I have been thinking about  mortality a lot more recently. We all know that we are going to die someday, but nobody really likes to think about it all that much. However, the reality that  my days are numbered and that I have already used up a large portion of my number has moved to the forefront of my thinking in the last few weeks. There are several reasons for this. I have been fortunate to have had good health for most of my life, with only a few events of concern to deal with. The first of these was in 1989 when a tumor was discovered in my left eye socket. The initial surgery to remove it was only partially successful, as it was intertwined with the optic nerve. It took almost two months for the biopsy results, which revealed that it was a malignant fibrous hystiocytoma. I was told that it would not respond to either radiation or chemotherapy and that radical surgery was the only viable option to remove the remaining portion of the tumor. As a result I lost an eye, but all traces of the cancer were removed and it has not recurred. I have learned to live with a single eye, the only significant effect being that my depth perception is somewhat impaired due to the lack of parralax. I didn’t really fear for my life during this experience as I knew that God had a plan for my life, and I felt that he wasn’t through with me yet.

Other than a couple of basal cell carcinomas that were surgically removed, I remained without further health issues until fairly recently. In July of 2014 I was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma on my right cheek. This, too, was surgically removed, along with two sentinel lymph nodes that proved to be clear of cancer. So once again my body is cancer free. And my annual physical exams have never shown any other significant health issues. I reached 72 years of age without ever needing to take any prescription medicines on a regular basis. That all changed in January of this year when I was diagnosed with hypertension and atrial fibrillation, placing me in danger of a heart attack or a stroke.  This was quite a surprise as I had never had any recognizable symptoms. However, the EKG clearly showed it now. Consequently I am on three medications, to lower my blood pressure, stabilize my heart rate and thin my blood to prevent clotting. If these are not effective enough, further steps may be needed to correct these conditions.

This occurrence, along with the recent deaths of several of my high school classmates, has brought home to me both the preciousness and the uncertainty of life. Although I still believe that God has more for me to do before he calls me home, I realize that my life on earth will not continue forever, and that I need to make the best use that I can of the time remaining to me. Death, when it does come, is not to be feared. It is merely the portal into the next life. I know what my God-ordained destiny is, and I look forward to it with joyful anticipation. In the meantime, I am more clearly focused on seizing the present opportunities that I have, and on using my time to the fullest advantage.