When Cancer Strikes, Part 2

It was a terrifying cliff.  If my husband’s bladder cancer was in the early stages, then the upcoming surgery would be successful.  When they opened him up, however, if they found more tumors and affected areas, the prognosis would more serious, and even life threatening.   

Putting Out The Call
Within a week of the diagnosis we’d scheduled the surgery. I reached out to about 60 friends and family asking for prayer– even those we’d been out touch with for ages. The response was overwhelming, but we were shocked to hear how many of them or their loved ones had also been affected by cancer. People began sharing their stories, resources and lessons learned, and we absorbed it all, eager to learn everything we could as fast as possible.

The Day Arrives
The Wednesday of our surgery we arrived to the hospital at 7:30 a.m.  Friends were already there to lend support.  What a comfort it was to me!  Then, as we began filling out paperwork, we were struck speechless:  The admissions nurse looked straight at my husband and said, “God wants me to tell you that you are going to be alright.”  Wow!  Her words reached out across the desk like a big bear hug. We hoped they certainly might prove true.

That surprise was not to be the only one:  Hours later and just before being wheeled into surgery, our doctor came to speak with us. After explaining what to expect, he reached out for our hands and said, “Let’s pray.”  We gratefully joined him, allowing it to calm our anxious hearts and trust God for the outcome.

The News 
The report reached me in less than an hour:  The cancer was caught early and the surgeon had successfully removed a 1.5 by 2.2 centimeter tumor.  The prognosis was good!!  We were just elated!!!  Thank God and thanks to all those who prayed!!  What a collective victory!!

Later that afternoon, my husband was allowed to leave the hospital and convalesce at home.  We were so relieved, so grateful, almost disbelieving, and just overjoyed.

Standing On The Edge
This experience for both of us has been like standing on a cliff, not knowing if what lay ahead was a strong rope or the abyss.  The kindness, prayers and love extended to us by family and friends became our bridge across the great chasm and we are eternally grateful to each one.  It has meant the world to us– and continues to!  

Still Another Hurdle Ahead
As he is healing, my husband has good and bad days.  There has been pain– and moments of fear. His subsequent tissue biopsies revealed cancer cells in the first two layers of his bladder.  This news has sent us reeling, but on the positive side, the cancer has not progressed into the bladder walls, which would demand that his bladder be surgically removed to prevent the spread of malignancy into other parts of the body.  So a second surgery will now be necessary in a few weeks to determine if there is still any cancer lurking in the tissues.  We wish it wasn’t necessary, but presently, this seems to be the course of action.  My husband’s post op recovery has been more complicated than we were told to expect, so we also are now pursuing a second opinion.

Saving Lives 
Meantime, we wanted to share with you one resource that we have found especially eye-opening.  The book is called “The Fungus Link” by Doug A. Kaufman. He has had remarkable success with curing cancers and other serious conditions with a solid nutritional approach. We recommend it to everyone and believe it can prevent disease and save lives. Kaufman also has a website and cable television show. My husband I are both following his regime right now and are beginning to see and feel the difference.  

Friends, if you have a story or wisdom to share about your struggle with cancer, please do so here so we can all learn from each other.

Bless you all and stay well!