Earlier this year I was really struggling with my OCD and Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia.  I would become overwhelmed if I had to leave the house more than 2 or 3 days a week,  so I was not getting to church.  In the past, I felt the need to be on the computer playing games while listening to audiobooks in order to block out intrusive negative thoughts.  I conquered the "enemy thoughts" a while back but retained the habit of going to my computer when stressed for comfort.  I quit smoking in 2015, but had been unable to give up the habit of lifting hand to mouth, and was eating constantly.  I realized  I did not know how to be awake without eating, and I could not lose weight.  I had not seen my NY family in 8 years, and desperately missed them.  My aunt and uncle are in their 80s and I wanted to see them before it was too late.  But how could I afford a trip to NY?  I prayed for help with all these things.  
In the past, I prayed for help with stepping away from the keyboard,  but when I didn't listen for an answer, it took an extended power failure to get my attention.  Then I realized I had read about my insurance giving me the silver sneakers program.  I know there were lots of church activities.  And I had read about a local birdwatching club that interested me.  I thanked God and vowed to do better.  but I didn't.  And then I got cancer.
And ALL my prayers were answered.  My family in NY urged me to come stay with them so I could be treated at Sloan Kettering, and paid for my train ticket.  It has been a wonderful family reunion for me.  My chemo oncologist insisted I be seen by a variety of doctors before I could begin treatment, and I quickly had to adjust to having appointments almost every day.  The endocrinologist put me on a short-acting insulin that allowed me much more control over my blood sugar and it stabilized, giving me more energy than I've had in years.  No more naps after every meal.  I'm staying with my Cousin Barbara who lives a low carb lifestyle.  When I arrived and saw her fridge was stocked with yogurt (bleaugh) and her pantry with protein bars, and there was not a slice of bread in the house I called home in a panic.  But I have adjusted to the low carb life, because when you have cancer you do EVERYTHING the doctor says, and I adjusted.  And unlike every diet I've ever been on, this is an eating plan I can live with, and carry on at home.  I started losing weight even before treatment began and I'm down 30 pounds now (yay!).  Now in the second half of my treatment it hurts to swallow, and I'm only eating at meals, not snacking all day.  And I've been spending far less time on the computer, and more time interacting than ever before.  My only regret is that it took cancer for God to get me to listen.

It has truly been a blessing.  When I saw the plastic "chain mail" template they put over me, and knew that they were going to strap it to the table with me on my back with my chin in the air I got panicky.  I have sleep apnea and trouble breathing on my back and also constant post nasal drip.  I knew I could not do that daily for 7 weeks without God's help.  I had to let go of my independence, my free will, and submit to God and say, I am turning this over to you.  And now I experience being strapped to the table as being held in Jesus's loving embrace as I am healed.  I was told to expect some pretty severe side effects from the treatments, nausea from chemo, being red as a lobster from radiation, and being unable to swallow solid foods and having to be on whey protein shakes.  But I am living in a state of Grace.  I have no nausea, limited radiation burns, minimal sore throat that is handled by my pain meds, and today starting week 6 out of 7, I am still able to swallow solid foods.  Life is good. God is great.
And I am going to be listening very carefully from now on.  :-)