GOD CAN USE ANYTHING..... EVEN A BIG TOE!

"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"  (Romans 10:15.)  I have always thought this verse to be a bit unusual - even humorous.  For the first 55 1/2 years of my life, I just haven't seen the beauty in feet!  Oh, I've used plenty of nail polish, even a French pedicure or two, just to make my feet look more acceptable, but never beautiful.  Until now.  I have had nagging problems with my left big toe for several years.  Not anything unbearable, but certainly uncomfortable.  Lately, the problem has limited my exercise and physical ability to such an extent that I sought surgical correction of the problem.  My podiatrist scheduled me for a November date in the operating room for a joint replacement.  Yes, I am special!  How many people do you know with a titanium big toe joint?  Then she sprung the news that she would require pre-op testing.  It seems that she insisted that we check my heart, blood, and lungs to make sure I was healthy enough for surgery.  Well, of course I was healthy enough for surgery.  With the exception of this sore big toe, I felt great! 

Reluctantly, I spent pre-op day at the hospital getting the usual routine tests:  chest x-ray, EKG, and lab work.  A few days later, I went for a visit with an internist to review the results.  "Mrs. Lollar, do you know that you are anemic?"  What???  Anemic?  But, I am as healthy as can be!  "Your lab results show a blood protein level that is not normal.  It is probably just an error in testing.  Would you mind if we take some additional blood?"  Well,  I guess not!  All I want is toe surgery!   I was sent to the lab to meet Clarence the vampire!  As he led me in meaningless conversation about random topics to get my mind off the needle in my arm, I know that he took at least a gallon of blood.  That's no way to treat an anemic girl with a sore toe! 

Even more reluctantly, I returned to the office a few days later for a follow up visit.  The doctor cleared me for foot surgery, but said that I needed to see him in two weeks for further testing.  "Mrs. Lollar, the blood levels are still a bit confusing.  We need to do further testing after your surgery."  Maybe I would have listened more clearly to his concern if I had not been so worried about having my toe joint replaced.  After a successful surgery and recovery, I  returned to the internist's office, even MORE reluctantly.  "Mrs. Lollar, we need to do further testing on your blood to rule out some genetic blood disorders.  Have you ever heard of multiple myeloma?"  Wait a minute, doc!  It ends with "o-m-a."  That means CANCER!  In a fog, I went back to Clarence the vampire, and gave another gallon or two of my precious, anemic blood. 

Well, that is the beginning of my cancer journey.  The diagnosis was changed from multiple myeloma to Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia.  But, blood cancer is blood cancer.  Thank you, doctors for being so diligent and careful to find the exact cause of the blood problem.  Thank you, Clarence the vampire, for being so kind to me when I called you names and fainted in your chair.  Thank you, God, for that sore big toe.  How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news - good news about treatment of cancer.