If you have been following my blog you will know that in November last year I was diagnosed as having terminal cancer. In episode 8 of this series, I described how the oncologist told me that if I did not get chemotherapy I would have two or three months to live. If I had chemo, I would have 12-18 months. Unfortunately, she had decided that I was not well enough to receive chemo. The news was obviously devastating, but I expressed in the same post that I still had reasons to be happy. A week later, another member of the oncology team decided that I was well enough for chemo, and the process started.
Since then, progress has been good. The chemo has been a bit unpleasant at times, but it is definitely having an effect. My pain level is almost negligible, I feel better and I am much more active – even to the point of getting back to the gym.
I am now more than halfway through the course of chemo. At the halfway stage, they send you for a CT scan to see what progress is being made, and last Thursday I saw the oncologist in my fortnightly meeting. This was the same oncologist who didn’t think that I was well enough to have chemotherapy in the first place. She told me that the results of the CT were good. The bad bits were all clearing up. The cancer in my pelvis was healed.
HEALED – that was the word which struck me like a hammer! Not “in remission” – Healed. That is a good word! It is a word that sticks. It’s a word that means so much more than remission! Remission means delay. Healed means hope!
Throughout all this period I have been writing this blog about my journey through cancer for many reasons and I have generally done it because something good has happened, or because I have realised that I have had so many things to be thankful for, or because I have achieved something. I have written it with the strength that my faith in Jesus has given me. I have written it in the hope that I might be able to help someone else.
There have been so many comments on Facebook and in my blog from people saying that they are amazed at how I am coping with this, that they admire my strength, that I am an inspiration. People at the gym have spoken to me in such an encouraging way, saying how glad they are to see me back and how much they admire me for going back. I was at the gym today and a guy said to his son that I was an inspiration!
I want to make it clear, though, that this journey hasn’t all been about me being positive. I am not the biggest inspiration. There have been a lot of times when I have not been amazing, lots of times when I am, in fact, a hopeless mess, crying my heart out.
But words matter. Words mean everything. They can build up and they can knock down. They can change lives – for good and for bad. In Proverbs 12:25, God tells me that, “Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.”
I would like to thank everyone who has been such an encouragement to me in the past few months! It really has played an important part in my life and in my fight for life. Your words have been so positive. They have lifted me up in those days when I have not felt great and they keep me up in those days when I feel wonderful. They are life-changing and life-giving! Your words of encouragement have so much meaning!
This is a world where words travel faster than they have ever done. Unfortunately it’s a world which is full of unpleasant, nasty words. People say things that hurt and damage . It’s a world where there is so much worry about health, relationships, money, physical appearance, security – the list is endless. Any one of these worries can weigh a person down, even to the point of wanting to end it all.
Words have meaning. Words can change everything. An encouraging word can cheer a person up. An encouraging word can make a person enjoy life. An encouraging word can make a person actually want to be alive. Your encouraging words have had such an amazing effect on me.
Let’s all try and change this world so that people around us enjoy every moment they have. It’s not just words – words mean everything!
Hi Robert so glad to read this post. I am praying for the healing to continue. Xx
Robert how happy I was reading this blog! Your words are indeed very powerful. From reading them, l felt encouraged to think positive happy thoughts for myself and those around me and especially in my work and family life. That’s the power of your writing for me.
I’m beyond happy to know the oncologist used the word ’Healed’ when describing the cancer in your pelvic! now this is a huge word to use and I’m sure very uplifting to hear for your and Libby. You both must have been overjoyed with this as I was amazed at just reading it!
Keep doing what you’re doing Robert, being your amazing self!
God bless both you and Libby and kept you strong♥️
“Zippity-do-da, what a wonderful day.”
I felt like singing this when I read your blog Robert.