Update

Thank you all for your comments, thoughts, prayers, and messages over the past 24 hours.  Erica, her family, and I are so grateful for you!

After being passed from surgeon to surgeon to surgeon, Erica is finally in the care of a cancer doctor.  SHE DOES NOT HAVE CANCER...but these types of physicians are familiar with large tumors and are skilled at removing them.

The doctor needs to discover the main blood vessels that are feeding this tumor.  This is done by performing an MRA test...which can't be done right now because Erica's back is so swollen from yesterday's surgery.

Once the test is done, the surgeon will decide how to successfully remove the tumor so it doesn't come back.  The operation will most likely be complex...but it all depends on where those main blood vessels are.  Once it's done, she will need to spend 2-3 nights in the hospital and recovery will take a few weeks.

Because of this, the doctor suggested Erica go home and recover from her surgery so she can be ready for our wedding.  Then, some time after we get married, the MRA test can be done and they can operate.

The surgeon made it very clear that this is not cancer, it's not life-threatening, and leaving it in there a few extra weeks (or even months) won't cause any additional damage.  It may grow a little...but nothing that can't be handled.

So...Erica is on her way home, her parents will be able to attend Brian's wedding tomorrow, and they may be able to go on their cruise! 

It will take Erica a few weeks to recover from yesterday's procedure but she should be nice and healthy by.....oh, let's say....April 23...OUR WEDDING!

Now that I've given you this good news, hopefully we'll have better news by tomorrow night after BYU, VCU, and U of R win!