I would like to borrow these two well-known and defining acronyms from history to help in processing what is happening in our family right now. The defining date for us that separates these two is January 25th, 2012. That is the date my daughter Stephanie found out she has cancer.
So for me, B.C. stands for Before Cancer, and A.D. stands for After Diagnosis. When Stephanie continued to have unexplained medical symptoms over the course of this past year, she would not accept doctors who told her she needed more rest, or should take more vitamin D. She continued to seek out further medical testing and I thank God she did. After a PAP smear finally showed the presence of cervical cancer, there was relief over finally having a correct diagnosis. Now she knew what it was, she could begin a process to "fix" it.
But our A.D. has been anything but smooth. Every time there has been further news from the doctors, it has been worse news. From cervical cancer, with surgery as the solution, we went to metastasized cancer, with at least one lymph node infected by the cancer. From there, we have had biopsy results reveal the cancer is a rare and aggressive cancer, resistive to treatment, called endocrine-neuro cancer, which requires basically throwing everything at it to try and get rid of it - chemotherapy and radiation, right away, and over the course of the next 6 months.
Our A.D. world has been completely redefined by her cancer. Nothing is the same.
So many things that were important before her diagnosis have become so much less important now. Our jobs. Getting our home ready to sell. Keeping up with the laundry. Going to the gym each morning. Eating regular meals.
Our priorities have completely shifted. Now, these are the things that are important to us: Taking care of her and her husband's needs. Finding out as much as possible about her cancer and the treatment regiment needed. Organizing meals. Getting her to the hospital, to doctors appointments. We want to be sure we are there for her at every turn.
Through it all, we have drawn even closer to God and to our faith in His ultimate goodness in our lives. His Word has become our daily sustenance. Prayer has become a way of life. The encouragement of others who have stepped forward to walk this path with us has become as precious as gold to us.
God has ministered to us in our pain, in our uncertainty, in powerful ways. He is our strength, our comfort, our rock. He is working good...always! The story Stephanie is telling through her blog, derailingmydiagnosis.wordpress.com, is being followed by hundreds of people already. Her journey of faith has gone viral, reaching to people all over our nation, all over the world!
We don't know what the future holds. The road will be long and difficult. But we are learning so much, and there is so much more to learn. Lessons from the caring hand of our loving Heavenly Father.
Speak, Lord. You have our attention.
