Moving Soldiers to the Front Line

My wife is the consumate medical professional, so her words and advice caught me off guard.

Waiting to receive my first treatment of chemotherapy, she gave me some advice I wasn’t expecting.  This person, who so stresses the need to be exact in following medical procedures and disciplines, suggested I needed to actively employ psychology in initiating the battle, which chemo therapy would initiate against the abnormal protein chains my bone marrow is producing, as result of my AL amyloidosis.

Cindy suggested I visualize soldiers going to the front line in my crusade to battle this crippling disease.  She suggested I be pro-active in my crusade, rather than reactive.

I’ve learned from first hand experiences how important it is to use those visuals to help win the internal battles that go on within the human soul.  They make the difference between joy and sadness and being a victim or one who triumphs.

As I sat in the chair I worked on that visual.  Initially I thought of the soldiers in Babe & Toyland coming to the defense, but that visual seemed like little more than poor fantasy, so I mined deeper.

I found myself quoting the words of “Onward Christian Soliders” and then found more a compelling marching sequence that worked for me.

I am stirred significantly by the story and words behind “Battle Hymn of the Republic.”  This marching song associated with the Civil War was once filled with vulgar words and has been changed to be one of the most stirring songs ever, to suggest that right will always triumph over evil.

I love singing and hearing the base portion of that song that repeats “truth is marching, truth is marching.”

After years of playing the board game RISK, I realize moving my troops to the front line and attacking is better than simply sitting back and waiting for the enemy to strike. 

I could see my soldiers, with guns and bayonets, surging forward to attack and destroy those abnormal protein chains as they try to filter into the organs of my body.  I could feel the pulse of “truth is marching, truth is marching.”

I am ready for the battle!