The Evangelical Universalist Forum

Update

Featured Writers Dr Thomas Talbott
#1

Today (Wednesday, the 11th of November) I brought my wife home from the hospital after a second procedure was performed yesterday morning. We had thought that we would get by with the lumpectomy that was performed in September. But the position (too close to the skin) and size of the tumor made a mastectomy and breast reconstruction necessary. Still, the prognosis looks good as of now, with no need for radiation or chemotherapy, though it will be another week before we know for sure. Also, my nursing and care giving skills will be challenged for the next few weeks. Hee! Hee!

Anyway, I want to convey my heartfelt thanks for all of your thoughts, prayers, and kind words. They mean more than you can know.

-Tom

#2

My wife and I are so glad to get the update and hear of the good prognosis. I know you’ll see that your wife receives the best of care. You both remain in our hearts and prayers. Grace be with you, Bob

#3

I’m sorry about the mastectomy–that’s grievous for any woman as a woman–but I’m glad it seems to have been caught before metastasizing (or even getting close enough to be given chemo/radio on general principle just in case.)

God’s strength to all of you in your family.

#4

Yes good news Tom - as I said to Cheza here who has had the same misfortune - I know 3 or 4 women who have had any and all of the possible procedures and all are enjoying life many years later.

#5

There are many cool things about this…

Sorry if I’m in a particularly somber – though reflective – mood tonight…

I’m thinking of Jesus’ words: an enemy has done this.

So, seems there’s an enemy about – distorting God’s actual intentions. (Yet God restrains Himself from full revelation… I often wonder – why?) And what better personification for that enemy (BTW, works for Satan as idea/concept as well as it does Satan as real entity…) than this horrid thing we call “cancer”. Took my dad – and way too soon.

But I hope we note carefully how impulsively, and insistently, we place God on the side not of cancer, but of wholeness, and health, and fullness of life.

And, believing that, we scrap and fight and contest every inch of ground with this “enemy”. Make no mistake – and none that I know, believer or agnostic, actually make this mistake — when we battle this beast called cancer, and we exult in our small triumphs, (small, because we all sort know that we all die this “first death” eventually… Even Lazarus did…) we do battle as if for God Himself! (I really believe that…)

Except not just we Christians battle lifes trials this way; trials like cancer. All of our race are engrossed in this struggle. The very struggle that Tom bravely embraces with his wife.

So Tom; we are with you as you nurse your wife, and as you live a life which confidently names your oppressor (cancer) for what it is; foreign, stranger, not of God.

(God I sure hope you all don’t mind me taking aloud like this; I see this stuff EVERY single day in my work. And man do I need courage, and focus, and resolve. I will be DAMNED if, when I care for one in this sort of need and struggle, if I do not embody the healing ethos of our Christ.)

Blessings untold and enormous to you Tom!

TotalVictory
Bobx3

#6

Dear Tom,

Christian Greetings from another Tom! My thoughts and prayers are with you and yours.

When I was ill last year, my wife looked after me for two weeks. There was no one else could have taken her place.
There’s no one like a spouse, after all that life shared together!

God bless us all.

Tom.

ps I’ve never taken the chance to say “thank you” for the help your work has given me.

#7

Thanks for this update Tom. May you, your wife, and the entire family all experience the fullest embrace of God’s grace and blessing.

Affectionately,
TomB

#8

We just had a friend go through this same misfortune yesterday; bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction. Ultimately though, it’s somewhat safer than lumpectomy, because often, removal of the primary tumor is the precipitating event for metastasis.

Her lymph nodes checked out, so the cancer at this point seems to be completely localized.