Things have moved fast and furiously for me the past 2 weeks. I was able to get a biopsy done last Friday morning at Johnston-Willis. I got the results back two days ago: T-Cell Lymphoma (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia).
My pulmonologist quickly got me referred to the Massey Cancer Center at MCV, and I met with the oncologist this afternoon. After meeting with him, I was admitted to the hospital which is where I’m at now. I’ll be here for the next 3-4 weeks, while they run some additional tests (bone marrow biopsy, spinal tap, additional CT scans, tons of blood work). They will then start me on my first round of treatment, which will be a mix of chemo and steroids tailored to my specific type of leukemia. After this initial hospital stint, treatments will last 6-12 months. 1 week on, 3 weeks off. The doctors say it’s highly treatable and highly curable. The goal is to get it into remission quickly, then do maintenance treatments. While curing it is possible with the current treatment, he reiterated the only real way to cure it 100% would be through a bone marrow/stem cell transplant, but discussions about that would come later once it is in remission.
Keri will basically be a single parent for the foreseeable future while I’m doing these stretches in the hospital. Simple texts and encouragements to her would be well-received. If you wanted to do anything meal or money-wise, simple cards would be the best right now (Walmart, Kroger, Sheetz, Wawa, Visa-type cards). In addition to carting the boys around to all their activities, she will be up here at the hospital with me as much as possible, so it will eat into the gas budget. I also know there are a few ladies organizing some times to come help clean the house, which will be an imperative once I’m released. Keri could let you who that was if that interests you.
Pray that this wouldn’t drive her into solitude, but would deepen her relationships with others. She has a good support system around her now, I just pray that this would strengthen those relationships, as well as expand them.
As hard as it may seem now, pray that Keri would see this as a gift, and not a curse. Jesus has taken the curse of our condemnation AND the curse of our diseases (Galatians 3:13). This means this cancer is not punitive, but a sanctifying pathway to heaven. Pray that she would know and believe that God is NOT withholding good in this situation, but doing good.
Psalm 84:11
The Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.
But what I’ve thought about a lot today as I’ve been a human pin cushion and had bone marrow pulled out of my hip bone is a variation on the John Piper maxim of “Don’t Waste Your Life”: I don’t want to waste my cancer. While myself and others have prayed for complete healing, I also want to be mindful that healing may not be God’s plan for me in this life, and I don’t want to waste this pain I feel right now. Pain that assures me that something wonderful is waiting for me:
2 Corinthians 4:17
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for [me] an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison
I’ll send out additional updates, prayer requests, and practical ways you can continue to help as we move forward and the reality of all this slowly seeps into me and the rest of the Murphy clan. I pray for those reading this that the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, would guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Shelby out!