Health Update

This is my first post since 2015. It is time for an update. 

For much of the time since then, up until about a year ago, I was dealing with one form of cancer or another, chemotherapies, or surgeries. As I write this, those issues seem to be behind me, and I feel myself to be in excellent health. . .

Though I am missing a big piece of my large intestine because of surgery for colon cancer. The doctor said I did not need that much intestine and I will not miss it. He also took out my appendix without telling me (as far as I can remember);

Though there was a malignant spot on my liver. The doctors removed it and said that the liver was not a bad organ from which to have a spot removed, since the liver is the only body part that regenerates itself. And, because it was difficult to get at the cancerous spot since it was behind the gallbladder, they removed the gallbladder saying, “You’ll never miss it;”

Though on two occasions, incisional hernias developed that required laparoscopic and open surgeries to insert mesh patches. The open surgery finally proved effective;

Though ureter cancer was discovered during a “routine” checkup, making it necessary to remove the right kidney and ureter. Afterward, the doctor said, “The remaining kidney is healthy. No need to change your lifestyle. One kidney is enough.” 

In summary, though within a six-year period I have been diagnosed with three kinds of cancer (this includes surgery for three episodes of basal cell carcinoma on my face) and had all or part of my colon, appendix, liver, gallbladder, kidney, and ureter removed, I feel myself to be in excellent health.

Navigating through the above health issues has reminded me of the "though" phrases in Psalm 46, verses 2-3:

“Though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

Though the waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging...”

These "thoughs" are preceded by the words, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear..."   And the "thoughs" are followed by, "The Lord almighty is with us... he says, 'be still and know that I am God.'"

As I begin posting occasional blogs, I want to give testimony to the goodness of Almighty God as my refuge, strength. I have learned not to fear and to be still. Thanks be to God!

Thanksgiving

This is the month when we celebrate Thanksgiving Day, and today for Marlene and me is a special day for giving thanks. We met with Dr. Batts, our oncologist, this morning for the results of my CT scan, which followed my final regimen of chemotherapy. His words included phrases like: “the scan showed nothing suspicious,” “there is no evidence of cancer,” and “the cancer is in remission.” We thank God for this good news and thank you for your prayers and other expressions of support.

The next steps are to get lab work done in three month intervals and have a CT scan in six months.

We share the following devotional from Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) as an expression of our thanksgiving.

"I will praise thee, O Lord." 
Psalms 9:1

Praise should always follow answered prayer; as the mist of earth's gratitude rises when the sun of heaven's love warms the ground. Hath the Lord been gracious to thee, and inclined his ear to the voice of thy supplication? Then praise him as long as thou livest. Let the ripe fruit drop upon the fertile soil from which it drew its life. Deny not a song to him who hath answered thy prayer and given thee the desire of thy heart. To be silent over God's mercies is to incur the guilt of ingratitude; it is to act as basely as the nine lepers, who after they had been cured of their leprosy, returned not to give thanks unto the healing Lord. To forget to praise God is to refuse to benefit ourselves; for praise, like prayer, is one great means of promoting the growth of the spiritual life. It helps to remove our burdens, to excite our hope, to increase our faith.

It is a healthful and invigorating exercise which quickens the pulse of the believer, and nerves him for fresh enterprises in his Master's service. To bless God for mercies received is also the way to benefit our fellow-men; "the humble shall hear thereof and be glad." Others who have been in like circumstances shall take comfort if we can say, "Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together; this poor man cried, and the Lord heard him." Weak hearts will be strengthened, and drooping saints will be revived as they listen to our "songs of deliverance." Their doubts and fears will be rebuked, as we teach and admonish one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. They too shall "sing in the ways of the Lord" when they hear us magnify his holy name. Praise is the most heavenly of Christian duties. The angels pray not, but they cease not to praise both day and night; and the redeemed, clothed in white robes, with palm-branches in their hands, are never weary of singing the new song, "Worthy is the Lamb."

1) Psalm 34:2

2) Psalm 34:3, 6

3) Psalm 32:7

4) Psalm 138:5

5) Revelation 5:17

Blessings

I’ve been blessed by having two weeks off from chemotherapy treatments. And, they have been a great two weeks, especially the second week. There were very few side effects during the second week, only a little fatigue. During week two, we traveled to New Jersey for the wedding of our nephew Greg Braunius and to Chicago for a Commissioned Pastor Advisory Team meeting. In addition, my appetite has been good and I’ve been able to be active in some Church Leadership Center meetings and a variety of projects around the house.

While thankful for the blessings of travel and work, I’m especially blessed by a caring family, church, and medical community. Tomorrow begins what is planned to be the final three weeks of chemotherapy.  The chemo should be followed by a CT scan. Our hope is that the CT scan will show no evidence of cancer. I look forward to updating you in about four weeks.

The song “Blessings” by Laura Story has been good for me recently. The words are below. Click on the following link for the Youtube video. https://youtu.be/1CSVqHcdhXQ

We pray for blessings

We pray for peace

Comfort for family, protection while we sleep

We pray for healing, for prosperity

We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while, You hear each spoken need

Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops

What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights 
Are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom

Your voice to hear

And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near

We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love

As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

All the while, You hear each desperate plea

And long that we'd have faith to believe

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops

What if Your healing comes through tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights 

Are what it takes to know You're near

And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us

When darkness seems to win

We know the pain reminds this heart

That this is not, this is not our home

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops

What if Your healing comes through tears

And what if a thousand sleepless nights 

Are what it takes to know You're near

What if my greatest disappointments

Or the aching of this life

Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy

And what if trials of this life

The rain, the storms, the hardest nights

Are Your mercies in disguise

Next Steps: From Glory to Glory

We had a consultation with Dr. Batts yesterday. This followed a week in which I was receiving hydration and potassium infusions every day, either at the Cancer Center or Holland Hospital. Our conversation with Dr. Batts focused on next steps for my cancer treatment. Because I was only able to tolerate 3 of the 6 scheduled chemo treatments, the final two treatments have been cancelled.

We will now take two weeks off for recuperation before resuming treatments: 3 weeks on, 2 weeks off, 3 weeks on. That tentative schedule begins on September 8 and ends on October 26.

The doctor said that he feels that Burt's cancer was pretty aggressive, and without any further treatment it could easily recur. Hopefully, the next two weeks will result in increasing stamina and appetite, with lessening of the side effects of the latest chemo buildup.

That's the latest at this point in our journey. We continue to be grateful for the medical community and the faith community, who are our staunch companions on the way! In fact, the level of care that I have been receiving has caused me to focus on the biblical phrase, “from glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18). The full Scripture verse reads, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

Being hooked up to IV bags, pumps, and heart monitors does not seem very glorious. But there is even a beauty to the experiences of this life. There is a glory to cleanliness, compassionate nurses and doctors, caring family and friends, and treatments that fight sickness, brokenness, and discomfort.

There is great hope in knowing that this glory of the present is a foundation and preparation for an even greater glory that is to come. Though we may struggle with some aspects of the present, join me in celebrating lives that are moving from glory to glory.