T+61 Poster Boy?

BOX SCORE
Element	Current	Std. Range	Trend
Hemoglobin	11.4	13-17	^
Platelets	148	140-375	v
ANC	3420	1800-8300	^

There are a lot of charity organizations in this country. I guess that reflects our Judaeo-Christian heritage as a nation. We are taught in Scripture "It is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20:35) Over the years, many of these charity groups have focused on various illnesses that affect children. In my experience, people of all walks of life and all faiths seem to be especially moved to compassion when a child suffers. Whether it be The Shriners, who focus on children with disabilities, or St. Jude's Children's Hospital, which focuses on treatment and research of cancer in children, or the Muscular Dystrophy Association, these organizations share a few things in common. 

First, they focus on the care of children; second, they rely on the kindness of strangers to provide some or all of their financial support; third, they all seem to use photos and likenesses of adorable children in their appeals to potential donors. I mean, come on, who can resist the image of a young child with the bald head of a chemotherapy patient or one leaning on a crutch, their eyes peering hopefully into the camera lens and their faces all grins? 

We call these little ones Poster Children. Some may think of this practice as exploitation, but I see it as a graphic reminder that life sometimes visits unthinkable suffering on the most vulnerable among us who need care and compassion and support. 

As you will notice, from the title of this post, today is day 61 following my bone marrow transplant (BMT). We saw NP Tracey today, as I was being infused with a magnesium IV. She said my blood tests all look great, I look great, and everything is going well. Then she said, "You are our poster boy." That was enough to put a grin on my face, and although it is probably unreasonable to expect that you will ever see my face on a charity poster, I kind of know what some of those kids must be feeling, when they feel the caring and benefit from the compassion. 

After being told three times that I was not a candidate for BMT, and after learning all of the things that could have gone wrong along the way, you can bet I am grateful that Dr. Meyers and her crew have made it possible for me to have hope for a bright future, even at the age of 77. I am not a cutey, but I pray my eyes radiate that hope, and my grin portrays the joy I feel (and I know Jill feels it too) at being alive and well. Of course, the real source of the healing and the joy is the Lord, who has made known to mankind how to preserve life through medical science. And as I mentioned in my last post, those dedicated physicians and nurses learn something new from every person they treat. 

We learned today that I will only be seeing a member of the medical staff once a week from now until we are discharged. I will continue to need infusions of magnesium twice a week for a bit longer, since the one remaining anti-rejection drug that I am taking depletes my blood levels of magnesium quickly, but even those infusions could become unnecessary, if the oral magnesium supplement I take can maintain the level high enough. 

Yesterday we attended church via our congregation's streaming service. It is never as good as being there in person, but we got to hear a message from our dear friend Bob about the goodness of God. In it, he referred to the story of Abram and Sarai. God promised Abram a son who would go on to provide them with progeny "as the sands of the sea." But Sarah was barren, so she took matters into her own hands by offering her Egyptian maid to Abraham so that he could have a son. Hagar, the maid, did conceive, but her pride and Sarah's jealousy caused a great rift, and Hagar ran away into the desert. She found herself desperate and cried out to Abram's God, who heard her and came to her rescue. 

The Angel of  the Lord appeared to her and told her that she was going to have a son and that his name would be Ishmael (God hears). He saw her despair and comforted her  and told her to go back to Sarah and submit to her. Hagar was so moved by God's goodness toward her, a mere Egyptian slave girl, that she named him El Roi, "the God who sees me." He sees you, as well.

During this journey through leukemia, there have been baby steps and giant steps. God has walked every step with us. He has seen our despair, when hope seemed to be ebbing, and He has seen our joy, when we know He is near. Today feels like we took a giant step. Won't you join us in giving Praise to the Lord, the God Who sees us, for His goodness to us?      

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. (1 Chronicles 16:34)