Chemo Day One

Today was a very long day. We arrived in Tukwila at 7:43 for our 8:00am appointment. After the usual preliminaries delayed things a bit, the premeds finally got going about 9:00am. I am on every drug as before with the exception of Erbitux, the chemo med which gave me face and scalp lesions last time. They may start it later. Also, I am taking 5FU in a different way than before. They are giving it to me through a 24 hour pump. This allows for a larger dose of medication over a longer period of time, increasing benefit while decreasing side effects. Susan will disconnect me from the pump around 3:30 tomorrow afternoon. Part of our time today involved her training to be able to do this safely and efficiently. I married a wonderful "nurse" nearly 22 years ago and I have been very grateful ever since. "He who findeth a wife, findeth a good thing" Proverbs 18:22. So far, I have a lot of energy and no nausea, although I have had some stomach pains probably associated with the cancer. The major prayer request is that I do not lose a lot of weight during this ordeal since I do not have much weight to lose.

I have been struck by how much cancer resembles sin. It lies in wait to strike its host in unforeseen moments like sin crouching at the door of Cain's heart (Genesis 4:7). It can even disguise its appearance through mutation hoping to trick unsuspecting T-cells, the body's chief infection fighters, and wreak havoc. Sin, too, disguises itself in innumerable ways trying to trick us into calling it something other than sin. Modern heresies are a prime example. Most heresies are the lie masquerading as truth. This is why Paul warned the Corinthians of "false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder," Paul continues, "for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." He goes on to say that we should not be surprised that Satan's "servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness" (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Sin can even play dead, like cancer, convincing the host that all is well and that caution may be thrown to the winds, and even this temptation is addressed in Scripture: "therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall" (1 Corinthians 10:12) . And sin, like cancer, seeks total mastery and ultimate destruction. Therefore, we should never spare it, befriend it, or otherwise compromise with it. Our only option is total war until the foe is destroyed. I am thankful for these parallels which can aid us in our daily "fight of faith!"