CA 125

I was so eager to learn the result of the CA 125 blood test. Now I’m not so sure. It’s 55.1. That’s the third increase—after several earlier months of dramatic reduction. On June 5 it was 52.1. This is a small rise, but it’s still in the “wrong” direction, from my point of view. You can imagine where my thoughts raced. God quieted my heart with this thought: You’re already doing everything you can do, so just keep doing it. That reminded me of a story our Kansas friend sent, so I looked it up and will copy it below. (Thanks, Ed.)

Years ago, a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals.”Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farm hand?" the farmer asked him. "Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man.”Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work.

Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!" The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows."

Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down.
Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew. When you're prepared spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life?

I slept a lot yesterday, and will probably do so again today. But this is kemo fatigue—not cancer symptoms. The doctor wants to continue with the same kemo protocol two weeks from now, and will run another test a week later. Whatever the results, God is good. I know that. Frankly, though, I hope the numbers start to drop.

Thanks for your prayers. I especially appreciate your praying for Chuck and the family; this is their life too.

Love,
Carol