On Monday, legendary conservative talkshow host Rush Limbaugh announced to his massive audience some positive developments in his fight against advanced-stage lung cancer.
Using baseball analogies to explain his positive response to a third round of treatment, Limbaugh said he finally “got on base” and “stole second,” citing the power of prayer for his success at the moment.
“It was in late-January that we learned of the diagnosis,” Limbaugh explained. “That means we learned of a really tough opponent. So, it was time to go up to bat, time to walk to the plate, bat in hand, and that is exactly what happened. And my first two at-bats were horrible. My first two at-bats struck out. Nothing to show for it.”
“The first two attempts to deal with the cancer failed,” he continued. “One was a targeted therapy of clinical trial drugs, which worked but nearly killed me in the process. And so we had to get off of those. But that at-bat showed me I could hit the pitch. I wasn’t gonna strike out. I was at least able to make contact. We had some hope that there would be a remedy.”
Likewise, Limbaugh said, “The second at-bat was a total and complete failure. I struck out on three pitches. Did not even make contact.”
“So I’m now up in the bottom of the ninth, I’m 0-for-2,” he set the scene. “I have not reached first base. I didn’t coax a walk out of anybody. I didn’t get a hit, much less a double or a triple.”
But on his third treatment attempt, the 69-year-old outlined, “I managed to get on base. I hit a solid single and then stole second.”
“I am currently on second base hoping to slide into third and eventually make it all the way home,” Limbaugh said. “We’re in the bottom of the ninth. If I get all the way home, we get extra innings. And that’s what we’re shooting for here.”
Limbaugh, an open Christian, thanked his loyal listeners and those supporting him for their prayers, which he said he knows work.
“I believe prayer works. I know it does,” the host said. “It is a blessing that in my third at-bat, the last shot that I had at this, I got on base and I stole second, and I’m chugging on to third, and I’m very confident that I’m gonna score. I’m very confident that this is gonna go into extra innings. Meaning — well, you know what it means. I’m trying to avoid being specific in the lingo here. And, again, that’s simply because of how rapidly things can change with this kind of diagnosis.”
“But I’m feeling extremely good right now, even cautious about saying that,” Limbaugh tempered the optimism. “Who knows what tomorrow’s gonna bring? Good days and bad days.”
“The bottom line is I’m entirely capable of being here today,” he said. “My energy level is great. I’m doing extremely well. And I don’t think anybody would mind if I told you honestly that I am doing better at this stage than I thought I was gonna be doing.”
The host noted of the support he’s received from his wife, who he’s repeatedly thanked during the program.
“The support that I’ve had, particularly from my wife, is just, as I’ve told you, impossible to characterize,” Limbaugh said.
“So that’s the update. The upshot of it is I’ve rounded second base, I’m pushing for extra innings. I gotta score. I gotta get around to home plate to tie the game and to extend the game for as many extra innings as I can. And it looks like, sitting here today, that it may happen.”
Partial transcript via RushLimbaugh.com
H/t Western Journal