Cancer, Faith, Grief, and Healing
I have heard from many friends that this time of year is brutally difficult for those that have lost a loved one. I concur. In November I would have celebrated my 30th anniversary with my wife. On the heels of our anniversary was Thanksgiving, and then we immediately launched into the Christmas rush. This Christmas […]
Just as I am working through my grief from my wife’s death, there are many that have come beside me that are also working through a cancer journey, life-threatening issues, and grief. A few days ago, I learned a longtime friend received news that the cancer he has been battling for many years has spread. […]
When Lyn was diagnosed with cancer, she clearly thought about how she wanted to live going forward. Lyn began her cancer journey with the end in mind and that shaped how she would respond in the face of daily challenges. Because she started her journey with the end in mind, she knew how she would […]
The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Today is Thanksgiving and I felt it necessary to post a second blog this week and give thanks for the blessings I have in life. Today as I awoke and exercised I was reminded […]
When a cancer patient is trying to cope with diagnosis, and decide on a treatment option, it can be overwhelming. Thankfully in our case we functioned as a team and I was able to ask questions, convey Lyn’s thoughts, and I took countless notes in an organized binder. I had printouts of medications and their […]
I do. These two simple words were the most important words I ever said to my wife. The pastor asked, “Jeff, if you take Lyn to be your wife, please repeat by saying I do?” My answer to the question was obviously, “I do” I wasn’t an idiot! I was a very lucky man. As […]
Breaking the news to others that a loved one has cancer is very difficult and emotional. I was the first to know that my wife had brain cancer. As explained in an earlier post, I was pulled out of her hospital room at 10:00 PM on Mother’s Day and informed of the devastating news. It […]
In an age where seemingly everything that happens is on video, it’s fairly easy to determine who is to blame, or to set a direction for the investigation. It is a natural human emotion to try and determine what happened when something horrible occurs, so we can attempt to understand and have some level of […]
When one is diagnosed with cancer, the first few weeks are extremely busy. As my wife (Lyn) began the battle, our days were exhausting. Because Lyn was working on speech therapy, this made her very tired as her brain worked overtime toward recovery. However, because she was on a brain steroid to prevent inflammation, sleeping […]
Whenever I go to the doctor for my annual appointment the first check of my blood pressure is always high, and I have to sit, and have it rechecked. It is frustrating, but common because going to the doctor for many people is a stressful experience. Leading up to an oncology appointment, there was an […]