Not so fast there...

There's an old joke about a Naval Captain who was notified by the radioman that both parents of Seaman Appleby had been killed in an automobile accident. The Captain was naturally uncomfortable with having to pass this news along. He couldn't bear to face the young man one on one and see him break down in tears and sobbing. So, the Captain called for a formation of all hands on the poop deck. When all were assembled, the Captain said to the crew, "All hands with two living parents will please take one step forward." 

Since the crew was assembled alphabetically, Seaman Appleby was standing at attention in the front row. He took one step forward. The Captain at that point raised his hand and his voice and said, "Not so fast there, Appleby." 

The point, I guess, is not only that the Captain was something of a coward, but also that sometimes our circumstances change without our knowledge or consent. Such was our experience yesterday. Our original schedule for this week, which we had dubbed "Crazy Week," looked something like this:

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
7:15 – Blood draw 8:00 – HVAC installation 3:30 – Depart for clinic 4:00 – Pharmacy for meds 4:30 – Chemo injections	8:15 – House Cleaner 9:30 – Jill – dental appt. 3:30 – Grocery pickup 4:30 – Chemo injections	4:30 Chemo injections	7:15 – Blood draw 9:20 – Jill – dental appt. 11:00 – Bone Marrow Biops 4:30 – Chemo injections	4:30 – Chemo Injections

Then we got a  call around noon yesterday. It was the oncology department calling to say that there were some changes in my appointments. We learned late last week that Dr. Waugh, my oncologist, is on maternity leave. We learned during yesterday's oncology department call that Dr. Barnett, the chief of oncology service, has ordered that my chemo injections and my oral chemotherapy be curtailed until next week because of my scheduled bone marrow biopsy on Thursday. So, now our schedule looks like something like this: 

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
7:15 – Blood draw 8:00 – HVAC installation	8:15 – House Cleaner 9:30 – Jill – dental appt. 3:30 – Grocery pickup 3:45 – Pharmacy for meds		7:15 – Blood draw 9:20 – Jill – dental appt. 11:00 – Bone Marrow Biops

"All hands scheduled for 16:30 hours chemo injections take one step forward. Not so fast there, Waugh." 

I don't suppose Dr. Barnett was really concerned that I would break down crying and sobbing, and I am sure there are good medical reasons for doing things this way. Nevertheless, Jill and I found ourselves feeling a little bit at loose ends yesterday, when our afternoon, packed with activities (and the HVAC installer here trying to finish installing our new furnace and AC unit before we had to leave) was suddenly devoid of any pressing obligations. We watched a movie. 

There is some disappointment involved with this turn of events. Since my injections were cancelled for this week, my treatment schedule is pushed back a week, and that will affect future cycles as well. That's no big deal. What have I to do, except make trips to the medical clinic?  

My dental school class has a reunion planned for September 14-16th. That means that the reunion would begin the day after I finished chemo injections, when my immunity would be peaking. Although, Jill and I had agreed we would not attend all three days, we were hoping to attend at least one event and connect with old friends and colleagues. The new schedule means that I will be right in the middle of my injection cycle for September when the reunion rolls around. Maybe someone will discover a way to be in two places at once before September! 

Putting things in perspective, this is a disappointment, not a tragedy. I am sure the Lord has a reason for this bit of timing. Perhaps, it will prevent our being exposed to something contagious that could be devastating for my health. Who knows but He? 

As Job told his wife after he had lost everything, family, wealth, health, "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” God knows what is best for me and my wife and family. If you know the book of Job, you will recall that in the end of the story, Job learns that the question is not, "Why did this happen to me," but rather, "Who is in control." It's reassuring to know it's not me!

I'm not even sure this disappointment can be classified as "trouble." So, once again I find myself in the need, as the old hymn reminds us, to: 

Trust and obey,
For there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey.* 

*source: https://www.lyricsondemand.com/miscellaneouslyrics/christianlyrics/trustandobeylyrics.html