Cancer

Doesn’t that word just send a chill, cause fear, make you sad, or any bad feeling you can come up with.  Cancer had never been a part of my family.  My mom and dad never had it nor any of their brothers and sisters.  My sisters have never had it nor my grandparents except one.  Apparently my Dad’s father had it when I was very young and he died before I ever knew him.

As of May 2nd, 2008  a Doctor discovered a cancerous tumor in my esophagus (I couldn’t even spell that word until now).  I was in for a routine check due to annoying indigestion, not bad reflux or heartburn, just alot of air and belching.  I decided let’s just get the colonoscopy and endoscope done.  Then the Doctor came in following the exam and shared with my wife and I that he had found a tumor and “unfortunately it looks like cancer”.  Of course we will send it to the lab for definitive results.  My first reaction was wierd.  I was still thick headed from the anesthesia and I remember thinking… really?  I could see Amy’s face and knew this was serious.  It hit her full force with no anesthsia  to dull the blow.

So there were tears and kind of a faint hope that the doctor was wrong.  On Tuesday morning we got the call that it was indeed cancer.  But again it was not that bad a blow because of what had happened on Sunday.  Word was spreading pretty fast at church because we had started calling people for prayer.  God’s grapevine is fast and effective.  Support and prayer were giving me strength that was nothing short of amazing.  Sunday night we had our regular class in the worship center with Pastor Frank.  Frank gave me opportunity to share with the group about my diagnosis.  Someone suggested everyone gather and around and pray for me.  That happened at the end.  It was an awesome time of prayer with hands touching me and Murray Hicks bringing my concerns before the Father.  I left knowing that night God may have indeed healed me.  The next week was sweet as emails, cards, phone calls came pouring in.  Again the “grapevine” was fast.  Prayers are coming in from Ohio, Louisiana, Tennessee, Georgia, Texas, and more that I can’t think of.  My spirit and faith were built up and strong.

Next step in God’s plan was for me to ask the elders/deacons of my church to pray for me according to the plan in James 5.14-15.  That happened Monday, May 12th.  Again, a very rich time of faith building and again, I am thinking, I may be healed already.

That brings us to this week where I went to the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa Florida.  My consultation was Wednesday, May 14th.  At this appointment I learned esophageal cancer is rare, I did not have classic symptoms, nor did I fit the “usual” group it is found in.  Smoking is a big contributor as is bad reflux disease.  The trip to the Cancer Center was the hardest thing I had faced to this point.  You can imagine what it is like to be in a building where “everyone” is at some stage of cancer.  That can work on your psyche!  I also heard the important news that they would indeed look at it one more time  before any treatments started so we would all know if it is gone! healed!  That date is May 29, 30 (we hope, as they are working on that right now).  So again, God has me in a place of waiting where I better trust him or I could just go crazy.

We just spent the last 5 days celebrating my grandson’s second birthday.  It was a weekend celebrating a new life that has changed all of ours.  Just being near him makes anything you feel bad about better.  We also shared time with family that was precious beyond description.

Next blog I plan to go more into what God is teaching and showing me through this process.  Today, I had to lay out the facts and bring everyone up to date.  All decisions of treatment and prognosis will be decided at the testing on May 29, 30.

Held in the Strength of His arms,

Al