No wig needed. Peach fuzz is fine! (read the poem!)

 

My husband just wears a cap or hat, especially when out-and-about. Now, he DOES have some hair growing back, but it's so short and downy that one can only see it up close! He got over the shock of losing his hair. It didn't start to fall out until a couple of weeks after his treatments began, and it wasn't noticeable for a while, so we wondered if he would be one of the lucky few who get to forgo the pleasure of losing their locks!  (No such luck...)

He DOES still have his eyebrows, though, and a few whiskers in his beard.                                                                                                                                   That has to count for something!                                                                                                   ************

Germán is undergoing his fifth chemotherapy treatment  (the next-to-last) as I write. Besides the boredom of sitting there all day, his main complaint is that the chairs are pretty hard.  I think there is one that is comfortable, but someone always beats him to it!  The days right after each chemo are difficult, and he bounces back a little more slowly each time, but he is still doing comparatively well, considering all the horrors some peolple go through!   We are very grateful that it has not become unbearable...so far.  (But he IS just sick and tired of it!)

I'd like to share a little poem with you.

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Can I Dance?

I had said, "I'll rejoice through whatever they find."                                                        What they found was unwanted, untimely, unkind.

Though a quiver of questions spilled out in my head,                                                        I struggled to keep to the words I had said.                                                                             

Sometimes all we can see is what stands in the way.                                                        We may trust, but we can't always think past today.

So... I watch...and God's Mercy runs toward me and vaults                                                over all of the obstacles, doubts, fears and faults;

His Grace wraps around me, assures me "He sees!";                                                      holds me warm through my weakness, my waiting, my needs;

His Love takes my hand, leads me gently, then halts                                                          on the dancefloor of Life, where we wait for the Waltz.

Can I dance when I don't know the end of the plot?                                                            With a God like MY God, I say, "How can I NOT?"                                                                                                                                                                   ---Becky Rhon

                              ******************

Whatever you are going through, remember this promise:

"The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to Him and are safe."       

                                           (Proverbs 18:10)

     

     

"So...when is your hair going to start falling out?" I asked him.

 

"In about a week", my husband Germán answered.  Now, you can see he still has his hair, but losing it is a distinct possibility.  Being our first personal experience with this illness, we're not too sure what is going to happen.  Officially, he has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's follicular lymphoma.  It may have a long wordy name, but it's still cancer!

Over the past couple of years, he has often told me, "I feel weird."  Like something was "off".  But it was usually attributed to his long-suffered gastric problems and IBS.  Finally, when a very painful episode landed him in the ER, they started to test from a different angle.  Germán became thoroughly tired of hospitals quite quickly!  So many appointments and tests.  But now we know why he has felt "weird"!

Germán's lymphoma is "only" stage 2,  though we understand  more problems can develop over time.  (For those who know something about it, his ki-67 was 40%.)  

Five days ago he was supposed to see the oncologist for THE discussion about when to start treatment.  A couple of hours after he left, he called me and said, "They are going to start the first chemo today, so I won't be home for a few hours."  Didn't expect THAT!

I took this photo of my good-looking guy yesterday, four days after the first dose.  He is doing well, considering!  He does rest a lot, and feels discomfort, but walks around, does little chores, goes out to do an errand here and there, and tries to be as "normal" as he can.

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So, how do we FEEL about this sudden blow?  Well, we decided before we received the test results that we would rejoice, whatever the verdict was.  As long as our faith and love remain intact, we can make it through whatever awaits our bodies! 

 We take great comfort in our Father's words and promises, so sweet to think on.

             "So do not fear, for I am with you;  do not be dismayed, for I am your God;  I will strengthen you and help you;  I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."   (Isaiah 41:10)

           "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid...for the LORD your God goes with you. He will never leave you or forsake you."  (Deuteronomy 31:6

           "...being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience."   (Colossians 1:11)

           "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age,"  (Matthew 28:20b)

                                                   ******************

P.S. It's been an awfully long time since I've written a new post, hasn't it?  Hopefully, I'll do better now.  If YOU have any comments or advice, etc., about dealing with cancer, feel free to share your thoughts. Thanks!)

Have you ever felt like this?

 

Falling apart? Like you need something or someone to patch you up, to hold you together and keep your insides from leaking out?  Yes?                                              Well...so have I.                                Not much fun, is it?                                  ***************

We were gifted a stay at a lovely hotel in the historic city of Cuenca (in Ecuador) last month.  After the wonderful breakfast buffet each day, we would walk over to the mall next door and get a lot of exercise ambling around a very large store that had a wide variety of merchandise, and with very reasonable prices.  

Of course, we always bought something, as we would find things that our mega-supermarket here in Quito doesn't carry, or items that were cheaper, and others that caught our fancy.  A very enjoyable way to exercise!  However...packing to come home, we had to fit it all into our one suitcase (and our one small personal bag each).  Then...I noticed the ripped flap:

Germán had some tape, and rushed out for some glue.  The next morning, he quickly finished the repair as we waited for the taxi to the airport.  A few minutes after handing over the suitcase at the counter, they handed it back and said, "They won't accept it like this. You need to fix it."  The bottom seam was coming apart,  the contents in danger of spilling out.  (The photo below shows the rip, post-unpacking - and it doesn't show the full extent!)

Out came the glue and tape, and he was handed a roll of that plastic they use to wrap suitcases!  So he worked...and worked...taping and wrapping...over and over, until it was practically mummified! (I wish I had taken the top photo before he removed all the wrapping!)  But the case made it home!

                                                   ********************

Sometimes we need God to do for us what my husband did for the suitcase.  And He will do it!  Each of His promises is a piece of "tape" that He winds around our heart; He takes His words of hope and wraps them around us, over and over, to hold us together, to patch us up...and keep our "pieces" from flying out! And when we go to Him, He will NEVER say, "I won't accept you like this.  You need to fix yourself first."   

On the contrary...

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."  (Psalm 147:3)

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."  (Psalm 34:18)

He will..."provide for those who grieve in Zion...a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and the garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair."  (Isaiah 6:3)

"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet My unfailing love for you will not be shaken not my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord, Who has compassion on you."  (Isaiah 54:10)

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you.  I will uphold you with my righteous right hand...For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear: I will help you."  (Isaiah 41:10, 13)

And with Him at our side, with Him holding us together, we WILL make it Home!  And then...

                                   "He will wipe every tear from their eyes.                                                                There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain,                                                for the old order of things has passed away."                                                                                     (Revelation 21:4)