Wednesday, October 20, 2010

We Now Return You To Your Regularly Scheduled Program...

Sorry I've taken so long for the update to the update. Lots has happened. Some good. Some... not so much. Ang has gotten good news in that her cancer is very treatable. The doctor likes her chances. She's feeling better than she was about the whole thing.
Now Terri on the other hand, got hit YET AGAIN with some crappy news. She too will have to have a double mastectomy. Her numbers were as bad as Angela's when they tested her. They wanted to do an MRI to be sure but the chemo she's been taking damaged her kidneys so they couldn't inject the dye and couldn't do the MRI... Plus two of her heart valves are leaking slightly so she just wants to just scream at the world something fierce. I don't blame her. I went to visit her at her house yesterday and she said "You know, I just want some sense of normalcy... is that too much to ask?" Well Terri, I'm guessing that normal and our family have never been on familiar terms so I would have to say a big fat NOPE to that one.... Me, I'm doing okay. Besides, what do I have to complain about? The girls are the ones that are going through all of this garbage. I just get to watch....

Friday, October 08, 2010

We Interrupt This Program To Bring You....

From the "Who says prayers aren't answered?" department:
When last I wrote, as my kid sister Angela was having a double mastectomy, she was told that they found more cancer in her lymphnodes. She was about as sunk as the Titanic with an anvil tied to it. Me, I simply felt numb. She's my kid sister for cryin' out loud! But then it started. I started getting emails and text messages etc. from people who were offering to pray for her. My gal pal got her entire church to lift my sister in prayer. I got some help from some pretty special people online. I know that there a lot of people that have prayed for my family and me... For that I am humbled and grateful. People like Helen down in 'Bama who is a Godly woman that prayed for us from the get-go. That meant a lot. From folks like Bucko over in Hoosier-land who offered kind words of support throughout this whole ride. My favorite Jersey girl Mary who has always been not only a friend but always gives me a little food for thought (as long as it's not chicken... Briege might get upset!). And a very awesome Canuck transplant (guess who Carolyn?) who got her entire group of prayer warriors to lift Angela up in prayer. I don't know most, if any of them, but Carolyn went to bat for me and my family. I know that it's always easy for people to say they'll pray for folks and then go on with the rest of their lives. But this time around, I really felt it. People were really praying for Angela. And when you wonder how your prayers will be answered, you really don't know. But then there's this: I get a note from Angela tonight that says "I got my labs back. The tests show that there's only one lymphnode that is cancerous (and very treatable). The rest of the lymphnodes have come back NEGATIVE!!!" I sat in stunned silence here at my place, all by myself, and smiled. I couldn't do anything else. How she went from her lymphatic system being cancerous to just ONE lymphnode? I know there are some that read my blog that aren't believers and that's okay, because you are very welcomed here too. I am no better than you and I never will be. But I am as sure as I am sitting here typing this, that the reason for Angela's change in her test results is because of GOD and your prayers. No one... wait, let me repeat, NO ONE can ever change my mind about that! I am a simple person who has been humbled by the concern and care of so many people for me and my family that they don't even know. But your thoughts and prayers have done something great here and I am beyond grateful. THANK YOU!!