Greetings
from Austin Street
Happy Thursday!
All is well here at 811. The appointment with the oncologist went very well. It
was wonderful to see Dr. Adams again. He greeted me with a big hug and that
made me feel so much better. It was
really interesting siting in the waiting room of the cancer center. With Casey
we always saw Dr. Adams in his hospital room.
I looked around at the people and the thoughts of the battles these
people were fighting really had an impact on me. I saw the face of cancer today
and those who were the care givers of these folks. I saw faces filled with
hope. I saw faces that were tired. I saw faces of care givers standing ready to
do whatever it was going to help the one in their care. Today, while I begin to fight my own battle,
through personal prayer the prayers of others and scripture study. I will add
the folks I saw today to my prayers and
ask for the blood of Jesus to cover each one of them; healing their disease and
giving them hope.
Dear God,
you bring such light to my life. Thank you for letting me see the faces of
others who battle this disease. I ask that no matter how this disease and the
treatment to come affects me that others can look at my face and see your glory
and love you. This is a very intimidating disease and I thank you Lord, for
remembering your promises. I rest in the hope that with your help I will be
healed and restored to wellness. Lord, you are sovereign over all in my life
and I offer myself to you as a sacrifice of praise and ask that you use me in
this journey to help someone else. I
love you Lord. In Jesus name, amen.
My pastor
friend Deb McCann went with Bruce and I to my appointment with Dr. Adams. She
was there in support to script all of what Dr. Adams had to say. The information
overload is enormous and I knew I would never be able to remember it all. The
decision has been left up to me at this time as to how to proceed. Dr. Adams
recommends a lumpectomy and radiation.
The radiation will begin about 4 weeks following surgery. I will go five
days a week for six weeks. I will take an
anti-hormone pill for at least five years following the surgery. The bottom line is that the survival rate is
the same whether I have a lumpectomy or a radical mastectomy. Unless I hear
something different from the surgeon that is what I plan to do. The lymph nodes
do not appear to have become affected at this time. More testing is required.
If the lymph nodes are affected then chemotherapy will be required.
Deb said
some very profound words to me today. “God knew you had cancer. That is why you
need to have an extra interview for ordination.” I never thought about that. I don’t know
about you, but I usually see God’s plan or will in hind sight. Perhaps Deb is
right. She is pretty in tune with God. I had come to the edge of the promise of
my dream of being an ordained minister and helping others through pastoral
care. The work of preparing for final
ordination is rigorous. Perhaps this
disease is something that must be removed so that I can focus on ordination
later. I expect to learn a lot in the waiting room at the cancer center. God is
with me here and while I am here I am to learn and practice compassion and
offer hope to those who need to hear a word of hope. I believe God will be with
me each step of the way restoring health and wellness and teaching me to look
into the face of those who battle and offer a word of peace.
“The LORD your God will have mercy—he won’t destroy you
or desert you. The Lord will remember His promises,”
Deuteronomy 4: 31
Take joy in the journey living in the assurance of the promises of God
and receiving His tender mercies. Wear comfortable shoes, get some sleep and
thank pink! Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene
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