I don't know why I keep this xanga. I've grown a lot, since I first started using this xanga, and the need to write in it has diminished greatly.

I decided to post that I will be having surgery to remove a tumor, that was found back in June of this year. I received results back from a test, and had levels fourteen times higher, than normal. The six centimeter tumor is located on my right adrenal gland, called a pheochromocytoma. The adrenal glands are triangular shaped, located on top of each each kidney, and they are about the size of your thumb.

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I will be at the National Institutes of Health(NIH), to remove the tumor, as well as my right adrenal gland on August 26th. I've had some extensive tests at the NIH at the end of July, which consisted of four MRIs, three different PET scans, CT scans(some of the other scans, had built in CT scans), and MIBG scans. The scans were really not that bad, just a lot of laying still, and some including holding my breath for a certain amount of seconds.



Also, I will be getting another tumor, removed that is located in the duodenum, but hopefully the results from the biopsy, I had yesterday will confirm it is nothing at all.

I will be flying to Bethesda, MD (NIH), on Sunday, August 24th, and hopefully it will not take too long for recovery. I think I will recovered by the weekend but may be longer, since the surgery will performed differently, because of my severe scoliosis.

I know will everything will be ok, and work out, because God has been good, and gracious with his blessings in my life.  I know I will start to be a little more nervous as the days get closer..   having faith and trusting in God, I know everything will go according to his sovereign will.

John Owen's book titled The Mortification of Sin - A Puritan's View of How to Deal with Sin in Your Life

is a book I am currently reading. I've been through about 47 pages of the book so far, and I've spent a total of maybe six to seven 1/2 hours going through those pages and there are 129 pages left, 176 total.

I've been reading line by line(no pun intended), looking up the referenced Bible verses, and also writing down, what Owen is actually saying in his Puritan form of writing. I also read ahead to see what he is getting at then going back, and write that in my own words or quote his(he does put it nicely, in a lot of things he writes).

I am not sure how much time I spent in chapter 1 but chapter 2(13 pages), I know it was around two hours and forty-four minutes before I finished processing, all that he wrote. I read chapter 3(8 pages) tonight in the library, and I was finished around two hours later.

I really don't know why I didn't read this book before. I remember starting it, about three years ago, but I wasn't really in the place I am today, so I neglected to read the book for what it is.

I remember the first time(about three years ago) I read the first few lines and was blown away from the way it was written. I had to re-read the sentence at least two or three times. I really did not know what I was getting myself into but I am glad today, that I am reading it.

The book is really not that hard to read, once you get into it. The book is no walk in the park in terms of easy to read.

I will have to go back through the pages in the chapters, that I wrote and post a few good quotes from Owen.


I would highly recommend this book to anyone.