This week’s update comes from the great city of Dallas TX where I’m spending the long weekend with my grandma. Thank you to everyone who has donated, I expected after the initial week of donation the donations would taper off, but I’ve actually received more the second week than I did the first week. I mentioned it last week too, but it has been really encouraging to see people who I would have never expected donating or reaching out and saying that they’re praying for me. It’s a really unique situation that I’ve found myself in, but it’s given me a unique ability to see how well people (especially those in the church) are eager to help and support.

Treatment Update:

There honestly isn’t really an update for this week which I think is a good sign. I’ve completed 14 of the 25 radiation treatments and am going to the wholistic health clinic 4-days a week for about 3-hrs a day. I’m settling into a rhythm that I’ll be in for the next 3-weeks until surgery. The radiation is starting to cause a square “farmers tan” on my arm, but other than that, I am still completely symptom free which has been amazing.

One of the benefits of going to the wholistic health clinic 4-days a week is that I can ask the doctor a quick question whenever I need to. This past week I was able to ask if he had any recommendations for helping protect my skin during radiation and also whether or not they had any opinions on a book I had recently picked up. Their expertise has been a huge blessing and so much more helpful than trying to pretend I know the human body or trying to convince ChatGPT that I’m not a fool for trying to make some diet and lifestyle changes while treating my cancer.

Life in San Antonio:

I’ve been enjoying San Antonio as a whole and am getting to really experience a big city for the first time. There is a lot to do in the area and I’ve enjoyed checking out the city, learning to cook substantially healthier, working out, and reading different books on cancer. I also found both a country swing dancing group and a Christian running group this week that I hope to keep going to.

Between traveling, young adult groups, bible studies, and looking for a church in both Mississippi and Texas, I’ve been to at least 12-different churches since I left my church in Florida 2-months ago. I have 2-more churches that I want to go to in San Antonio but have one that I think I’m going to stay at. Finding a church in San Antonio has been strange due to the massive number of churches within a 20-minute drive in such a big city. It’s fantastic that I have so many options for different churches, but I am very ready to really get plugged into just one. With all the treatment, exploring, and finding new churches, I’m interacting with lots of people, but it’s definitely not the same community you get being a member of a church.

One thing I’ve been focusing on is getting lots of good sleep. Someone told me the other day that no matter how much sleep I got during this time, I will probably look back and wish I had gotten more. I now have the time to really focus on my sleep so I’ve been avoiding eating for 3-hours before bed, not using screens for an hour before bed, and averaging 9-9.5 hrs of sleep each night. It’s definitely a strange shift after such a busy lifestyle, but between the melatonin my Naturopath has me on and the exhaustion from the workouts, radiation, and the alternative treatments, it’s been amazing.

Prepared for Trials

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about all the little ways that the Lord’s has been preparing me for this period over the last several years. I’m still thinking through it, but the regular teaching and preaching I’ve had from my church and my time with the Lord in the mornings are really paying dividends. There really isn’t any secret to preparing for a time like I’m in other than following the biblical commands we have to be in the word, and be an active member of a church. I’m sure that many of my friends from church back home would respond with an equal or stronger faith than I’ve responded with. You can’t help but respond well when you’ve been surrounded by such strong believers for so long.

Here’s a picture of my grandma and I in Dallas.