trials and tender mercies

At the beginnning of December I found out that I had some skin cancer on my face. It was basal cell cancer. Which from what I have been told if you are going to get skin cancer this is the one to get. It doesn't spread, it grows slow, and it is the most treatable. Tender mercy number 1. I wanted to take care of it asap and just put it behind me, however the doctors that were going to take care of it for me couldn't get me in until after Christmas. At the last minute though there was a cancelation. Tender mercy number 2. They called us the morning of and told us to come in. It was a newer procedure that they were going to use to cut it out, called Mohs surgery. Me and Cort called my wonderful and amazing aunt to watch the boys at the last minute and left for the doctors. Tender mercy number 3. (Thank you again Leone!) The whole procedure took about 4 and a half hours. Turns out it was a lot bigger than I had expected at least. Cort said they took out about the size of a nickel on my face. I never looked at it. They asked me if I wanted to, but I didn't want that image to be inside my brain. No thank you. Immediately after removing all the cancer they sent me over to the plastic surgeon who then decided what would be the best way to stitch me up. I was pretty numb, but I could feel the hooks pulling my skin this way and that way as the two doctors decided what would be the best way to stitch me up. Turns out though these doctors were some of the best, I know they were the ones who were supposed to take care of me that day. Tender mercy number 4. I ended up getting somewhere around 20 stitches. In order to close up the hole on my face, the plastic surgeon had to cut from my nose down to my lip. While we were having the surgery done, the doctor learned that we were in school and had a very high deductible on our insurance and so we were paying cash, so as we were leaving and paying for everything we heard the doctor come in and tell the ladies in the billing department to take this off, change this amount to that...etc. etc. Tender mercy number 5. Also, during the surgeon, the one were the doctor was fixing me up, Cort was in the room with me the entire time. Normally they don't allow that. Having him there in the room with me though, made me feel so much better. Tender mercy number 6. Over the next couple of days 3 of the sweetest friends brought me and my family dinner, without being asked to or assigned. Tender mercy number 7, 8, and 9. It was very much appreciated and needed as I was still healing. I learned a lot thru this little experience. Some things were simply just reconfirmed. Heavenly Father is there. He is real. Our Heavenly Father gives us trials because He loves us. He wants us to grow and learn and become like Him. And we do this by going through hard times. I am grateful for trials. I am grateful that our Heavenly Father who loves us more than we can even imagine, loves us enough to watch us struggle. Because He wants us to become like Him. I am so grateful to know that my Heavenly Father loves me, He is aware of me...us, what our concerns and needs are. And I am grateful for people who act as instruments in His hands.
It has now been 3 weeks since I had this done and I am in awe of how well it is healing. It truly is remarkable what our bodies are able to do. Tender mercy number 10.

2010 was a great year. It brought major changes to me and my family. Ones that I know were suppose to be, even though they were hard to do, I know that we were suppose to do them. I look forward to the new year and all that will come with it. The good and the bad. Happy New Year everyone!!