Life is Full of Twists and Turns

Just about a week ago, I found out a friend of mine had been diagnosed with stomach cancer of a rare kind.  He has a wife and three children.  When he entered my home, I looked at him and immediately noticed he was thinner than usual. I asked, "are you alright?" He responded with the news and said, "We are in for a fight."  I have been in this 'fight' before with a member of my own family.  My sister, Mary, died of colon cancer after a 2 1/2 year fight for survival.  She left a husband, and three sons all of whom were less than 20 years of age.  I know the 'fight' he is talking about from personal experience.  I do not know the pain, nor the personal struggle to defeat the enemy within, but I know the personal suffering and sacrifice that the family and friends go through and as I considered his words, I felt deep concern for his wife and children.  One week later it is still hard to fight back the tears.  I have not given up for my friend, but I know of the suffering we will all go through and the emotional pain we will experience. Also, I know of the struggle he will have with chemotherapy as the doctors try to save his life.  After a careful online study of this cancer, the prognosis is not good. So I guess that my friend is also considering things like quality of life vs quantity of life. If the internet information is valid, I guess he may have one to five years.  I do believe in miracles and I do believe in a miracle-working God.  My friend does not as far as I know.  How can I share my hope in eternal life in Jesus with him?  I look for an opportunity. I pray that it will come soon.

Just Friday, November 19, I returned to my home after a conference in Monaco.  My left side had severe pain in a region just below the rib cage.  I could press on the region and it would pain me so my breath would be taken away.  Strange. What is this?  I searched the internet and the pain seems to be in the region of the spleen.  Is my spleen enlarged or infected?  On Saturday, I asked to see the local doctor. An assistant was on-call. She checked me out and thought it was strange for the pain to be so localized.  She said that the area it was in was a bend in the large intestine. She called in the doctor and he confirmed the same. It seems to be an infection or partial blockage in the large intestine  I can still have a normal BM. No problem there.  The pain seems to be bearable, but it worries me because it is not severe enough to treat at a hospital and yet I have this pain in a strange area for some reason.  Mary died of colon cancer twelve years ago.  Is this something I am going to have to fight against?  I wonder if I am in for a 'fight.' 

Time will tell.

Other twists; will I get a lease on my property for the gas rights in PA?  Is there going to be fracking for gas there, ever?

Time will tell.

Birthday Greetings

Fifty-four years of age. Not a milestone, just another birthday. Today was full of peace. Not one iota of tension or ill will. Just peace.  World History class students sang Happy Birthday to me, Comfort-Mikuni Faculty Family sang HB and we ate cake together, and Girls' VB Activity (15 girls) sang HB to me. Nazuna, my wife, sent me a very special email full of musical notes. I wonder how she did that.  Facebook friends sent me greetings from around the world. So many people whom I miss dearly. My mom is always the earliest. She sent me a card which arrived two days ago. There is always a gift. I can hear my dad say, "Don't spend it all at one place."  Mom called just as we finished eating dinner. Nazuna cooked gyoza. AJ wished me HB at dinner. Marina is busy at U of  L and maybe I will hear from her later.  Hear from my brother Ben already. Nephews, Nieces, Friends, Neighbors, Colleagues, Students, Staff all have remembered me.  NiCE!   AJ is playing cello and I am resting after replying to about 20 Facebook Birthday well-wishers.  Nice day. No, great day.