Thanksgiving 2017

It was asked of us at our Thanksgiving table this year, “Tell something/someone specific you are thankful for.”

It was easy for me. I had a cancerous kidney removed three months ago. I didn’t know for sure it was cancer until it was removed and the pathology report came back. I am thankful to be here and healed.

Before, during and after my hospitalization, I felt the love from far and near. I was taken care of with whatever need I, along with my hubby, might have, even before being asked. My family, my friends, my neighbors, my church – oh my, I still feel the love! It’s overwhelming! My dear hubby stepped up in any and every way he could, way beyond his comfort level.

I posted three different times prior explaining my story which began in April – the week before Easter. You can read about it here:

Three Weeks

That Dreaded MRI

Unnecessary Parts?

To see my grown children actually “mother” me was something I’ll never forget. I was so proud – not only of their maturity but of their love and knowhow. Of course, they both have four kids each so have had lots of practice! 😊

To be humbled by my physical self – poorly at the time, and still not at 100% – and to ask for and accept help, is not my normal mindset.

As for my mental self, well, let’s just say that the anesthesia one receives during surgery lasts a long, long time! I’m still not sure I’m thinking straight. 😊

About five days after the surgery, my surgeon called. I began speaking before he did, wanting him to up my pain meds. I was in a bad way! When I finally let him talk, he began with, “I have your pathology report back and it’s very unusual. . .” Thankfully my daughter was listening in because after he agreed to up my pain meds, I pretty much stopped listening.

The “very unusual” part of his message was that I had two cancerous tumors in my kidney – one quite large. But the real clincher was that each tumor contained a different type of cancer!

The essential point and most important was it was all removed. No chemo or radiation necessary.

We already knew of two tumors present. The MRI was clear on that point. And I already knew that was unusual. Why? Because I googled it! Did you know there are forums for just about everything on the internet? Fascinating! I compared pain levels, size of tumors, types of cancer, etc. Never once did I find a comment about one having two tumors, let alone two different types of cancers.

This all began with a trip to the ER in April for a pain on the left side which went away. The CT scan led us to check further on the right side where the kidney lesions in question showed themselves. It was not a fluke. It was God!

A month or so later, I was in communication with my primary doctor. Since my surgery was in a hospital in a different network than my primary, she hadn’t yet received my reports. I mentioned that I had two different types of cancerous tumors. She too commented that it was quite unusual. Later when I had an appointment in her office, she shared that in her entire practice, which began in 1990, she had never heard of this.

As time passed, those comments began to roll around in my mind. So, I asked my surgeon directly using the medical portal (I love those!).

“I met with my general doctor last week for a routine visit. She said she had never heard of a kidney with 2 different cancers in it. I wondered if you had. I know you said it was unusual, so I wondered just how rare it is? Thank you!”

He responded,
“It is quite rare. Having more than one tumor in the kidney occurs in about 3% of people with kidney cancer. Having two different types of cancer in the same kidney is even more rare . . .”

I’m famous! “😊

Seriously, I’m not sure what to do with that information. Nothing except to thank God again for His arms around me and again be amazed at His work!

Someone mentioned that now I was a cancer survivor. I disagree to the point that I do not have to deal with chemo or radiation or other means to kill the disease that so many must be subject to. I didn’t have to think about it and the “what if’s” day in and day out for months or even years. In fact, the word “cancer” was never mentioned until the surgeon called that day – five days after the infected kidney was removed. The terms, “areas of concern” and “suspicious lesions” were used, but never “cancer.” I believe that’s a psychological ploy because we all knew the possibilities.

I don’t feel like a cancer survivor because I didn’t know I had cancer until I didn’t!

But everyday I’m overwhelmed with gratefulness and thankfulness to God, my hubby, my family, my neighbors, and my friends who took care of me. I look forward to opportunities to pass it forward.

“Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
Luke 12:7

Tis the Season. . .

There is so much going on at this time of year – in my head! Lists, lists, lists. Yep, I’m a list person. It helps to cross off all that silly stuff that, well, that just needs to be crossed off. There is Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Years and all the parties and fuss and cooking in between. And don’t forget the presents! Oh my! Last year I counted who and how many gifts I give at Christmas: 35. THIRTY-FIVE!  This year I’m not counting.

But this time of year is more than about cooking and shopping. The holiday season stirs up feelings and emotions of the good, the bad and the ugly. It’s stressful. Let’s just face it.

My particular emotion is one of remembrance. I remember my dad.

His birthday: November 23^rd.

His deathday: December 25^th.

He died on Christmas Day. He was only 71 years of age. It will be 22 years ago this Christmas.

The first year, well it was on that day so we plowed through what needed to be done – cross country.

The second year, my mother came to visit and we had a New Year’s Eve party.  She helped clean and cook and entertain. It was a nice event – a filler to give us something else to focus on. Since then, life goes on.

Now that the kids have grown up and married and had kids of their own, I often wonder how my dad would view it all. What/who he would be critical of and what/who he would be proud of.

Thanksgiving, every once in a while, falls on his birthday. And again I remember.

I try to remember good things. He was a hard dad, a perfectionist. I failed to measure up. But we had nice memories too: many vacations, comfortable home, good friends.

My saving grace? What I hang onto when I’m sad and lonely and just plain miss him?

I know I’ll see him again. He’s in heaven and I’ll be headed that way too.

He was born again – and so am I.

 

Reckoning with God

In Jack’s own words:

He asked me, “If you died tomorrow, do you know for sure that you would go to Heaven?”

I tried to compose myself quickly and replied with all the ‘yes’ reasons I could think of: I had served as president of the church council, helped at the chicken suppers, and a bunch of other things I thought were relevant.

I think he figured out pretty quickly that I was not a believer of Jesus Christ.

It caused me to think though and I reflected on the previous weeks:

Our children had changed schools, from public to Christian; Judy and I were meeting quite a few new folks, other parents.

One of the other fathers had befriended me and invited me to go to a Christian Businessman’s luncheon. The speaker turned out to be an older Fraternity Brother who I knew and liked, and he was going to speak on “The Best and Greatest Investment he had made in his life.” I thought at the time, that it would be great to hear, thinking I could pick up a tip on investing. He ended up telling his story as to how he had accepted Jesus into his life and how it had changed his life.

A few weeks later that same new friend invited me to the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast, where 2,000 men and women would attend. The Speaker was Colonel Heath Bottomly, a distinguished military man. During his talk, he said: “I am a sinner, you are a sinner, and we are all sinners.” As he declared this, he pointed emphatically to everyone in the room. I wanted to duck down when his finger swept by. I thought, “You might be a sinner, but I sure was not one!”

Afterwards, I thought about it and concluded to myself that if I was not a sinner then I was equal to Jesus and that certainly was not true.

Shortly after that experience, we began visiting a church that was in the same denomination as the new school our girls were attending. It was at that point that the Pastor came by to visit and get to know us, and ask that question, “If you died tomorrow, do you know for sure that you would go to Heaven?”

My life had been a pretty good one so far. I worked in the family business, traveling and hiring and training sales people. It was a growing business. I met Judy at college and we married shortly after I graduated. We raised three daughters and now are proud grandparents to 11.

I was 39 years old when my girls changed schools and we changed churches.

The day after that Pastor came to our house, I went out of town on a business trip. I was in Indiana at a Holiday Inn waiting for calls to set up job interviews. Things were strangely quiet that morning and, out of boredom, I picked up the Gideon Bible in the hotel room and tried to read. It just didn’t make any sense to me but I preserved. All that I had heard and witnessed over the past few weeks and months began to hit home, to hit me! God got my attention. I got down on my knees alone in that motel room, and prayed the Prayer of Salvation that the Pastor had shared the day before. I asked Jesus to come into my life and it was like a big load had been immediately removed off my shoulders. A peace came over me like I had never experienced before.

I was born again.

Prayer of Salvation: Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead.             I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name. Amen.                       (Billy Graham)

Being a private person, I didn’t tell anyone at first because I actually didn’t think anyone would be interested or even care. I didn’t realize until later that my wife had been praying for me and my salvation for the past eighteen years!

A bit later, at a Thanksgiving service when folks were asked to share something they were thankful for, I stood up and shared my new faith. I began to attend Bible Study Fellowship and over the years have continued to delve into the study of God’s Word.

From that point on, Judy and I, in obedience to Jesus’ teachings, have taken many individuals under our wings and instructed them in the ways of the Lord, leading some to Christ and planting seeds to develop in others.

When I was a child, I can remember a radio program called “Life Begins at 40”. I thought that was the most stupid thing I had ever heard, thinking life would be ending at age 40, not beginning! Ironically, my new life in Christ started at age 40, and I am ever thankful.

“Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” John 3:3