On with the "Blog"

   Over the past year I have learned so much from a side of life I never experienced before.   I learned that perseverance and hope, along with faith, bring us through new battles.   I have seen people pass into the next life because their "battle" here was over.  I believe it really has nothing to do with how they "fought" it themselves,  but that God was ready to take them in His timing.        And we, as humans will never really understand that "mystery".  In fact, in a favorite Bible verse that is sung in  Handel's Messiah as a beautiful bass solo:   From I Cor. 15:51, "Behold, I tell you a mystery, we shall not all sleep but we shall all  be changed, in the moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet,..."
    Yesterday I received news from a young mother who has "fought" cancer for over a year and has found her cancer is not spreading because of a pill she is taking. She has had surgeries and toxic chemo, but the Lord has her in His charge right here on earth right now:)
     Three years ago, our own daughter found she had CML, (leukemia) and takes a pill which blood tests show no cancer in the blood. 
      However, a few months ago, right on our street, a middle aged wife and mother found she had liver cancer and couldn't even be treated because she was too far gone. She passed within 3 months!
      Yesterday morning, our dear neighbor for over 37 years died of complications with cancer.  Believe me, the ones who died didn't "give up".   They always had determination to keep living, but when God is ready, you don't question the outcome.  You believe that because we are given life our lives are in God's hands when it is time to go on to the "better country" (Hebrews 11:19) .
My heart goes out to the families who have lost their loved ones this year.
    Yesterday I had a CT scan of my abdomen.  I had to drink barium flavored like a banana milkshake.  The trouble with the drink is what goes in has to come out.  I was also given a shot of radioactive stuff to help show up the tumor or whatever else needs to show up.   Both those "unhealthy" solutions have to be diluted in our bodies to get them through so as not to damage organs like kidneys.  So, instructions are to drink fluids all day!!!
     With all this being said, I will "patiently" wait until Monday, chemo, for the results of my ct scan.   The last 2 tumor markers were at an 8.   My last tumor measurement in February was 1 x 0.7 cm.  Wonder what it will be after yesterday's  CT scan?  
      I was just informed that my scan was FINE.   I want details and numbers, but I will be "patiently" waiting until Monday for that. (My oncologist is home sick:(
       Meanwhile, Christmas is coming, and the "stress" of it all is not bothering me in the least.  I may or may not be able to sing Christmas Eve "O Holy Night" as I wanted to but that is still pending depending on my side effects from chemo next week and the finishing up of my cold.
       A favorite Christmas hymn by Christina Rossetti:
       https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/53216/in-the-bleak-midwinter