Don't Waste Your Cancer!

A good friend of mine shared this article with me and I can't seem to stop thinking about it so I thought I would share it here.  We are all facing our own challenges - some are small and easily conquered, but many are so big that they completely consume and overwhelm.  I challenge you to replace the word "cancer" with whatever challenge you are facing right now.  I'd love to hear your comments about the article when you're finished reading it.

Don’t Waste Your Cancer
Written by John Piper on the eve of his prostate surgery

1.  You will waste your cancer if you do not believe it is designed for you by God.

It will not do to say that God only uses our cancer but does not design it. What God permits, he permits for a reason. And that reason is his design. If God foresees molecular developments becoming cancer, he can stop it or not. If he does not, he has a purpose. Since he is infinitely wise, it is right to call this purpose a design.



2.  You will waste your cancer if you believe it is a curse and not a gift.

“The LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11).


3.  You will waste your cancer if you seek comfort from your odds rather than from God.

The design of God in your cancer is not to train you in the rationalistic, human calculation of odds. The world gets comfort from their odds. Not Christians. Some count their chariots (percentages of survival) and some count their horses (side effects of treatment), but we trust in the name of the LORD our God (Psalm 20:7). God’s design is clear from 2 Corinthians 1:9, “We felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” The aim of God in your cancer (among a thousand other good things) is to knock props out from under our hearts so that we rely utterly on him.



4.  You will waste your cancer if you refuse to think about death.

We will all die, if Jesus postpones his return. Not to think about what it will be like to leave this life and meet God is folly. Ecclesiastes 7:2 says, “It is better to go to the house of mourning [a funeral] than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.” How can you lay it to heart if you won’t think about it? Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” Numbering your days means thinking about how few there are and that they will end. How will you get a heart of wisdom if you refuse to think about this? What a waste, if we do not think about death.



5.  You will waste your cancer if you think that “beating” cancer means staying alive rather than cherishing Christ.  

Satan’s and God’s designs in your cancer are not the same. Satan designs to destroy your love for Christ. God designs to deepen your love for Christ. Cancer does not win if you die. It wins if you fail to cherish Christ. God’s design is to wean you off the breast of the world and feast you on the sufficiency of Christ. It is meant to help you say and feel, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” And to know that therefore, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 3:8; 1:21).



6.  You will waste your cancer if you spend too much time reading about cancer and not enough time reading about God.   (boy, this one hit close to home!)

It is not wrong to know about cancer. Ignorance is not a virtue. But the lure to know more and more and the lack of zeal to know God more and more is symptomatic of unbelief. Cancer is meant to waken us to the reality of God. It is meant to put feeling and force behind the command, “Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD” (Hosea 6:3). It is meant to waken us to the truth of Daniel 11:32, “The people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.” It is meant to make unshakable, indestructible oak trees out of us: “His delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers” (Psalm 1:2). What a waste of cancer if we read day and night about cancer and not about God.



7.  You will waste your cancer if you let it drive you into solitude instead of deepen your relationships with manifest affection.

When Epaphroditus brought the gifts to Paul sent by the Philippian church he became ill and almost died. Paul tells the Philippians, “He has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill” (Philippians 2:26-27). What an amazing response! It does not say they were distressed that he was ill, but that he was distressed because they heard he was ill. That is the kind of heart God is aiming to create with cancer: a deeply affectionate, caring heart for people. Don’t waste your cancer by retreating into yourself.



8.  You will waste your cancer if you grieve as those who have no hope.

Paul used this phrase in relation to those whose loved ones had died: “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). There is a grief at death. Even for the believer who dies, there is temporary loss—loss of body, and loss of loved ones here, and loss of earthly ministry. But the grief is different—it is permeated with hope. “We would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). Don’t waste your cancer grieving as those who don’t have this hope.



9.  You will waste your cancer if you treat sin as casually as before.

Are your besetting sins as attractive as they were before you had cancer? If so you are wasting your cancer. Cancer is designed to destroy the appetite for sin. Pride, greed, lust, hatred, unforgiveness, impatience, laziness, procrastination—all these are the adversaries that cancer is meant to attack. Don’t just think of battling against cancer. Also think of battling with cancer. All these things are worse enemies than cancer. Don’t waste the power of cancer to crush these foes. Let the presence of eternity make the sins of time look as futile as they really are. “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?” (Luke 9:25).



10.  You will waste your cancer if you fail to use it as a means of witness to the truth and glory of Christ.

Christians are never anywhere by divine accident. There are reasons for why we wind up where we do. Consider what Jesus said about painful, unplanned circumstances: “They will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness” (Luke 21:12 -13). So it is with cancer. This will be an opportunity to bear witness. Christ is infinitely worthy. Here is a golden opportunity to show that he is worth more than life. Don’t waste it.


“My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus”

(Philippians 4:19).

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John Piper has been the Pastor for Preaching at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, since 1980. He has authored numerous best-selling books, including The Passion of Jesus Christ, Don't Waste Your Life and Desiring God. You will find 25 years of online sermons, articles and other God-centered resources from the ministry of John Piper at www.desiringgod.org. He also has a daily radio program, called "Desiring God," which can be accessed online at www.desiringGod.org/radio.

"Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans" -John Lennon

The whirlwind of doctor's appointments are over (for now) and I've scheduled surgery for later this month. At the recommendation of my medical team, I'll be having a single mastectomy. It's expected that I'll only have to spend one night in the hospital and the surgeon says that I should “feel like my normal self” within a week or two. I'll be out of work for a bit, but I am optimistic for a speedy recovery. Thankfully, surgery won't interfere with my regular monthly treatments.

At my last oncologist appointment, Dr. Cream walked into the room and the first thing that I noticed was that she is pregnant. My first thought was “oh no, she's pregnant, doesn't she know that I need her every month?” She must be able to read my mind (either that, or the panicked look on my face gave away my thoughts) because she immediately started to tell me her plan. (Yes, she knows me well enough by now to know how much I like having a plan.) Her baby is due in early March, so we scheduled my next PET scan in late February. She plans to review my scan, have her baby, enjoy a few weeks of maternity leave, and be back before my next appointment....

….and it's right about here that I need to stop myself and remember that whatever plan I may have for my life is inconsequential compared to what God has in store for me. Only He can see what's ahead of me and only He knows what's best for me. For all of my searching, the details of His plan remain a mystery. Could it be that He wants me to be content to simply know that He has one and to trust that it is a good one?

“When you can think of yesterday without regret

and tomorrow without fear, you are near contentment.”

-Source Unknown

"Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!"

They're finding out now that no Christmas is coming!" "They're just waking up! I know just what they'll do!" "Their mouths will hang open a minute or two Then the Whos down in Who-ville will all cry Boo-Hoo!"  

"That's a noise," grinned the Grinch, "That I simply MUST hear!" So he paused. And the Grinch put his hand to his ear. And he did hear a sound rising over the snow. It started in low. Then it started to grow...

But the sound wasn't sad! Why, this sound sounded merry! It couldn't be so! But it WAS merry! VERY!

He stared down at Who-ville! The Grinch popped his eyes! Then he shook! What he saw was a shocking surprise!

Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small, Was singing! Without any presents at all!

He HADN'T stopped Christmas from coming! IT CAME! Somehow or other, it came just the same!

And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow, Stood puzzling and puzzling: "How could it be so?" "It came with out ribbons! It came without tags!" "It came without packages, boxes or bags!" And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! "Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store." "Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!"
 

What a difference 3 months can make!

It's been a while since I've posted and I have to admit that it's been a struggle to find the right words to describe what I've been feeling lately. I've had so many thoughts bouncing around in my head that there are days where I don't know which end is up. Honestly, I find myself completely overwhelmed most days.

Work is incredibly busy, but I thank God every day that I have a job that has such good health insurance benefits. The boys are in Kindergarten and Second Grade and I enjoy spending time volunteering in the their classrooms each month. They're also very active in Taekwondo and are competing in their first tournament next weekend. (wish us luck!) On top of my normal activities, I've been spending more time than usual at Hershey Medical Center for doctor appointments. Any free time that I may stumble upon is usually spent pouring over the many books that I've accumulated on cancer.

I've read and re-read the radiologist's report from last month's PET scan and am still amazed:

• “the lungs are clear”
• head and neck show “no suspicious activity”
• “no lesions in the liver or spleen”
• “no suspicious activity within the pelvis”

What a difference 3 months can make!!

I've undergone genetic testing to determine if I carry the abnormality that would have made me more prone to developing not just one type of breast cancer, but two. The results came back that I'm normal! (well, at least genetically speaking.) As Jack Nicklaus said, “You can spend all day trying to figure out why you hit your ball into the woods – or you can just go in and get it out.”

So, that's what I'm doing.....focusing my efforts on what I can to to “get it out” and keep this awful disease at bay. I've learned that high-fat, low-fiber foods increase the hormones (such as estrogen) that promote cancer. Since my cancer is 100% estrogen receptive, this is very important. I've learned how to boost my immune system by eating (and avoiding) certain foods. I've also learned what a toll stress can take on my body.

I spent two months pouring over information about diet and nutrition. I read everything I could get my hands on about saturated fats, carbohydrates, organic vegetables, raw milk, Vitamin D, the list goes on-and on. I even attended a lecture given by Paul Nison, a raw food chef and author.

A few weeks ago, I met with a holistic doctor, Dr. Neely, who helped make sense of the seemingly endless supply of information about nutrition. In addition to being in holistic medicine, Dr. Neely is also an oncologist. The perfect combination of expertise for my situation! Dr. Neely helped me begin to fine-tune my approach to my cancer. He explained detoxification, an anti-inflammatory diet, and some strategies to increase the effectiveness of treatment. I'm looking forward to meeting with him again.

I also met with a surgical oncologist, Dr. Kass, the same week as Dr. Neely. Talk about being overloaded with information!! I was originally scheduled for a mastectomy in August. When it was determined that my cancer was as wide-spread as it was, I was no longer a surgical candidate and our focus turned to simply stopping the cancer from spreading. I've had such a positive response to treatment, that my medical team believes that I am ready for surgery! That's such good news!!

Dr. Kass ordered an MRI before finalizing her recommendation about surgery and the results were excellent! Both tumors in my breast are smaller and my lymph nodes appear normal! (my lymph nodes were abnormal 3 months ago.) I've decided, on the advice of my medical team, to undergo a mastectomy in January. The next three weeks will be very busy as I meet with the anesthesiologist, a plastic surgeon to discuss options for reconstruction, my oncologist, and have my regular monthly treatment. If you've been counting, that's nine appointments in 7 weeks. I'm praying that the Lord will give me the strength to get through all of these appointments while being so busy at work and also trying to get ready for Christmas.

I don't want to try to change God's mind, 

I want to think his thoughts.

I don't what to change God's timing,

I want the grace to accept his timing.

I don't want to change God's plan,

I want to embrace his plan and see how he is glorified through it.

(Holding on to Hope, Nancy Guthrie)

Good news!

This past weekend was filled with anxiety as I prepared both physically and emotionally for yesterday's PET scan. This scan was our first indication of whether or not the cancer is responding to the hormone therapy. After a very stressful three hours at Hershey Med, my doctor walked into the room with a big smile. It's always a good sign when the doctor is smiling!

We don't have the written report from the radiologist yet, but we viewed the scan images with my doctor and they looked very good. The breast tumors are smaller and there's strong indication of healing in my bones. We couldn't find any indication of the tumor in my liver where just three months ago it measured the largest of them all at 2cm. Absolutely amazing!

My doctor said she's very pleased to see such good results this early on. I'll continue with this treatment plan and have my next scan in 3 months. I'll probably be in a position to have surgery in January to remove the original breast lumps. My doctor expects that the lumps will be small enough that only a lumpectomy would be necessary rather than anything more radical.

I've spent the last three months focusing a lot on nutrition and exercise. The results of the scan have given me the encouragement that I needed to keep at it. I'm meeting with a doctor in a few weeks to get a better medical understanding of nutrition and it's effect on cancer cells. This doctor, Dr. Neeley, is an oncologist at Hershey Med and also runs his own business for holistic medicine. That's exactly the combination of expertise that I need! I continue to be amazed at the people that God has allowed me to meet through this experience.

We've been studying the Old Testament in Sunday School and of course the obvious place to start any Old Testament study is Genesis. I can't even begin to fathom the incredible power of God that he was able to bring the entire Earth into existence with words alone. Just imagine....God spoke the words "Let there be light," and there was light. God spoke the words "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so. Wow! Oh what God must think when he hears my cries for healing. What a simple thing for the Great Creator to do! Thinking upon this has made me realize that our prayers and our understanding don't even begin to scratch the surface of God's power and capabilities.

I often hear people use the phrase “you can beat cancer.” Let's get one thing straight, there is no “beating” cancer until a cure is found. At this point, I am thankful that God isn't allowing cancer to win this round.

Rich's view.... PET scans and helplessness

Many of you have been encouraging me to write my view to Missy's breast cancer.  It has taken me some time to collect my thoughts, work up the guts to really sit down and think about it... and honestly find the time. 

As you are all aware Missy (my wife/life and soulmate) was diagnosed on 7.20.09 one of the worst days of my life.  From there the outlook seemed to go downhill as we got bad news after more bad news.  (2 types of cancer, spread to bones, liver, lung, and she is only 39....hope I don't get in trouble for letting that little tidbit out!!) 

A few days later we recieved news that the liver biopsy was the same type of cancer (CA) that was in the breast and that they both were 100% estrogen receptive WHOO HOO it is amazing what you can be happy about.

Since then we have been in treatment; now I say we but for me it is a bit surreal I don't get injections, I don't get infusions, I don't need to watch my diet (although I did adopt most of her changes just because it is healthier) I don't get scans or anxiety about "how am I really doing".  Bascially the we in treatment is me sitting on the side being as supportive as I can.  Now you may be thinking how wonderful he is so supportive that is a true blessing.  It is true to a certain point...

I work in healthcare, my mother died of lung CA @ 53 years old (smoked like a chimney) I know stuff... I know where to look for stuff.  However, being supportive is all I can do because it (this) is beyond me!  I feel helpless sometimes, now I know this is not about me it is totally about missy... every waking moment my mind is on her and when I pray I sometimes do not even get very far before I say "you know my prayer even before I say it"  But there are times that helplessness is a legitimate feeling for me  because I have no control.  It is out of my hands and into GODS (can you imagine how long it has take me to turn it all? over to GOD).  At times I'm still not sure I'm strong enough in my faith then again I'm merely human!

I wax and wane between a positive attitude of "lets kick the crap out of cancer and make it rue the day it tried to grow in her body.  Lets fight and make that cancer think each morning "crap she is awake.. LOOKOUT!!"

Then on the otherside I think of my mother who died 9 months after diagnosis withered away from a vibrant (ask missy WOW) women who worked too much down to a shell of a women who could barely get up and go to the bathroom without help. The thought of that happening to my wife scares the crap out of me! 
I realize that some of this is irrational (funny usually hormonal women are the irrational ones.... I'm just kidding, calm down!)  but like I said this is what goes through my head sometimes. 

I did an walk for breast CA a few weeks ago and during the walk we went through the rememberance and "who you are supporting area" where there were signs with peoples names...I could not look at the rememberance side! 

No I'm burying my head in the sand... well maybe a little from time to time but it seems to me that this is natural isn't it? 

Tomorrow 11/2/09 is a big day wait I mean a BIG DAY!  we have a PET scan @ 7:30ish where we find out the results of treatment up to this point! 

All day I kept telling GOD that no matter what the results of the tests are that he will recieve my priase... I sincerely hope I can follow through, I told GOD that it would be easier if the results were fantastic and the cancer was gone (if faith can move a mountain surely GOD can cure cancer in my wife!). 
At the end of the day tomorrow GODS WILL BE DONE NOT MINE! NO MATTER WHAT THE RESULTS! 

The last month has been status quo pray, eat, work, pray sleep, workout (her more than me... I'm like the plumber with the dripping fawcet in his home) and now the PET scan is here SMACK right in the kisser.  It is amazing how complacent we can become even in the greatest of challenges.

If you are reading this then you are important to us!
If you are reading this then I ask you to pray!
If you are reading this and you don't pray I ask you could you go through this (or watch someone you adore) go through this without GOD?  Think about it! 
If you are reading this KNOW that our strength, our positive attitude (most of the time) our faith is all becasue of CHRIST
If you are reading this and do not know CHRIST, however you know us then maybe you should get to know what we know!

Rich

Checklists, Side-Effects, and Curious George

I had an appointment with my Oncologist last week, my first appointment since starting treatment. I expected the usual checklist of questions ...how are you feeling, any new symptoms, etc. Dr. Cream's first question caught me completely off guard. With a smile on her face, she asked “How are the boys enjoying their first week of school, is your little guy enjoying kindergarten?” What a blessing it is to have found such a wonderful doctor!  (and, yes they both had a great first week)

To answer the first of the checklist questions, I'm feeling great! I've made a dramatic change in my diet over the past month and believe that it's making a considerable impact already. At my doctor's recommendation, I'm doing my best to eliminate my intake of soy. The estrogen-like substances (isoflavones) in soy may stimulate the estrogen receptors of breast cancer cells and make them grow.  Take a few minutes reading the labels of the items in your pantry...allmost 60% of processed foods have soy in their ingredient list.  Since soy is one of the top 8 food allergens in the USA, the good news is that there is a labeling law requiring that if soy is an ingredient in a product, it must be listed on the label.

I never took the time to read labels and certainly never went out of my way to eat nutritious foods. Now, I've been purchasing as much local organic produce as I can and have learned how to freeze most of it. (This must be how squirrels feel as they start to store nuts to prepare for winter!?) Those who know me, know that I usually can't stand going to the grocery store, but I've actually enjoyed investigating the natural food aisles. We even went on a family adventure this weekend and explored several local farms where we can purchase organic beef, chicken, milk, and eggs.

Even more powerful than good nutrition, is God's promise of a "secret" source of energy and efforts.  "Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31)  Hallelujah!!!

To answer the second checklist question, I have no new symptoms other than those associated with medically induced menopause! In fact, the only symptom that I have ever had is the original breast lump. It's too early to undergo any medical tests to tell if the current treatment is working, but Dr. Cream thinks that the original lump feels softer. This is a good sign because it means that the cancer cells may be starting to break up. I'll have my first full-body scan (PET) in early November which will show the effectiveness of my treatment.

After meeting with my doctor, I received my first treatment of Zometa. This medication will stimulate healthy bone growth to fill in the holes left behind as the bone tumors shrink. It is a 15-minute infusion (through an IV line) that I will receive monthly. All of my treatments will be at the new Cancer Institute building at Hershey Medical Center.   http://www.pennstatehershey.org/web/cancer/home/aboutus/newpscibuilding

Dr. Cream had explained that a small percentage of women experience minor flu-like symptoms as side-effects to Zometa. I would soon found out that I fall into that small percentage. (seriously, why can't my body just cooperate?) I developed a 102° fever, was nauseous, and now have a brand-new insight into what it means to have “bone pain.” Here I was, shivering with goose-bumps from the fever while having a hot flash on the inside. Fortunately, the side-effects subsided within 36 hours and I'm told that I may not experience similar side-effects with future treatments. My next Zometa treatment will be September 29. Bring it on!!!

My actual treatment took only fifteen minutes, but I was in the waiting room for two hours until it was my turn. I watched patient after patient being called back for various treatments. As the song by Jack Johnson goes..... “I'm just people watching the other people watching me.” (it's from the Curious George soundtrack, my kids love it!) Some were there for the first time (like me) and others had been there so many times that they knew all of the nurses by name, some were young and some were old, some looked healthy and some looked very sick, but there was something that everyone seemed to have in common.... everyone had such a positive attitude.

Hmmmm......a positive attitude....now that's a topic for another day!