The Gray Life: Update #2 (of 2)

To pick up where I left off at the last post, I paraphrased a C. S. Lewis quote that talks about God being good, but not safe. That quote has never felt more real or true to me than it does now. For those of you who haven't heard, my sweet mom was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer a couple weeks ago.

To give a little background: Mom had breast cancer 19 years ago (I was 9 years old) and she beat it easily with radiation. This time, it's not going to be quite as easy a fight (although she is so strong and we know she will beat it again!!!). She has a rare form of breast cancer that only 5% of breast cancer patients get. The doctors did an MRI and a PET scan to determine if the cancer was contained to the breast, or if it had spread (if it had spread, it would be Stage 4, meaning it would be treatable, but not curable). The doctors believed the MRI results showed that the cancer had spread to her liver. However, they did not tell my parents this right away, as they wanted to get the more conclusive PET scan results first. Before those results, there was a service of prayer and healing for my mom at our home church on Signal Mtn. We made the trip with Jackson to be there, and we are so glad we did. To say that this prayer service was POWERFUL is a total understatement. Can't really be put into words except to say that I left with such a calm assurance from the very real presence of Christ that, whatever happened, God was good and loved Mom even more than I.

The next day, we got the PET scan results back. My dad explained it best in an email to some friends, so here it is:

In talking with both Jackie's surgeon and oncologist, I had been troubled by what seemed, at least to me, to be a more guarded and less optimistic tone. Today, I learned from both of them individually that an MRI done last week appeared to suggest a spread of the disease to the liver. However, the PET scan results we received today showed no spread beyond the affected breast. The PET scan did show a concentration of blood vessels in the liver. It was suggested that this concentration of vessels appeared in the previous test to be cancer but was not. I, however, choose to believe that the prayers of many actually changed the condition of the liver.

Had the cancer spread to vital organs, the prognosis and treatment plan would have shifted from eliminating the disease to attempting to limit its spread so as to extend her life. Now, a full cure is still possible.

Jackie's condition remains serious and we are by no means out of the woods. However, by what I believe to be the grace of God, she can continue treatment with the hope and expectation that it will be rid from her body. Praise be to God!

I absolutely believe God worked a miracle and healed mom from liver cancer due to the prayers of his people. (He is good!) But, mom still has Stage 3 breast cancer (He is not safe!). But, I never thought I'd be so happy for a Stage 3 cancer diagnoses...

Mom has already begun chemo, bought a rockin' wig that she will look gorgeous in, and will have a mastectomy after chemo, perhaps followed up by even more treatment of some sort. The road will be long, but mom is strong (yes, that rhymes) :) and we claim that she will beat breast cancer once again!!

Here are some great photos of mom with Jackson. She spent nearly 2 weeks with us after he was born (before her diagnoses), and we could NOT have done it without her! What precious time Jackson (and Ryan and I) had with her!