Pastor Buddy’s Blog

The past two days have been pretty full and pretty telling. Yesterday I went for a pet scan. What an experience. They put radiation in my system so the scan could precisely pinpoint where all the lymphoma is located.

Here is a description of a PET scan — PET scans use glucose (a form of sugar) that contains a very small amount of radioactivity. The glucose is injected into a vein and travels throughout the body. Every cell in the body needs sugar in order to live, but cancer cells will take up more sugar since they are rapidly dividing and need more energy in order to grow and divide. Therefore, cancer cells usually take up high amounts of the radioactive sugar because of their high rate of metabolism. A special camera can then detect the radioactivity.

So much for the technical. After the scan the technician told me not to be around pregnant women or children under the age of 4 for the next twenty-four hours, and to avoid close contact with others during that period. What a bummer. And I was supposed to minister that evening.? But it gets funny. Perhaps the Lord was tickling my laughter bone.

When the technician instructed me about the radiation, a song popped into my head. It was written by the Mill’s Brothers many years ago entitled, The Glow Worm. (Some of you old timers will remember it.) I chuckled when I thought about the song. I asked the technician if I would be a glow-worm for the next twenty-four hours? We had a good laugh together.? Here are some of the lyrics:

Shine little glow-worm, glimmer, glimmer.
Shine little glow-worm, glimmer, glimmer.?
Lead us lest too far we wander.
Love’s sweet voice is calling yonder.
Shine little glow-worm, glimmer, glimmer.

When Betty further questioned the doctor about my ministering that evening, he said it would be fine as long as I kept my distance from the congregation. Thats what I did. We always sit on the front row. During the worship time it is our custom to break for a time of greeting. At that point I slipped into my office. That was when Nathan explained my current situation and the radioactivity.

Well — I got to minister. Nathan put a comfortable barstool for me to sit on. And, believe it or not, the Lord had given me a subject to minister several weeks ago, that is, even before we found out about the lymphoma. The subject was ‘Strangers in the Land.‘ I was able to share with the congregation how the word ’stranger’ became a code word for true believers both in the former testament and in the new testament. The object of the ministry was to show how we as believers are actually heavenly born people who are existing in an earthly body, and that this world is not our home. (Right after the ministry Betty and I gave the congregation our ‘love’ wave and left for home. We have such a wonderful group of believers.)

Which, of course, brings me to today. Today was ‘bone marrow aspiration and biopsy’ day. I’m really not a stranger to this procedure. Had it done in the Veterans Hospital in 2000. Course it does make your “butt butt” a bit sore.

Here is the technical description — For bone marrow biopsy, a larger needle is used to remove a cylinder of bone and marrow, about 1/16-inch across and 1 inch long. Both samples are usually taken from marrow at the back of the pelvic bone after numbing the area with local anesthesia. These tests can be used for the initial diagnosis and for staging (to see? how far the cancer has spread).

Today has been another wonderful day for me. Every Thursday Betty and I have lunch with our kids and their spouses. This has been our tradition for a few years. And when there is a birthday involved it becomes even extra special. Andre’s birthday is actually the 10th of December, but we celebrated his birthday at our special lunch place. This is also a custom of ours. On top of this the manager of the restaurant said that every Thursday they would have a special table in the restuarant set aside just for us.? Now that is what I call a blessing.

After we made it home another blessing dropped in on us. Two of my sisters, Bertie and Julia, and our dear friend from California, Juanita,? spent the afternoon with us. What a wonderful time it was. How I love family!

Well, that’s about it for now. Next Monday I go to day surgery to have the port put into my upper chest for the chemo treatments. Am I at peace in all this? Yes and even more. Some of God’s people do not understand that the realm of faith is not whether you believe in miracle healings. I believe in them with all my heart. And God’s healing work can be done with or without the help of physicians. However, that is not the basis of a faith walk. A true Biblical faith walk centers itself on the providence of God, and in knowing Jesus Christ every moment of every day, and having Him continue to speak His personal counsel into one’s life. It is simply learning to do the things the heavenly Father shows you to do.

That is where I am. And so I can say with David, The Lord is? my Shepherd,? I shall not want.

Note: If you would like to hear the music to the Glow-Worm song, go to this site: http://www.geocities.com/sh_booms/rockn50s/Jukebox/52-29.html