Thanksgiving or just Thanksgiven?

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day.

Will you spend time just reflecting on past things for which you have given thanks or will you be giving thanks?  1 Chronicles 23:30 says “And they were to stand every morning, thanking and praising the Lord, and likewise at evening. “  (ESV)

Don’t make it a day of Thanksgiven but make it a day of Thanksgiving!

From the lady's tees?

It is said “Time flies when you are having fun!” so I must be having the time of my life.  It seems impossible that it is now over three months since the completion of my radiation treatments. However, surely it is as I just recently had my three month follow-up scan and exams.

The follow-ups with both the oncologist and Provision went well as their reports returned with what we had prayed. My CT scan and blood work came back as being well within normal ranges.  Due to stopping the hormone treatments in August my PSA had risen to very slightly above zero. This however was not a concern as it was expected.

I have not said anything about the hormone treatment but in short, it was the worst part of this whole ordeal.  When meeting with the oncologist prior to starting the shots he went through a lengthy explanation of the expected side effects.  As he finished I told him all my questions were answered but two. The first from my sister, “Was my beard going to fall out?”  He assured that he had never seen that happen.  My second question was really for my brother’s benefit, “Would these shots qualify me to hit from the lady’s tees when we played golf?” I could tell from the look on his face and his laughter that was a question which he had never heard.  In fact he did admit he had never been asked that, but if I wanted he could write me a note on his prescription pad.  All I have to say about it is that hot flashes are no longer something I laugh at, nor are night sweats, nor all the other side effects of having no testosterone.  (In case you are wondering, my brother said he didn’t care from which tees I hit because he was going to hit from the same ones… and the lady’s sounded just fine!)

I pray that wherever you are in your journey through life that you can join me as I sing with the Psalmist:

Psalm 30

11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;

   You have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,

12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent,

   O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever! (ESV)

Where has the time gone?

Has it really been over six weeks since I completed proton therapy?  After rushing to treatment five days a week for eight weeks I have likened  the past month to the feeling of driving 80 mph on the interstate then exiting only to find myself behind a tractor going 8 mph.

The last day of treatment is a very emotional time. With family and newly made friends there is a presentation of a "diploma"  and you are then given time to say whatever you wish.  This is followed by ringing "the bell" three times.  It is truly a time of celebration and after seeing others reach their final day one's anticipation mounts as it approaches.

Some people were happy to to simply say thank you; others talked, and talked, and talked.  My day was unique in that there were two of us finishing.  The fellow who "graduated" the same day as I had his ceremony first.  He was one of the talkers with pages of prepared remarks.  Once he had said all he had to say Lynette leaned over to me and asked, "You're not talking that long are you?"  I don't think I did but I'll leave that opinion to be made by others.

Avoiding "Red Robin"

I find it hard to believe I am starting my third week of treatments.  Once they began it seems the days are flying by. A fellow there who is in his last week of treatments told me that once you are halfway completed the days really fly by.  That is just what I am now experiencing.

The treatments are very short, less than twenty minutes.  I guess really they are only about two or three minutes.  The majority of time is spent getting in and out of a gown, climbing on and off the table, and getting the system aimed.

Aiming of the system is quite a process in itself.  I mentioned in an earlier post that prior to treatment I was required to have a number of preliminary scans.  With the assistance of my fiduciary markers the final CT and MRI scans were used to locate the target areas and establish the treatment plan. Hearing the word “fiduciary” used in this manner made me wonder if I really knew what it meant.  After consulting a dictionary I found that I just did not appreciate all of its nuances.  These fiduciaries are 24k gold markers inserted in my prostate, thus assisting the aiming of the protons.  I was unsure how large they are so I asked to see one.  I was surprised at their size: probably no more than an inch long and smaller than a hair. At the current price of gold my net worth may have increased about $2.98.

In conjunction with the final scans was the establishment of my water regiment.  Because it is important that everything (bladder, rectum, prostate, etc.) be in the same place and nothing has moved between creating and performing the treatment, a water drinking prescription is developed.  My is simple: 40 minutes prior to treatment empty my bladder followed by drinking 16 ounces of water in less than five minutes.  The tough part is holding that 16 ounces for an hour.  Have they forgotten they are causing some level of incontinence?  Oh! I digress; I did not mean to go there.

The other thing that can disrupt the aim of the protons is gas or in more genteel surroundings flatulence.  For this reason they ask that Beano be taking regularly with meals.  The doctor explained that when traveling through solid or liquid the protons’ path is stable; but, if they hit a pocket of air… I’m not sure I grasped exactly what happens if they hit air; but, I got the idea you don’t want that to happen.

Needless to say I’ve gotten to know the therapists well as we chat throughout the process.  In fact, on a couple of occasions they have said, “The x-ray used for aiming is showing some gas. If we step out could you pass some gas?”  I must say I never thought I could make young ladies so happy by passing gas!  I think the reason for their happiness is that they do have a device (which they fondly call the “Red Robin”) which is used to aid in expelling gas.  So far I have not had an encounter with said “Red Robin.” Just the thought of it is enough to make me watch my diet and not forget the Beano.

Finding the words to describe the therapists is difficult.  In an earlier post I talked about them posting scripture on the wall.  It’s the things like that where they go above and beyond helping you through what could be a tough time.  They just know how to put you at ease making the whole experience – I want to say, pleasant.  It may be that they so unashamedly express their faith.  Not in a “Whack you over your head with a 10 pound Scofield” kind of way.  But in a more gentle way, like the praise choruses they have softly playing in the background.  They have truly found their calling and are on their mission field.  I give thanks for them.

Fuego

The big thing in the news this week has been the eruption of Fuego, the volcano in Guatemala.  It occurred on Sunday morning and as I have reflected on the events surrounding the eruption I am in wonder of how God’s hand works.

Lynette and I both have been to Guatemala several times.  Six months ago we were making plans to return with a mission team from our church.  The departure date was to be June 2^nd.  The difficulty confronting us was twofold: first our granddaughter’s birthday is June 1^st; and second, she was performing in a ballet recital on June 2^nd.  The solution was simple. Since the recital was to be in the afternoon we would go for her birthday, spend the night, attend the recital then travel home that evening.  We would then leave for Guatemala on June 3^rd arriving a day later than the rest of the team.  The only small difficulty was the booking of our flights separate of the rest of the team.

The booking of airline tickets can be so crazy. You look one day the price is up, next day they’re down, next day the flight no longer exists.  We went around and around trying to decide which flights to book.  However, before that decision was made my diagnosis came and things really became topsy-turvy.  The hope was that with four months to go before the trip that it may be possible to get treatment to the point where we could still go.  That was just not to be. Now that this week is past I am able to understand why God would not allow us to travel on June 3^rd for we would have been in route to Guatemala when Fuego blew. I have not yet decided if His blocking our travel is a reason to give thanks for cancer.  Could He not have found another way?

The first rule of any mission trip is “Plan, plan, plan... then be prepared for your plans to change.” I doubt the experience of a volcano eruption was on the bucket list of any of the team members and I am sure no one expected a change of plans like this. Having heard from the team and they are all safe and doing well, accomplishing some of what was planned and a lot they never anticipated. We’ve been to Guatemala enough times that we have close friends there. I really had the locals as well as the team on my mind and in my prayers. 

The volcanoes in Guatemala are much like earth quakes in California; you know they’re possible; you just don’t dwell on it.  Just like an occasional small tremor of the earth in California the volcanoes will sometimes give a little belch of smoke.  In fact Fuego was known for just such belches.  The two photos below I took of Fuego from about 20 miles away. They were shot less than 30 seconds apart. The locals there just said, “Oh, it does that all the time!”

Fuego January 2, 2017

Will Rogers once said, "Quitting to smoke is easy, I've done it thousands of times!"  That's just like the "little sins" in our lives.  We keep telling ourselves that our sins are small, inconsequential, and will not amount to much.  The lesson of actions having consequences can be a very, very difficult one; but, the Lord still offers His mercy.

Joel 2:12,13

12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord,

   “return to Me with all your heart,

   with fasting and weeping, and mourning;

12 and rend your hearts and not your garments.”

   Return to the Lord your God,

   for He is gracious and merciful,

   slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;

   and He relents over disaster.

  (ESV)