No More Toxic Substances
It’s been 9 days since our lives have radically changed. I want to begin with gratitude and praise. The outpouring of love and support has been absolutely incredible, heartwarming, and completely humbling. I have truly been in awe of the love and connection that we have experienced since sharing Sean’s news. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Our amazing God is on the move in this situation! “‘Who shall go up first to fight against the people of Benjamin?’ ‘And the Lord said, Judah shall go up first.'” Judges 20:18. In Hebrew, Judah means praise so we start with that because the Lord told us to and it’s good for our soul.
Let’s begin with praising Him for MRI of the brain with no evidence of metastatic disease, amazing. His amazing providence has assembled the literal best care team in the world for Sean.
I’ve been reflecting on something my spiritual director shared: “there is a purpose to everything. Those that bring us joy and those that bring us sorrow. It not only impacts our own selves but others that we come in contact with always bringing us closer to God if we lead with an open heart and mind.” Truly, this experience has softened hearts, united peoples, and stirred a desire to entirely surrender to God’s Holy Will. Incredible.
We still do not have all of the information we had hoped to have by this point. Sean formally establishes care with medical oncology tomorrow followed by a PET scan. Unfortunately, the pathology from the pleural fluid really didn’t reveal anything. No cancer cells were in the sample analyzed and aside from noting inflamed cells we didn’t learn much. Sean will go in for a biopsy of the liver. Subsequently, Sean will have a Pleurx catheter placed. This will help alleviate the pressure he feels in his midsection. We hope to begin treatment once the pathology from the liver biopsy returns.
At home Sean is continuing to post to his F3 gigs in the mornings along with going to the gym. Thanks to all of our fitness friends who have cheered him on. Our neighbors have supported us with nourishing meals this week allowing our clean eating regimen to continue during a time of “hurry up and wait.”
Our focus this week is to eliminate toxic substances, any form of nicotine has to go. Tobacco is the single largest preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in the U.S. with 34 million people (14% of adults) who smoke cigarettes. Globally 8 million humans die prematurely every year from direct and second hand exposure to tobacco. 70% of cigarette smokers want to quit smoking and it takes an average of 6 quit attempts before long term abstinence is achieved. It is tragic that a product like nicotine in so many dosage forms is on the market ruining so many lives. I encourage any of you enslaved by nicotine (cigarettes, cigars, vapes, pouches, chew, etc.) to make the decision to just quit. For you, for your family, for me, for our world.
Once again, I ask you to hug your family and dear friends a little tighter. To have compassion for one another and what we experience in this world. Life is so short and it can be taken at any time. So while we are here, we need to love one another.
I don’t really know any other time in my life when I have thought more about the importance of being present than I have right now. Looking and longing for the past, you risk the fate of Lot’s wife—turning into a pillar of salt. You are no good to anyone. Looking too far into the future, you attach to things and possibilities that are not real and anxiety ensues. The present moment is real and the I Am is found in the present. You want to feel good? Feel God, be present. For you and those you love. Take good care everyone so you can be strong. We love you, not in a weird way but in a Jesus like way.
