Hi, pardner!

When people visit Texas I sometimes take them to the rodeo. It is fun to watch cowboy athletes show their skills in roping calves and riding angry bulls. But the bit I like best is the barrel racing, when, one by one, the cowgirls on their horses roar into the arena, circle three barrels at great speed and tear out again, racing against the clock. Now my elegant and able surgeon, Dr Richie Gillespie, lives with her husband, their three children and seven horses in a rural area and loves to ride. I do not know if she ever took part in a rodeo in her youth… But, I saw her ride at great speed to my rescue this week, just like a barrel rider. My!

Here’s what happened. After the decision to have a biopsy to determine what kind of cancer has invaded my lungs, I called Dr Richie Gillespie for advice. She listened hard and agreed with the need for a lung biopsy, even though she feels the rapid spread of cancer at this time is a classic indicator of sarcoma. Then she laid it down: “This is what is going to happen. There is no way you should have the biopsy in a radiology clinic some distance away from a good hospital. If your lung collapses and you crash, we need you to be in hospital with intensive care and immediate help right there. You know about the Shepherd from the Bible. Well, I am going to be your shepherd in the hospital. I am going to help you. I want to be there. I’m doing surgery on Thursday and will ask one of my friends to do the biopsy. I’ll try to come and see you. You have helped many people in your life and now I am going to help you.” Wow!

Dr Richie Gillespie called back just 15 minutes later and had made all the arrangements. The biopsy is tomorrow, Thursday May 1, at Baylor All Saints Hospital in Fort Worth, at 10 am, Texas time, 4 pm British time. Would you join the posse, pardner! Please pray for God’s help for the medical team and for me. Thanks.

Yehaw!

June