I have a few new recipes to share. I had a fun idea for Fitness Friday. Yet, today, there is only one thing I can write about. The thing that happened 7 years ago that changed everything in my life.
My mom was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer with a solitary brain met 7 years ago today. With a diagnosis like that, the doctors weren’t hopeful she’d experience long term, or even short term survival. No cure and palliative treatment were phrases thrown around by doctors who didn’t seem to have an awareness of the effect words like that have on scared family members.
The life expectancy for a person with my mom’s diagnosis is 8 months. The 5 year survival rate for stage IV lung cancer patients is between 5-10 percent.
Yet here she is, 7 years later.
Actually, this picture is from 6 years later as it’s from last summer. Note to self: take more pictures!
Beating cancer didn’t come without a price, however. Her treatments included brain surgery, lung surgery, whole brain radiation, and chemotherapy, one right after the other. These treatments, particularly the whole brain radiation, have had significant long-term side effects.
Immediately after the treatment, my mom was concerned that her hair didn’t grow back completely. It turns out that would be the least of her worries. Her balance slowly started to deteriorate after the end of her treatment. For at least the last three years she’s not been able to drive. Each year she loses more mobility. Today she is only able to walk slowly with the help of a walker. Everyday tasks are difficult and she needs my dad to help with basic care–things a 62 year old woman should not need help with. Her short-term memory and cognitive tasks have been greatly affected, as well.
Yet, despite all of this, there are two things my mom has never lost: faith and hope.
She has hard days. Yes, she can feel sorry for herself sometimes. Yet, I’ve never, not once, heard her question God. Her faith in Him is rock solid. Even though she has trouble with focus and concentration, she continues to participate in Bible studies. Praise for Him is always on her lips and she doesn’t think God is any less good because of what’s happened to her. She knows that suffering is part of being human and God’s love is constant despite our hardships.
She’s also never lost her hope. She believes there is a way to improve her condition and that we just need to find it. I believe that, too. I pray for nothing less than complete healing of her mind and body so she can experience the life she deserves as a wife, mom, and grandmother.
What do we have if we don’t have this faith and hope in our life? My mom’s survival story isn’t exactly the way I pictured it. It’s not perfect. But she’s here! She’s alive! Her faith and hope are alive, too. And so are mine.
Three years ago, I wrote the story about my mom’s cancer diagnosis and treatment. Read it here if you are interested.
Glory to God in the highest! So glad that you and your mom have made this journey still praising God for the good that He wants for each of us. I pray for your mom’s story to bring others to Christ by her great faith and hope. I always say the people that suffer the most on this earth will enjoy heaven the most. Thank you for sharing this story with your readers!
“People that suffer the most on this earth will enjoy heaven the most”–I am going to share that with my mom as I know it will give her peace. Thanks, Connie.
Thank you for sharing. I am currently going through something similar with my mom right now. She has a very long story that I won’t go into. But she is in the hospital right now and has had 3 surgeries in 2 weeks and this last one is her 67 th surgery and she is only 63 years old. I am holding on to all I have and that is faith and hope in God for complete healing for her too. I can very much relate and pray my moon has a success story like your mom has. Hearing how your mom continues her faith in God and is not angry with him has helped me bc I too have bad and good days. But know Gods ways are not ours and his love exceeds all my understanding.
Prayers+positive thoughts for your mom.
Your mom us truly a miracle! So inspiring! Thx so much so sharing. Blessings & healing for your sweet mom! 🙂
Thanks, Leigh Anne. 🙂
I got goosebumps reading your story! I’m so glad she is still here with your family and may she grow stronger every day! xoxo Laura
thank you, Laura.
Well your mom in deed KICKS ASS- I wish she was my MOM, Life is short I just recently lost multiple family members, and as always I am working on my health I just passed my lymphoma and leukemia but was told The test may have been done wrong, I will be going in for biopsies on Wednesday from my esophagus to my colon, I admire you and your mother as I do all this by myself, I have had many epiphany’s this last week or two and realize life is so short and I do wish we were infinite, I keep myself together with herbal therapy….And I will always think positive for you and everyone who truly needs it. Have a celestial healing day and evening!
I wish you healing and peace. Thank you for your kind words.
God bless Margo. She’s forever in my prayers.
Thanks so much, Terri!
your mom sounds like a strong women. Its people like this we should be looking up to. People with faith like this I admire and am just in awe of. There is growth in periods of our life when people around us or us are given circumstances such as this. This is proof that the Lord will never leave us or forsake us. I am praying for her and your family.
Thank you, Annie.
Praying for you, your Mom and your family.
Thank you, Kathryn.