Tara’s Doing Great

Below is a series of emails I sent to our church family updating them on Tara’s surgery.

WEDNESDAY MORNING, ABOUT 9:30 A.M., WHILE TARA WAS IN SURGERY

Dear Redeemer Family,

I trust you all had a wonderful Christmas! My family sure had a great time both Sunday morning and at our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. Christmas Day was filled with joy, good food, and building Maddy’s backyard playhouse (I told some buddies, “If you don’t hear from me for a couple of days, you’ll find me dead in my backyard!”)

Tara and I were up early this morning and arrived at Memorial Hermann at Memorial City this morning at 6:15 a.m. Registration and pre-op went well, Tara went back to the operating room around 7:45 a.m., and surgery officially started about 8:45 a.m. We’re told the double mastectomy should take about 1.5 hours and the plastic surgeon’s initial work about 1.5 hours (he’ll have more work to do in about 3 months).

So, please pray the doctors will have a great morning, and that all of the cancer will be removed. Above all, pray that Tara and I will walk faithfully with the Lord no matter what He has for us.

When peace like a river attendeth my way, or sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, “It is well, it is well with my soul.”

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take, the clouds ye so much dread
Are rich with mercy and shall break with blessings on your head.

God is good, all the time.
All the time, God is good.

All for now,
Mitch Maher

WEDNESDAY MORNING, ABOUT 11:30 A.M., JUST AFTER SURGERY FINISHED

Hey Redeemer Family,

The breast surgeon finished about 9:45 a.m. with the double mastectomy. She was pleased with the surgery. She took 4 lymph nodes, and they all came back negative… great news! This is 93% accurate; of course, we still have to wait for the full pathology to come back over the next week or so. In fact, the breast surgeon goes out of town next week. We’re scheduled to see her on January 9, so we might have to wait until then to hear. We’ll see.

The plastic surgeon finished up about 10:55 a.m. He was pleased with his surgery, as well. Tara will have multiple visits to his office, and the full reconstruction will come in about 3 months.

Whether Tara still faces radiation or chemo is yet to be seen. We’ll wait to see how the official pathology goes. We visit the breast surgeon on January 9, and the oncologist on January 10.

Thanks for your prayers. So far, so good.

Mitch

THURSDAY MORNING, ABOUT 9:30 A.M., THE NEXT DAY

Hey Redeemer Family,

Here are a couple of Facebook posts that Tara has written… one from last night, and one from this morning.

Last night

I’ve managed to make it by myself to the chair for a change of scenery. Trying to get pain under control. They wrap a tight bandage around your chest (like a corset) which isn’t comfortable at all. I sometimes can’t tell if it’s my expanders the plastic surgeon placed that are hurting or the fact that it’s tighter than anything in there. Mitch is having to wait on me for everything…cutting my food up, putting my socks on, etc etc etc…. i think it’s good for him. I wasn’t scared going into the O.R. – a true evidence of your prayers. Thank you so much for those bc it looked like a scene out of a movie, which was intimidating. The Lord’s peace was truly with me like He promises and He helped me view it very objectively: “if i want to be cancer free, this is the first step…so, ok then. Let’s do this.” That was actually very helpful. I can’t tell you how much I have been touched by your love and prayers. They have meant the world to me. ❤️

This morning

Making my first lap around hall. Wore me smooth out. still working on pain control but it’s better then last night so that’s good. Thx for praying for that. I feel extremely loved. This morning I remembered that yesterday In recovery between dozing off and all the pain meds she was giving me I told the nurse I’d met Chip & Joanna. Told her I thought she needed to know that. Thankful for today. Thankful for Mitch Maher. He’s taking good care of me. ❤️❤️ Thankful for my parents who are home with my girls. Thankful for all my friends who are loving on me SO BIG. It makes me heart rest.

The plan is to see both the breast surgeon and plastic surgeon sometime today. Assuming all is well, we will go home sometime today.

Thanks again for all your love and prayers.

Mitch Maher

THURSDAY AFTERNOON, ABOUT 3:30 P.M., AFTER WE GOT HOME

Hey Redeemer Family,

We’re home!

Here is Tara’s last Facebook post from the hospital.

Plastic surgeon writing in Mollys cancer book. And me with Dr Lee. All looks good. Heading home. ❤️ My heart is so humbled & thankful. Can’t believe how blessed we have been in this smooth process. Thankful to the Lord and for all the prayers prayed over us.