One small journey, one huge blessing
By Chris Naputi
Special to the Herald
Upon returning from errands on a beautiful Friday morning in Hawaii, I began having flu-like symptoms and lay down to rest. By Sunday, I was still in bed and self-medicating. Several days passed with no signs of improvement. On one of those days, though weak, I tried to get out of bed, putting pressure on my left arm, somehow bruising it which led to it swelling to nearly double in size. Nearly a week of self-medicating and rest only led to a steady decline from whatever was ailing me. I continued saying my morning and night prayers and daily rosary. I was fortunate that my wife convinced me to go to Urgent Care.
The Urgent Care physician felt my lymph node and told me to go to emergency right away. The attending ER doctor, concerned by what he saw, ordered multiple tests and advised admission to the hospital. My left arm had an abscess that would require surgery to drain. Blood tests revealed that my white blood cell count was extremely high. A hematologist was consulted, and a bone marrow biopsy ordered. The following day the results revealed an unwelcome diagnosis: acute undifferentiated leukemia, described to me as the most aggressive type of leukemia. I was given a chemotherapy pill in the interim.
Blessings of faith, prayer and of love for our Lord, the Holy Family and St. Jude began at this point. I never questioned what was happening to me, nor did I ask the Lord, “Why me?” I continued to say my daily and nightly prayers and my daily rosary.
After several days at Queen’s Medical Center West, I was transferred to Queen’s Honolulu for induction chemotherapy and surgery on my arm. I spent nearly two months in the hospital, multiple mishaps resulting in a prolonged stay.
Each passing day showed no signs of improvement. I kept praying my normal prayers — each day when I woke up, each night before bed and, of course, my daily rosary. I prayed for me, for loved ones who moved on, for those still in our world, for family, for friends who are ill and for the rest of the world. Something came over me and I began to pray continuously throughout the day, along with my morning and night prayers and rosary. As each hour, minute and second went by, I prayed every chance I could. Regardless of what I was doing, what was happening in the moment, I continued to pray.
Answered or not, the prayers brought me closer to the Lord. With all the prayers, love and support from family and friends, especially my wife, I have faced the prospect of death head-on. Instead of being bitter with God and the world, I have made the profound choice to be thankful and appreciative of all who supported me at my weakest, most vulnerable times. My strong faith in Jesus led me to “walk through the valley of the shadow of death” fearing no evil, as I knew and trusted that the Lord was with me, healed or not.
While still going through multiple treatments, I felt I was at my peak, that within my body, soul, heart, love and faith I felt the presence of the Lord. He is within me and we are one! Although I was at the bottom in my physical, bodily self, my entire being rose to the top in my spiritual life.
I am now in remission with the help of continued chemo treatments as I wait for a donor for a bone marrow transplant.
There is no greater feeling than what I am feeling now!
Chris Naputi is a parishioner at St. Jude Parish in Makakilo.
