Journey Update

Ten days into the chemo treatment Toni’s white cell count is holding strong … actually higher than when she started her chemo. Her oncologist was very pleased with how well she tolerated the side effects and her great white cell count. When I told the good news to someone, they mentioned that they and their children had been praying about it. They were elated! I was immediately reminded of the many who have told us that they are praying.

This is prosthesis week! This week the usual thing is to lose the hair. Yesterday, Toni and a friend went to a salon here in Cheyenne that provides free hair pieces. I wondered if this was a business move on their part or something else, but Toni came back with a wonderful story. The owner’s child was diagnosed with cancer and given 3 months to live, nineteen years later she is healthy and was actually in the salon at the time of Toni’s visit. This afternoon we drive to Colorado to get the second prosthesis that will provide symmetry.

Words are important, actually just a word is important. I visited with a friend last week who had walked/ran/sprinted with his child through cancer. After I came home from the time with him, I came into the house and said to Toni, “hope!” Now, we have hope and nuzzle up to Jesus often to smell the sweet fragrance of hope that flows from Him and through His Word, but it was wonderful to hear it from a believer who had learned to place his hope even more fully in the Sovereign Lord God, because of the his own family’s assignment with cancer. Hope in a Person and not a formula! Actually he said little by way of advice, he just said, “hope;” a hope that is anchored to the true Christ of the scriptures; hope that comes from the true God who saves and sanctifies and sustains. It is wonderful to chat with people about their ideas about how to prepare and maintain ourselves through this marathon, but it was special to visit with one who had run the race and won! Won, meaning became more like Christ!

I think we are both somewhat surprised at the emotional and physical energy depleted through the various aspects of Toni’s amazing, often still surreal, journey! The message paraphrase of 1 Peter 1:17 has been an encouragement, “You call out to God for help and he helps — he's a good Father that way… Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God.”