What a day. Not the greatest in terms of how we are feeling. It was great in lots of ways the treatment finished yesterday but it means we have to wait and well I am not very patient. We rang the hospital and they said a full body scan will be in 6 weeks while my body settles down and so the Chemotherapy will not start for at least 8 weeks. It means we have nothing really planned and we have to wait 6 weeks just for a scan. Our emotions seem to have been all over the place and well apathy and lack of enthusiasm seems to have come over me. I was listening this afternoon to some Paul Baloche songs and they were a real encouragement.
One of them was called 'Your Name'. Its words are your name is a strong and mighty tower, your name is a shelter like no other, your name let the nations sing it louder, because nothing has the power to save like your name. God is our shelter and our tower and He has us. He is an awesome God and the future is in His hands. He has the power to save and one day every one will realise who He is and will bow before him.
Thank you for your prayers.
Verse for the day: Isaiah 2 (We need the Lord)
Prayer for the day: Pray for the strength and ministering of the Lord. Please pray for patience in waiting for results and for scans. For physical renewing each day and rest for my body. For the continued working of my body to fight the cancer and for God to have his mighty hand over us. For our witness and God would continue to be glorified and number 1 priority. Please pray for our families.
As my comments a few days ago suggested, I did anticipate that this period of forced 'down time' from the rythms and timetabled structures of medical treatment would be challenging for you both, your families and all of us who love you. In some ways this is something that we have avoided in the McGrath household as Stephen was adamant from the outset of his diagnosis that he would rather place himself in God's hands than suffer the rigours and hopes of treatment. If this sounds like cowardice, please understand that his cancer came after a number of similarly challenging conditions for which he eagerly accepted gruelling treatments that ultimately proved unsuccessful and left him more vulnerable still.
ReplyDeleteWithin and between all this we, like you, take each day with gratitude and the luxury of flexibility to adapt to developments. Like you and Anne, I really miss the structure and financial certainty of paide employment. But it is an emmense relief of stress and anxiety not to be required to be a 2-hour drive away from home for 12 hours 3 days of every week. At the mercy of the Lord, Stephen continues to experience more comfortable days than those which verge on the unsufferable, and still enjoys some which are relatively painfree. So it is wonderful for me to be able to enjoy those with him, and to be able to take impromptu decisions about undertaking wacky activities such as a trip to the supermarket together.
Betwixt and between these wonderfully unpredictable (and hence so precious) developments, I continue to ensure that the dogs are well exercised and loved each day. And my daily swimming regime has become an absolute mainstay of my physical, spiritual and emotional strength. As I have told you before, every single stroke I take is a prayer of adoration and gratitude to the Lord that I am able to enjoy the freedom, liberty and peace of this time and activity.
Along with my increased speed and distance in the pool, I am becoming as resourceful as I am able in my efforts to raise the maximum possible sponsorship for my 5 km National Swimaton endeavour in support of Marie Curie Cancer Care. I am delighted to have elicited funding from former colleagues at Liverpool Hope (exclusively, so far, from admin staff who are facing redundancy) and am holding my breath on the possibility of support from at least some of my sibblings. I have also written directly and personally to Gloria Hunniford, James Carrigher, Kenny Dalgliesh and the CEO of JCB (our largest local employer) as well as local newspapers in Stafforsdshire and Liverpool. Stafford Express & Star are running a story about my undertaking and its inspirations (not least you, Glen, though I will disclose no names or personal details unless you tell me that you would like me to).
If any of your your other friends, admirers or loving family would like to pleadge sponsorship they can do so securely online by visiting http://my.artezglobal.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=332912
Anyone who feels uncomfortable in entering credit or debot card details online can send a cheque payable to "Marie Curie Cancer Care" c/o Dr Teresa McGrath, 4 Hill Lane, Middleton Green, Leigh, Staffordshire, ST10 4PH.
Out prayers remain with you Glen, Anne, your families, friends and loved ones, and for the Gallaghers, John & Lucy. Lord have mercy.