After asthma, heart attack, diabetes, cardiac arrest, now also cancer. My earthly tent is starting to show some scuffs now.
It was on Monday evening, January 24, that as I was going upstairs to go to bed, I noticed that I was having more trouble than usual to climb the stairs.
I’ve been walking with a cane for several years now, and it happened before that it was a bit more difficult. Once in the bedroom, I got ready for bed, paying no further attention to it.
The next morning (January 25) it turned out to be much more difficult. I could barely stand on my feet and had a hard time getting out of bed and even more difficult going down the stairs to get back to the living room. I also now had a lot of pain in my back.
Finally I sat down on a kitchen chair and ate my breakfast. When the pain persisted and I still didn’t feel any strength in my legs coming back, I called the doctor.
She came by around noon and saw how hard I was moving. She then went back to the medical center and a little later she called me that she had made an appointment with the neurologist at the hospital.
My response was that’s good, when? Then I will arrange transport.
Her answer was now, immediately! So at the end of the afternoon I had transport, because my daughter could drive me to the hospital.
Supported by my wife and my daughter I was helped into her car and at the hospital out of the car in a wheelchair so we arrived at the emergency room.
There I was examined, and they decided to give me an MRI scan.
The scan showed that I had prostate cancer with metastases on the spinal cord, which blocked a nerve and so my body lost connection with my legs. I was immediately admitted to the hospital.
The next morning I was transported by ambulance to the Erasmus Medical Center to receive radiation treatment. After the radiation, the pain increased even more and I had diarrhea for two days. After those two days, not only was the diarrhea gone, but I also had no pain at all.
Over the next few days, several examinations took place, I was scanned several times, and the treatment consisting of various medications and injections began.
One day, I can’t remember whether it was the second or the third day after admission, I was asked to try to stand and walk a little. Even standing up was very difficult and the walk (with the aid of a walker and supported by medical staff) was no further than from the bed to the door and back.
The next day I was able to get a little further (still with the help of a walker and support) and we went up the hallway a little bit. The next day I was able to walk up and down the hall (in the same way).
After being in hospital for about a week, I was transferred to Laurens Antonius for rehabilitation on Friday 4 February and then to Laurens Intermezzo on Thursday 10 February.
Laurens gave me intensive rehabilitation exercises that were mainly aimed at being able to walk again (possibly with aids) and to be able to climb stairs again, so that I could go to bed in the evening and come down again in the morning. .
At the moment I still need further rehabilitation, but it was decided to let me go home on Friday 18 March, as I had strengthened enough to be home.
All this time I have not been able to write any meditations, but because in December I got into my mind to work ahead and put the reflections on the agenda for the coming dates, you as usual have been able to read a new meditation or study every day, and only those who also follow me on Facebook or Twitter know about my stay in the hospital and in the rehabilitation center.
Over small distances I can now move again with the help of a walker, but as soon as it is a little further I am forced to use a wheelchair.
According to the doctors, I will no longer get rid of the diagnosed ailment (prostate cancer).
So much for the message that I promised you to let you know what happened.
All honor and glory to God, who also heals!
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