After Thanksgiving

Reading my last post I see we were not past the testing stage of John's cancer type.  Well since then John spent 3 days in the hospital to get a good lung biopsy done so he could proceed to treatment.  We did find out he has stage 4 lung and bone cancer.  When it is in the bone it automatically becomes stage 4.  It is not small cell lung cancer either, which we were hoping for.  This seems like rather depressing news but at the same time there are some great new treatments out there that give a lot of hope.  He has had one treatment of two powerful chemotherapy products and one immunotherapy.  We are pleased with his follow up testing results and have heard that this treatment can put his cancer into remission and in some cases cure it, even the bone part of it!

There are always side effects when taking a bunch of medicines, chemo, etc. into our bodies.  John has had his share of pain from the bone cancer and therefore takes powerful pain meds.  They help, yet again, lots of side effects.  John hangs in there with great strength.  We both have had our moments of frustration.  I confess mine can consist mostly of self-pity which I don't like at all.  It caused a melt-down one day I'm rather ashamed of and so now I'm trying to rest more on God instead of my own weak strength.  Thank you all so very much for prayer.  I believe in the power of prayer more then anything!  Medicine is a wonderful answer to our prayers, but the creator is the one who has made our bodies. He is the one who has to direct our doctors and nurses to bring about the perfect outcome.

Since John's first treatment we attended a huge family gathering (my family and John's) for Thanksgiving and enjoyed having his girls with their families in town.  They came from Sacramento and Atlanta, Georgia.  The day was the worst day for John as far as strength went, but he was so glad to be able to be a part of the day.  A cosy couch in the middle of everything helped!

We look forward to Christmas which we are now trying to prepare for.  We do as much each day as is possible and not worry about the rest.  The main thing we try to do is enjoy what God gives for the day and praise Him for the ability to do what we can to have a normal life in the midst of deciding what food tastes the best as well as good for you, handling pain, medicine, treatments, doctor visits, CT and MIR scans, and blood tests!

There is always suffering in life.  One problem gets better and another can soon follow.  Not to sound pessimistic, it is just a fact.  If we don't have hope in God there is very little that can bring real peace or happiness.  So whoever reads this I would encourage you to put your hope in God so that suffering can be handled.  John and I are reading a great devotional booklet this month that happens to be on suffering. The other day the key verse was:
 Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord.
Also a thought was shared from George MacDonald:  "Trust God to weave your little thread into the great web, though the pattern shows it not yet."

I like both these thoughts and most of all knowing with certainty this Christmas season Christ was born so we could saved from sin and be Expected in Heaven one day!