Radiation Burns

     
Vince and I went to his 21st radiation today!  Only 4 more to go!  Here are two pictures of his armpit.  The first one is treatment #15 and the second one is treatment #21.  I would say the difference between the two is pretty intense, wouldn't you?  Vince reminded me today that since his treatment is only 2 mins. per session that the total "burn time" is only 42 mins. at this point. The doctor said, "it's like having a bad sunburn."  Wow!  Can you image spending 42 mins. in a tanning bed and coming out in this condition!  I don't think we would have too many sun worshippers!  Although, I have been burned pretty bad and looked like a lobster quite a few times in my own life!  LOL!  But, somehow it just doesn't compare!  Oddly enough, he said it doesn't really hurt that much.  He has been using aloe vera and some cream that looks like paste to help ease the burn, so it must be working. 

My mom is doing fantastic!  She goes to the doctor tomorrow for her check up, and she will see if she gets a green light to be able to travel and go home.  I know that she and my dad would love to be in there own comfy bed!  There's no place like home!

Today at radiation, an older woman in her early 70's has been having treatments even before Vince started (35 treatments and today was her last one), and each day her husband pushes her in her wheelchair and sits next to her until she goes in and the waits ever so patiently for her to finish.  

A neighbor of theirs drives them each day to help relieve the burden and stress. The woman in the wheelchair has a tumor in the side of her face and it's the size of a softball, so you can imagine how painful it must be for her.  She is also undergoing chemo at the same time.  She hasn't had solid food in 3 yrs!  I can't even imagine what that poor woman has had to go through.

Today was supposed to be her last day, until they saw the doctor a few mins. before he sat down.  After he pushed her into the radiation room and then came and sat back down, he started crying.  My heart was broken for him.  He said that his wife needed more treatments.  He got up and walked around, trying to hold in his tears.  At this point I am crying with him and his neighbor tried to distract him with small talk, but it wasn't working too well.  At that point, Vince came out of his treatment and we were ushered into see the dr., which we do weekly, and knowing that I might not see these people again, I asked what his wife's name was so that I can keep her in my prayers.  He looked up at me with a surprised look  and said, "Marlene"....and just then he put his hands up to his face with a handkerchief and began to sob.  His neighbor said, "thank you so much and we will do the same for your son."  That was a heart wrenching moment right there for me, to see a grown man cry, because of the suffering that his precious wife has to endure! I shared this story a few times today and each time, I cry.  

I can't help think about when Jesus was crucified and how brutally beaten he was, and hung on that cross to die....the unimaginable heart-wrenching pain that he suffered and to add to it, his mother watching him suffer!   Man...that's heavy stuff.  

I am never surprised at the way God reveals himself to me on a daily basis.  This was certainly a big one today.

As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

James 5:11

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

1 John 5:14-15