Tammy Murden

I had a routine physical in January when I was in Thailand for the iEDGE MTS  and they found a spot on my breast.  I had biopsy done when I got back to the US and last week I got the results back - positive for cancer.  Its stage is 1A and a “lazy” cancer - meaning it’s the least it can be and not aggressive.  It’s not spreading and all indicators are that there is no cancer in my lymph nodes which bodes well for not having any cancer in other parts of my body.  Regardless of the treatment choice, I will not have to have chemotherapy.   SO that’s the best news I could have in this situation.  

After inquiring of the Lord (Joshua 9), I feel at peace with having a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery.  This eliminates the chance of recurrence and means I will not have to have any radiation or hormone blockers post surgery.  


- Surgery is scheduled for Wed Mar 2 at Memorial North
- 7:30 they will do a sentinel node biopsy - this is the final check to make sure there is not even a single cell of cancer in my lymph nodes.  It will be pretty clear the day of surgery if there is any cancer present in the sentinel nodes but the pathology report on this will be finalized after 4 days - did you know they can detect even one single cell of cancer?  Dr. DeWing thinks it’s very unlikely that I have any cancer in my lymph nodes however there is no way to know 100% for sure until this biopsy.  This is the big  - that this biopsy is negative with zero sign of cancer.  (If there is any sign of the cancer then I still might need to have chemo or radiation).  
- 10:30 mastectomy and initial reconstruction
- In the hospital 24-48hrs and then I go home
- 2-6 weeks of recovery time (I’m out all of March)


Overall I’m feeling very encouraged, hopeful and even expectant at how the Lord is going to use this situation.  I have no doubt that God is good and therefore this circumstance is good.  God is at work doing a thousand things at one time and I cannot yet imagine how He is going to use this in my life as well as in the lives of others to glorify Himself!


I appreciate your prayers.  I’ve been reading Psalms 16 and it’s been a great comfort to me and place for claiming God’s promises.  Also Prov 31:25 - a verse God actually gave me last Dec as a theme for 2016 for totally unrelated reasons.  God knew that this would be what I would need for this year and it is definitely my prayer for myself  - “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can  at the days to come”.