I Can't Believe It's Been Almost a Year!

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah. It's been almost a year since the last blog. I just got caught up in the survival mode of life. Since October 2008, actually in November 2008, I learned I had colorectal cancer. If not for Jim's diagnosis, I might not have found it. After removal of a cancerous polyp in December, I had to go through 25 days of radiation and 6 months of chemotherapy. Jim and I seem to take togetherness to a way higher level.

On August 13, 2009, I was declared cancer-free. I was so ecstatic. Now, if Jim's PET scan today could be just as productive.

Unfortunately, Jim's scan showed that the lesions have not shrunk any more since the last scan in March. However, the good news is that they have not grown, and there is no sign of cancer in lymph nodes or anywhere else in his body. God is good...all the time.

Jim has 4 more treatments left in this round. He'll complete them mid-October. AFter that our oncologist has a couple of other treatments up her sleeve...radiofrequency oblation, along with a time-release chemotherapy pill. With this treatment, Jim must be a "good" candidate, meaning the position of the lesions cannot cause the treatment to hurt some other part of his insides. The other treatment is direct infusion of chemo into the lesions. with this he has to stay in the hospital for 72 hours, lying flat on his back while the chemo is infused directly into the lesions.

From the beginning of this trial, the verse of scripture impressed on me is the 23rd Psalm: "...and yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death..." I believe that even though we're not out of the shadow yet, we will be, and we (Jim and me) will be stronger, closer to the Lord, and happier than we've ever been. We've been privileged to witness miracle after miracle showing the loving-kindness and direction of our God. And, we do give him all the glory.
We didn't choose the get cancer. In our ignorance (we should have gotten colonoscopies 5 years ago, and this might not have occurred), we ended up with it. We had two choices...give up, let it get the best of us, and allow fear to take over our lives; or, we could accept it, seek the best treatment, and allow the experience to bring us closer to the Lord, each other, our family, and our friends. We chose the latter. We are truly happy and at peace.

Writing is so cathartic. I am sad I didn't write all along the past 10 months. Part of the time I just didn't feel like it, and part of the time, I think I was afraid to let my thoughts get out. I hope I feel like writing more regularly now.