What Youre Protected From. Thats the title of this post. Whenever I meet someone who has cancer, I’m astounded by how God has protected me from the brunt of the side effects, despite a rough diagnosis and course of treatment. I still love how upon my first appointment at UCSF, the oncologist couldn’t believe my condition and thought I “looked like a million bucks!” Katie and I still revel in how normal our lives have been and the adventures we’ve been on. We recently met Sean Trank. I spotted a bald head in the crowd at church and bluntly asked if he had cancer. Those in the cancer club can totally distinguish a bad-ass head shave from chemo-hair-falling-out, even when eyebrows are intact, which mine are not. I digress. In response to: “Excuse me, but do you have cancer?” Sean responded, “Yes! Lung caner, stage 3B, what about you?!” Whereas this group has been a (reluctant) prayer and update resource, Sean has whole heartedly capitalized on his cancer for the sake of the Gospel. Even more so, each round of chemo knocks Sean flat for upwards of a week. Check out seantrank/ I’m thankful for protection not in a religious way like, “at least I have it better off than so-and-so.” Rather, we have no idea the small things each of us is protected from on a daily basis, and we therefore must consider what we don’t see. Meeting Sean undoubtedly left both of us thankful for our condition, as Sean has any number of protections that I don’t have. For example, he doesn’t have any obligation at work during treatment; and while my advisor has been fully supportive, I choose to work all but two days of treatment. Psalm 10 speaks of the wicked man, cancer, “hunting down the weak.” I firmly believe cancer is a tool of satan, a product of the Fall, and not in the least ordained by God. In that light, I love how Psalm 10:14 speaks of God taking our grief and afflictions, “But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.” Consider also that our God not only protects us from affliction but also protects us into a life with Him, which it really why I believe in Jesus. Here are some updates and prayers: As always, school is hard and fun. But I have one hand tied behind my back trying to start a grad program while on chemo. Praise God that I’m still *technically* cancer free! We think? There have been no scans since October when the liver spots tested negative for cancer, and the hip scans showed only scar tissue from radiation. And the lung spots are still untestable and unchanged. Chemo will continue through the end of March when I’ll have another set of scans and appointment at various hospitals. Practically, pray I would keep weight up and nausea down. Nausea is minor but surprisingly debilitating. The weight issue nothing dangerous, I’ve just been in slow decline for a few months. Oh if only you had my diet regiment ;-) Finally, pray for Sean, and Eric, and Craig, and our friends and family dealing with cancer in different afflictions. No one really knows what they are going though but we can all rest in knowing how much we are protected. Sorry-not-sorry for the long post. Or the long delay between posts. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Go Seahawks!
Posted on: Sun, 02 Feb 2014 20:00:19 +0000