somber news

- There is a lady in my sunday school class whose daughter has been battling cancer for quite a while (I don't know what kind).  I just found out that she passed away yesterday. 

- There is another lady in our class who is wheelchair bound.  She is currently battling cancer that started out as breast cancer and has spread to her bones.  The latest news on her is the bone cancer has stopped growing and is almost gone, but unfortunately,she now has liver cancer and has to start a new chemo.  She starts that tomorrow.  She has 7 kids.  She has been, until recently, working with the children's classes, teaching my boys at church.  Our S.S. class has been taking meals to her twice a week.  It's the very least we can do.  She has an amazing amout of energy and grace, considering.  She says that she hasn't really had the nausea that is typically associated with chemo - but does have some of the other side affects.

- A few weeks ago we had a lady visiting our class who just found out her grown daughter has leukemia and has gone through a lot of treatment but has been hiding it from her family, because she knew how they would react.  With a lot of weeping and blame finding and guilt.  (if I can say, these are actions focused on self, instead of the patient)  I got to talk to her a little, mostly listened.  I tried to reassure her that sometimes cancer happens even though no one in the family has ever had it before, it's not always genetic (why do we need to blame?) and it's not necessarily one single thing environmental - sometimes plastic water bottles are just plastic water bottles.  I haven't seen or talked to her in a while, I hope that her and the rest of her famly are now focused on the daughter and her care and support.  I know that *I* didn't want anyone crying around me.  At least not so early on - if I knew it were my last days, then yes.  But that's just my opinion.  Apparently the daughter felt the same way enough to hide such a huge thing from her family.  We prayed.

Pain and suffering is all around us.  It's not always cancer, but that's what catches my attention of course.  But there is also good news.  My friend is awaiting the birth of a baby that they hope to adopt.  They have one bio son, and an adopted son.  They are longing for a girl to complete their family.  She has lost infant twinsand has gone through some of the same things I have to get her bio son.  It still amazes me just how many people have dealt (I originally wrote suffered then changed it - but I still think suffered fits) with infertility - be it primary or secondary.  Whenever I hear of someone finally pregnant with a long awaited baby, or adopting a child - my heart just leaps with joy.  Yay, yay, yay!