St. Joseph of the Lakes

Since returning from St. John Vianney Center last year I have been more conscious of my health issues so I have been getting physicals every six months. In October the most remarkable notation (for me) was that I had dropped from a height of six feet to five foot eleven and 3/4 inches. It was with some trepidation that I had my physical last Monday and once again was measured. Now I am five foot eleven! I lost 3/4 of an inch in that six month period. When my mother was alive I would regularly tease her about being the “shrinking violet” of my life, now her genetic gift has caught up to me!

In November I noticed a lump on my left ankle. It didn’t hurt and I did not think much of it, though every so often in the middle of the night there would be a pain that would wake me up coming from my ankle. When I stood up the pain went away, so I did not worry about it. I showed the lump to my doctor at my physical. She had x-rays taken and encouraged me to see a podiatrist soon. (She made sure I had an appointment with the podiatrist the next day). During the podiatrist’s exam she took more x-rays and pointed out to me that my fibula (outer bone of the lower leg) was curving around the mass in my ankle. Once she established the timing of the appearance of the mass (less than a year) and noted the bone remodeling she told me she suspected that I had a malignancy and she ordered a T3 MRI to get a clearer picture of what is going on in the ankle area.

As I write this (Tuesday morning) I am getting ready to have the MRI. I am not sure what the results will be, and perhaps it will have been premature to inform you of this new adventure in my life. If it is cancerous I will begin a journey with oncologists and surgeons, if it is benign I will begin a journey with the podiatrist that will probably also involve some sort of surgery. I am at the edge of an adventure in either case and certainly need your prayers as this unfolds. Of course either I or others from the staff will let you know what is going on, but in the meantime if I seem a bit distracted, please be patient with me. It is a uniquely odd moment when you hear the word ”cancer” applied to yourself (I know there are many of you who understand this from experience).

As I ended last week’s homily: ”I know God is here, may He do unto me as He wills.”