SO GRATEFUL TO SEE GOD’S LOVE IN FEELING THE LOVE OF OTHERS

I am now home after my six-week stay in Baltimore. I must admit that once again it is an adjustment to be back home. I had three different women to take care of me during my long stay at the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge. They drove me everywhere, spent time with me, shopped with and for me, fed me and cleaned up after me. They prayed with me and took me to church so that I could be fed spiritually and be encouraged by and encourage Christ’s body. I was so well cared for that it has been a big adjustment being home and now having to drive myself to different places. I find myself missing each of them because we had such great times together. I am filled with so much gratitude, and I have felt so much love as each of these women went out of their ways to serve me. I thank God for the way that he orchestrated all these things and how he had made all these moments so precious to me. Thank you again Naomi, Erica and Cindy for your time, your love and your great service to me. I know that I could not have done any of this without you. You all have not just been a great physical support for me but have helped me so much emotionally and spiritually and I thank God for your friendship and love. Thank you for being such great examples of how Jesus loves.

During my six-week stay, there have been many lessons along with a multitude of emotions that I am still processing. These demands for processing have also been contributing to my need for adjusting to life back home. I am a very different person than what I was six weeks ago. I mean I still am a sinner, and I still desperately need God’s grace and love demonstrated by Jesus’ death on the cross, but I am more continually aware of how God has created me to be renewed every morning as the Holy Spirit is constantly transforming me to become more and more like Jesus. And that all this is done in honor and glory in Yahweh’s name.

The latest update about the plan for my cancer treatment is to see my local oncologist and start back on 40 mg of Tagrisso and to continue to monitor my heart function. The idea is that the large tumor, which had to be treated these past six weeks with the chemotherapy and radiation, was resistant to the Tagrisso. Since the smaller tumors did not return, the oncologist from Johns Hopkins (JH) believes that the Tagrisso will still be effective in keeping my cancer from growing. This of course is all provided that the six-week treatment on the large tumor worked in eliminating it completely. This is my current major specific prayer request since any surviving cancer cell has a potential to grow and can potentially be resistant to the Tagrisso.

I plan to get my three-month CT scans set up locally due to my insurance issues, and I have a follow up visit set up with both of JH doctors in November. I am at greater risk this time of developing radiation pneumonitis. Since this most often occurs three to six months after radiation treatment, the JH doctors are wanting to meet with me in person for this first follow-up visit. Again I need this specific prayer request as well.

During my six-week stay, I sent a transmission from my heart device after every radiation treatment session so that my cardiac electrophysiologist could evaluate any potential effects of the radiation on my cardiac implant. Again, my impression is that typically insurance does not pay for this service either so the donations that have been collected thus far in my FreeFunder site will have to go a long way. I know though that God will continue to provide me with all that I need. Thank you all who have contributed to that site or who have personally provided me with various funds to help take care of the need to cover my medical costs.

Also, I want to thank each of you for reading my blogs, for encouraging me each time that I see you or read your texts, emails or comments, and for your many prayers. Thank you for being the example of Hebrews 3:13 with encouraging me daily so that you and I are delivered from ever being hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

To God be the glory. Amen.