By Sister Janis Yaekel, ASC
I am Sister Janis Yaekel, ASC and I have pancreatic cancer. In fact, I have lived with cancer since 2012. I hope to share in my blog my journey and my reflections on the presence of God in my life. It is my hope that those who read my entries will find strength for their own journeys.
Time often passes swiftly as we go about our daily lives, but when one is waiting, time can seem like it never moves. Of course that is nothing new. We have all experienced the drag of time especially when we are waiting for something like a vacation or a holiday.
Time is not exactly dragging for me right now, but I am aware that as each day passes, I wait a little more anxiously for the call that will tell me that my spot in the cancer immunotherapy study has opened. I really thought that I would have received the call by now. Obviously, I am not the most patient soul on the planet and yet I feel a peace as I wait, and that is a blessing.
In the meantime, I am enjoying spring in a way that I haven’t before. The flowers around the Ruma Center are magnificent, and I am noticing all the many different shades of green that this season provides. Across the road from my office, we have a bluebird house that of all things is painted royal blue. The house has four eggs that may have hatched by now. This morning, I observed more in-and-out activity by the adult birds, so I’m thinking the babies have arrived.
In all this new life, I find the energy of God pulsing. Birth of bunnies and birds, budding of trees and flowers and deep gulps of fresh air seem to herald that God is alive not only in nature but in my heart.
When someone feels such well-being, it is hard to wrap the mind around having cancer, but I think that I am not meant to dwell on it. Rather, I am called to disable it simply by rejoicing in this wonderful planet and a power inside of me that is greater than any cancer could be.
Spring also brings the start of the Cardinals season and the hockey Blues playoffs. I am a big fan of hockey and I just hope that the Blues can get deeper into the post season than they have in the past few years.
I think the Cards will do ok, but the Cubs are going to give them stiff competition this year. Could the Cub curse be broken this year? I kind of hope so.