The “C” Word – Day 175 Four Months Post-Op

The “C” Word – Day 175

Four Months Post-Op

One of the devotionals I read this week spoke of “contagious laughter”.  In it is the story of Sarah, whom God blessed with a child very late in her life.  When God gives Sarah the news that she will bear a child she laughs in disbelief.  Just as I “laughed” at what the Lord put in front of us nearly six months ago.  On that day of August 9^th, here are excerpts of what I wrote:

“I am not sure if I understand God’s humor and his wisdom right now.  I have yet to determine just exactly which one he is imparting on us right now.

Our day had started off ordinarily enough… to accomplish a few errands.  In the middle of one of those errands George looked at me with a strange face and said, “Oh no.”  At first I was thinking he forgot his credit card but he then said that he was having the start of the same kind of pain he had when he passed a kidney stone back in 2007.  Although we made it into a room  (in ER) quickly, we ended up waiting longer than the prior trip for a doctor or nurse to come in… And then we waited and waited.

The doctor finally made his way to our room …and then the next words out of his mouth were shocking.  The radiology report indicated peritoneal cancer “seeds” that had metastasized…  And just like that our lives are turned upside down..

Is this God’s sense of humor trying to make us scared and telling us that we need to appreciate what we have – because maybe it isn’t cancer, maybe it’s something else.  Maybe it will turn out to be something serious but something that is treatable and curable?  Will we laugh when we look back at this?”

Like Sarah, we wondered if we were asking God for the impossible.  Yet God asked us then as he continues to do throughout our life journey, “Is any thing too hard for the Lord?”  (Gen. 18:14)

Six months ago I wrote:  “I can only pray that this is a treatable and curable cancer as that is easier to swallow than the other option. But God has a plan…. and now we have to wait a few more days for this plan to play out in our lives.”

Just as God promised a child to Sarah and her dream became a reality, so too our hopes and wishes have become a reality.  As George continues his progress of healing, our lives become more bright, we express joy for what He has given us.  As things head more towards normal there is, once again, more laughter in the house… and this laughter is contagious.

In the devotional it says that “when Satan bombards us with lies… it is time to look back at God’s Word and remember Sarah.  Imbed in your mind the truth that with God, nothing is impossible (Matt. 19:26).  And then, in the midst of the storm, in the darkness of the night, in the crux of the trial, laugh, letting the joy of God’s truth be your strength.”  Trust that God can do the seemingly impossible. 

And here we STAND, nearly six months after our lives were shattered by the “C” word and exactly four months post-op from a life-altering surgery, stronger in faith than we were – and, for George, stronger in body as well.  As we sit in the midst of all of this, we feel like this is taking "forever" to get better, yet in the eyes of the medical professionals and those who see George they are amazed at the progress he has made.  Somehow, when you are the one living the ordeal, nothing seems to go as fast as you would like it to.

There is still a long road ahead.  We haven’t yet found out what George’s new “normal” is as it is still evolving.  While he continues to gain strength he is far from being where he was four months ago. 

Yet the next milestone will be reached on Monday when he is set to return to work.  He returns with mixed feelings because this journey has changed who he is from the inside to the outside. He is not sure if he can handle full time work but chooses to give it the good ol’ college try to find out.  After months of sitting in a recliner, sitting in an office chair for eight hours a day will no doubt take some adjusting. It will take some time for him to keep his brain turned on for the entire day, to settle in to the routine again.

But we will take each day as we have the past six months…. one at a time.  We will deal with each hurdle…. one at a time.  We will get through this next transition… one day at a time, one moment at a time if necessary.  And we will continue to pray for strength.  As we meet and beat each obstacle we will try to remember to be joyful in the morning for what God has given to us.  There will come a time when we can look back at this period of our lives… and laugh… for we have been given new life in the face of adversity. 

The prayer at the end of the devotional simply states: “Oh God, Your Word says that You will give use the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4).  I trust in that, Lord.  I trust in Your Word.  I believe You can do the seemingly impossible.  Help me to rest in that assurance and to laugh with Sarah, who was given her hearts’ desire.  Amen.”[1] 

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[1] Daily Whispers of Wisdom for Women, Barbour Publishing, 2008.  

The “C” Word – Day 159 Oncology update

We had an appointment with the oncologist this week.  Before every appointment there is a blood draw to aid them during the appointment.  While not all of George’s number are totally normal, they are all very close to where they should be.  Based on the last couple of readings they are still moving in the right direction.  YEAH!!  That is good news.

The doctor has signed off on George’s return to work papers which will be February 2.  I think George has mixed feelings about going back to work at this point.  While he is bored of sitting home he sort of enjoys not having to work.  He also does not know what awaits him when he walks back in the door.  The company is not known for its’ stability these days!

Each day George tries to do a little something.  A visit to see his mom.  A trip to the grocery store.  A walk around the block.  He does not require a two hour nap after he runs errands though he does get tired pretty easily.  These are “visible” signs of progress – ones George can easily measure and thus they give him hope. 

He has been sleeping better these days, not making trips to the living room to finish the night out anymore.  I have been sleeping in a separate room for the past week - a direct result of George not being able to sleep on his side so the whoosh of air from his CPAP unit is annoying to me.  I have been sleeping very well also!!  While this is not the ideal sleeping arrangement, for now it is something we are resigned to.

This weekend we will take our first overnight trip since before surgery.  It is our last opportunity while Mom is still in rehab and we don’t have to arrange for babysitters for her.  I am looking forward to getting away.  One of the days I will spend with two of my daughters as we celebrate the life of their dad who passed from this earth 15 years ago this coming week.  It is an annual ritual that we derive much enjoyment from.  George will get some much needed “guy time” with our son-in-law as well as some grandpa time with the twins. 

I will write again once George is back to work and let y’all know how that is going.  I imagine it will probably take some time to get back in the swing of things and get used to being back in the throes of the woes of work.  It has been a LOOOOONG 4 ½ months.  His coworkers who have not seen him will most likely be awestruck with his new, slim figure!  And he will tell those who asks that, although he “looks good” now, he would not recommend this “diet” for anyone!