I feel much better now! I'm sorry for those who live in the Carolinas. My prayers are with you.
Now I can focus on the circus that is about to begin with me! Take a gander at my schedule for the next week:
Thursday, Sept 4th 8:45am - Consult with the surgeon regarding cath placement
Friday, Sept 5th 11:30am - register for outpatient scans and drink tasty, chalky contrast mixture (& try to keep it from coming back up!) for Cat Scan later on
Friday, Sept 5th 12:30pm - get injection of radioactive material for nuclear bone scan (this may or may not include glowing in the dark!!) and then wait 3 hours!
Friday, Sept 5th 1:30pm - Cat Scan of chest/abdomen and pelvis
Friday, Sept 5th 3:30pm - Nuclear medicine whole body bone scan
I'd say this will be a full day.....should be in a great mood!
Tuesday, Sept 9th 9:15am - get injection of yet another type of radioactive juice for MUGA scan later on
Tuesday, Sept 9th 9:45am - MUGA scan
Can you say LiteBrite?????
This does not include the out patient surgery for the catheter. I'm getting a headache just thinking about it.
All kidding aside, I know that suffering...no matter how hard... has value. In this day and age, the world thinks that no one should ever suffer and that all suffering is bad. As a Catholic, I believe that suffering does have value and when we join our sufferings to Christ's, it also joins us to His Resurrection. When we share in His death, we also share in His eternal life. This brings me great comfort. Now, I also realize that I am not suffering right now....I may never truly suffer. I have had this disease (at least known about it) for not quite 8 weeks....and I have had very little physical pain. But I don't know what lies ahead. This is an emotional and spiritual disease as much as it is physical. One can suffer in many ways...not just in physical pain. I have asked God to use my suffering...in whatever form that takes and use it. I know this might sound pious, but, I don't mean it to be. And.....if suffering now gets me out of purgatory a few days early....all the better!!!
2 comments:
Dear Nancy,
It frightens one to think what humanity loses when it ceases to carry the cross and suffer in a manner that glorifies Christ and indeed becomes prayer. Our small acts of sacrifice united to Christ's Cross can achieve the conversion of entire peoples and nations. When we understand suffering and that bearing our cross has unimaginable power, life takes on a profound meaning and purpose. We will cease to become the culture of death and will truly dignify life and death.
"He who knoweth how how to suffer will enjoy much peace. Such a one is a conquerer of himself and lord of the world, a friend of Christ and an heir of heaven. Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ.
You are in my prayers, my friend.
MM
Hi Nancy:
I am in awe of you! Your humor during all of this has been so inspiring. I've been thinking of you so much these days. My prayers are with you.
Love,
Wendy
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