The Wind Changed Our Direction

datepalmconsulting
Jul 27
2 min read

26 July 2026

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.”

John 14:1 (NIV)

As we boarded our flight to Zion for our final consultation, I received a call from the chemo department at Newport Beach. They informed us that the chemo portion of my treatment, which would need to be paid upfront, would be $550,000. At that moment, my plans to be treated at their facility followed the waterfall down the cliff.

To us, that call came in God’s timing–to open our eyes to his path for us.

As we walked into the guest quarters at City of Hope, I felt at home. Yet, at the same time, I could not stop the geyser gushing from my eyes because, though the company now operates under a different name, it is the organization that treated my mom. Nineteen years ago, my mom entered heaven after battling a rare form of lung cancer.

We met with the oncologist, another kind and gentle person, who knew my name when she walked in. We were pleased to find out that they also suggested the same radiation therapy. We stayed for an additional two days to meet with more staff and to complete testing.

Good news to share:

The PET scan showed that the tumor was still contained in the cervix.
The PET scan showed two lymph nodes with very little activity. As the radiologist said, “If they have cancer, it is microscopic.”
God has led the tumor to grow long instead of wide, which is why I have had no pain thus far.

Because the tumor is long, the oncologist and the radiologist are bringing my case to the medical board on Wednesday. They may want to treat me with heavier chemo first, as they are concerned that the tumor is too large for the final round of radiation treatment to kill the remaining cancer.

What’s next:

Right now, my hemoglobin is too low for chemotherapy treatment, so I will leave on Sunday for two weeks at the Cancer Center for Healing in Irvine to help boost my immune system.
After two weeks, I hope to begin treatment at City of Hope.

City of Hope believes in treating the whole person. Not only do they have oncologists and radiologists, but also natural path specialists, behavioral therapists, a pastoral care program, and interactive classes to promote fellowship–reminding each patient that they are not alone.

Prayer requests: