Stage Four at Forty!?!

"My Wake Up Call"

 Dr. Charles H. Jackson, Sr.  Author of You are Victorious!  (Winning in the "Sport" called Life)

Today as I reluctantly got out of bed after receiving a "wake up call" from one of my nurses in Kaisers Infusion/ Oncology Department, I decided to start a blog to encourage you and others (including myself) facing challenges on a daily basis. I want you to know that you are victorious. Sometimes little frustrations of the day can be the straw that breaks the camel's back. Mine came early. As soon as I saw Kaiser on the caller ID, I knew it was either a robocall reminding me of an upcoming appointment or more likely a live person telling me that either I had missed or I was running late for yet another doctors appointment. It was the latter. But instead of letting it frustrate me into singing the blues, I decided to just laugh and reschedule.

Since 2009, my life has been seemingly one endless stream of doctors appointments, follow up appointments, pre-appointment lab appointments,specialist appointments,bone treatments, chemo treatments, hormone shot appointments and oh yeah my regular doctor appointments! Whew!!! I get tired sometimes just trying to keep up with my medical appointments not to mention the symptoms from the actual disease. As those going through similar challenges know, it can get discouraging. But as anyone who knows me will tell you, I refuse to allow it or anything (especially not Stage Four Prostate Cancer nor the appointments and symptoms related to it) to stop me! I Corinthians 15:57-58 has settled for me that in all things, through all things and over all things, thanks be to Jesus Christ...I am Victorious!

When I got knocked down by the Joe Frazier like left hook that exploded on my jaw five years ago (September of 2009) when I first learned the news that I had Stage Four Prostate Cancer, I was down but not out. On the contrary, it was a wake up call! I had just turned 40 and as I detail in the book You are Victorious! Winning in the "Sport" called Life, I thought I was ahead of schedule getting screened at that age. But when you have a family history or symptoms ( like frequent urination) it's wise to get checked early. What I did not know at the time is that I not only had some symptoms but I had a family history that was hidden from me and the rest of my family by my father. I learned too late that he had prostate issues at the very least and cancer at the very worst, about 6 years before I learned of my diagnosis. The reasons I wrote my book and why I am doing this blog is two fold. One, that people can specifically overcome prostate and other cancers through early detection and sharing your medical history with your family. I write secondly that persons in general can realize that no matter what you or they face in life, we are victorious! The key, the wake up call, is realizing that we all have a date with mortality, an expiration date if you will, but the good news is we also have a divine purpose. Life is not how long you live but how well you live! When you find your purpose, your own mortality is no longer your primary concern. I want to encourage you today not to focus on your mortality but rather on your purpose from God. Wake up! Don't miss or be late for your divine appointment. Don't let straws pile up and break your back...focus on the positive. Focus on your purpose. Remember, it's never in dwelling on your past; your purpose is always in your present and your future. I hope you will believe with me every day that your best is coming. Be encouraged that it's ahead of you and not behind you.