Friday, March 28, 2008

Friends at Risk

As I write this missive, two friends are undergoing surgery, placing their lives in the hands of doctors and nurses and anesthetists on this very morning.

One friend is having a total hysterectomy in order to control Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding (DUB) which has been unresponsive to hormones and other non-invasive treatments.

The other friend has been suffering from severe headaches and back pain which could not be controlled with any medications. An MRI of the brain revealed a 2-centimeter tumor in the frontal lobe. There are many risks to the surgery, including nerve damage which could result in paralysis or other consequences.

I will also mention that the husband of an old friend has multi-organ cancer which has not responded to conventional chemotherapy and he will now undergo a clinical trial at a major East Coast cancer treatment center in an attempt to slow or reverse the disease process.

May the surgeons and nurses and other surgical staff be guided to perform at the height of their skill. May my friends recover from surgery fully healed, without negative side effects or complications. May the cancers be contained and eradicated. We prayed for them last night here in our house, and we will hold them in our thoughts this morning and throughout the day.

What are my problems in the face of such suffering and life-altering disease? May we all find perspective and some modicum of peace when we examine and consider the suffering of others.

1 comment:

am said...

Kind wishes from the heart to your friends.