A REPATRIATION flight left The Bahamas on Tuesday, carrying more than 75 foreign nationals. The flight was a special charter organised by the Cayman Islands, the Philippines and the British High Commission. The flight from Cayman to London stopped i

Keshe Smith was about to make breakfast when her life changed in an instant. She fainted.

Regaining consciousness minutes later, Mrs Smith turned down her husband’s offer to take her to the hospital. After all she wasn’t sick and the last thing she wanted was for him to be late for work.

Her fatigue was likely due to a busy schedule, she reasoned, a combination of work, church, and weekly hospital visitations to the sick and dying.

Considering every possible scenario that October morning, Mrs Smith looked at the bright spot, perhaps a couple of days off from work. Worst-case, she was anemic, which would explain her tiredness.

No such “luck.”

The government worker’s life was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), a cancer of the blood and bone marrow which worsens quickly if left untreated.

In her new book, Cancer, Meet Christ and My God, Mrs Smith take readers on her journey of faith, healing and hope amidst affliction. She recounts the process of persevering through three rounds of chemotherapy and recovery, sharing the songs and scripture versus which helped bring her through the ordeal.

“At first, I did not want chemotherapy treatment, I wanted a miracle from God, and I wanted it my way, but He led me His way and I am so glad that He did.”

Following her 2008 diagnosis, Mrs Smith was hospitalized for several days. During that time, she received blood transfusions and platelets.

Local doctors advised her to begin treatment immediately. She rejected their recommendation and traveled to Miami for a second opinion. American physicians confirmed the Bahamian doctors’ diagnosis.

Mrs Smith returned to The Bahamas and resumed working. Days later, a sharp pain on her side sent her back to the hospital where she was admitted for a second time. This time around it was liver inflammation.

Her doctor recommended she travel by air ambulance to Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital to begin cancer treatment. Her husband, Julian, agreed even though the patient remained reluctant.

At Jackson Memorial, Mrs Smith leaned on her spouse and other relatives for the family support crucial to facing a cancer diagnosis.

“During my first round of chemotherapy treatment my body was weary. I lost strength and energy instantly,” she recalled.

“Chemotherapy treatment makes a patient feel like giving up. As I lay in bed, receiving chemo, my spirit was very low and I remembered the song, I’m trusting in You Lord. I sang that song with tears in my eyes. I was singing with my lips but in my spirit I was crying out to Jesus to rescue and help me.”

Her chemotherapy regimen was administered in three cycles. Each cycle lasted five weeks with treatment delivered five days of the week. During her first cycle, the side effects were numerous: lesions, mouth sores and peeling skin on her hands and feet.

“My lips were swollen. I experienced skin discoloration. My weight changed drastically. I lost over fifty pounds. My long flowing black hair was no more,” she recalled.

“I could not believe what I was seeing. The hair which remained was burnt and there were patches all over my head. Surely, if I was not constantly in prayer and reading the scriptures, which strengthened me, I would have been discouraged and in a hopeless condition.”

The irony in her situation did not escape her. As a member of her church’s Hospital Ministry for over a decade she prayed over the sick and dying. Now, her faith was being tested.

Twelve years after passing through her darkest hours, Mrs Smith is sharing her survival story to bring hope to others.

“I want to strengthen those who are fighting the disease as well as strengthen husbands, mothers, sisters, aunts, all family members. I want to encourage others who might be sad and depressed over their diagnosis,” she said.

“I want people to know that the diagnosis does not have to be a death sentence. With faith in Jehovah Rapha, the God that heals, all things are possible. Nothing is impossible.”

Cancer, Meet Christ and My God goes on sale next week at Doc’s Pharmacy on Robinson Road for $24.95. Mrs Smith can be reached via email, Keshesmith@yahoo.com or connect with her on Facebook at Keshe Smith.

In her new book, Cancer, Meet Christ and My God, author Keshe Smith takes readers on a journey of faith, healing and hope amidst affliction.

Twelve-year leukemia survivor and author of Cancer, Meet Christ and My God, Keshe Smith.

…ISAIAS CONTINUES TO PRODUCE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODING AND GUSTY WINDS OVER PUERTO RICO… HEAVY RAINS AND GUSTY WINDS SPREADING OVER THE DOMINICIAN REPUBLIC…

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS. THIS INCLUDES THE ISLANDS OF INAGUA, MAYAGUANA, CROOKED ISLAND, ACKLINS, RAGGED ISLAND, LONG CAY, SAMANA CAY, EXUMA, CAT ISLAND, RUM CAY, SAN SALVADOR AND LONG ISLAND.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS COULD BE EXPERIENCED SOMEWHERE IN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 36 HOURS.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS. THIS INCLUDES THE ISLANDS OF ANDROS, NEW PROVIDENCE, ELEUTHERA, ABACO, GRAND BAHAMA, BIMINI AND THE BERRY ISLANDS INCLUDING THE NEIGHBOURING CAYS.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS COULD BE EXPERIENCED SOMEWHERE IN THE WATCH AREA WITHIN 48 HOURS.

AT 11 AM EDT, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ISAIAS WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 18.1 DEGREES NORTH AND LONGITUDE 68.9 DEGREES WEST, OR ABOUT 151 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SANTIAGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, OR ABOUT 303 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GRAND TURK, OR ABOUT 353 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF INAGUA, OR ABOUT 723 MILES SOUTHEAST OF NEW PROVIDENCE.

ISAIAS IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 20 MPH, AND A WEST-NORTHWESTWARD TO NORTHWESTWARD MOTION WITH SOME DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. ON THIS FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTER OF ISAIAS WILL MOVE OVER HISPANIOLA TODAY AND MOVE NEAR THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS BY TONIGHT OR EARLY FRIDAY. ISAIAS IS FORECAST TO BE NEAR THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS FRIDAY NIGHT AND APPROACH THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 60 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME SLIGHT WEAKENING IS POSSIBLE AS ISAIAS MOVES OVER HISPANIOLA TODAY. RE-STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST ON FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTENDS OUTWARD UP TO 310 MILES PRIMARILY TO THE NORTH OF THE CENTER. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE OCCURING ALONG THE SOUTHERN COAST OF PUERTO RICO.

TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO SPREAD OVER THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS LATER TODAY. TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE ALSO EXPECTED IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS BEGINNING FRIDAY MORNING AND ARE POSSIBLE IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS BEGINNING LATE FRIDAY. LOCALIZED FLOODING ARE EXPECTED THROUGHOUT THE BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS AS ISAIAS IS FORECAST TO PRODUCE RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES.

RESIDENTS IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS SHOULD RUSH TO COMPLETE ALL PREPARATIONS TO MITIGATE DAMAGES DUE TO FLOODING AND SECURE ALL LOOSE ITEMS AROUND THEIR PROPERTY. RESIDENTS IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS SHOULD NOW BEGIN TO DO LIKEWISE.

RESIDENTS ARE URGE TO FOLLOW ALL ADVICE GIVEN IN ALERT MESSAGES.

THE NEXT ALERT ON TROPICAL STORM ISAIAS WILL BE ISSUED AT 3 PM EDT.

ISSUED BY: BASIL A. DEAN

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned anyone who breaks the new rule faces being removed from the chamber.

She took the decision after Louie Gohmert, a Texas Republican often seen around the Capitol without a face covering, tested positive on Wednesday.

He had been due to travel that day with US President Donald Trump.

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