April 22, 2008
On April 27, 2007, a tumor was surgically removed from the left side of my neck just below my ear. It was embedded deep in the nasopharnyx, below my Eustachian tube. A pathological investigation revealed a cancerous tumor that had begun to metastasize and required several months of radiation and chemotherapy. Before the treatments began on June 4, a port was implanted into my left upper chest providing access to my left subclavian vein through which I would receive drugs, hydration, and even nutrition. Yesterday, almost exactly a year after that fateful discovery, I was admitted to the hospital for minor surgery – the removal of my port. Although my recovery seems slow (though according to my physicians, normal), this event signals the nearness of the end of a long year of emotional, physical, and spiritual battles. The daily trips to the cancer center; lying on the radiation table to be exposed to the powerful radiation waves; the infusions of powerful drugs designed to selectively destroy cancer cells; the excruciatingly painful attempts to swallow; the dramatic weight loss of more than 40 lbs; the many nights of difficult, interrupted sleep. During these many months the love and support of my family, the prayers of my friends, and the love of God served to stoke the embers of my faith and kept me hoping for this day.
For many years to come, I will reminisce about this experience as I observe the visible scars of surgery, one on my neck for the removal of the tumor and one on my chest from the insertion of the port. I have always sensed a cleansing spirituality in this experience and I have looked for vital lessons from this incredible journey. The scar on my neck will forever symbolize the sin experience, the vileness and murderous effects of its tenure in my life – a symbol of the scapegoat bearing the weight of the tragic experience of evil. To insert the port, an incision was made above a vital vein where the connection of port to blood vessel provided an entry point for the medications that would eradicate the diseased cells and supply the life giving nutrition necessary to sustain me.
And isn’t that like our Saviour, who in paying the price for us, bares the scars for us – scars that represent the evil that is sin and the promise of life that is salvation. And although He will forever bare those scars, when He comes for me, He will relieve me of mine. The newness of my life is but a symbol of the time when he will make all things new. What a hope to hold on to! What a promise to live by! And what a faith to sustain me even now as I slowly return to a healthy physical body!
Please continue to hold me up in prayer as the journey faith is still in progress and the final victory is yet to come.
Love and blessings to you all!
Len
3 comments:
Len, your expression and testimonies of faith have been a constant source of strength to me. On many occasions, watching you go through the worse days of this experience, created the urge to question “why”; but then, your optimism and tenacity served to remind me that it was not about you or any of us, but that old satan.
Your experience always brought me back to the faith and trust in God that mom and dad instilled in us from as early as we knew ourselves.
Thank you for being a formidable tower of faith, strength and optimism to all of us.
Hey, remember you have 9 lives! You are only at about number what…4? God is not finished with you yet!
Keep the faith!
Sister Linda
Hey Len,
Each time I read your update I am filled with awe. I cannot help but think that the same God who made this amazing world, the same God who walked this earth and performed those miracles is alive today and is still in the miracle working business. My faith in Him has been strengthened by the inspiration gained from your experience. Too often we tend to see only the dark side of life, and fail to benefit from the positives that can come our experiences.
I want to thank you for sharing with us, and thank God for using you to make a difference in our lives.I pray that He will continue to bring about a complete recovery. Blessings to you and your family.
Mervyn Sr.
What a blessing, I am very happy that this is all coming to an end. Yes, God is an awesome God who already took care of our sins,pain sickness and so on, by His blood we are healed and I knew deep in my heart you were going to be fine. You are a faithful and wonderful servent of God and you just deserve His unconditional loving and healing touch.
Very happy for You.
God bless Jeshae (Bernardita)OTA Student 2008
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