Nathan J. Anderson – Author/Speaker/Pastor

In the dark moments, it is tempting to read John 15:2 as if I am a dead fruitless branch that has been cut off and prepared for the burning pile. “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.”

A branch that has been pruned and a branch that has been cut off go through similar circumstances. Both are cut and removed from the tree. However, the similarities end there. The purpose for cutting away a dead branch is to burn it. The purpose for cutting away a fruitful branch is to get rid of the sticks and leaves that get in the way of producing more fruit.

Painful–yes, ugly–yes. Fruitful?———–it will be.

I know my life has borne fruit in the past, and that branches that bear fruit are not cut off and burned. They are pruned.  Not that God causes cancer or other bad circumstances, but He will certainly use these things as shears.  So the question is what is God cutting away? I can think of several things that are experiencing the slice of a knife, and, frankly, I will be glad to be rid of them.

I had a dentist appointment on Monday morning. This will sound strange, but I had been rehearsing for this dentist appointment for a month. I knew the hygienist was going to ask me a question, because she always asks me the same questions, and the question was this:  ”Have there been any changes in your health?”

I always answer “No,” because mosquito bites don’t count as a health change. But this time I knew I was going to have to give a different answer. The odd thing about cancer, or any sickness I suppose, is that it doesn’t just take over your body, it takes over your life. You can’t just pretend it isn’t there. The moment people know, things change, people respond to you differently, and the cancer has invaded one more corner of your life.

It’s nice to have some places that aren’t invaded yet, and the dentist office was one last un-invaded place. Til Monday morning.

We met with Dr. Basu yesterday, and found out that the lymphoma is in my bone marrow as well. It’s not an overwhelming percentage, 16%, and we weren’t surprised at the findings. He said the purpose of the test was to set a marker so they know how quickly the lymphoma is growing.

My platelet count is down a little as well, so I’ll have monthly blood tests to monitor that. The next step is to have another CT scan in October to see the growth progression of the lymph nodes.  The treatment plan is still “watchful waiting,” so if I begin to develop regular night sweats, fevers, pain from an enlarged node, or continued declining platelet levels, then we’ll pursue treatment.

But I feel good today, so we continue to watch and wait. And in the meantime, try to live as normal a life as possible. It’s a strange sensation, kind of like living with a piano suspended over your head by a piece of string. Good thing God holds the piano.

We’re going back to Luther tomorrow (Aug.20)  to see Dr. Basu and get the results of the bone marrow biopsy.  I still feel other lumps in my neck and under my arm. But I also still feel good, except that I’m a little sore, but that has nothing to do with lymphoma–I went wake boarding yesterday.  :)