Routine

The last few days have been focused on bringing order to the recent changes in my life and establishing routine. For anyone who knows me, you know that I am a creature of habit.  I wake up without an alarm clock, get to work within a three minute window each day, have the same Panera salad for lunch almost four days out of the week, and you can set your watch by when I am getting each of my four cups of coffee throughout the day. By the way, as of today I am four weeks without coffee and have survived.

Daily life has obviously changed. Weekly doses of IV chemo. Lab draws at midnight and noon each day, daily bathing with Chlorhexidine Gluconate wipes, oral saltwater rinse after each meal and before bed. Shift change at 7A and 7P. Meds at 9A, 5P, and 9P, and vital signs every four hours around the clock. Thankfully, daily showers are still acceptable and remain a moment of sanctuary in my day.

Routine will include all of the above woven into a schedule of positive activities of prayer, talks with partners, sitting in on virtual meetings, naps, walking laps around the cancer unit, and writing for this blog. Boredom is an unnecessary complication that often leads to depression and self-pity; neither of which are a part of my treatment plan.

With each day, I am beginning to establish my routine.  Ultimately, I will rely on this routine over the next five to six weeks and then again for another six weeks when I’m back in the hospital for my bone marrow transplant.  The routine is critical to maintaining sanity.

I don’t have much influence over the clinical process or the resulting outcomes.  Those are in God’s hands and I trust Him to bless and direct the many wonderful doctors and nurses caring for me.  I’ve made peace that I am not in control of the process or the outcomes.  My focus, instead, is on my mental/spiritual mindset.  I am not unfamiliar with adversity or struggle.  Although I am not very patient (I usually want things now.) I can be incredibly tolerant of undesirable circumstances if there is a goal on the horizon.  I understand this process to be a marathon of 12+ months to achieve some resemblance of normalcy.  I expect to be in and out of the hospital multiple times.  And, I expect to take some hard hits.  I’ve been knocked down before and, with God’s blessing and support of family and friends, always gotten back to my feet. I expect this to be no different.

As a former US Special Forces Operator, my good friend and business partner, Kalob, is also no stranger to the fight.  After reading yesterday’s post, he reached out to encourage me to stay in the fight.  Thanks brother! He reminded me that our bodies will quit before minds.  And, that if we keep up the mental/spiritual fight, our bodies will take that as direction to stay in the fight as well.

Remember that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. (Ps. 139:14) And that a merry heart does good like a medicine. (Prov 17:22) And finally, remember that God has promised us that He will never leave us nor forsake us. (Heb 13:5)

Undoubtedly, each of you reading this post have your own fight.  I’m certainly not the only one. Take a moment right now to clear the clutter distracting you and fix your eyes on Christ. You are His personal creation fearfully and wonderfully made. Let your heart be merry as you dwell on the promise that God will never leave you nor forsake you. Make this part of your daily routine and, through Christ’s strength, stay in the good fight and don’t give up an inch of ground.

Well, I just finished dinner and need to get in my laps.

God Bless!