Thursday, March 24, 2011

zap

As I'm sure some of you know, sitting in a hospital room can take it flat out of you.  And I consider myself to be a fortunate one: I haven't been the victim of long, sleepless nights & God has blessed us with a favorable, known outcome.  I'm thankful for the inexhaustible energy of love ... & our family has felt its full force vertically & horizontally this past week.

Update on Mom ::: the surgery went very well & was a bit longer than expected because it turns out Mom had transitional cell carcinoma (instead of renal cell).  This is not a worse situation, but they also had to remove her ureter and it took more time.  We are waiting for the final results, but the cancer should be GONE FOR GOOD.  Flowers, emails, cards, visitors...have helped make her white-walled room a bearable place!  { thank you all } She should be going home tomorrow if her pain levels remain stable.  Our family is holding up well, finding strength in His proven goodness and plan for our circumstances.


Something that I've realized this past year (as part of growing up) is that cancer is everywhere.


Once it hits close to home, you realize that everyone has been affected by cancer somehow. "Father-in-law, brother, wife"...the statistics become real as the stories emerge from friends, acquaintances, and strangers alike.  And I have deduced that CANCER IS NOT THE END OF LIFE. For those who are children of God, it can be a tool for sanctification, bringing the fruits of gentleness, meekness, gratitude, and patience. It is like a giant pinch or an unwelcome wake-up call..."Yes, you are fragile. You have been steadily approaching death since the day you were born, and nothing can alter that ultimatum. You were lovingly created that way."  Not everyone catches the cancer early and their expected life on earth may be shortened. { But nothing alters the length of eternity. }  My friend Lizzie has been such an example to me the past couple of months, changing how I view cancer and illness....check out her story here.


I think that's all my mind has for now, time for a nap before morning comes and I'm back on a plane!

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