Giving up Cancer for Lent

Prelude:
In November of this past year I was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer. Early in December I began hormone suppression therapy which essential starves the invasive cancer cells. So for December through early March my body has been a parched and barren land void of much of the life-giving hormones with which my particular cancer thrives. In March I began Radiation therapy.

Story:
Lent and Radiation therapy pretty much started at the sametime. Early in Lent one of the Doctors in the practice was conducting an follow up examine. She knew I was a pastor and asked if I made it a spiritual practice of giving things up for Lent. Off the top of my head I said “Yes, I’m giving up cancer for Lent!” At first the Doctor was a bit stunned and then she began to laugh and thought that was a good thing to give up for Lent.

In the days since that comment I have thought a lot about my flip answer and decided that there is a lot more to that comment than just merely trusting in the therapy being used to kill my cancer cells. In Lent I have chosen to not let a disease define my life or who I am; Not always an easy thing to do when many people seem to see me through “Cancer Colored Glasses.” Yet this malady is not the sum total of my life. In fact at present it is more of an inconvenience to my schedule. And my life is filled with so much more than cancer. My life, my faith, my friends and the joyful interaction of life are much more fulfilling.

As with most things in life I am learning that if we do not give over our lives to the bad things of life we are far more capable of living and in fact learning from the pilgrimage of such events. I have learned to trust my life to others depending upon the gifted doctors, technicians, nurses and staff who are truly agents of God bringing healing to my life. I am humbled and delight by my daily engagements with all of them. I have come to trust the good medical arts that are being applied and marvel at what we are capable of doing today in the field of medicine.

I am not yet at the point of being called a cancer survivor but I look forward to the day of being able to say with so many others those cherished words, “I survived cancer.” In the mean time I am on a journey while doing all the other things of life. While I don’t mind answering questions about what is going on in my life I sure hope people see me for more than the Cancer that I am giving up for Lent.

Well I have to close for it is time to go for Treatment!
Theme Song for starting each trip… Disco Inferno! And my favorite phrase in the song “Burn baby Burn!” I like putting those pesky cells on notice that they doomed!