If at FIRST you don't succeed...

Try, try again. I was reminded of this concept this past week when I saw a newly diagnosed Stage IV cancer patient. She was having a terrible time with nausea after starting chemotherapy. I reviewed her oncology notes/records, and it seemed she had appropriately been prescribed numerous different types of anti-nausea medications. (There are about 6 different classes of drugs which often are used to help with nausea. If you ever are unfortunate enough to have nausea after your treatment and the medication you are routinely taking does not help, ask our doctor if there is a different option you could try.)

This patient actually had medications from 4 of the different drug classes and just recently was given a 5th and 6th drug to try. One of the newest drugs she felt was most effective was a patch, delivering continuous medication through the skin. I inquired about the other medications and which one(s) she felt worked the best/most. She shared she didn't think many of them helped really at all. I further asked how often she had been taking them... Turns out she wasn't, really at all. She tried a few a time or two and felt they didn't treat the problem right away, so she decided they were not effective and stopped using them.

I get it. You try a pill, and it isn't the magic answer so you stop. Nausea can be debilitating. It can stop you from eating, swallowing, sleeping, living. That is why it is such an important symptom to treat. But it takes more than one pill, one time to make horrendous nausea go away.

Lucky enough to not have cancer? I promise this concept relates to you as well... Want to lose weight? Takes more than one day of healthy eating. Want to build muscle/strength? Takes more than one session in the gym. Want to have a happy marriage? Takes more than just walking down the aisle. Want to have well-behaved, respectful children? Takes more than just one conversation. Want to have a strong faith? Takes more than just sitting through one service.

See what I am saying? With so many things in life, we get discouraged and decide something isn't working... but how long do we really commit or try something before determining it ineffective? Know why the patch helped my patient the best? It was delivering medication constantly. It was a way for her to consistently get a dose of medication into her system. That medicine worked because she was actually using it.

Know how you lose weight? Consistently eating well and moving your body. Know how you build strength? Consistently lifting heavy weights. Know how you keep a long-lasting marriage? You commit to loving, communicating, remaining friends weekly. Know how you have well-behaved, respectful kids?..... No really.... anyone have the answer to this one? I am in the THICK of it with disciplining my children right now. I know, I know... It takes consistent effort of modeling the behavior, supporting the growing, and also setting consistent, firm boundaries.  Know how you grow in faith? You practice it every day (prayer, reading the Bible, acts of service for others). 

This is as much a reminder for me as it is for you. If at first we don't succeed, try, try again.