Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Choose Joy

My daughter-in-law, Lee Ann, used to drop her kids off at school each morning with the words for the day, "Choose Joy".  There's much to be said in those two words.  I have been attempting to choose joy for the last couple of days and have discovered again that choosing joy is not always a simple task.
Sunday and Monday were the worst days so far for side effects of my therapy.  Between pain, nausea and exhaustion I wasn't fit to be around.  Food was repulsive and even liquids were hard to manage.
I put in a call to my medical oncologist and was thankfully given permission to suspend my oral chemo pills for a while, which I suspected were the main reason for my discomfort.
Later in the day we met with my radiation oncologist who examined me, pronounced colitis as the likely source of the pain, suspended my radiation treatment for that day and sent me home with the admonition to hydrate and eat.  A two hour nap, followed by a dinner of mashed potatoes and Gatorade laced with aloe juice gave me the necessary energy to get to the shower and to bed and a great night's sleep followed.  Today I'm finding it easier to Choose Joy.
Thank You, Lord, that You are my constant companion through good times and bad.
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds...."-James 1:2 (ESV)

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