Taking What He Takes

Last week one day we got a call from someone whose husband takes the nutritional products we sell. The husband is a minister in one of the Beachy churches in our area. He is being treated for colon cancer. So far, he has had two surgeries. He had no chemotherapy after the first surgery, but the cancer returned and he then had chemotherapy, followed by a 12-hour surgery in another state, and followup chemo. He is still taking chemo. The phone call came because an acquaintance of theirs from the town where they live thought he looked so well, she wanted to know what he was taking so she could take the same thing. Unless I've been misinformed, that is not what people on chemo usually hear.

The nutritional products have been part of his personally selected regimen ever since shortly after the first surgery, except for a brief lapse, during which time the cancer returned.

The cancer patient's oncologist is very happy with his progress and test results. Recently he asked, "Did you say you're taking something else--vitamins or something?" He had, of course, told him earlier about the glyconutrients, and so he helpfully refreshed the doctor's memory.

Meanwhile, the preacher-friend is continuing to work at his cabinet-making job most of the time. He has a few days of feeling less well in connection with the chemo, but he spends other days working hard and loving it.

On a recent Saturday evening, the community where he lives organized a benefit supper to help compensate for his expenses. About 600 people attended. If all of them are praying people, the help they gave is far greater than the sum of dollars accummulated that evening.

The doctor in Nebraska who did the long surgery does only a limited number of them--one or two a week, as I recall. His method involves seeking out and removing all the little gel-like structures scattered in the abdominal cavity--places where cancer cells often reside. Then he floods the area with a dose of chemo drugs. Securing an appointment with this doctor was a good thing.

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On the evening we met with the lady who wanted to take whatever the cancer patient was taking, the lady looked straight at me across the table and asked, "Do you take these products?"

"Yes. I take eight scoops a day." (of the glyconutrient powder)

"You have the most beautiful complexion."

I proceeded to tell her about the skin care products the company has. I use the products very sporadically (I told her that.), but I had used them that evening before I left home. They are paraben-free, water-based moisturizers, and clear, and they do make my skin feel soft.

I wondered if she thought that I'm much older than I really am. Maybe she thought my skin looked younger than my hair. In any case, I've never looked in the mirror and thought I have "the most beautiful complexion." Maybe the teenage acne memories are still too vivid. And I suppose if I had used paraben-preserved makeup all these years, I could blame them for whatever wrinkles the Kansas sun and wind are not responsible for.

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When part of the colon is removed during surgery, you do know that what is left is a semi-colon? My brother Lowell told us that after his friend and age-mate's first cancer surgery.

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I liked the way our friend summed up his experience with cancer and the good prognosis he has now. "It's always the Lord Who heals, but He uses different ways to accomplish that."

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If our friend expresses as much gratitude to his oncologist and surgeons for what they did as he has to us for what we did, they're probably feeling the same warm fuzzies we are.

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Disclaimer: Food supplements are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or mitigate any disease.

(Only pharmaceutical drugs can legally claim such powers.)