My life is a whirlwind! On February 4, just 18 days ago, I was diagnosed with lung cancer metastasized to the liver. Since that day of being told on the phone, I have had a PET scan, MRI of my head, two medical appointments and three continuous days of chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
I still feel well. I have no symptoms of the disease. I have no side effects of three days of pouring some sort of cancer killing drugs into my system. I am grateful to God that I feel this good.
On the other hand, it is hard to believe a diagnosis like this when I feel well. I go back and look at a CT and PET scan to see that they both say the same thing. It makes me bewildered. The only effect I seem to have is that by evening I am tired. Not fatigue, but tired. I also know that when I am on an emotional roller coaster, for whatever reason, I get tired. My little brain just wants me to stop and rest.
On February 12, just ten days ago, I had a port implanted in my chest. Such a clever thing. I had no idea that this little silicone device can stay in a body for 20 years. That puts me at 97 years old before they might need to replace it. I think I’m okay there—probably won’t need a replacement.
I showed up on Day 1, last Monday, February 16, for my first infusion. It was a long day of dealing with the unknown. I waited while the infusions were happening for me to feel sick in some way. That did not happen. The following day, I arrived at MD Anderson Cancer Center for another round of infusions. I still felt good. Day 3 came and went—no side effects. At one point I asked the nurse if she was sure there was really cancer killing stuff inside those bags of fluid they were dumping into my body. She assured me they were filled with the big guns.
I don’t know how someone could go through this process if they were not connected to Jesus. The peace I have because of my faith in my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is unexplainable. In the gospels of Matthew, Luke, and John, people were healed by their faith when they just touched the hem or fringe of Jesus’ robe. It wasn’t the touching that healed them, it was the faith in Jesus that healed them. Sometimes I feel like the best I can do is just touch the hem, and other times I feel like I am holding His hand. It is humbling. It also does not guarantee that I will be healed on earth, quickly or slowly, but it does mean that I will be fully healed for eternity.
I am overwhelmed by the love and support I have received from so many people. This diagnosis and quick action the doctor chose to take, can be so overwhelming. Yet family and friends have reached out in ways that I had never expected. The day after my port insertion, Dennis and I had lunch with nine of my cousins on my mom’s side. It was wonderful being with them, dining and catching up on everyone’s lives, but it didn’t end there. As we were getting ready to leave, we sat at the table and held hands, and one of my cousins prayed for me. I didn’t care that we were in the middle of a restaurant—this was so meaningful to me. Two days later, the evening before my first infusion day, a group of friends, whom I have known only for a few months, came to our home and prayed over Dennis and me. This group is 99% young people. Talk about being humbled around such loving and faithful young people.
Not only that, so many people on Facebook have shared encouragement with me, said they were praying for me, and some even expressed that I am encouraging them through their cancer journey. Most of those who stated that were people I was not aware of currently having cancer, and of course, encouragement from others who have gone through the battle.
As I look back on this week, I am amazed how quickly things got started for my treatment. MD Anderson Cancer Center does not waste its time.
I am keeping my eyes focused on healing. I am also reading some great devotionals. One that I picked up has really been a blessing, “Praying Through Cancer – a 90-day devotional for women.” I am also journaling every day, in a gifted book called, “Jesus Listens – Daily Devotional, Prayers of Peace, Joy, and Hope.”
That’s about all I have to say at this time. It’s all too new and all too overwhelming. Fortunately, I live in the present. I am a planner and a project person. I am finding my days to be ones where I can tie up loose ends of little things I have been working on, but never quite finished. Keeping busy really helps. I am also trying to stay active. I did not walk as much as I wanted this week, but I was so happy to start out walking a mile. Life got in the way, but this coming week is open, and I plan to get back on the sidewalks and trails around the house. The oncologist said that continuing to work out will also help boost my immune system, and right now I could use all the boosts I can get.
For now I am good. I don’t know what the future brings, but then, none of us do. I will continue going one step at a time, one day at a time. I will do my best to become a cancer survivor.
Andrea Unsinkable 