Friends, I come to you with a prayer request that I never thought I would have to make regarding a family member. For the first time, that I can remember, someone in my family may be battling cancer. My husband's stepmother, Kathy, went to see her gynecologist on Tuesday. He said that there was a mass on her cervix and her uterus. He sent her to see another gyno in a bigger city about 40 miles north. That doctor, after examining her, said that he is 90% certain that it is cancer. She went, after that, to about 6 other specialists to have tests run to be sure that this hasn't spread. Well, we all know how doctors work, she is still waiting for these results, and has to go to Detroit on the 14th (why they can't get her in sooner is beyond me) to see a gynocological oncologist. She has a few other tests that she has to have done before this date, as well. She, obviously, is scared witless! I am too, I have never had, to my knowledge (they may have when I was a child), a family member facing this. Please, pray for her. I'll keep you updated as I hear more.

Angie, although I already told you this when you called me, I will keep Kathy & the whole family in my prayers.

I guess you forgot my dad died from renal cell cancer.
He was flabbergasted that you came all the way fvrom Muskegon just to say goodbye to him.

I know I'll never forget.
Before you were born we had a scare with your mom, we thought she might have breast cancer, but it turned out to be a fatty tisue mass.
It was removed and she has been going ever since.

Didn't know that about grandpa, I just know I had to come and say goodbye. I knew about mom, but that was before I was born...

Tomorrow is Kathy's appt. She is making the drive to Detroit today, tho, so she isn't exhausted when she goes to the actual appt. Her friend up where she lives has a relative in Detroit that is going to put them up for the night. I'm asking you all to pray for her tomorrow, without ceasing. I don't know when her appt. is tomorrow, but as soon as I hear anything, I will give you an update. Thank you all for your prayers.

Keep us posted.

Well, she went to the doc today. They told her that she has stage 2 cervical cancer. Meaning... they don't see the point in doing a hystorectomy (sp?) because it won't get rid of all of it. It has spread to her vaginal area. She will need chemotherapy and radiation treatment to get this. The doc is optimistic that they can beat it... Kathy is not. She keeps telling Denny, my father-in-law what she wants him to do with her body after she dies. She is headed for depression and there is only One who can help her. Pray for her, please. She is just beginning her ordeal. I wish I had good news, but this is it...

Angie,

I am sorry to hear that is has turned out to be cancer. My late husband died of cancer also 11 years ago. Don't remember if you said if she is a Christian or not. Does she have the blessed hope of Christ's soon return to take us all home and the resurrection of those who love Him? She will be in our prayers. This cancer sure does not care who it gets does it?

Avalee, I really don't know how to answer that question... She professes to be Catholic but does not attend. She believes in God and asked my husband, for me, specifically, to put her on any and all prayer lists. So, I think she does have a part in her that knows that if it is God's will, He can heal her... I just don't know how deep that knowledge runs. And, no, it really doesn't care who it hurts... I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of Jesus to remove this pain and suffering. God bless you all and have a Happy Sabbath, I know I'm trying to...

Hey, guys! I just had to let you know what's been going on with Kathy. I talked to her last night and she told me that she is going to fight this cancer with everything that she has. She also told me that she has drawn closer to God because of this and that she has looonnnnggg talks with Him everyday. Her husband works 2nd shift and so after he leaves for work, she talks to God. She told me that she has accepted this, she knows that she is partially at fault that it got this far... Most of you know that women should go for an annual exam, well they test for this cancer as well as other things. She said she has not been to have one of these exams since her youngest child was born... He's 24. I guess I'm gonna use this opportunity to give the women of this forum something to think about. She told me that if she had gone to her exams every year, this could have been caught in time to be able to have a hysterectomy and the chemo and radiation could have been avoided. My next stop is at the women's only forum... Bless you all for your continuted prayers in this situation.

I want give you an idea as to what Kathy is going to be going through in the months ahead. Forgive me, but I had to use words in here that may make some uncomfortable. I am talking about a woman's reproductive organs... I can't call them anything but what they are... That said, she starts radiation Monday. Before that happens, the same day, she has to have a PET scan, don't ask me what it is because I don't know. All I can tell you is that she has to drink a sugary substance and that after that they will scan her body to see if this sugary substance has adhered itself anywhere in her body. If it has, they will know that the cancer has spread. Now, like I said, she starts radiation Monday, on Tuesday, she has to have a chest x-ray and then radiation again. She may possibly start chemo on Wednesday, depends on how these scans go. If she does, it will be for 8 hours, and she will have to have her kidneys flushed the entire time to prevent them from shutting down. Then, the end of November, beginning of December, she will have to travel, oh, by the way, she also has to drive 45 miles one way to get this radiation Monday thru Friday, she will be then travelling 145 miles one way to a doctor twice a week so that she can have a radioactive isotope put up her vagina and attached to the mass, so that it can radiate beams of radiation to the mass. She is looking at 2-7 of these treatments. The mass on her cervix is about the size of a tennis ball. Some of the side effects of this isotope are irritation to the intestines and the bowels. This isn't anything to mess around about and it all could have been prevented...

Friends, I found out today that Kathy's cancer has spread. It is also in her stomach, lymph glands and adrenal glands. I don't know if she will be continuing with radiation or chemo. I don't even know if it will work for her. I don't know if the doctors will even want to do that, if they feel it will do any good. I pray she will get better, but with these odds... I don't know. Please pray.

Her physical situation is very important, and we need to pray about that, however, her spiritual condition is even more important, therefore, we also need to pray that she will allow the Lord to heal her spiritually which will also help her in her physical problem.

Absolutely, Daryl. I can see by the weather changes and strange days we have been having that it won't be all that much longer... He will be coming soon and I pray for the spiritual well-being of everyone. I get so scared thinking about what could happen to each and every one of us. I was so scared last night because we had horrible winds here and all I could think about was what if something happens and I don't make it to see another day? Am I ready? I prayed for almost an hour last night for everyone I could think about. I haven't heard from Kathy or my father-in-law, but my husband, Jay, told me that with the wind storms going on, they lost power to their home. I don't know if it has come back on or not. She has been thru so much and now to lose another comfort most of us take for granted. Well, I've rambled enough for one evening. God bless you all!

Well, she had a checkup today... They told her that they can't see anything on her cervix and they didn't see anything in her belly. Today was her last day for chemo/radiation. They will wait until February to see if it truly is gone... The scar tissue has to have time to heal. Keep her in your prayers. It's not quite over yet.

Amen!!!

yes Daryl, AMEN!
(I like your clapping hands, do you ever use them in worship?? Opps that's another thread )

Yes, the absence of cancer following chemo and radiation therapy really makes this a miracle of God: those threatments deserve their infamy and God has earned the glory, yet again...

God has also provided the basis for non-toxic herbal treatment and preventative therapy - not a cure - for many cancers, with Amygdalin, contained in Laetrile as found in the pips of apricots, peaches, plums and apples - it's that bitter taste, and better known as vitamin B-17. It is controversial with the cancer research people who publish strong reservations, but the fuller story is available here, for example (from a word search on "laetrile therapy") http://www.1cure4cancer.com/controlcancer/information/laetrile.htm

This alternative therapy (not complementary) is backed by many medical doctors, and requires close control and supervision, not just purely DIY homecare, but can be done at home....

Angie's Kathy may wish more information for her situation for from now on...