Deb Gale Deb Gale ~ faith journey

      On Saturday, February 10, 2018, Deb went to work at Hospitality Health ER in Longview, TX where she has worked as a nurse and more recently auditing charts.  In the afternoon she mentioned to one of the doctors that she had been experiencing some abdominal discomfort and felt very bloated and uncomfortable. An initial scan detected a build-up of fluid in her abdominal cavity. Deb was sent to the hospital where more tests were performed and over 2 liters of fluid was removed to give her relief. Initial reports indicated some form of cancer, but further scans with contrast failed to show any tumors, so the doctor didn't know where the cancer originated. It seemed consistent with ovarian cancer, but was in the peritoneum and the omentum.
     On February 26 Debbie and Gary were in Dallas for her first appointment with an oncologist. More tests were ordered for later that week, including another CT scan to further check on a cyst that appeared to be on her heart and would require some treatment before beginning to treat the cancer. The second CT scan was clear, with no evidence of a cyst on her heart - she said it was her "first miracle!" However, the next appointment with the oncologist wasn't scheduled until March 13, Deb's 63rd birthday, and she was still quite anxious to begin treatment. That appointment was moved up to March 9, but treatment was not scheduled yet. On Monday evening, March 12, Deb had to have the fluid excised again, this time over 6 liters, and she also learned that she would not be able to participate in the trial treatment plan that had at first been discussed.
     Deb has kept the strongest faith through the month that she has waited to begin treatment, and now it is finally scheduled to begin on Monday, March 19. She doesn't know the treatment schedule for sure, but it may be weekly for 4 weeks.