LIFE AT 60 - READY

Well today was an interesting day!  Had a Dr appointment with the Hematologist, (thats fancy wording for CHEMO Dr!)  LOL  The appointment was scheduled for 10 am and finally at around 11:10, I got in the room, and he cam in shortly after.  For those of you who know me, this journey is working on my lack of patience!  :)  I dont have much, and waiting in a waiting room is not my cup of tea, but I made it thru.  I got some relatively good news.

When last he and I spoke, he was talking a 3 drug cocktail, and possibly having to sit there for most of a day, NOT my idea of having a good time.  However, as I mentioned last blog, he put my case before a group of doctors today who all specialize in head and neck cancers.  (I really hate giving that word credence).  The consensus was that surgery was definitely out!  Praise God for that.  The one surgeon in the room said that he would definitely recommend against it.  That is an answer to prayer right there.  I was not even considering it, but it is wonderful that God saw to it that the doctors also dont think it necessary.  Then he informed me that they also recommended against the 3 drug cocktail he was considering.  Apparently one of the side effects is that one of the drugs causes you to lose your high frequency hearing, usually permanently.  I install and design sound systems, so that would not be a good thing to lose a good part of my hearing.  :)  That is praise #2.  The other advantage to the different cocktail is that I wont have to have some sort of pump to carry around for a week at a time.  Praise #3.  I did however walk out with more prescriptions, so what looked like a small pharmacy in my bathroom, will soon look like a small Walgreens!  Not quite that bad, but it does feel like it sometimes.  I have my heart meds, and now this stuff.

So where are we going from this point?  well the only thing I know for sure is that I will have a port installed on Tuesday, (good drugs again, good sleep for at least 30 min).   The port is to allow for the infusion of the chemo drugs.  THAT joyful occasion will start on the 13th.  However, Im really not all that fearful of any of this.  Mostly because I have God on my side, but Im at the point, I just really want this to start and be done.  Places to go, things to do, people to see.  Im quite confident that God is still in the healing business, and that Im on HIS agenda to do just that.  If He chooses to not heal me but just saying it into effect, then He will do it thru the talent and ability of the various doctors and the drugs they are trained to use.

Im convinced that sometime between now and the end of all this stuff there will be multiple people that need to hear what I have to say.  They need to hear about Gods love, mercy, and grace.  What better time to chat with someone than when we are both in a captive situation sitting in a recliner with harsh drugs pounding into your blood stream?  Hopefully I wont miss any opportunity.  It would be nice to have the same chat over a cup of coffee, but Im not sure I will be allowed to drink coffee while getting my dose of poison.  LOL

Been thinking of  maybe doing a video to post on You Tube about the effects of chemo and radiation.  Im going to think it thru.  Probably will happen.  Should be fun.

So lets think about things for a moment.  Ive been positive thru out this journey.  Im finally getting down to the real treatment.  I say finally, but really it has only been 4 weeks.  It all seems so very surreal.  Almost like Im sitting by and looking at this guy that looks just like me going thru this.  Im sure when I get that 1st dose of chemicals I will wake up to reality.  However, Im standing on Gods promises that no harm will come to me.  Im believing that I wont have any Ill effects from any of this treatment.  Im firmly believing that there is a reason for this, and it will soon be made clear.  God is NEVER late in His infinite plan.  His plans are always for our good.  Jeremiah tells us that He knows the plans for our lives, and those plans do not include any harm but only good.  Im standing on that promise too.  Basically Im standing on ALL Gods promises.  They are all true, and very real.

If you dont know Jesus and you are reading this, I trust that you will let me tell you about Him.  If you would rather talk face to face, or find someone close to you, I can help with that too.

For those of you who remember me telling about my friend Greg Clark, he is still in need of a heart, and still needs your prayers.  Please keep him lifted before the throne of God.  I believe that if there is not a heart to be found, that God can just fix the one he has.  Either way, Greg is in good hands.

Thanks for keeping me in your prayers as well