Life….

Life is lived at two speeds… flat out or stopped. At least, that’s my experience. Awake or asleep. Blessed with good health most of my life, this pendulum of pace has worked well. No need to change what’s not broken…

Until it’s damaged or broken.

A decade ago, a sonographer made an ‘excellent find’. My lumpy throat that kept warning I was ‘coming down with something’ but never did, finally gave up its secrets. The verdict? Thyroid cancer.

A few years previously, I’d been recalled for a repeat mammogram. “It’s probably just a harmless anomaly,” I was reassured, as I waited for a rerun. Gazing around the waiting room, I wondered about other patients’ stories, feelings, diagnoses and prognosis. Yes, I’m an ex-nurse.

Nervous of the outcome, I prayed and tried to leave the rest in God’s loving hands.

Selah!

Would my time on this earth be ended much sooner than expected? Hopefully not! I was still breastfeeding my baby daughter. It would be nice to stick around longer, for her sake.

Thankfully— that day— the results were clear… the previous scan an anomaly.

Thank you, Lord Jesus for sparing my life!

Fast forward a dozen years and there I sit again… praying hard for God’s will to be done, but also hoping for complete healing.

Selah!

Two operations later, I’m set to live — for however long, God sees fit — minus my thyroid. Apparently, I had the best type of thyroid cancer, with a wonderful prognosis. I get off almost scot-free, as long as I toss thyroxine tablets over my tonsils daily until my final farewell. Annual ultrasound checks confirm no regrowth of thyroid tissue, negating the possibility of cancer recurring.

Why I was spared and others not? That, I will never know. However, I am obviously relieved and grateful.

Thank you, Lord Jesus for sparing my life once again!

That hospital stay yielded an unexpected blessing. A nurse asked if I was a runner and then told me about parkrun. My interest piqued, I filed the information safely away for a couple of years, before acting on it. Now, I’m mad keen on it. Number 132 was completed yesterday.

Six months ambled by. My wound healed up well… numbness gradually wore off around the wound. All was good… until my mammogram. No anomaly this time. Instead, dinky die cancer which demanded intense treatment before admitting defeat.

Thankfully, I’d been there before but there were no guarantees for a repeat success. Life’s brisk pace stalled. My Creator, Jesus Christ sustained me and gave me peace.

I reflected that I was ready to go, but keen to stay on earth… for my teenage daughter’s sake especially. I figured that the three fellas would cope okay.

Selah!

Mercifully, my pleas were answered with a “Yes.” Once more, I was blessed to have the ‘best type of breast cancer, with an excellent prognosis.’ A totally undeserved outcome, but greatly appreciated all the same!

Nearly a decade later, I’m still here. Still living life at 98 km/hour… loping or puffing and panting around parkrun (at a pace much slower than 98 km/hour)! I’m still here, enjoying my family and life to the full.

Praise God!

A month ago, my annual scans showed an area of concern. Another opportunity to slow down, seek God and His will for my life and the number of my days.

Selah!

Another reprieve… harmless scar tissue at the original excision site, set off alarm bells.

Life flows on… these moments are vital opportunities for me to pause and reflect on God and His plan for my life.

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Inspired by and written for Shirley Belk’s unofficial “Selah” challenge (see below):

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I feel that Sherbet’s song, “Life” is a good fit for the story… plus, I loved it back in the day!🤗

I’m also very grateful to have had the past three years reading and writing on Vocal!