After my second Keytruda infusion for malignant melanoma of my dominant right thumb, for which I underwent partial amputation and sentinel node biopsy of my axilla, I continued to have time for physical, emotional, and spiritual recovery. As I began to focus on returning to more normal activities of daily life, I was determined to keep more balance in my life moving forward.

Physical Recovery

It had been just about 6 weeks since my operation. I continued to read voraciously and spend time in prayer. Kellee and I closed on our new home, a downsize, and began preparations to move, with the help of Damon Martin, who owns Martin Delivery Company and who also has quite the testimony to share. We enjoyed discussing how adversity in both of our lives made our faith stronger. If you ask him why he wears a big wooden cross around his neck, he will be glad to share it with you. We are both mutual friends of Pastor Jack Foster, who officiated Damon’s wedding ceremony. I was able to get back on the Peloton first, followed by my road bike. For my second trip out on the road bike, I was joined by my nephew, Charles West. Charles was training for a Sprint triathlon at the time and was back in Nashville for the weekend. He had traveled from Atlanta, GA, where he lives and works in equity research for an investment bank. He has since completed his triathlon, and we rode on a brisk pace for 11.3 miles on a beautiful afternoon ride. Kellee and I continued to spend a lot of time with family, namely son Gray, his fiancée Molly, daughter Alex, son-in-law Brad, grandson Bradley, grandson Jack, and all the great grandparents of Bradley and Jack: “Pops,” “Mommy Gayle,” “Choochoo,” “Niffy,” and “Gaga.” 

Little victories continued to bring me joy. It was very emotional for me to return in person to worship at Brook Hollow Baptist Church. I was moved to tears as Chandler Nicole Sherrill, with her sweet smile, led us in our first song. I enjoyed a return to “Friday Night Lights” at Montgomery Bell Academy, where I played football (Class of 1983). Tommy Owen field always brings back great memories where I watched so many family members play, including my son Gray (Class of 2013), son-in-law Brad Bars (Class of 2010), his brothers, Blake (Class of 2012) and Alex (Class of 2014), and my nephew Charles West (Class of 2016). I also appreciated my time spent with Jennifer Brantley, a cancer survivor, who helped me set up this blog you are reading.

Spiritual Recovery

I continued to experience peace as I focused on more heavenly issues. Unexpectedly, I received a call from Dr. Bill Sherman, one of my former pastors at Woodmont Baptist Church. I have always loved him, and we have always had much in common. We are both graduates of Baylor University, and he played varsity football there. As a matter of fact, he was an all-Southwest Conference safety for Baylor three years in a row and played in the 1953 Orange Bowl. When the storied New York Giants football franchise (where my son-in-law Brad played for 2 years) invited Dr. Sherman to come play pro football, he sent them a letter stating, “Thanks for the offer, but God called me to preach!” before heading off to the seminary. Dr. Sherman and I both love the Baylor Bears! He is a gentle giant, a man of God, and I listened to his sermons for years. His entire family has always been so close to our family, and multiple family members have battled melanoma over the years. I was so happy to hear his voice, and I explained over the phone to Dr. Sherman how the diagnosis of cancer had changed my life and my relationship with God. He responded with a simple but profound statement: “Lee, sometimes we do not realize that all we need is Jesus until all we have is Jesus!” That statement to date seemed to be a recapitulation of my battle with cancer up until now.

“It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” (Lamentations 3:26 NIV)

Author Larry Crabb, in his book Waiting for Heaven, states, “Perhaps in this verse there is no clearer statement of the Lord’s desire that we are to wait in difficult circumstances without yielding to the temptation to prioritize making a hard life easier.” Crabb, like me, came to this realization sitting in a hospital infusion ward with chemotherapy dripping into his veins. This verse in Lamentations was written by the prophet Jeremiah, who was trying to encourage the Israelites after their nation had been crushed and forced into Babylonian exile. Jeremiah himself was no stranger to intense suffering. He was mocked by fellow villagers when he was called by God, was forbidden to marry, was beaten, was forced into hiding during the reign in Judah of King Jehoiakim, was kept in a prison, and eventually carried away to Egypt.

I will leave you with these words by Crabb, reflecting on another Old Testament character, Moses, who left a life of luxury in the court of the Pharoah of Egypt, to remain faithful to God. Crabb states,” The path to happiness, to the joy and hope-filled well-being of a Christian’s soul, leads BOTH through some level of affliction, weariness, and angst, sometimes to nearly unbearable levels, AND to the awareness of a deep thirst that will be fully satisfied only in the next life, a thirst that stirs joyful, persevering hope.”

Next up…my third infusion and how I made my “comeback” to work, both to the office and to the operating room…from surgeon to patient to surgeon again!