Here I am singing almost three months after the liver donation.
(I didn't realize how ill I still looked even three months later.)
The song on the screen is "Shackles" (Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance)

I have a sense of peace about this upcoming surgery. Denial is sloughing off like the peel of an onion. I can now say cancer, although mastectomy is a more difficult word! I'm massively (no pun intended!) relieved that surgery will be a single mastectomy and not double. Somehow that seems less debilitating, not so drastic.

Having served in Christian ministry for years does have it's advantages. In my down moments, I find fragments of songs, sermons, or scriptures coming to mind that answer whatever question I may be entertaining at the time. Today it was: "God has been good to me." Andre Crouch, I think. Or maybe not. circa, 1965-66. I just went looking for the lyrics and couldn't find them. But wouldn't you know: I can remember them all!! (If you know who wrote it, email me!)

Chorus

God has been good to me.

He's been so Good to me

More than all the world could be

He's so good to me.
His Spirit came to me
And He gave me victory.
God's been so good to me,
I can't complain.

Verse 2
Sometimes the clouds hang low
And I'd like to see them go
I ask this questions,
"Why so much pain."
But then I look about
And think these things all out
All of the good things
Outweigh the bad things
I can't complain

Verse 1
I've had bad days
And I've had hills to climb
I've had sad days
And then a weary mile
He knows what's best for me
Although I cannot see
All of the good things
Outweigh the bad things
I can't complain.

That didn't even take too much effort. My brain still works...lyrics to hundreds of old songs still lurk in the shadowy synapses of my cerebral cortex! Want to hear some more??? Just kidding.

Thank God for his blessings. I'll appreciate your prayers!

(And go schedule that mammogram! No, there is no history of cancer in my family, certainly not breast cancer. All four grandparents died of heart related illnesses: both grandfathers of heart attack, grandmothers with congenital heart failure, and cerebral hemorrhage. My father is still living at 81 and my mother died from an accident (house fire) at age 36, but her only sister died at 84 from heart attack. All of my mother's brothers died from heart ailments or alcohol-related incidents. I am a prime candidate for a stroke, {and would probably be prone to alcoholism if I drank: my dad had two alcoholic brothers as well.} but not for breast cancer. It was a complete surprise.)

ONWARD AND UPWARD!