October 14, 2026
The last few weeks have been such a roller coaster. My surgery to remove the tumor was done on Monday, September 28th at MD Anderson in Houston. I had endoscopic nasal surgery with a craniotomy. Things went relatively well, besides the trouble they had with my veins. When I woke up I had three different things sticking in my arms and a sore foot where they tried to use a vein there. Glad I was not awake for all that. My eyes were swollen and I looked like I was on the losing end of a fist fight. I was impressed with the great job they did with the staples in my head. Very clean and looks like a headband. The nose has actually been the more painful and annoying part with the congestion and pain. I was released from the hospital on Thursday, Oct 1st and stayed nearby in Houston until Saturday, Oct 3rd. My follow up appointments are next Tuesday, Oct 20th.
Once I got home, I was doing pretty well and starting to feel better. I even made it to my women's Bible study on the 7th. I decided to join my family to an out of town wedding over the weekend in Lubbock. It was a beautiful wedding. While in Lubbock, I started to not feel so good and was so cold everywhere I went. My nose was so painful and congested, as well. I had such a hard time sleeping, too. When we returned on Sunday, I realized I had been running a fever most of the weekend. On Monday, I spoke to MD Anderson about all my symptoms and they sent in some prescription antibiotics because it sounded like infection. I started taking them right away but my fever spiked that evening and she said to go to the ER if it did. We wound up spending Monday evening in the Baylor Irving ER. They did a CT scan, blood work and gave me IV antibiotics. They tried to get in touch with the after hours MD Anderson but there was only a fellow on call and he was not familiar with my case. My choices were they could request a transfer to Baylor Dallas who had specialists there but it would take at least 24 hours or I could get released and I could follow up with MDA. Of course, I chose the latter. The good news is that after the IV antibiotics, I did start to feel a little better. So for now, I am just sticking with taking the antibiotics until my appointments next week. Mentally, I am all over the place from everything is fine to what if I die before I see my doctor next week. Like I said, a roller coaster. I don't know why my body cannot just cooperate and is always rebelling. But I am so tired. I don't feel strong. I don't feel like a warrior. I feel like I'm just surviving and barely. This song I recently heard really spoke to me during this time. The lyrics along with the angst in the singer's voice is just a perfect combination of how I have been feeling this week. And in the end, we do know that He does hear us.
God, can You hear me? by May the Lord Studio
God, can You hear me?
I know You know my voice
But the room stays quiet
And I’m scared that silence is Your choice
God, can You hear me? I’ve been speaking through the ceiling
Trying to separate my faith from everything I’m feeling
They say You’re near the broken, well, I’m shattered into pieces
So why do I feel further every time I call on Jesus?
I’m exhausted from pretending I’m okay because I’m praying
Like believing means I never get to question what You’re saying
I’ve been waiting for an answer, I’ve been searching for a sign
But the only voice responding is this damaged one of mine
And I hate that I’m afraid to tell You that I’m disappointed
Like my honesty could somehow make me less of Your anointed
But You knew me in the womb, You know the war inside my head
So You already heard the words I was too terrified to say
I said, “God, where were You when everything collapsed?
Where were You when I was begging You to give me someone back?
Where were You when every promise felt like salt inside the wound?”
I kept staring at the doorway, but You never entered through
God, can You hear me?
I’ve been calling through the pain
I’ve been trying to hold my faith
While my faith is losing strength
God, can You hear me?
I don’t need the sky to move
I just need a little something
That reminds me You are You
God, can You hear me?
Because I cannot hear You now
And I’m trying not to confuse
Your silence with You walking out
God, can You hear me?
I have nothing left to prove
I’m still here, I’m barely breathing
But I’m reaching out to You
Then I thought about the garden, Jesus sweating blood alone
Asking for another way while Heaven wouldn’t change the road
So maybe feeling abandoned doesn’t mean that I’m abandoned
Maybe faith is still obeying when I cannot understand it
Maybe silence isn’t absence, maybe quiet isn’t cruel
Maybe You are doing something I’m too wounded now to view
Maybe every prayer I whispered when I thought You weren’t around
Was a seed beneath the surface, putting roots into the ground
I still don’t have the answers, I still hate the way this hurts
I still cannot see the ending, I still wrestle with Your Word
But I’d rather scream my questions with my face turned up to You
Than find comfort in a lie because I’m scared to face the truth
So here I am, no filter, no religion, no disguise
Just a tired soul with tears collecting underneath my eyes
I don’t know how to praise You, I don’t know what I believe
But if all I have is “Help me,” let that prayer be enough for me
God, You can hear me
Even when You do not speak
Even when my voice is shaking
Even when my faith is weak
God, You can hear me
Every word and every tear
Maybe I was never lonely
Maybe grief just made it hard to feel You near
God, You can hear me
So I’ll call until I’m through
Not because I have the answers
But because I still have You
God, You can hear me
And tonight that has to be
Enough to keep my heart from breaking
Enough to keep me on my knees
God, can You hear me?
I’m still here
God, can You hear me?
I’m still Yours
Even when I cannot hear You
I’m still calling
I’m still calling




