As I rose before dawn to prepare for my last dose of chemotherapy at Evanston Hospital a week ago Friday (01/09/26), tears welled up in my eyes as I opened my daily devotional and read these verses:

How like God, I thought, to “give” me this gift on this day. While these verses are often quoted and very familiar, I was struck by the verses immediately preceding that I do not recollect (16-17) which say, “This is what the Lord says - He who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick...”

I pray this will be true for me as I go forward, that each and every one of my cancer cells will be extinguished and snuffed out! Time will tell as I repeat my scans in 6 weeks or so.

Thankfully, my condition after my last dose of chemotherapy allowed for my release from further monitoring at the hospital and I was discharged home. Before leaving, I was privileged to ring the bell at the nurses' station, an experience I looked forward to since my first round of inpatient chemo at Evanston Hospital. My nurse gathered available team members, and they cheered me on as I completed my mission. My daughter Megan joined me; I am so grateful for her support during this last round (as I am for my daughter Savannah's assistance this past week as well as help with groceries, meals, prayers, etc. from family and friends).

In honor of this occasion, my Mom wrote the following poem. She shared her memory of an often-used phrase as she grew up during the 40’s and 50’s. During hard times, it was sometimes said “this goes beyond the pale.” She recalls the phrase was reserved for times of intense trial or other experiences beyond anything one could believe possible. A quick internet search revealed I could spend hours understanding the background and full meaning of the phrase, but essentially a “pale” is an enclosure or boundary, whether literal or figurative. To go beyond it symbolizes that you are outside a zone of safety. As the poem reminds us, we are never outside a zone of safety when God is in the business of extinguishing and snuffing out our enemies and doing new things!

Ring the bell

And give a cheer,

Ring it loud

For all to hear.

Six months chemo 

Gone and done,

Trust in God

To heal your blood.

Where He leads

He will provide,

His love and grace

Are yours and mine.

The love of God

Will never fail,

His mercies lead

Beyond the pale!

~ Penny Swinea 01/17/26

I have found that highs are often accompanied by lows, and this week has been filled with new and yet familiar challenges. This latest round of chemotherapy has obliterated my blood counts in a similar way as my first inpatient round in November when blood infections led to sepsis. I feel like a lame duck or ticking time bomb as I wait for my white blood cells to re-establish themselves. On Thursday I received a transfusion of blood and my platelets were dropping close to transfusion level. As I write, I am contemplating whether I should head to the ER today or wait until my lab appointment at the Cancer Center tomorrow as my symptoms suggest my platelets have now dropped below that point.

And yet, whether high or low, easy or hard, in the midst of all we experience as we are led beyond our zones of comfort and safety, we can place our hope in God’s mercies.

With Love and Gratitude,
~ Ginny