Anticipation

The end is near. This Friday will be the last day of my radiation treatments!

It is very exciting to think that my daily trips to the Medical Center will be over.

At the same time, however, there is some fear and trepidation.

I have had doctors and nurses watching over me regularly for the last five months. And now I will be "on my own", only seeing them quarterly.

I have had friends and family bringing us meals, checking on me and in general taking care of me for the last five months as well. They are not going any where, but it is time for me to start taking care of myself and my family.

God brought an analogy to mind this morning: You know Wesley (the Dread Pirate Roberts) in the movie The Princess Bride? (You can skip the analogy if you haven't seen the movie, or you can read on and go get the movie to figure out what in the world I'm talking about!) He is sent to the torture chamber ("The Pit of Despair")and had all the "life energy" sucked out of him. When his friends find him, they think he is dead. But these friends kind of need him to be alive in order to come up with a plan to defeat the bad prince. So they take him to Miracle Max hoping for a miracle. Turns out he is not "completely" dead, only "mostly" dead and, indeed, a miracle might just work. Once the "miracle pill" is administered, only Wesley's mind works. He is completely paralyzed. They have to carry him around or push him in a wheelbarrow. Gradually, he gains strength and function as they storm the castle and face the prince.

So, how does this story fit me, you might ask? And you might also wonder why God would choose to use a Rob Reiner film as an example, but I digress. . .

Well, I've kind of been like Wesley. I feel like I've had the life sucked out of me, literally, by chemo. It is basically poison, after all. My friends and family have been pushing me around in a wheelbarrow and carrying me on their backs to get me where I need to go. The "miracle pill" of prayer has been administered and I am gradually being restored to health.

And now it's time to get out of the wheelbarrow. Time for me to sword fight and save the princess and ride off into the sunset. Or, just make dinner and teach M4 his alphabet and do laundry and get kids to and from practices, etc.

Scary stuff, I know.

I cannot thank those of you who have "pushed the wheelbarrow" enough for all you have done. I/We would never have made it without you!! Thank you for all the meals, all the rides, for helping me deal with my housework and my laundry.

And to those of you who "administered" the miracle pill of prayer. Please don't stop yet! Pray that my mind will catch up to my body's ability to function. It is still difficult for me to think deeply or multi-task. And please continue to pray for me and my family as we go through what I like to call "re-entry". As we re-learn how to get along and function as a family with a routine.

Thank you!! Thank you!!