Promises Today

Like I said, I don’t sit still very well so this was really hard for me! Here are a few of the comments on Facebook.

Hayley Geurts wants the local anesthetic to miraculously start working again, this is SO painful. :o(
27 February at 04:44

Hayley Geurts wants to go home now please…
27 February at 10:16

Hayley Geurts is watching rugby with her daddy whilst in hospital. Shame I’m in pain or I’d be jumping up and down shouting at England who are being rather rubbish against Ireland!!
27 February at 17:07

Hayley Geurts was advised to take a sleeping pill to see if it would help. I wonder if it will wor….. Zzzzzz….
27 February at 23:47

Hayley Geurts slept last night! Only 1 break due to pain. Feeling much better.
28 February at 08:36

Hayley Geurts is about go through a rather painful procedure, if you see this, please pray.
28 February at 13:06

Hayley Geurts feels free! No more tubes!
28 February at 13:46

Hayley Geurts has been offered the blue and red pill and is taking both… Wonder what’ll happen next?
28 February at 23:3

My 5am post to Facebook:

Hayley Geurts ‎: Sleepless in Hitchin. :o(
26 February at 05:08

I don’t sit still very well!

Hayley Geurts has rediscovered mind-numbing daytime TV. Someone save me!!!!!
26 February at 11:31

A bit of humour to keep me going!

Hayley Geurts Look, I know this place is P.O.S.H but flower shaped carrots??? Seriously???
26 February at 18:15

The 25th came around really quickly, but I was ready! I had an army of people praying for me and I had a peace in my heart that could have only come from my Father. 🙂

Hayley Geurts is on her way to hospital with peace in her heart that transcends all understanding. Thank you all for your prayers.
25 February at 12:27

PLUS! My room was A-Mazing!! With a balcony! Ooooh yes!

Surgery was a success!

Email to all:

Hi everyone,

Just a quick email to let you know that surgery was a success. The anesthesia had no adverse effects, so I’m sitting up in bed eating, drinking and writing emails!!! (although Djerk is currently typing as I dictate). The morphine is doing it’s work and I feel like I’m swimming. There are still twinges of pain, but it’s doable. The room is lovely, it’s nice and private. The staff are very sweet and the food is yummy.

Please continue to pray that recovery is swift and also that my boys feel God close to them through this tough time.

Many thanks for all your messages, please forgive me if I don’t answer immediately or at all. Things have been hectic.

Love you all,
Hayley
<><

Later that day…

Hayley Geurts tucking into a chicken salad sandwich, sitting up in bed, still in a bit of pain but it’s doable. :o)
25 February at 19:42

Surgery on the 25th February. Ok, for those who know me, I’m not one to rest and relax. I probably should have taken more time to prepare myself for the surgery, but instead I filled my life up with stuff! Good stuff!

Facebook excerpts:

Hayley Geurts has come to a realisation that she is now part of a statistic. Over 100 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every DAY! 1 in 5 women diagnosed are under 50 years old. 46,000 cases in the UK every year. Madness, absolute madness!
19 February at 00:21

Hayley Geurts is out with her boys. Lovely jubbly!
19 February at 14:03

Hayley Geurts has only 4 more days before surgery… Bizarre…
21 February at 16:49

Hayley Geurts I have decided to join the Race for Life in Stevenage on the 11th July 2010. I am not 100% sure of my health situation at the time, but I am trusting in God for the strength to either run, jog or walk it. I would love to have friends to come along with me and raise some money for this incredible cause.

Please reply to this invite if you would like to join me in the actual running of the race or if you would support me in the fundraising part of it. 

Lots of love,

Hayley

<><

Hayley’s Race for Life!
Sunday, 11 July 2010 at 11:00
Stevenage
21 February at 23:59

Hayley Geurts doesn’t want snow anymore! Please?? School is still open so still have to go to work!
22 February at 07:50

Hayley Geurts is off to London for shopping and sightseeing with Angi Doyle and Ashley Doyle
23 February at 09:39

Hayley Geurts had a lovely time out in London, but got rained and snowed on! Looking forward to a quiet day tomorrow in prep for surgery on Thursday. Still feeling positive and strong. Bring it on!!!!
23 February at 23:15

Hayley Geurts is spending time with Mama and Papa.
24 February at 16:43

Hayley Geurts would like to thank everyone for their messages, it’s overwhelming! I’m sorry if I don’t answer each one individually, but please know that each one means so much! Trying to prepare myself for surgery tomorrow and emotions are running high but I still have perfect peace that only God can provide. :o)
24 February at 23:27

…CLEAR!!

Email to all:

The MRI scan on my neck (checking on a shadow seen on an ultrasound a
few weeks ago) was CLEAR! Praise God!

Thanks to you all for your prayers, support and love.

Hugs,
Hayley
<><

So, the MRI was clear and I no longer had to worry about it. Now on with the story!

Pinehill Hospital. Wow! I was so mightily blessed to be able to have all my surgery and appointments privately. On the 16th I went for an appointment and my Facebook status read:

Hayley Geurts is at Pinehill hospital waiting for her pre-op appointment. It’s rather cushie in here! Feeling under-dressed!! LOL
16 February at 16:03

The next day:

Hayley Geurts just had a mammogram. Not the most comfy of positions to be put in! The lovely nurse let me see the cancerous lump on the scan. It’s truly a wonder how this body works. Now I’ve seen it with my own eyes I can visualise it and continue to claim healing in the name of Jesus!!
17 February at 13:56

Update email:

Hi everyone,

Ok, so now I have a date to work towards. I’ll be going to Pinehill Hospital at 12pm on Thursday 25th February and surgery will be at around 2pm for around an hour and a half. He will be taking a 3cm margin, so it will only be a lumpectomy. He will also take 10+ lymph glands from under my arm too, that way they will be able to test to see if there has been any spread of the cancer cells. I will then find out 2 weeks after the 25th as to the next step for treatment. I will likely be in hospital for 3-4 nights but it will be a private room so lots of rest and sleep possible. The last time I had surgery I was in a room with 6 other people who either snored or made other random noises through the night! Madness!

I will be having pre op checks tomorrow at 1pm, but nothing to worry about there, just chest xrays, blood tests and a mammogram.

I feel much more at peace knowing that surgery won’t be until next week. It means that I can get stuff done for school (work), church and most importantly family-wise. Please pray for peace for us all. Sam stayed over at a friend’s house last night and wet the bed, something he hasn’t done in a long long time. I think that he’s feeling the tension, which is natural. We are trying to talk to him as much as possible about what’s going on, but not using the cancer word. Josh has been acting as cute as always, but I think he’s also feeling it. Poor things. I’m trying to keep as much as normal as possible, but it’s so hard with all the emotions running so high!

I have been overwhelmed by the response to my FB messages and emails. You lot are amazing, you know that right? 🙂

If other things come up I will let you know, but otherwise I’ll be sending my next email after surgery next week. If you know of anyone that would like to be included in these email updates, please let send me their email address.

Love you all very much my friends.
Hayley
<><

I made another decision today. I asked friends, family and Facebook if anyone would like to receive an email update on my cancer saga. I was blown away by 110 people wanting to know what was going on. Friends and family all over the world were asking for the email so they could pray through the whole thing. Do you know, that was one of the most powerful things in my healing process, knowing that so many people worldwide who were lifting me up in prayer to the King. Wow! The kingdom of God is truly a wonder!

Here is the first email:

Hi everyone,

This is just a quick email to let everyone know what is happening next. I will be sending out more detailed information (for prayer mostly…) to those who would like it. Please let me know if you would like to receive more detailed emails throughout this whole process and I will be glad to add you to the list. Also, if I’ve missed anyone, please let me know and I’ll add them. :o)

For those who were asking, the diagnosis is a grade 3 Invasive Ductual Carcinoma, which is the most common breast cancer on the planet. The prognosis is good as it was caught in stage 1. I now face surgery to remove the tumour and lymph nodes. Once the cells have been tested they will plan out treatment which will definitely include radiation and possibly chemo and medication.

The next step is an outpatient appointment tomorrow (Tuesday 16th) at Pinehill Hospital in Hitchin. It is a private hospital, which is wonderful! We had the initial appointments and diagnosis through NHS, but the Macmillan nurse has guided Djerk through to private healthcare as he has insurance through his work! Praise God! This means that the hospital where I am likely to have the surgery is just round the corner from our house!

At this appointment I will have most of the checks for surgery (blood tests etc) and only then will he be able to set a date for the surgery. The possibilities are 18th or 25th February.

This has come as such a shock to all of us, but I have firm faith in my Lord and Saviour for healing and strength. I have been overwhelmed with the love and support from friends and family all over the world. Prayers are always great, but I know some of you have offered help with looking after the boys and practical help around the house and food etc. Our friends Jon and Jen Baynes have agreed to be coordinators for this. Their email address is baynesj@yahoo.com. If you have offered help, would you mind replying to this email and CCing them? I’m trying to do as much as I can before I go into hospital but once I’ve had the operation it’s going to be hard for Djerk to deal with everything.

Thank you all so much for your prayers, support, love and friendship.

I’m fighting this, I’m going to be fine, just you watch!

God bless,
Hayley
<><

Lyrics of “Healer”

You hold my every moment
You calm my raging seas
You walk with me through fire
And heal all my disease

I trust in You

I believe You’re my Healer
I believe You are all I need
I believe You’re my Portion
I believe You’re more than enough for me
Jesus You’re all I need

Nothing is impossible for You
You hold my world in Your hands

Whilst all this was playing out, I had completely forgotten about my neck MRI! The doc had seen “something” at the back of my throat, just under my tongue. Talk about “the last thing I need”! So, I went to have the MRI scan. I dislike MRI machines and I find the only way of getting through the time strapped to a cold slab and being shoved into a claustrophobic space is to pray.

Hayley Geurts and MRI scans do NOT go well together!!!
15 February at 12:16

A few more days waiting for results! Arrrrgggg!

…breast cancer. I couldn’t quite believe it when I heard. I’m crying now whilst writing this. I remember it like it was yesterday. It’s one of those moments you will always keep with you, one of the not-so-good ones. I also remember the day I was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour in 2005. I hope that one day these kinds of memories will fade due to the amazing memories to come! 🙂

Whilst the consultant was talking me through the next steps I think I went onto autopilot. It’s a very strange feeling. I knew what was happening, I knew I was crying but couldn’t really say anything useful. I just nodded through most of it. That day I met Gill Hutson, the MacMillan nurse at Lister Hospital, Stevenage. The fact that her name was Gill (same as my Aussie Auntie!) was a God-moment for me. Coincidence? Nah!! God-breathed? Oh yes! She was amazing, truly amazing. Respect to the nurses who have to go through many “diagnoses” in a day.

Djerk and I had a good cry. It’s ok to cry. 🙂

We then had to share the news with our nearest and dearest. That for me was the hardest. To tell my Mum, who had been with me at the biopsy, who’d held my hand through so many other things during my lifetime, ouch. I thank God that a majority of my family members from both sides are Christians and know God in their lives. This is one thing that has featured greatly in my story. Hope! Hope for the future!

Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength, soar on wings like eagles; run and not grow weary, walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40

I made a decision that day: to publish my diagnosis on Facebook and to let everyone know. I have never been much of a private person so I wasn’t about to begin to be!

Hayley Geurts is very sorry to report that the results came back with a diagnosis of breast cancer. I will go for surgery on the 24th February and then only after that will find out what treatment will follow. I’m staying positive though! I still firmly believe that God is with me through this and we will continue to pray for healing. Please continue to pray for me, Djerk, my kids and my family. Thanks. :o)
11 February at 12:58

I then had the most amazing response from so many of my Facebook friends. Some people I hadn’t chatted to or seen in months were writing beautiful messages to me. I replied:

Hayley Geurts

Friends, this is simply overwhelming! Thank you all so much for your responses and love and prayers! I am truly blessed by friendships from all of you over the many years or only the few short months I have know you…

On an encouraging not…e to you all, God is really confirming his prescence in all of this. Graham, your message about Job was discussed by our church group just the other day! What a blessing to be reminded of it!

My wonderful mother-in-law wrote an email to me earlier with the lyrics to Hosanna which I was singing at the top of my voice in home group last night.

Carole, your note from Isaiah was spoken over me last night as they prayed about the appointment and need for sleep just last night!

I just want to share this with all of you! God is simply AMAZING!

11 February at 15:23

Emotional day or what!?!?