Clouds

Well, the word is out. It was posted on the international prayer line for our church so my guess is it will travel quickly. Today the HMO office called and approved the PET scan. That's good news. They had it happening in Houston rather than Olympia so T changed that detail and should get an appointment call soon.


Someone was asking me how my husband is doing. He's doing great! We had no idea this cancer had returned. Every test was negative... except that biopsy. Oh how I wish it was a mistake. Regardless, it has had no physical effect on his ability to function. I think it does mess with his mind from time to time. He goes to work every day and then comes home and works some more. The man's a machine... always has been. Well... not really a machine, he just has a very high energy level and works long and hard. 


I stopped by the school today to have lunch with him. It was a beautiful sunny day and I wanted him to get outside so I knew having lunch with him would make that happen. While I was there, he mentioned today's devotional from Oswald Chambers. T has read and reread OC so many times, I'm sure he's lost count. Today's devotional really spoke to us. It was about clouds. It's a completely different way of looking at suffering. Not sure what we need to unlearn but we're going to try to do it fast!

Beginning the process

We have heard that it is not always easy to deal with the insurance we now have. We were originally self-insured through the church, then had a Blue Cross plan here in WA, and now the HMO type plan. Fortunately our plan allows for outside network providers. We'll see how it all works out.


Yesterday my husband's primary care physician called and the two of them talked for about 30 minutes about process. First T went over his history, both past and recent, bringing Dr. L up to speed. Then the doc told him how to go about ordering the next test that our Houston doctor would like him to have. Hopefully they won't fuss about it. When T worked in the Caribbean, one of the professors he dealt with called him relentless; I have a feeling that quality will be essential now.


After their conversation was done, we tried to put it behind us, went to Seattle to celebrate our 38th anniversary. Had dinner at the Bahama Breeze. Haven't been there since Miami days. We must have a label stamped on our foreheads that says "Grandparents: love kids!" because we always seem to be put next to the table with little kids who get somewhat out of control. Last night we had a dad with three little ones beside us. T was just cracking up at the youngest, the true drama queen of their family. It was actually a good diversion.


Pray for us as we endeavor to keep our minds focused on the power, grace, and love of Christ. We need to be determined to do what needs to be done and keep moving forward. It's not always as easy to do as it should be. One step at a time, that's where we're living.

Unexpected

Seven years ago... that holy number... we learned that my husband had cancer. It resulted in the loss of his right eye as well as the surrounding orbit. For five years after, we faithfully went through all the stuff that has to happen with this type of diagnosis: six weeks of radiation, quarterly visits and testing, annual visits, and the final visit two years ago. We truly believed we were done with this stuff. Two days ago we learned that we are not finished. A lump of scar tissue right below the eye socket had some tiny cells behind it that were declared to be adenocarcinoma. I hate that word. And so we begin again - a PET scan should happen soon with surgery later this month.


My husband's father had a phrase he used again and again: He knows my name. He is Jesus. My father-in-law lived in awe that God Almighty knew his name. This phrase is something that sticks with us all yet today, six years after his death.  We are so important to the Lord that He knows each of us individually. Tommy Walker's song says it well:


I have a Maker
He formed my heart
Before even time began
My life was in his hands

I have a Father
He calls me His own
He'll never leave me
No matter where I go

He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
And He hears me when I call

So we rest in the knowledge that God knows; He loves us and he will never leave us. And we begin to walk the path that He has placed before us, trusting him to carry us when we cannot move. We don't know the path ahead but He does. We've got our walking sticks for the hike. Here we go....