faith
It’s been several weeks since I posted my last blog. Generally, I start with an idea that evolves over several weeks but I’ve been going through a tough transition that has made this post difficult to land. I finished my chemotherapy treatments on February 13 after four infusions. The side effects were really getting to me so after much prayer and consultation, I decided to skip the last two treatments. I flew to NIH on April 16 for my follow up examination. My PSA was less than .02 which means that for now, the cancer cells are being controlled by the hormone treatments. The bone and CT scans showed no additional growth of the cancer lesions on my pelvis which was good news. For now, my cancer is in remission. The big question is “For how long?” Statistically, it could be two or three years before it shows its ugly head. That’s when the hormone treatments I’m on are no longer effective and the cancer cells will start to grow again but this time, there’s no cure. Mary says we’re in wait and pray mode.
My friend Mark passed away recently. He had the same type of cancer that I have and introduced me to NIH back in September of 2017. Mark was diagnosed five years earlier and knew intimately the feelings I was experiencing He and his wife, Tracy, were genuinely concerned about how Mary and I were handling my illness and were very supportive. Mark was a kind and gentle soul with a great sense of humor and as I listened to his friends talk at his celebration of life service I wished I had known him longer. For the past eight months, we talked frequently about everything that was happening to us. We prayed for each other and for our wives, we laughed at some of the weird things that were happening to our bodies and most importantly, we shared our faith in God. Mark and I had a lot in common and his death affected me deeply. We were both 62, grew up in the Midwest and had led successful business careers. When my friend lost his battle with cancer I saw my future clearly and any traces of my denial that this was really happening vanished. This disease we shared connected us in a way that most people can’t understand and when he died, I felt a part of me die too.
For the eleven months since my diagnosis, my calendar has been mostly consumed with doctors appointments and trips to NIH every three weeks. I was busy fighting cancer but now that my treatments are over I’m faced with a decision; do I let cancer consume my every waking thought until it comes back or do I live every day to the fullest? Nobody knows when they’re going to die and unless you’re given a deadline most people don’t want to think about it. Most people think I’m a pretty positive guy so don’t get the idea that I’ve turned into Eeyore from the Winnie the Pooh story. I have times when I will dwell a little on the inevitable but most of the time I’m still the eternal optimist. It’s just that I have a different perspective than I did a few months ago. Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” One of my favorite pastor-authors, John Piper, wrote a paper entitled “Don’t Waste Your Cancer” on the eve of his prostate cancer surgery where he said “Numbering our days means thinking about how few there are and that they will end. How will we get a heart of wisdom if we refuse to think about this? What a waste, if we do not think about death.”
The title of this blog is Faith. According to one definition, faith is a strong belief in God based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof. Hebrews 11:1 says “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” I believe that God can heal me if it is His will but I also know that if He doesn’t it will not because I didn’t have enough faith. To quote John Piper again “The aim of God in our cancer (among a thousand other good things) is to knock props out from under our hearts so that we rely utterly on him.” If my healing depends on the level of my faith then the credit would go to me and not God!
I don’t let my cancer control my thoughts because my faith in God is strong. Mary and I are living every day doing the things we enjoy only we’re much more deliberate about how we spend our time. We spend a lot of time together just puttering around the house and gardening. We’ve made visiting with friends and family a priority. During our Aflac years, we earned a lot of incentive trips and developed a passion for travel. This August we’re taking a riverboat cruise on the Danube with our good friends Craig and Debbie. To quote one of my favorite rock ballads from the ’80’s, Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing,
Working hard to get my fill,
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin’ anything to roll the dice,
Just one more time
Make every minute of every day count my friends because every day you wait is another day you won’t get back.
Excellent!
Thank you!
Great Blog…
First part reminded me of Bucket List movie.. last part The bio of The Last Lecture..
I have a friend just came back from that river cruise really enjoyed .. continued prayers
Thanks for the call Mark. It was great to catch up.
To the moon , Rando, to the moon
Only if there’s a Wheelhouse Grill!
Hugs Randy. So glad you and Mary are living life!
Right back at you Gail!
love you both…thank you for the perspective and reminder.
It’s like I’m back in school and God is the teacher. Love u Bri!
My brother, Your statements about your friend Mark and the connection you felt because of your diagnosis resonates with me. Watching a loved one with the same diagnosis suffer and die is excruciatingly painful. No one can truly understand this unless you’ve walked this path with someone. Every time a person close to me gets diagnosed and loses their battle, a part of me dies too. Thank you for your candor, showing us what true faith is and most of all your friendship. I love you Randy Bartlein. You are a remarkable man.❤️😘🙏🏻
Thanks Donna. I know you understand all too well what I felt when Mark went home. Love you so much!
Randy, I am so sorry for your loss in so many ways. You have always been a man of great faith and I believe that God is using this for you to teach us, your friends, how to live in faith and each day to the fullest. You and Mary are a great example of that and more. I continue to pray for complete healing for you in Jesus name!🙏 Until then, live my friend, live! Love you both💜
Thanks Denice. What a waste it would be if I just went fetal instead of trusting in God and sharing His glory? “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ” Philippians 3:8
Randy, oh it was so good to see you and Mary, a few months ago. I have a tendency to not enjoy the moment I’m in, because I am worrying “getting ready for” the next one. Thank you for reminding me that we only have the one we are in! And I love the affirmation that faith is not of our own doing. It’s Him!! Love you, and praying along side you both!
Peaches
You and Mary are alike in that regard. I suspect Jeff and I are mostly in the other camp but that’s the way God made us. Thank you for your it’s of affirmation. Love you both!
Randy thanks for bringing us along on your journey by writing . I love you Brother and have such admiration for you. You are in my prayers as well as Mary, and God will be glorified always. You are a man of great standards and your testimony is being seen openly by those who are watching your journey, I am proud to know you and call you my friend. Lets break some bread soon. Give sweet Mary a hug for me.
Thank you for your words of encouragement. How about breakfast on Wednesday the 16th? Pancakes at the Granary sound scrumptious!!
See you then
What an inspiration you are. Praying for you every day. My wife My wife of 45 years died of cancer after five years of life from a stem cell infusion. That was a gift from God and I pray for you every day.
Thank you Chuck
I think about you alot friend. You are right about losing a friend. It feels like a piece of your own life force goes with them.
I don’t know how much of that is left in me.
But, hey the apostle paul, once said phil 1:23. I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far. But God had more work for him to do.
Thanks Keith. I appreciate your prayers and our friendship. Paul is right about being with Christ but there’s so much to do here on earth.
Hello my brother in Christ! Tim and I miss seeing you and Mary. Thank you for your thoughts during this journey you are on. You are authentic, transparent and shine a light on the fact that we are simply visiting this earth for a short time. Since Tim’s stroke, which took his right peripheral vision, we are looking at life differently as well. We are selling our St. Louis home and moving back to Venice, Florida. Hope the 4 of us can reunite over a fabulous dinner in downtown Sarasota by the end of summer!! Love to you both. XX
Get here before the snow flies! We’d love to see you and Tim.
Randy, I always love your perspective. And, I love the ease with which you weave a story.
Thank you for your kind words. It’s a process (as you well know) and I think I’m gaining skill but it’s nice to hear from a pro like you!