Thursday, May 26, 2011

Out of the Mouth of Babes



A few months ago, the girls were batting around the word "hate" in the back seat of the car...and I explained to them that word was only allowed to be referred to something very, very bad...like cancer. The girls were happy that they now had permission to direct that word to a "thing" and have repeated the phrase quite a bit, because in the minds of a 5 year old and a 3 year old, it's like getting away with saying a bad word in front of your parents as long as it was said correctly.

In a million years, I would not have guessed this chapter in our lives happening now. Shawn...my kind, gentle, perpetually positive husband, was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive form of testicular cancer. He's had one surgical procedure down, one to go, and then is embarking on a healthy dose of chemotherapy all summer long in great hopes of clearing the cancer from his body. Then five years of c-scans and check-ups, and the fear of it coming back to haunt us for the rest of our lifetime.

Sitting there, hearing a doctor say "...it's cancer" just sends your mind right into a tailspin, and as you pull yourself out of that fog over the next couple of weeks, you realize the only thing you can control in the midst of all the unknown ahead, is your spiritual walk with God.

And suddenly, time just becomes unbearably precious. Man, oh man, I really do, from the bottom of my heart, hate cancer.

Leah...my wise, old soul....upon hearing the news of daddy's cancer and what was going to happen over the course of the next few months summed it up quickly...

"So it's going to be like a movie, Mommy?"

What do you mean, Le Le?

"You know...good in the beginning, scary in the middle, and then good again in the end..."

"Yes, honey. That's it exactly."

Our family blog has been used to document our most important journey's in life and this is definitely no exception. Please feel free to follow along with us. We greatly appreciate your support and prayers to give our family the faith, strength and courage to face the challenges that lie ahead. 

5 comments:

  1. We want you to know your family will be in our daily prayers!

    Love
    Amanda

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  2. If we can just remember to breathe...It's really hard to wrap your head around why bad things happen to good people...Shawn is good people to the very core. Thankfully God is on our side and by our side and I know he loves Shawn so! On my knees...love Mom.

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  3. I am so sorry to read about Shawn. This shouldn't be happening to you and your beautiful family. I am so glad that you have your wonderful families close by for support.

    I am a cancer survior, too. Medicine has come so far in cancer treatment. God's hand will be evident in the care and kindness Shawn receives from his entire medical team.

    I hope you can find a support group for Shawn and also one for you and the children. I went to one at Gilda's Club and it made a world of difference to me. It is so healthy to share how you feel. I am thinking of you and sending warm, healing wishes your way.

    Lindy D.

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  4. Wow. Still reading this makes me wonder how it can be real? When is Shawn's next procedure? Will you please let me know so we can put it on the calendar to specifically pray that day? Of course, praying all summer long for the treatments too.

    Lifting you up!
    Sara

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  5. I will add your family to my prayer journal.

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