Next Steps

Each time we go to the doctor, it is not what we expected. Guess we will start going with no expectations. But as humans it is hard not to have expectations!

We met with the medical oncologist on Friday. He is recommending a course of six chemo treatments each 3 weeks apart beginning the end of September. There is a chemo education class that we take which will give us all the details of what chemotherapy looks like. Right now, we know that because there was no lymph node involvement, the drugs will not be as harsh. "Medium" ones the doctor said. Cancer cells travel by two means in the body: lymph system and bloodstream. The chemo and subsequent radiation are to kill those cells that may have traveled in the bloodstream.

Our doctor, Peter Jiang, is very compassionate. He said he knows the drugs do horrible things to the body but he says cancer is worse. He said, I know this is scary. I told him I was so glad to hear him say that he understands what his patients are feeling.

We met with the scheduler after our appointment and I was overwhelmed with chemo class, body scan, blood work, 1st treatment scheduling. When I got home I was numb. I didn’t really want to think or talk or pray. But I knew I wanted comfort and true comfort comes from God. I didn’t want to resort to zoning out on TV or eating or any other number of things to comfort me. I wanted to choose to go to God who says he will comfort.

Our prayer was one of crying out for God to be who he says he is to us because we are overwhelmed. For Him to act toward us out of his character. He calls himself the God of all comfort, the God of hope, the God who is near. And he gives us the privilege of asking him to be these things for us through Jesus. We sang……

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saves a wretch like me,
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind but now I see.

It is his grace that allows us to seek him and all his mercies. Hallelujah!

Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers,

Love,

marc & jane