My surgery is scheduled for Wednesday April 6th with Dr. Freidman at the House Clinic in Los Angeles.  We will fly out Monday April 4th, have appointments on the 5th and surgery the morning of the 6th.  If all goes well we will be released to come home the weekend of April 16th, which is the exact day that we brought River home from Riley Children's Hospital three years ago. 

We are thrilled that Dr. Freidman will be performing my surgery.  After our first meeting with a surgeon in Indianapolis who told us that my face would "probably be fine, but he didn't want to say so and then jinx himself" we were a) terrified and b) determined to find a surgeon with some confidence that everything would be alright.

We have been praying that we would find such a surgeon and that the answer would be clear.  We researched and spoke with lots of former patients.  One name kept coming up and that was Dr. Freidman.  His patients really sing his praises.  We were planning to call to schedule surgery on Monday, so over the weekend I prayed that we would have some kind of confirmation that Dr. Freidman was the right choice.

I think that when anyone says a prayer they hope that the prayer will be answered, but this one was answers so quickly and so specifically that it was a little spooky.  While we were sleeping Sunday night I received this email from a total stranger in Canada:

Hi Brandy,
 I had my AN surgery 3 years ago at the HEI,
 I traveled from Canada to go to the BEST.
 I am a medical Professional and I researched surgeons along with my Colleagues and Dr. Freidman is your guys hands down.
 If you would like for me to get him in touch with you tomorrow I can do that. please just let me know what I can do to help you.
 I also have established a care team in LA from HEI former patients who would help with airport pick up and other care helps. Just let me know how we can be of help to you. We do this out of the goodness of our hearts, as we all have been there with AN surgery... please feel free to call me anytime.

I wrote her back Monday morning to say thank you and I would love to speak with him.  I told her that she had answered my prayer.  This is how she responded:

I went to bed last nite and said a prayer for you that God would clearly show you what you should do. Try to be at peace even though this is terribly stressful. Once you talk with Dr Friedman you will be so happy you did he is an excellent Dr. but also a very caring human being.

Not only did she tell me exactly what I wanted to hear, but she got Dr. Freidman to call me himself that same morning.  He called me before he was even at the office, just to "promise" that he would call me back in the afternoon.  He did call me in the afternoon and he told me that my chances of having a good outcome for my facial nerve is "exceedingly great." 

Needless to say, I was giddy.  It's funny how you can be so enthused to talk about your own brain surgery in the right circumstances.  I am so thrilled that Dr. Freidman is available and willing to do my surgery.  I feel so confident about his abilities.

None of this would have happened this week, if this total stranger hadn't taken the time to help me.  She could have read my post on the forum and kept on going about her evening.  But she took the time to write and tell me just what I needed to hear.  And then she went the extra step to make sure that the doctor contacted me himself.  She answered my prayer.  God's people doing His work.

If you have the chance to do something for someone, do itIf you have some information that could help someone, or if you have something that someone else could use, share it.  Don't talk yourself out of it or tell yourself that it may not help.  You never know what kind of a difference you can make for another person. 
3/2/2011 11:56:06 pm

Brandy!! i can't tell you how excited i was to read this post!! i have been praying for you daily...we're around the same age and i couldn't even imagine how you must be feeling. It's such a scary thing to be facing. I love that you aren't facing it alone though!! I love how God confirmed, without a doubt, that Dr. F is who you were to see!!! YAY GOD!!! I will continue to keep you in my prayers. *BIG HUGS*

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3/3/2011 03:58:33 am

I am praying for your surgery Brandy! We are another AWAA family and have been following your story on the yahoo group as well. So thankful for how the Lord provided peace for you these last couple of days!

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