Thoughts on Cancer – A blessing

It was exactly 26 years go that a young woman made the decision to join our little family by marrying our youngest son.  I had no idea at that time how her decision would affect me so many years later.  But I’m certain God did.

When I received my cancer diagnosis about 9 months ago, I was shell-shocked.  It took some time for me to absorb.  And coming on top of diagnosis for diabetes, osteoarthritis, bad discs in my lower back, and syringomyelia, well, 2013 was not a good year for me health-wise.  But now God’s plan would start to emerge.

From my first day of chemotherapy, Janette has been a rock for me.  She has become such an integral part of my life that I can’t imagine it without her.  She drives me to every appointment, picks up my medications, and explains how to take them when I forget. When I start to lose my balance, her right arm is there to steady me.  She comforts me when I have bouts of depression.  She is my patient advocate with my oncology doctor, speaking with him regarding any side effect from my medication.  She picks up groceries, mows the yard, and makes the best potato salad this side of heaven.  All this she does even though she suffers from her own medical condition which at times I’m certain is very painful for her.  But she never complains.  It’s as if God took my Guardian Angel and made her flesh.

It is said that what you offer to God is returned to you a hundredfold.  I do hope that is the case.  I really don’t know if Janette is a religious person, but I believe she is filled with the Holy Spirit and I pray for her daily.  My words of thank you to her, though sincere, are not enough.  Each day I ask God to bless her for all she does for me.  I don’t know what I or Jeannie would do without her.  I’m just so very grateful that she made her decision to join our family 26 years ago.