Friday, January 18, 2008

Chemo, Dentistry, and Providence

I had my second round of chemo Wednesday, and amazingly it didn’t take long at all. I was finished in just two and a half hours. It could be because they were planning on adding as new drug to my regimen, but weren’t able to add it until next time. The drug they want to add is Aredia, a drug meant to strengthen bones. Multiple Myeloma can weaken bones, so this is a preventative measure. They couldn’t add it yet, though, because there is a nasty potential side affect, Osteonecrosis of the Jaw, or ONJ. This is where dentistry comes in. It is important that you be in good oral health to offset this side affect, and that you have had no teeth extracted in the last 90 days. This is where Providence enters the picture. Back in October I had a tooth that was breaking apart and starting to hurt. Being both stubborn and cheap I ignored it, figuring that sooner or later it would stop on its own. One day, however, I thought to myself, why suffer, you’re not poor, you can afford to go to the dentist. So I broke down and saw the dentist for the first time in more years than I care to reveal. The dentist fixed my teeth, extracted two broken ones, the last extraction having occurred less than 90 days ago. All of this took place before I knew that Poindexter was there, or at least before I knew what Poindexter was. Had I not gone to the dentist, how long would treatment have to have been delayed? What consequence could that have had? I honestly believe the hand of God was involved in that initial visit to the dentist. I don’t have any other explanation for my sudden change of heart. Believe me, on my own I don’t think I would have ever gone to the dentist. Was God watching out for me, helping to get ready for what was coming? Perhaps.

St Peregrine, Pray for Us
Deacon John
Jan., 18, 2008

1 comment:

Unknown said...

God so carefully orders our steps. He alone sees the Big Picture. When we get a glimpse of how carefully our steps have been ordered we can only be in awe.

The same thing happened when I got pregnant with Bridget: at the time I was taking a migraine medication by shot that would have been toxic to a newly growing fetus. Unfortunately for me (I thought) I accidentally left the shot pack in my hot car for a day and the last shot was ruined and I never had a chance to take it the month that I conceived. When we realized how close we came to possibly injuring the baby we were amazed at how carefully God had ordered our steps by leavning that shot where it would be corrupted and keeping me from taking it.

God is good, all the time. Even when we don't know what we are doing.