"We Have The Beam!"

I was laying on the narrow hard metal table in a large radiation room.  I was half listening to contemporary Christian music while deep breathing to relax.  It is always an adjustment to get strapped into the facial mask that keeps my chin out of "the line of fire" and my head immobile. Suddenly, through the loud speaker I heard, "We have the beam!"  I felt myself jump and had to laugh........

There are 4 treatment rooms that wait their turn for the radiation beam to do what it has to do to travel the length of a football field to get to your room.  To come into my body.  The treatment itself lasts only 5 minutes in each of two positions for me, but the daily xrays, positioning, and waiting for my turn  can take up to 45 minutes.  Usually someone lets you know....."you are third in line.....second in line....next......and then "You have the beam!" 

"You have the beam!"  I could not help but think about Jesus as our Beam!  He is our light!  He comes into our lives and changes everything.  He lives in us!  When we receive Christ, we have THE BEAM!  And there is no better beam that Jesus, The Light of the World.

As I lay on the table one day and thought about this idea, I decided to ask Jesus to be present IN the radiation beam.  To take His beam and inhabit the radiation beam with healing power.  HIS healing power. To guide the beam so my organs would be protected and any unwelcome cells would be destroyed.  He works through doctors, and He can work through a proton radiation beam.  It is comforting to know that.

Speaking of comfort, we are staying at Hope Lodge run by the American Cancer Society and on New Year's Eve someone brought their therapy dog to visit.  It was so nice to have an animal to pet and enjoy.  This morning yet another therapy dog, this one a large poodle came to the waiting area at the clinic.  He works through animals, too, doesn't it.

We have definitely seen Him working through people ~doctors, techs, nurses, volunteers and more.  We have dealt with so many kind and compassionate people at Mayo no matter where we go.  I heard they are required to take a monthly class to stay updated on how to deal with patients who come from around the world.  They also provide classes 4 days a week for patients on nutrition, meditation, relaxation, coping with cancer and life after cancer.  It is all good and I see God at work.  It is God at work to walk into the Jacobson Building desk area and have the woman behind the desk say, "Hi Renee, I'll check you in!"  They see so many people and they make an effort to know their first names.  It is God at work to tell the doctor when I had an eye migraine due to the bright bright lights for the radiation treatment and have him pick up the phone immediately and talk to the staff who were waiting with sunglasses that fit over the mask when I arrived for the next treatment. These treatments start at 5:30 am and go on until 11pm at night!  Two shifts of staff continually working with patients in need of healing.   It is God at work when you walk in the treatment room and have a staff person ask me how our family gathering when last weekend.....So personable and caring.  I think it is part of their resume....."MUST be kind, compassionate, caring, and take interest in each patient.  God at work.  HIS beam spreading His love and healing power in the medical world. 

So, 8 treatments down and 17 to go.  We are grateful for the proton beam and especially for His beam that brings healing power into our lives and into our bodies.  We are blessed to be able to say, "We have the beam!"