Why No Fear: Diary of a Stem Cell Transplant Patient A Story of a Fight that Only God Could Win

By Linda R. Harmon

We never know what tomorrow will bring us whether with family, financial, health, or other issues. An annual medical checkup for Linda at the age of nearly sixty-two in December 2006 resulted in the worst words you would want to hear, "you have cancer." Subsequent medical tests and oncologist evaluations resulted in the next worst words to hear, "you have myelodysplastic syndrome cancer and your 'pink-slip' gives you twenty-four to thirty-six months to live." And these words were followed by "you need to get your affairs in order." Discussions with the doctor indicated they would keep her as comfortable as possible through treatments by chemotherapy, blood transfusions, shots of procrit and neupogen, as well as, pain and other comforting medicines. What do you do with this death sentence given to you by the medical profession when you feel you are in the prime of your life and have so much to look forward to in the future? Do you give up and go along with the doctors recommendations? Or do you put on the armor of God and fight? Linda chose to fight armed with God's sword of the spirit, breastplate of righteousness, loins girded with truth, and sandals wrapped with the hope of peace. The next three years were no cake-walk, but many times felt like hell-on-earth. This is the story and diary record of how she won with her faithfulness to God and His faithfulness to her. We hope you can gain strength from the story of the fight that "only God could win."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 13, 2017
• ISBN: 9781635755930

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Why

No Fear

Diary Of A Stem Cell Transplant Patient

A Story of a Fight that Only God Could Win

As Written By: Linda R. Harmon and Gary H. Harmon

A Documentary and Guide to Others Who Have Cancer and Possess a Positive Attitude Through the Treatment Process

ISBN 978-1-63575-592-3 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63575-593-0 (Digital)

Copyright © 2017 by Linda R. Harmon and Gary H. Harmon

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

296 Chestnut Street

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

The medical descriptions or information as presented by the authors about medical practices or characteristics are a result of the authors understanding in discussions with medical practitioners or separate individual research and are in no way a reference to personal expertise or knowledge as might be obtained from a medical educational background.

Printed in the United States of America

The Dictionary says that to dedicate is to set apart for, or devote to a special purpose, or address someone as a sign of honor. There are many persons to be honored in this book: God, my heavenly Father first and foremost; Gary, my knight in shining honor, my completion, and with whom I am joined; and, my family, friends, and medical professionals – thank you for being there at this most difficult time in my life and giving of your prayers, time, experience, and of your unconditional love that was broadcasted to me. Linda

Why No Fear

Strange title, huh? Can we live in such a way? I did from 2007 to 2010. I was diagnosed with MDS, or Myelodysplastic Syndrome, a cancer similar to Leukemia, at the young age of sixty-one. It’s young when you consider most cases occur later in life.

You see, I never, never had a moment of fear. It seemed to upset a lot of my loved ones, but not me. I wondered if I had no feelings or what!

But it did come to me quickly as to why I was not fearful. My faith. I have always communicated with God throughout each day.

I never dreamed that God would give me the greatest blessing of my life.

Just a little tidbit to keep you reading, you should know that I have three recorded birthdays. You will understand when you keep reading.

Look back on your life and at the people who were put in your path of life. Ever wonder why? A lot became clear to me during the period 2007 to 2010.

God has given me some of the most awesome family and friends. I am blessed, I can truthfully say. I have a knight in shining armor. Oh, I am so blessed.

Fear Is A Relentless Enemy

All of us experience or express fear on a daily basis. It can be our greatest enemy and rob us of joy and peace and also paralyze our faith and life purpose. But to deal with fear and not let it immobilize us, we must realize that fear is not of God. In the Bible there are at least 365 references to fear as in ‘fear not’ or other phrases such as ‘do not be afraid’. We have to fight our fear with our faith by resisting it, remaining calm, and calling upon God and His Word which holds the promises that He has given us.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isa 41:10)

Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thou whithersoever thou go. (Josh 1:9)

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and love, and of a sound mind. (2 Tim 1:7)

In Joshua 1:9 above ‘courage’ is noted and Nelson Mandella has said ‘I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear’. It can be conquered with your faith and the ‘sword’ of the Spirit.

Precaution

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of sympathy and the God of every comfort, who comforts us in every trouble, so that we may also be able to comfort those who are in any kind of trouble or distress, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. (2 Cor. 1:3–4)

Precaution

All persons are different in their physical, age, and health conditions. Do not accept any of the health or treatment information or options in this book as applying to any other person than Linda R. Harmon. Seek out qualified medical professionals for your diagnosis and treatment program.

Foreword

Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance and that sin which so readily clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us. Looking away to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith and is also its Finisher. He, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Just think of Him Who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds. (Heb. 12:1–3)

Foreword

Don't Seek Temporal Happiness but Have Joy in All Circumstances

A man once said that he had broken up with his fiancée because she did not make him happy enough. Mind you, he was happy with her, it’s just that she did not make him as happy as he felt a future wife should.

Obviously, this says more about the man—and his level of maturity—than it does about his ex-fiancée or marriage, but it does give memorable insight into how some people view happiness. He seemed to believe that his happiness was dependent on the people, things, and circumstances that surrounded him. It is as if he believed the things outside of him were responsible for making him happy.

Yet, the Bible teaches that we should live above our circumstances, even when they are positive and pleasant. In essence, the Bible says to not settle for happiness—but to aim for joy. Joy comes from within. Joy is not dependent on the people in our lives or our possessions that we accumulate or what is happening in our life.

God says we will find joy, even in the most difficult circumstances, when we trust that He is in control. The Apostle Paul understood this, writing about joy while in prison, chained to a guard, alone in a foreign city. Whatever happens, dear brothers and sisters may the Lord give you joy… Paul suggested that there are two keys to transforming mere happiness into a deeply felt, ever present joy.

First, live each day by grace. Grace means that you don’t have to earn God’s love and you don’t have to earn His approval. And here is some joyful news—if you don’t have to earn God’s love, then you do not have to earn anyone else’s love, not from your spouse, your children, your parents, your in-laws, or your friends.

God offers His love unconditionally, and you can joyfully live in that grace every day, all day long. Understanding this alleviates the stress and tension from your life. You can make mistakes and know that you are still loved by God.

Second, stay focused on what is really important. There are a lot of little things that can steal your joy, but only if you let them. Jesus taught that There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body.

A lady thought about this Bible verse when she learned that her house was under nine feet of water. She had spent the entire day cleaning her house, and then went out to dinner with her husband. During dinner the local levee broke and flooded the area. Even in her grief, she spoke, We drove our Chevy to the levee, and the levee was dry.

Looking back on that time this lady said, God taught us that such a loss really makes you think about what is important and what has everlasting significance. For instance our possessions were wiped out in a matter of minutes, but we were reminded that, even though we had lost all the pictures of our baby, the important thing is that our baby was alive and well. Within a year our house was rebuilt, but we could never replace each other.

Happiness is overrated. Joy is often forgotten, yet, it will stabilize your life and focus on the things that are truly important, moving a bad situation down the list and relationships up to the top. No matter what happens may God give you joy in all circumstances.

Anonymous

We would hope that this diary will be meaningful for not only your body health, but your spiritual health as well. Recognizing the true source of all healing is from God makes the temporal source of technology and medicine acceptable during the process of treatment.

Linda and Gary Harmon

Introduction

Now faith is the assurance of the things we hope for, being the proof of things we do not see and the conviction of their reality. (Heb. 11:1)

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement needful to obtain peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes that wounded Him we are healed and made whole. (Isa. 53:5)

Introduction — Linda

I am a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and a servant of God who faced a cancer issue at the age of sixty one years, never expecting to receive a pink slip and to face a battle for my life. My fight began when the local oncologist told me that I had a cancer called MDS (myelodysplastic syndrome) and with the shocking news that I had two to three years to live, during which time, I would be receiving chemotherapy, neupogen and procrit shots, blood transfusions, and various medicines to control pain and nausea.

Although I opted for a second opinion from and then elected to receive treatment at the MD Anderson Cancer Clinic in Houston, Texas, with no promises or guarantees, I still had to experience chemotherapy, neupogen and procrit shots, blood transfusions, and various medicines to control pain and nausea. The difference is that I was in a clinical study that would benefit someone else from the data obtained during my treatment. Ultimately, my MDS and treatment after two years depleted my bone marrow with the prognosis that I had six months to a year to live, if treatment was continued using a different chemotherapy drug.

My husband, Gary, and I were returning from MD Anderson to home after the Christmas holiday of 2008 and after a major snowstorm on our way to Houston where I had received this latest diagnosis. The sun was breaking through the overcast, and I saw a rainbow in front of us when God spoke to me through my spirit. He said three times, I will cure you, I will cure you, I will cure you. I excitedly told Gary and he questioned, as an engineer would, How did He say He would do it? We traveled another ten miles or so, and then I saw a billboard on the side of the road that included the message, Give God a Chance. Yet, just a few more miles, a billboard message said, Trust in God. The number three in the Bible refers to completeness" with my encounter in these three signs of God’s comforting remarks.

You may think that my described encounters with God may be foolish or just a figment of my imagination, but I implore you that by my faith in God and knowing that my body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit, I know that God is present in my life and directing my future. I came to know Him at the early age of seven years when I professed my faith that He died for my sins, that He was buried, and that after three days, He rose from the grave and ascended to the right hand of the Father in Heaven where He intercedes for me with the Father and directs my path of life. I have a freewill to make my own decisions, but knowing He died for me and I can reach out to Him at all times, under all circumstances, with prayer as well as through His Word, the Bible, He hears me, and He will answer my prayer. I know it was a win-win situation as to whether I lived or died. If I lived, then it was by His grace and mercy, and I would win as He still had a destiny for me that was unfulfilled. If I died, it would still be a win as my destiny would be to go to be with Him.

If you have cancer or know someone with cancer, I would pray that you or they would know God and dismiss any fear, as fear is not of God. He has a plan for your life and He will reveal it to you as you pray and study His Word. God’s Will for your life will be to always approach every situation with a positive attitude, believing in Him, and He will direct your decisions and path.

Introduction — Gary

Linda led me to know the Lord Jesus Christ at my age, thirty-eight, when we got married and began raising six children brought together in our marriage. Our years since then have been a challenge, but in all, believing that All things work together for the good, for them that love God, for them that are called according to His purpose, we have been blessed with a good life and have been able to help our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren in the life that each has chosen to pursue.

Linda has been and continues to be a pillar of faith in God through the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. She has been blessed with an inner-self that is sensitive to the needs of others and has never once doubted that she would be cured of cancer. She fought the battle through good and bad times, never giving up and always with her steps towards God’s Will for her life. She is not unique or different than most other people, just faithful to stay the course and follow the path that God provides for her. Give God the opportunity to direct your path and your journey can be unburdened from the stress of life through a belief in Him. He has a destiny for you that can be fulfilled.

Introduction — Linda and Gary

In the following diary pages, we present the physical and emotional battle for life that played out after the decision was made