Back in the surf again
Given what is to follow in my story, I should open with what the health experts expressed after 5 years of medical interventions and observations. They said, “You are the luckiest man alive."
In January 2018 I was rushed to hospital in an ambulance with inexplicable, severe, lower back pain. Many tests and scans concluded that I had kidney stones … again! Alarmingly, however, I was referred to see an oncologist to discuss the ‘two grey spots’ found in the scans that were not related to the kidney stones.
Following further investigations, I was diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas and the bone, namely the left pelvic arch. The whole year of 2018 then became a continuous adventure in and out of hospitals for multiple procedures and operations for kidney stones and surgeries to remove both lots of different cancers. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy were not applicable for my conditions.
At this time, I reflected on my family and their health journeys. My youngest sister died of breast and brain cancer in 2016 at the age of 46. My younger brother (55 at the time of diagnosis) was diagnosed with prostate cancer about the same time as me, but told no one, until years later when he was totally well again. My mother died in Feb 2018. She died of literally a ‘broken heart’ due to my sister's death.
In May 2018, I found myself being prepared for my first surgery where the surgeon was to remove the cancer from my pancreas. My spleen was also to be removed due to its close proximity to my pancreas. The surgeon was relatively young and one of the only surgeons experienced in utilising robotic surgeries at that time. As I was being wheeled into the operating theatre the anaesthetist quietly spoke to me asking if it was ok for him to put an extra intravenous line in my neck, besides the one in my wrist. He said, "I don't usually do this, but I've got this feeling I should in your case."
I agreed of course and said, “I don’t care what you do after I am out to it. But don’t do it before because I will faint!”
After the surgery and whilst in the immediate recovery room, the anaesthetist was the first to come to me to tell me how the operation had gone. All of which I obviously had no idea of at that time.
"Well Geoff you're lucky to be alive, because if I hadn't have put that extra intravenous line in your neck, you would be dead.” He told me, “During the surgery, the robot used by the surgeon malfunctioned and you basically almost blead totally out on the table. You lost three quarters of your total blood volume in a huge bloody mess and practically died whilst everyone scrambled madly to remove the robot, clean up the flood and proceed to clamp and continue manually with the surgery. I was able to give you a big blood transfusion through that "extra" line in your neck. This saved your life".
I had prayed just before the surgery, before the anaesthetic, in total peace, that if I was coming home to be with the LORD now, then thank you LORD and I'll see you soon. Obviously, the LORD did not want me home with Him just yet.
In October 2018 I had the second surgery, this time to remove the bone cancer. Upon removal it was revealed that this cancer was the more serious and should have been removed first. It was quite advanced. But all went relatively well in this operation. I remain partially disabled from this surgery and without much immunity because my spleen was removed in the first surgery. However, life goes on with a bit of pain management and care about limiting my exposure to obvious infections. Also, some dietary supplements are helping me greatly. The photo I chose to go with my life story was taken in March 2020, 17 months after the bone cancer and part of my pelvis were removed.
About 5 years after the operations and countless check-up scans, blood tests, etc, which is the most dangerous time for re-occurrence of both or either cancers, every surgeon, doctor, oncologist, indeed all the health experts, have told me that I was "the luckiest man alive." I was expected to die in 2019, within the first year of the January 2018 diagnosis. I've been in hospital several times since with various health issues, including bacterial pneumonia. But I'm still alive and kicking! In 2024 I can safely say I remain in total remission for both cancers.
Jesus obviously had and has other plans for my life, the life given to me by Him (Psalm 139:16).
Luck has nothing to do with anything.
Whilst I'm a nobody and this is Jesus speaking about his dear friend Lazarus this scripture resonates with my experience. "This sickness is not unto death, but for the Glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." John 11:4
God was and is a God of miracles. All praise and thanks and glory to Him now and forever.
g’s Story