noticed a lump in his chest/breast area. 
June 15, Ron was seen my a local nurse practitioner here in Pecos, TX
June 20, found Ron getting an ultrasound and a mammogram
(yes he said it hurt and I said well you now have a taste of what I go through each year)
June 26, found us sitting in the surgeon's office in Midland, TX
June 28, Ron had a biopsy and another mammogram
July 2, we got the call that Ron indeed does have breast cancer.

YES Men get breast cancer ~ 1% of all breast cancer patients are men

July 3 we were back in the surgeons office,
glassy eyed (no pun intended) and trying to keep things straight
Surgery is scheduled for two weeks from today, July 18.

Now that you know the facts, let me add in the details


We have felt God's hand in each and every step we have taken.
**note a little ** by every time we SAW God's hand **
Ron will tell you he was scared and even a bit embarrassed to think he might have breast cancer.
YES Men get breast cancer ~ 1% of all breast cancer patients are men

But with his family history of parents, siblings, grandparents, uncles, cousins
all having dealt with cancer in many different forms
he knew he couldn't not say anything.

So off to the doctor. 
** had the money to pay cash to see the doctor **
** had the money to pay cash for the ultrasound & mammogram **
headed off to see the surgeon,
wishing someone could go with us
** Brandon & Danalyn are stopping in Odessa/Midland for two nights on their trip to Florida **
** we got Grammy & Grandpa hugs from these three boys **

** Danalyn went with us **

A bump in the road,
because we don't have insurance, the Pink in the Basin, could pay for the biopsy if Ron had it at the Breast Center in Midland.  Scheduled for the next Thursday

We took the paperwork we were told to take,
wasn't the right information but they made it work!!
** we didn't pay anything and the whole appointment was covered **

Got the results on Monday,
saw the surgeon on Tuesday,
Surgery is scheduled for two weeks, July 18.

** Val, our boss, has been available to cover our station, every time **
Val and Cindy, her boss, are working to cover the time we need off for the surgery
** Johnny, one of our drivers is off the night of July 18 and has offered and will cover our station that night ~ helps Val in getting coverage for the station **

**
Friends have been available for the tears,
Our job is the easiest job ~ we pick up a clipboard, walk out to the trucks,
write down some numbers, talk to the drivers, walk back to the RV ~
thus meaning Ron will only miss a few days of work
and I will only miss two!!
**

This Picture

If you look closely you can see the first boat clearly,
the next few boats are a bit skewed
and then off in the distance
just a blurry mix of colors

We could clearly see each of the steps that
needed to be taken,
there are some steps we knew something about but not much,
and then there are steps we have no idea what they are going to be

YET
through it all there is amazing peace


and sometimes



And with each step we have felt that peace,
the peace that only comes from God.

Have we cried, you bet
Have we looked at each other and wondered, what next?, you bet

Yet, God continues to show us HE is with us

on our drive home yesterday


One friend wrote:
"God's light shining through the darkness"
and another
"Rays of hope"

and we both just had a sense of peace that no matter the darkness
that tries to come into the picture
God's light will always be there,
meaning God will always be with us
no matter what happens,
no matter

where the road leads,



and



***

Now y'all know the story
and we ask that you pray for us

~ for physical healing for Ron
~ for strength and stamina for Ali
~ for financial responsibilities to be met
and
continued thanks for the peace that passes all understanding
that is surrounding us.

***

To answer some questions we have received:

Will Ron need to take chemo and/or radiation? 
We won't know the answer to that until after the surgery

What stage cancer is it?
We won't know that until after the surgery

How much will the surgery cost?
We have been told treatment could be between $10 & $15,000.

What are our future plans?
Right now, we will continue with our jobs here in Pecos, TX
as Gate Guards, like I said above, physically it is the easiest job either of us have ever had

Depending on how surgery goes and the treatment that follows
we are planning to leave here on the morning of October 1
to go to San Diego to see our grandson, Max, graduate from Boot Camp/Basic Training from the Marines

BUT as every RV'r knows
our plans are written in Jello
always wiggling and ever changing

and we will continue to

 love doing the Lord's work wherever He plants us!

Made it to Double Digits!!!

Yesterday was our 39th day of Gate Guarding,

we have 99 days left to go

before we head out to California.

We still like our job,

have talked about picking up another gate 

February to May 2019.

We will see.

The one thing we miss is 

going for drives,

checking out the local area.

There is a little museum

West of the Pecos Museum

here in town

that we both have seen

and Pecos is known as

which is happening this next week.

So we each may take a bit of time and

check them out this week.

We will see!

Encouragement from the Lord

One of our goals while gate guarding is to work on some projects that we have neglected.

This morning as I was walking back from checking in a truck I thought 

"No one is going to do XXX for you.  Just get started on it."  

And walked back into the trailer.

I picked up my little devotional and opened it up to June 12

And I laughed!!!

"Hear, Receive, Act"

Ok Lord, you just confirmed what I just said to myself.

How often do we hear something,

blow it off and go on our own way?

God's Word this morning is a reminder to me to pay attention

to what is being said and done.

Listen not only to the words but take them in and own them.

Act ~ Do ~ Get Moving

No one will do it for me.

This is not just for the projects on my To Do List

It is in all aspects of my life

~ getting healthy

~ spending quality time with those I love and care about

~ grow in my relationship with the Lord

And then I opened my email and one of my daily devotions

Stars in the Sky

This line really spoke to me:

So shine like stars, but don’t be surprised if some people in the world do not like that. And if they don’t, do not despair. Look to Jesus on his cross and rejoice.

So often I worry about what others think about what I/we are doing and how we live our life and I am reminded this morning that what I/we do is our business and between us and the Lord...no one else.

And as long as we are serving and loving the Lord

wherever He plants us,

not doing anything illegal or mean

we need to just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

And follow where the Lord leads us!!

So now it's time to stop 

ignoring my project

and to get busy!!!

Talk to y'all soon!!!