James spoke to a suffering group of believers when he wrote, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let Him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reporach, and it will be given to him,"(James 1:5) The point of the paragraph is that Christians shouldn't be asking God HOW they can get out of trials but rather WHAT they can get out of trials. That's what I have been praying these days. Suffering comes to us all in life, but God want to make sure that none of it ever gets wasted. He wants to use every bit of it--to shape, prune and beautify the lives of His children. I am excited about that. God will let nothing go to waste; He will use carefully prescribed seasons of suffering to make us better!
Now for the real issue about how Lenya is doing exactly! We went to the Dr. yesterday to get the low-down on the lab results and what he sees as the next steps. We really love Dr Ampuero. He is a gentleman and cares deeply about his patients. I'm praying the Lord will use us in his life as well. I'll let Lenya tell you the story in her own words:
"Every time Apple comes out with the latest, greatest gadget my guys jockey for position into long lines for the 'must have' upgrade. The iPhone rolls out a 3G and immediately they’re hooked up (I have to confess, I detest electronic devices at the dinner table. Grrrrrr!) It’s no wonder that most of us look at getting an upgrade as a good thing. We dream of a flight attendant calling our name over the loud speaker to say, 'We’re upgrading you to first class. Sorry we overbooked the flight.'
My grandest string of upgrades occurred during 1996 when the New York Yankees competed with the Atlanta Braves for the World Series. John Wetteland, the Yankees clean-up pitcher who led the American League with 43 saves, invited me and Nathan to come see an away game in Atlanta. Because we knew John, his name opened the door to untold opportunity wherever we went in Atlanta. It unlocked a hotel room at the Ritz Carlton after the Marriott overbooked our reservation—all expenses paid! Shopping with the team family members brought amazing discounts. It gained us entrance to the Yankee locker room and even provided seats on the team bus right next to Reggie Jackson. Nathan and I felt like we landed in a dream. And it was a dream come true!
Today I received an upgrade I could live without. I learned that my Stage 1 cancer was elevated to Stage 2. Yes, the pathology from my lymphs, omentum, colon, and abdominal fluid were all negative. On the positive side, it is not a clear cell carcinoma, which are notoriously virulent. Dr. Ampuero was astounded at how quickly I’m recovering from the surgery, saying, “You’re well ahead of schedule.” He added that youth and strength are on my side. However, since my hysterectomy in 1998, there’s no knowing if the peritoneal cancer originated elsewhere, like my ovaries or uterus. That and anything that impacts the colon brings unsolicited upgrades.
This Wednesday I have more blood work. On Thursday, I undergo a procedure to implant a “port” into my chest to receive the chemo. Next Tuesday, August 4th, I receive my first of six rounds of chemotherapy. The toxic cure will be a combo of Paclitaxel and Carboplatin. Most likely I’ll lose my hair, be fatigued, and have a compromised immune system until the first of the year.
On the average, the awesome upgrades I’ve received have far outweighed the aggravating ones. I will rest with Job on this thought, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).
Love,
Lenya"
