DOCTORS REJOICE, TOO

                                    DOCTORS REJOICE, TOO

     After the reports from the test results arrived from Houson, the local oncologist, Dr. Jumean, was all smiles at Steve's next office visit with him. As the doctor read the results of each test he remarked, "That's good. That's good. That's good." I told him the doctors in Houston were elated with the test results, and he proudly said, "So am I."
     Then he told Steve that he has 25 and 30 year old men who do not tolerate the strong, aggressive chemo the way Steve did. He was visibly impressed. His comments mirrored the remarks of the doctors at MD Anderson.
     Steve told Dr. Jumean the latest testimony about the blood thinner shots and getting them for $23 a month from the mail order pharmacy instead of $900 that the local pharmacy required. Dr. Jumean kept remarking, "Wow. Wow. Wow," as Steve told the story. When Steve remarked that it was a miracle, the doctor confirmed it by saying, "It certainly is."
     As we left the exam room, FiFi, the doctor's wife who is also an oncologist, told Steve how happy she was that he's had such good results and she emphatically said, "Thank God." Steve told her that it's a miracle and she totally agreed and repeated, "Thank God."
     Steve's chemo friend named Brenda was in the waiting room and rejoiced with us, as did the two people with her. They kept saying that the wonderful report was God's work in the situation and the results of prayers because they have all been praying for Steve just like we've been praying for Brenda. Brenda's results were better, as reported on her last visit to MD Anderson. She said that the tumor had shrunk a little bit. She was more interested in talking about Steve's miracles than she was about herself. I know that his testimony about dramatic results and being cancer free encouraged her and boosted her faith to a new high.
     God received lots of recognition, praises and thanks that day in the doctor's office just like He always does from us.
     When the journey began ten months ago, we expected to be able to praise God for his miracles in healing Steve; but the,"Wow," remarks from the doctor and the, "Thank God," from his wife, who is also a doctor, were totally unexpected. Those rejoicing remarks are bonuses. That doesn't happen very often. Many times we feel like we have to convince people in the medical field that God has intervened in a matter and performed a miracle. It was wonderful to hear the doctors also proclaiming the miracles to us.
     It wasn't too hard to recognize the miracles in this situation considering the extent of the metastasized cancer in Steve's body. That he would recover from the original surgeries was a huge concern to the surgeons. Drs. Robison and Daniels were God's hands and eyes in that procedure. Then the strength of the chemotherapy that was prescribed and the fact that, because of his age, Steve lived through the difficulties of the chemo is another remarkable miracle. I don't think anyone in the medical field expected that. However, when we think about it, Dr. Daniels did expect it. He told Steve before the start of the chemo, "They don't know you and how strong you are, that you're an amazing man. You'll do great." He's the one who called Steve a marvel, a miracle man and a superman. Dr. Robison called him the strongest man he's ever known.
     Actually Steve was not strong in himself and his human abilities. He was like Samson in the Bible, God imparted amazingly super strength to him. The only difference is that Samson's strength was in his long hair. Steve's strength was imparted to him from God through the Holy Spirit in him and the prayers of the saints. To see his bald head, you know his strength is not in his hair. That shows us that God works with what he has to work with, but He always comes through no matter what the circumstance is.
     Surely ten year old Lydia prophesied when she dreamed that Uncle Steve was cancer free. He is certainly Cancer Free, Free Indeed. Thank you, Lydia, for seeing the healing in your dream before the doctors declared it. Now they've all declared it and they rejoice along with us.
    Wonderful things keep going on. Thanks again for your powerful prayers and your emotional support during the journey. Like I've said before, we couldn't have done it without all of you. How fortunate we are to have a family and friends who pray, but also we're fortunate to have a family and friends who believe in the great results of their prayers.
     Bless all of you who said one prayer or a million prayers. And bless all of you who encouraged us, kept our spirits soaring. Bless all of you who provided so many meals for us so that we were kept hearty and had the strength to pray fervently.
     It took heaven and earth working together to accomplish this miracle.
     Praise be to God!