A "Concerning" Appointment

My dad was diagnosed in January with non-small cell squamous cell carcinoma. He has gone through radiation and ongoing chemotherapy since then. He lost a thick head of straight darkish hair to have it come back whitish and wavy. -I'd show you the picture I took of his hair, but I got mostly his ear.- If you didn't know he had cancer and hadn't seen him in awhile this new hairstyle might be a puzzlement as he's not a guy given to fashion statements. It is his only outward sign of the disease that wages war on him from within. He still walks tall if not a little carefully to adjust for pain. Cancer hasn't made him chatty or given to much unsolicited advisement. He remains the quietly humble guy you've always known.

Yesterday we (my mom, sister, husband, and 8 month old) accompanied him to the oncologist appointment to hear the outcome of a recent PET scan. We have attended each even though at first he wasn't sure it was "a grand stand event". It may be strange to some, but we go in for the group approach. -I've never given birth with an audience of less than 5.- Matt drives our "bus" so we can all ride together. On the way to the appointment Mom made plans to give Mollie a pedicure for her birthday. On the way home we stop at the Papa Murphy's next door to the oncologist office to get our post-appointment rehashment pizzas as Mom calls my 4 brothers to give them the update. Coping mechanisms that draw us together.

In April we went for a second opinion and he ventured a guess that Dad had about a year left. Dr. Nadi-Purim is not one to give up such information. The only thing for sure he informed us of yesterday was that he felt Pakistan was a nation of evil, evil people- the worst in the world in fact. Did I mention he is Indian? That and we should bring all Israelites to the U.S. and let Palestine destroy itself. This was an interesting respite from the topic we were there to discuss. We found out yesterday Dad's disease is progressing. He has new spots on his lung, back, adrenal gland, and liver. Dr. Nadi noted about three times that this was concerning to him. It is a slow growing cancer. Slow growing cancers do not respond as well to treatment as do the fast growing variety. Dad will start again next week with a new chemo drug.

When the Dr. left the room I remarked that perhaps we need to pray harder. In his sure calm way Dad responded with II Timothy 1:12B

"for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day."

He said we need to take things day by day. Trust the Lord each day. Do not borrow worry. We were there to be supportive and he pointed us in the direction of "Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy," Thanks, Dad.

When I awake in the quiet of the night to nurse my baby I often spend the time in prayer for my dad. Here are a couple of verses of the hymn that greeted me in my head when I awoke last night.

I know not why God's wondrous grace to me He hath made known,

Nor why Christ, in His boundless love, Redeemed me for His own.

I know not when my Lord may come, At night or noon-day fair,

Nor if I'll walk the vale with Him, or "meet Him in the air."

But "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able To keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day."