Outa My Way, Bully!

I have heard it said that when a member of the family has cancer, the whole family has cancer.  I have to say that I understand the truth in that, having learned it painfully from losing a sister to cancer in 1997, having a daughter diagnosed in 2014 and another sister diagnosed in 2015, and learning I had it myself in December of 2016.  It is still hard for me to even use the word, cancer!  It is an intrusive bully that dominates schedules, thoughts, and general wellbeing of all those who are close to the disease.

During those times when the bully distracts us from the important things in life, there are things that we can fight back with.  Someone gave me a list (I don’t know where she got it) of things cancer can’t do that I’d like to share with you.  It is titled, “What cancer cannot do.”  “Cancer is so limited…It cannot:  cripple love, shatter hope, corrode faith, destroy confidence, kill friendship, shut out memories, silence courage, reduce eternal life, or quench the Spirit.”  As I thought about it, that could be said about any adversary we face.  It could be health related, domestic trouble, church issues, job situation, etc.  They are all so limited. 

Here’s another great promise to hang on to.  “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  As it is written:  ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’  Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” –Romans 8:35-39

I received some great news from my oncology doctor on Monday.  The blood test showed, for the third time, that there is no detectable cancer in my body.  She said I am “way ahead of the curve” in my recovery, which will take up to two years.  That was a great encouragement, but I wondered, if I have another 19 months to get better, I will be a super-hero!  I feel great, with very little residual pain from the injured ribs as well as the surgery. 

I’m so blessed by all my official family, as well as my unofficial family.  The outpouring of your support, love and prayer is humbling and gratefully received.  I love you all.

PROGRESS REPORT

8"-12"! 12"-18"! Maybe more than 24"! We heard some pretty dire snow predictions which, for the most part, didn't pan out, but still made disruptions in our week. Actually, it didn't disrupt me. I had no place to go anyway. We got about 10" (they tell me), but it sure is better than Lee's 24", or the place not far from him that got 42"!!

I appreciate everyone who checked on us before, during, and after Stella left for other climes. But I have an idea; let's do spring!

I am just over three weeks out of surgery and I think I am doing quite well. Of course, when one is in a position like this, it is never fast enough. I wish progress could be quicker, but I am slowly getting back.   The pain in my abdomen is almost completely gone, but I still have quite a bit of perineal pain. I guess that is not uncommon, and it varies from person to person. I wish it had skipped me! :-) I got an inflatable donut to sit on; hope it helps.

Tomorrow will be four weeks since I last preached on a Sunday morning at church, but I plan to do it! While I was out, I was blessed to have a retired pastor, Rev. Donald Nelson available to fill my pulpit for two weeks, and have my son, Maj. Timothy Bourquin preach last week.  I know I will be somewhat limited, but I  plan to at least be there tomorrow. It will be great to see everyone too.
One of the really great blessings in our lives in the last few days was that our daughter in law, Tim's wife Elizabeth, went on a short term mission to Africa and returned home safely. We are sooo thankful.

I really appreciate all the calls, cards, gifts, and well wishes from everyone. People have cooked, brought coffee, plowed snow, and offered to do anything they could for us.  Though my brother couldn't be too much further away (Seattle), he has been so supportive.  Each of my kids have been wonderful and called and made contact regularly. Thank you for commenting on this blog and even reading it in the first place. But especially, thank you for prayer. Please don't stop praying for me.

"Let's Do Spring"

"Survivors"

"Special Guest"

Heads Up!

Psalms 3:3 says, "But Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head."

As the body recovers from any injury, sickness, or surgery there are some days that are better than others. Yesterday started out as a regular day and I was looking forward to seeing the babysitters Christina had lined up to come over, because she had to work.  First, there was a really dear couple who live nearby who popped in around 10.  Amy and Tim were going to come around 1 and do a kid exchange.  The day felt optimistic at the beginning, but as it wore on, I just felt glum.  It wasn't overwhelming pain, depression, or anything I could put my finger on, just a culmination of everything, including possible side effects from drugs?

In the late afternoon I was a little better.  One of our grandsons FaceTime'd to me to ask if we could think about setting up a time to go fishing. It was like a breath of fresh air, out of the box, from the lips of a seven-year-old. We took a ride out to pick up the balance of the new blood thinner medicine from the pharmacy.  As we were on the way, I got a call from the urologist's office to fill me in on the  lab analysis of the offending prostate that had been removed. They said they were pretty sure they had gotten all the cancer out.  That was a boost and I was feeling pretty good as we pulled up to the drive-thru at the drug store.  As the girl was getting the pills, she asked if we wanted to put it on the gift card.  We told her we had no gift card, and the poor girl became flustered as we tried to give her our credit card for payment and she was trying to convince us to put it on a gift card.

Finally, Christina and I figured out that someone had purchased a gift card with instructions to use it for the meds!  We tried to figure out who might have done it.  I told Christina, as we drove away in a daze, that God did that!  God and a very sneaky friend.  Maybe we will find out who someday, but I'm not counting on it.

As if to top that, we found out this morning that our Rx insurance will pay all but $27 per month going forward, rather than $408/month. These are the kinds of things I must remember if I hit one of those days when I'm glum or bummin'.  Indeed, He is the lifter of my head!

"One of my favorite people! Renna turned 5 on Monday!"

A Speed Bump

One of the main reasons for the existence of this blog is to keep people updated about my progress in my fight against prostate cancer. I think I am on track and in a normal place for this point in my recovery. I want to always be straightforward and honest in what I share, but some of the things I share are not things I enjoy sharing. Today is one of those times.

I had charley horse-like pain in my right calf so I let the surgeon's office know about it. I thought it was just a small detail that they might want to know about. Whenever they heard about it, they were very insistent that I get to a hospital and have an ultrasound, posthaste! The ultrasound revealed that, indeed, I have a blood clot in my leg. It is something that I will receive treatment for for about six months. The medicine is fairly new and therefore not covered by our insurance. Oh well.

I'm glad to be alive! I'm glad for all my family and friends who love me and are praying for me.  I'm glad for the songs and verses that move around in my heart and spirit, glorifying the Lord. Those "Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs" are more than catchy tunes. They minister to my spirit and soul and lift me with their high praises. All glory to God who makes me always triumph through our Lord Jesus Christ!
 
The other day one of our daughters told me she heard the peepers! Any New Englander will tell you that hearing them is a sure sign that spring can't be too far away. This weekend is going to be cold. We won't hear them. But that doesn't mean that spring won't come. In the same way, having a reversal in life (like a blood clot) doesn't mean that God's will won't be accomplished. It's a speed bump, that's all.

I'll Be Back!

Tests Coming Soon

Hello friends.

   

Today our country celebrates the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King.  I am thankful for the work he did in issues about equality.  He also shares his birthday (which was actually 1/15) with two incredible people.  They are Lisa and Colombo IV!  Their births made me a father and a grandfather!

   

We had a wonderful week going to Florida, and even though we were there only four days, it was a good break.  It was as much driving as visiting, but it was all enjoyable, even the four days in the car.  It is always nice to be with Christina’s brother Lou.  He is very knowledgeable about medical issues and willing to share what he knows.  We spent an afternoon with Bill and Anne at the beach.  We rode our bikes.  We had Eli’s barbecue.  Ahh!!  Life is good!

   

There are some changes since last week.  Around New Year’s I noticed I had some discomfort so when my doctor called last week, I mentioned it.  She immediately wanted a CT scan of my lower abdomen.  She also moved the MRI up a week, so this Wednesday, 1/18 we go to Boston and then again on Monday, 1/23.  My hope and prayer is that the scans reveal what needs to be seen so that this process can move along.

  

I still feel strong, with my spirits very optimistic.  I know I am in good hands, and I trust the Lord implicitly with my future and the futures of my loved ones.  I pray you all have a blessed day.

Gil

Waiting

Waiting. We all do it, though most of us don’t enjoy it.  We wait in store lines. We wait in restaurants with the buzzer thingies.  We wait for special days like birthdays.  We wait for special people.  Waiting usually depends on everything reaching the moment when the obstacles to our goal are out of the way so that the desired event can happen.  Summer has to arrive for school to end, the people ahead of us have to finish whatever it is they do to hinder us, sickness must run its course for us to feel better, etc, etc. 

I am waiting.  I am not waiting to start treating the cancer in my body.  I am still in the line waiting to see what the treatment should be.  I have to wait for the prostate to heal from the biopsy trauma so that a crucial MRI can be done.  I would like to get on with it, already!  I don’t have time for this, but it is out of my control.  So, I wait.

I wait, but not huddled in a corner tormented by worry or fear.  I am in Florida as I write this, not because I am running away from the wait, but to try to make the most of it and the best of it, like riding my bike with the woman I love.  I know God is faithful and provides.  By God’s grace and with His help I will wait for January 30 and the MRI and beyond.  I am waiting.

I am grateful and appreciate the love and support of my family, my congregation at the Putnam Baptist Church, and all the people who are praying for us and waiting with us.  Thank you all.

Love, 

Gil

My Current Status

Hello everyone.

I thought I should let you know that at this time I am doing well with no pain. I am still flying from the good news of the scans being good and not showing cancer anywhere else except in the prostate gland. Usually the attitude is “wait and see” for prostate cancer because it is usually such a slow-growing kind. They tell me that this is not that kind. I have heard ‘very aggressive’ several times.

I think the fact that it hasn’t spread to other places is significant because there are different treatment options available. I will know a lot more after the MRI on January 30. We can see God’s hand in this. I can even thank God for turning 65, because it was my coming of age that prompted me to go for a 2 ½ years overdue annual exam. The reason I went was that I thought it would be good to tidy things up in my life; a physical, a hearing test, getting some teeth fixed and signing up for Medicare.

I say all that to encourage you, the ones I love, to get physicals and testing done, because early detection is a lot easier to deal with than if the bad cells having a chance to grow and spread. Christina and I are trusting the Lord for a good end. I John 5:14 says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” Our desire is to line our will up with God’s will and watch Him work!

Love,
Gil