Let God Carry Your Scan Results, April 10
Written by Dominique McLin
“I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you” (Isaiah 46:4b NIV).
Since December of 2018, my husband has endured numerous tests. Blood draws—can we take a moment to acknowledge the ridiculous number of tubes of blood that are taken from a cancer patient? Ok, now we can move on. There are CAT scans and PET scans, both with and without contrast. Contrast is dye, which I have been told burns going through your veins. The patient must wait a few hours for the dye to work through their system, then go back for them to “push” more contrast or dye into their veins—oh, and you have to hold still....
There was one scan where my husband drank 32 ounces to fill his bladder, then had to not urinate and hold still while they pushed on his bladder. It is frustrating, nerve-racking, and stressful to watch your loved one be stuck with needles and prodded. It must be painful for them. It looks painful. You see your loved one wince in pain, hold still and try to be strong. You see the concentration on their face. You pray it is over soon, and they pray it is over soon.
I went in with my husband for every test, every appointment, and every surgery. I referred to myself as his human support person. But, when asked what was one of the hardest trials of the journey, I have a quick response: waiting for scan results to come back. Let’s face it—the hardest part of waiting is the unknown. It’s not knowing if the scan results will bring joy, frustration, or despair. With modern technology, we never had to wait for more than 24 hours, which was a huge blessing. But boy, it still seems like an awfully long time when you are waiting. At times the waiting feels like too much to carry.
God has a message for us, cancer patients, caregivers, and their loved ones. Listen to God speaking to you: “I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you” (Isaiah 46:4b).
As the loving Father who made you, know that God will:
Carry you in His loving arms.
Sustain you with His immovable presence.
Above all, rescue you through His Son’s mighty victory over the unknown.
Did you hear that? Christ is victorious over the unknown! Praise Him that we know:
Christ within us is mightier than cancer (see 2 Corinthians 13:5).
Christ on the cross is mightier than death (see 2 Timothy 1:10).
Christ in heaven has prepared a place for us (see John 14:3).
Pray: God, here is the burden of the waiting. Here is the burden of the fear. Here is the anxiety of the unknown. Carry these burdens, carry me, and carry my loved ones as we wait. Amen.
Your Turn: When the waiting feels like too much, when the fear of bad results floods your mind, when your prayers do not seem to bring the comfort you need—read today’s verse aloud. Picture yourself handing all of your burdens to God.
Dominique McLin, Cancer Caregiver
Dominique has walked alongside her husband, mom, and dad during their respective cancer journeys all while working in a demanding position with a major healthcare company. Dominique and her husband Elvin live in Ellisville, Missouri and are blessed with five adult children and five grandchildren. Dominique and Elvin received support from the Cancer Companions ministry and consider it an honor to be able to give back to the ministry and provide support to others diagnosed with cancer.
Cancer Companion’s vision for the future is for every person impacted by cancer to know the hope, love, and grace of Jesus and that every oncology team has included faith in their treatment toolbox. By 2033, Cancer Companions will provide 5 million engagements through cancer prayers, scriptures and interactions to those impacted by cancer. Engagements include; social media outreach, e-newsletters, prayer team requests, 30 days of Cancer Prayer event, and volunteer connections.
To learn more about our ministry and the services we provide visit our website by clicking here.
