Striking A Tumor So It Never Rises Again

Striking A Tumor So It Never Rises Again

Hit their enemies where it hurts the most; strike down their foes so they never rise again. Deuteronomy 33:11

As I listened to Brad’s chest, things didn’t sound right. “How long have you been coughing up blood?”

“Maybe two or three months, off and on.” He didn’t sound very confident. “I thought it would just go away, but now the right side of my chest hurts.”

“This could be serious. I’m going to call the X-ray department and order a CT scan as soon as possible.”

Later that afternoon, I gave Brad the sobering results. “I’m sorry to report that you have a spot on your right lung.”

Brad had been a smoker for years, and he knew the risks.

“Is it cancer?”

“I don’t know yet. We’ll need to do more tests. I’m going to order a fine needle aspiration for tomorrow at the interventional radiology department in downtown Nashville. We’ll probably have the results back in a week or so.”

Brad looked worried when he left. I’m sure he was thinking about what his family would do if he wasn’t there to take care of them.

Four days later, a pathologist called me with the results: adenocarcinoma of the lungs. The workup was otherwise negative. I called Brad. “It’s a primary tumor of the lung, but there is no metastasis. We can have it removed with a CyberKnife treatment.”

Brad’s response was assuring: “You know, you’ve been telling me to quit smoking for years. I think you’ve finally convinced me.”

After the surgery, I thought about today’s Scripture verse. Because of the size and location of the tumor, the CyberKnife was able to hit it directly, strike it down, and completely eradicate it, so it wouldn’t grow again.

Five years later, Brad is still cancer free. He sees me regularly for checkups, and each time he praises God for guiding his treatment and for the tools we had available. If this had happened before the invention of the CyberKnife, the diagnosis would have been an almost certain death sentence.

Only God knows the number of days we have here on earth. Brad and his family are thankful that God granted him healing and allowed him more time on earth.

TODAY’S RX

The best way to quit smoking is to never start; but if you’ve already started, the best advice is to stop before it stops you.

Lord, I realize I have some unhealthy habits. Please provide me with strength and determination to break free of them, especially in weaker moments.