I Hate Cancer

I've hit that point in life where I am hearing some sort of bad news about friends on a fairly regular basis, particularly relating to their health. It seems almost daily that someone I know is having hip surgery or a knee replacement, some type of scan or scope for this or that or they've just been diagnosed with diabetes or they've been told they have blocked arteries and need stents... it's always something and sometimes the news is difficult to bear. Earlier today, as I was preparing to shut down my computer and get ready to leave for an appointment, I noticed that our weekly Intercessory Prayer list had just arrived in my inbox. Normally I receive the list on Wednesday, but assumed that our Associate Pastor must have had something going on yesterday that made her late in getting out the list. I was right. She did does have something going on.

I opened the list, wanting to quickly read through it to make sure there were no new concerns that I was unaware of when I noticed that my friend was on the list along with her family and a note indicating she had just been diagnosed with breast cancer. I shut down the computer, picked up the phone and decided I would cancel the appointment if needed (it wasn't) and stayed on the phone to talk to this wonderful woman who has already faced many concerns in her life. I found her calm, realistic and prepared to face what she will have to go through to fight the monster. She knows she is facing surgery, and will most likely have a 'simple' mastectomy (as if any mastectomy is simple). She won't know for certain until she sees a surgeon and will probably still not know for sure what the full extent of the surgery will be until they actually get in and are able to assess the extent of the disease. Further treatment will be determined based on what they find during the surgery. Chemotherapy and/or radiation will likely be a part of her life in the near future.

This woman and I became a good friends, growing closer as we supported each other in past months while our mutual friend Margaret was fighting her final battle. She was a wonderful counsel and a source of comfort for me during that time and I pray that I will be able to serve her as well as she served me now that the need is so large in her life. I pray that I have the right words when necessary and that I will know when words are unnecessary. I pray for insight and wisdom and strength but mostly I am once again praying for a friend... I hate cancer!