I was originally diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma back in 2004. You can read that whole story here. We got it into remission for 16 years, but it came back last December. I had to wait to get my other vaccines (pneumonia, shingles, and COVID) because the medicine we are using will render all vaccines worthless. Fortunately, it is a slow-growing form of cancer so I had time to do that. So today, I went to the Infusion center in the Huntsman Cancer Institute for my first cancer treatment in over 16 years.
The PET Scan – Good News
From the biopsy last week, I learned that the little red mark on my head is, indeed, the return of my Follicular B-cell Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. It had been in remission for 16 years. But now it’s back. Yesterday (Dec 14), I underwent a PET scan. Now, a PET scan has nothing to do with dogs, cats, or gerbils. It is a type of scan similar to an MRI or CT scan (aka “cat scan”). It just uses a different technology. The purpose of the PET scan was to try to determine where else, in my body, this cancer is living, so they did a full-body scan. The whole process took about 90 minutes.
Continue reading “The PET Scan – Good News”It’s Baaack!
On December 1, 2004, my life was forever changed by a diagnosis of 4th stage Follicular B-cell Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. A couple of harrowing months later, I was “in remission” (no sign of cancer in my body). For sixteen years, I have always attributed that success to the many prayers of friends, family, and strangers; a great oncologist who prescribed an amazing drug called Rituxin; and the amazing grace of my Lord and Saviour who (for reasons unknown to me) loves me way more than I deserve.
For a disease that is measured by “5-year survival rate”, sixteen years of remission is pretty darn good. I have been blessed indeed.
Sixteen years ago, they did say that my form of cancer was not curable. They said that they it would return someday. Well, I guess “someday” is today.
Continue reading “It’s Baaack!”How I Stopped Being Angry All the Time
One of the best “life lessons” I’ve ever learned came out of my divorce in 1996. Back then, I was angry a lot! I was told that it was a primary reason that my wife left me. She thought it was just a matter of time before my anger turned into physical abuse. Now, that would have never happened. But looking back, I can see why she felt that way. I made her fearful; and fear is fear, whether I think the reasons for it are rational or not.
Now Anger is not necessarily a bad thing. Even Jesus got angry when he flipped over the tables of the money-changers in the temple (Matthew 21:12-13). But His was a purposeful, meaningful anger; and more importantly, He knew exactly what he was doing. Me? I was out of control. When I say I was angry, I don’t mean just being a little grouchy or ornery. I certainly didn’t have a righteous anger like Jesus. No, I was out-of-control, yelling at the top of my lungs, stomping around, pounding the table, and breaking things angry. I was like this on a very regular basis (especially at home). That kind of anger (was) is a problem. And it usually ended with me coming back later feeling shame or guilt.
So I did some soul-searching. I asked myself the most important question: Continue reading “How I Stopped Being Angry All the Time”
Bitter vs. Grateful
I heard an interesting insight from Rick Warren the other day: “it is *impossible* to feel bitter and grateful at the same time”.
You can feel sad and confused at the same time. You can feel happy and excited at the same time. But you can’t feel bitter and grateful at the same time. Continue reading “Bitter vs. Grateful”