It is Malignant!

Jan 26, 2025 | by The Fellowship

My doctor was calling to inform me a tumor had been found in my colon. Then she said, “ You are strong and you can beat this!”  After wishing me luck, she ended the call.

In shock, I looked out the window and watched the sun set. There was no place to turn, but to the Lord.  “I have no control over this, God, so it is all Yours,” I told Him.  “Tomorrow morning, I have to go to work.  The bills still have to be paid!”  As a man in his mid-60’s, I was alone and self-employed.

An email arrived from my doctor recommending an oncologist.  At my first appointment, a PET scan was ordered.  The results revealed not only the tumor in my colon, but also tumors and lesions on my liver.  Another scan was done a week later to get a better overall picture of the situation.

That Is when the alarm bells went off.  In the first scan, one of the tumors on my liver was 5 cm.  A week later, it had grown to 8 cm.  My oncologist was completely stunned that the tumor would have grown an inch in a week.  I was told it was absolutely necessary to receive chemo treatments immediately.  While still reeling from this news, I found myself in a medical chair being dosed with an extremely strong chemo cocktail.

I asked the doctor how long I could expect to live since this was a metastatic wild type of Stage 4 cancer that was also in my blood.  He was very unwilling to give his opinion.  I pretty much pinned him to the wall, saying “Do not give me any rah-rah speech.  The truth is what I want.”  He very reluctantly said I had maybe two years.

For the chemo treatments, I would sit in a special chair and a pump would be attached that I would wear for two days.   When the treatment was done, I would be down for two days from the side effects -- like these little pus-like blisters that were actually my skin dissolving.  I was given a week to recover, then went back in to repeat the process.  This went on every other week for 2½ years.

The chemo was doing its job on the liver tumors and lesions -- which disappeared to the amazement of the doctors.  But the colon tumor was not responding as well.  Though it shrunk by several centimeters, a different approach was tried: radiation five days a week for five weeks. The doctors had worried that without chemo, the liver would be attacked again.  But they were amazed to find out I went into full remission in both colon and liver.

However, cancer cells are still floating around in my blood stream -- so at the end of January, I will resume chemo every other week. The doctors call the results I have attained a miracle and want to keep pushing forward.

But I have been considering stopping treatments because of the side effects that disrupt my work and because of the struggle to pay the bills.  Many at this stage finally say: “I have had enough!”  But I have decided not to do that because of the St. Jude commercials featuring children with cancer that I see on TV.  I used to belong to a Bible study group that would prepare meals on weekends to take to parents at the Ronald McDonald House when the cafeteria was closed. That gave them longer with their children during visitation hours and provided us an opportunity to pray with them.

I am not a martyr or a hero, but I will continue my chemo because of cancer kids fighting for their lives today … and for future generations.  Perhaps through my positive response to treatments, a breakthrough might come that could result in a cure for children or a vaccine for cancer. I pray that He will use my ordeal and trials to bless and heal the least of these cancer victims, the little children that our Lord Jesus loves so very much.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,
for those who are called according to his purpose. 
Romans 8:28