“He ain’t heavy, he’s my Brother”
On June 21 2017 I was told matter-of-factly by my doctor that I had breast cancer and she advised surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and hormone therapy. I’ve described elsewhere how I came to the decision to go with the “ happy meal” combo of chemotherapy , radiation and hormone therapy after prayer and talking with my husband Richard, children, Colin and two good friends.
Colin ( my only brother) suggested I start a blog to record my journey through cancer. I started after diagnosis but stopped in October 2017 because I changed to manual recording. I found it easier to write into a book than type even into my phone.
On November 22 2017 Colin was told that he had stage 4 Lung Cancer. This diagnosis was accompanied with the downright frightening news that there was no treatment open to him.
Shortly after that he was told that the initial diagnosis was inaccurate and, praise the Lord, chemotherapy was an option. God truly is in control.
This blog post is about how I watched my brother face the totally unexpected diagnosis that would have crushed a lesser being. Shocked yes but he is one who would not go quietly into the night. He went through his chemotherapy and, at the end of it, went on a looooong cruise with Geraldine, his wife of 30 years. After that he began a course of immunotherapy. Now, praise the Lord, he’s training for a Triathalon in November this year! Has the cancer gone? Not totally. But that’s not the point. The point is Colin does not allow cancer to rule his mind and, through fear, alter his perspective of and attitude towards life. Colin is LIVING his life on his terms and I totally admire him for that.
God allowed us a fabulously wonderful 10 days in June this year when our whole family from Singapore visited him in Melbourne.
Colin gave me wholehearted, daily support from the time the doctors told me I had cancer. And he has mine. I’m so proud of my lil brother. I have faith in our God that we’ll both be clear of cancer in His time.
This song has been one of my favourites since I was 14 years old. The words have a far deeper meaning now and I know Colin feels the same. We are both blessed with loving spouses and children but just as there are jokes that only the two of us laugh at that no-one else understands, this is something that only a brother and sister facing their own giants can share.
He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother - The Hollies
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