May: Brain Cancer Awareness Month
Eight years ago: May 2017
Diagnosis:
Ed has headaches.
(But he has always had migraines; surely they aren’t serious.)
Ed has a brain tumor.
(It is in a safe location for surgery; surely he will recover.)
Ed has brain cancer.
(He is young, hearty, and strong; surely he can fight this.)
Ed has glioblastoma.
(What?)
I open Google.
Definition:
Glioblastoma glee-ow-bla-stow-muh
(The word struggles on my tongue.)
GBM
“Glioblastoma is a malignant brain tumor that invades and destroys healthy tissue.”
Aggressive, fast-growing, fatal
Villain, monster, murderer
“Those with untreated glioblastoma live an average of four months.
With treatment, those with glioblastoma live an average of fifteen months.”
(Lord, have mercy.)
Oh that I had never heard/seen/felt/smelled/tasted this word.
Glioblastoma means no hope.
No hope from Google, no hope from doctors, no hope from science.
Glioblastoma produces loss.
Loss of personality, loss of mobility, loss of vitality.
Glioblastoma brings death.
Death of a father, death of a husband, death of a friend.
I feel desperate, despairing, defeated.
I open God’s Word.
Deconstruction:
“I will not leave you”i
(Promise?)
“I will wipe away all tears” ii
(When?)
“I will destroy the death enemy.”iii
(Even glioblastoma?)
“I came to give abundant life.”iv
(Now?)
Dominion:
Choosing to believe a diagnosis is not final,
words have power,
but the Word prevails.
“O grave, where is your victory?
Death, where is your sting?v
Thanks be to God for victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”vi
(Amen.)
i John 14:18
iiPhilippians 1:22
iii 1 Corinthians 15:25-26
ivJohn 10:10
v1 Corinthians 15:55
vi1 Corinthians 15:57
