When you get chemo you meet a lot of different people. Lots of nurses, of course, but also lots of other chemo patients and their family members who come with them. I love the people where I go for chemo. The nurses are all wonderful and Tommy and I love to talk to the other patients. We are not shy about striking up conversations with people we don't know and often times they start the conversation before we can.
Some of the people I have met have really made a big impression on me and I leave with them heavy on my heart and mind. I pray for them and several have told me they are praying for me also.
Recently I met Mr. Brown. In talking, we found out that he is from the same city we live in. He is a Christian man and works very hard spreading the word of God and encouraging others to serve God. I really like Mr. Brown. He is such a sweet man and I was blessed to see him just today and he is doing well. (He was having his very first chemo when I met him last week.) What stuck with me about Mr. Brown is something he told me when his family had stepped out to get breakfast.
He told me that, even though he couldn't say it in front of his family because they didn't want to hear it, that he is ready to go if this is his time. He's confident of his eternal home in heaven and that makes it so much easier. He said his only regret if this is his time is that he still wanted the opportunity to help others come to know God and find salvation in Him. He just feels like he has more work to do here.
The reason this struck me so hard is that I can honestly say I haven't once thought of those I needed to witness to since I found out I had cancer. My thoughts have been on my kids, my husband, my family, my church, myself. How would my kids get through this? How hard would it be on Tommy? Who would do everything I do for the church if I couldn't? How would chemo make me feel???? Not once have I thought of helping others come to know the God that is so very good to me!!
I commend Mr. Brown so much because his thoughts have, somewhere along the way, turned to those who need to know God. God Bless Mr. Brown and I pray his treatments will be kind to him.
Today I met a man and his wife. I didn't get their names but he was so sickly looking. So very skinny and he was there getting fluids because he's so dehydrated. He has no appetite and won't eat or drink because it makes him so very sick, even though he's on 3 different anti-nausea medicines. I was so saddened by this and I talked to his wife right much because he slept most of the time. I am praying hard for this skinny man today. It was tough to see that he is having such a hard time with his chemo, while I sit next to him, feeling very well indeed.
I have learned that every person's situation differs based on their type of cancer and treatment, so it's not like the skinny man is getting the same treatments as me. But my heart hurts for him because of what he is going through. He did perk up just a bit today after getting some fluids and ended up eating a bit of apple sauce. I pray his situation will improve.
One of the minor side effects I'm having this past week is my hair is thinning. It's not very noticeable to those who see me, but it is to me. Every time I brush or comb my hair I pull out handfuls and have to sweep lots up from the floor and off other surfaces. I can feel that it's thinning and it doesn't take as much shampoo to wash my hair.
As I've told lots of people, I'm not going to whine (too much) about this. Especially after meeting the skinny man today I won't complain about my minor situation.
I can still feel well with thin hair or a bald head. Thank God!!
