Good News: March 15, 2005

Quick note friends:

After a 24 hour anxiety-fest caused when I visited Dr. Hoessly (my main “over-all” oncologist) yesterday morning for a Procrit shot and he looked at the results of my Protein survey—the main indicator of the levels of Myeloma in my system—and told me that he was “disappointed that they weren’t lower,” Sheri and I went to my big “100 Day” check up this morning with fear and trepidation. Instead, however, we were greeted by Dr. Luger (my blood cancer specialist’s specialist, the oncologist who supervised both my transplants and Dr. Hoessly’s wife) with this quick summary of my health:

“We’re thrilled!”

If this sounds like good news and the end of our anxiety for the day, well, yeah, it was.

Thanks for praying for us, for hanging on with us.

Once again this morning while waiting (and waiting) in the large, soulless, aptly-named “waiting room” at the Cancer Clinic here at UPenn, I was reminded of how awful it is to suffer alone—physically or psychically/emotionally. There’s always one couple or individual obviously there for the first time, unsure of the protocol, uncertain of the surroundings, and utterly terrified of the lack of certainty in their own selves, afraid that they will find out in only a few moments that there body has indeed betrayed them. I remember being that person/couple, sitting and watching and never having felt so absolutely isolated in my entire life, even as I practically crushed Sheri’s hand next to me.

Today I watched two couples—one a husband and wife, the other a gay couple with a woman who looked like a sister—and both were clearly shaken at what they did not know they were to face. For those people, in that moment of empty unknowing space around them, they were probably for the first time in their lives among those who are “the voiceless.”

It’s a terrible realization, and an even more awful place to find oneself.

I find myself overcome sometimes watching them, and more so, find myself aware once again of the many, many millions around us whose isolation and voicelessness never passes, unless someone comes to them, alongside them, and empowers their voices. This is the calling of the believer, the one on the side of the One who sends the Spirit, the Paraclete, our advocate. Please, remember the voiceless. Come alongside them. It is better to be there than to be right in all we think and believe.

peacegracendirtyfingernails

dwight

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