My Cancer. God's Grace. His Glory.Sýnishorn

Monday came.

There were two drainage tubes inserted into open incisions on each side with bulb syringes attached to them. We were to suction or “milk” the fluid/blood and drain worms four times a day. We were in an alien movie.

I got dressed and went to class. I was able to teach as if nothing had happened. We all were witnessing God's amazing grace!

We learned shortly after my surgery that three of the lymph nodes were full of cancer. I learned later when we met with a radiation oncologist that was called lymph vascular space invasion! I would need pretty extensive radiation, but I also needed a bone scan and CAT scan to determine whether the cancer had metastasized to my brain, lungs, or bones. Everyone prayed. Then we received the call. ALL was clear! It had not metastasized—a huge praise!!

And so began the treatment. My oncologist, Dr. B, was the perfect person to have for your oncologist! And the staff, nurses, and technicians were truly amazing.

Three vials of blood were drawn every visit before the chemo to monitor blood counts, etc. Once approved you go to a room of rooms with lounge chairs and IVs.

The first day the nurse said to us: "Just a minute. I'll be right back." She returned in what looked like a hazmat suit: Hat, pants, jacket, gloves . . . holding five very large syringes of red fluid.

It was Adriamycin and Cytoxan, nicknamed the red devil. She said, “I don't want to frighten you. But I have this gear on because if this spills on me, it will burn through my clothing and my skin.”

There she was injecting the red devil into me. This was the Lord's provision at this time.

He was the Great Physician sovereign overall; I could trust Him even though the chemo would burn holes in clothing and skin and kill all of the new growth cells in my body.

During six months of chemotherapy, I experienced many negative effects, but God’s grace empowered me to carry on.

And although the red devil was killing all the new growth cells, it was also killing the cancer cells without killing me. The Lord has made the human body resilient.

I was able to teach the entire fall session and winter sessions throughout the chemotherapy without missing a class. My hair stayed in place perfectly up to the annual benefit—a day later as I showered, it all fell out on the floor! But the Lord orchestrated all the details, kept us and everything in place, and accomplished all in His precision timing.