This month, byFaith, The Web Magazine of the Presbyterian Church of America has an article about 36-year-old Laura Black who is fighting cancer. Laura Black: Courage Through Cancer tells how this married, woman of three, is meeting her challenge with hope. After she had been cancer free for 8 months, she found out in the spring of 2008 that her breast cancer had metastasized to her lungs. Her blog at CaringBridge, with over 356,000 visits, tells more of her story. Read her journal there and see how God is working. Pray for this woman who in the midst of her pain is giving God the glory.
Battling Cancer with Courage and Faith: Laura Black
Cancer’s Reach
I have been on both sides of the cancer issue. I have had family members who died from it.
My dad died of brain cancer. My sister and I were away on a Young Life weekend but family members had noticed some signs of a stroke so Dad was admitted to the hospital for tests on Sunday. My aunts and uncle rushed us kids to the hospital Monday after school and Dad started having convulsions before we even got there. There was much confusion that night and I, 16 years old knew something was going on. My aunt did take me up to my Dad’s hospital room and I saw him laying there with our pastor, my mom, and two uncles around him. He was still having convulsions. Dad had surgery early Tuesday for a brain tumor, that was found to be malignant. He was in a coma and I visited him with my mom. Two and a half weeks later he died, never having come out of the coma.
My grandmother had stomach cancer and after her surgery she lived at our house. My uncle came each day to clean out her wound. I couldn’t believe you could see into her stomach. After the wound closed, my grandmother wanted to go back to her apartment in the city. She knew she was dying and wanted to make sure everything was straight in her apartment. She died there within a month.
Aunt Grace, who lived next door to us on the farm, found a lump and they found out she had breast cancer. I remember something as simple as not being able to put her arm over her head after the surgery became an issue. She had slept with that arm over her head and now she couldn’t. So in addition to all the other concerns she had, now she also had trouble sleeping. She died that year and it was hard on the family, especially for my grandmother who had now lost two children.
I have also had close friends who have had cancer.
My school’s secretary found out she had ovarian cancer not long after I started working there. Cathy went through chemo and tried all kinds of healthy food alternatives. She knew she was dying but lived out her life with joy and peace, working as long as possible. She regularly would get friends together for canasta games. I cherished those special times we all spent together laughing. As her disease progressed her goal was to be able to go to her oldest son’s graduation. She was able to do that. My last time with her was a few days before she died. I had just come home from the hospital for a hysterectomy. Cathy had called me before the surgery as I had a 3 cm cyst in my ovary which needed to be removed. We did not know whether it was cancerous or not at the time and she called to encourage me. We also had the same doctor. Well, my cyst turned out to be a teratoma and not cancer. I left the hospital and a few days later Cathy was admitted so I went to visit. She was really weak but we talked for a few minutes. She had heard that I did not have cancer and was so happy for me. Even in the last moments she was looking out for others. She died a few days later surrounded by her family and pastor singing hymns.
After my cancer, another close friend, Teresa, the school’s new secretary found out she had breast cancer. I was so glad I could be there to help her through her journey. We went to the same oncology center and I visited her during a few of the chemo treatments. She later had radiology which I didn’t. The good news is that she is now a 5+ year survivor.
You may know someone who is dealing with cancer. Cancer’s reach is more than just one person. It affects their family, but also their friends and colleagues. How can you help? In the weeks to come I plan to give you insight into some of the things that those with cancer encounter and how best to help them and their family during the journey.
How has cancer touched you?
MLB Playoffs
The regular season of Major League Baseball ended dramatically. As an Oriole fan I was thrilled we were able to play the spoiler. Though I look forward to a better season next year for my O’s, I am now watching the playoffs.
On Bleacher Report, featured columnist Joe Reuter developed a slideshow, MLB Playoffs: 50 Greatest Moments in Baseball Postseason History. I remember some of these games, having watched them on television but many, like the one involving Jackie Robinson I have only read about. Continue to root for your favorite team in the postseason and take a few minutes to enjoy these historical moments of America’s Pastime.
What team are you rooting for?
The Sabbath: Psalm 73: 15-20
Psalm 73 (Psalm 73: 1-14)
15If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
16But when I thought how to understand this,
it seemed to me a wearisome task,
17until I went into the sanctuary of God;
then I discerned their end.
18Truly you set them in slippery places;
you make them fall to ruin.
19How they are destroyed in a moment,
swept away utterly by terrors!
20Like a dream when one awakes,
O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.
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He kept up a respect for God’s people and with that he restrained himself from speaking what he thought amiss, v. 15.
It is bad to think ill, but it is worse to speak it, for that is giving the evil thought a imprimatur — a sanction; it is allowing it, giving consent to it, and publishing it for the infection of others. But it is a good sign that we repent of the evil imagination of the heart if we suppress it, and the error remains with ourselves. If therefore thou hast been foolish as to think evil, be so wise as to lay thy hand upon thy mouth, and let it go no further.
There are many great things, and things needful to be known, which will not be known otherwise than by going into the sanctuary of God, by the word and prayer. The sanctuary must therefore be the resort of a tempted soul.
Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible, Psalm LXXIII, vs. 15-21, highlights
You’re Still Beautiful
When my sisters came to South Carolina for my breast surgery they hung around for a week or so and one night I decided I would cut my hair short before chemo. Everything I had read said that it was hard for women to roll over on their pillows and see long pieces of hair that had fallen out after chemo. My nephew, Camden was there and my sister, Diane cut my hair. Karen, my other sister was keeping longer pieces of the cut hair so she could make me a headband of my real hair. I could wear it under hats. It was a fun time and I had a nice hair cut before my first chemo.
My sisters left and my friend, Jan went with me to my first chemo. I was back teaching as I had missed the first week of school due to my surgery. I wanted my class to be a part of this so I decided that I would get a buzz cut at school. My friend, Bertram works for The State newspaper and he called another reporter who covers human interest stories who called me about for an interview. She and a photographer were going to come to the event.
So between the first and second chemo treatment, on a beautiful fall day I scheduled “Hair Today, Bald Tomorrow”. All classes, teachers and parents were invited to meet in the quad area for a hair cutting celebration. First, I wanted to show them how my hair was falling out. No one really knew I was already losing hair but I when pulled on my hair and a chunk came out you could hear gasps from students, parents and teachers. I then showed the students a poster I had created about hair follicles and explained how the hair gets started and grows and then chemo comes and kills it. This cycle continues throughout the chemo process.
A parent then give me a buzz cut. It was interesting to watch the faces. The older students, parents and students understood but some of the younger students were laughing. I kidded around with the parent who was cutting my hair. I was then given a mirror and laughed with them. It just looked like a pretty short hair cut.
We then sang a song, God You are My God, as I played the guitar and our principal closed in prayer. I saw the looks on my closest friends, on the teachers I had worked with for nine years and my niece, who made sure she stopped by. I was so glad I had experienced this with them. One of the teachers taped it so I could share it with my family members who couldn’t be there.
Afterward some of the classes wanted pictures taken with me and my class was photographed for the newspaper. As we were getting ready for dismissal and my third graders were talking about my hair cut. Earlier, the fellows didn’t think it was a big deal because they get buzz cuts all the time but the girls understood. The reality hit them all though once they saw me.
Another teacher came and took my class for dismissal. My niece stayed with me. We were talking when Caleb, one of my students came back into the classroom and said he wanted to tell me something. “Miss Hidey, you don’t look like I expected but you’re still beautiful”. What a special moment that was. I thanked him for coming back and sharing that with me as it meant so much. I gave him a big hug. Sarah was so glad she was there and we both had tears in our eyes as Caleb left. How wise Caleb was and I have since thanked him again for coming back and saying that to me. He is now a senior in high school.
The State newspaper ran a big write-up with lots of pictures the following day. They included a conversation that Nickie, one of the girls in my class, had with me. It seems that a lot of the students were thinking the same way.
Nickie made a point of reassuring her teacher before the outdoor assembly started. “Miss Hidey,” she said, “you’re still going to be beautiful.” Oct. 10, 2002; Teacher makes her treatment part of lesson by Dawn Hinshaw, © 2001 thestate and wire service sourcesI was so glad I made a special celebration of it all. It brought us all together and made what could have been an awkward thing a special moment that I got to share with people who meant so much to me.
With cancer you may look different, and maybe it is not what people expect, but you’re still beautiful. Celebrate those special moments.
Pink Glove Dance
My house in South Carolina is less than 10 minutes from Lexington Medical Center. I had my MRI there. I also visited my friend Teresa, a fellow breast cancer survivor, when she was hospitalized there. Cast your vote for this team in the Pink Glove Dance Competition. I am so thankful for the health care workers who helped me during my breast cancer journey.
This is My Father’s World
New Hampshire, USA
Check the beautiful photography of Peter Adams at Padamsphoto. I have always been fascinated with the trees: the variety, their structure and majesty. Adams has several in his Natural World section. On his website click on Home and find other wonderful photos in all the sections but I also really liked the aerial photographs. This is my Father’s world and there is so much beauty to behold.
The Sabbath: Psalm 73
Psalm 73:1-14
A Psalm of Asaph.
1Truly God is good to Israel,to those who are pure in heart.
2But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
my steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4For they have no pangs until death;
their bodies are fat and sleek.
5They are not in trouble as others are;
they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.
6Therefore pride is their necklace;
violence covers them as a garment.
7Their eyes swell out through fatness;
their hearts overflow with follies.
8They scoff and speak with malice;
loftily they threaten oppression.
9They set their mouths against the heavens,
and their tongue struts through the earth.
10Therefore his people turn back to them,
and find no fault in them.
11And they say, “How can God know?
Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12Behold, these are the wicked;
always at ease, they increase in riches.
13All in vain have I kept my heart clean
and washed my hands in innocence.
14For all the day long I have been stricken
and rebuked every morning.
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The faith even of strong believers may sometimes be sorely shaken and ready to fail them. These are storms that will try the firmest anchors.
See here what it is to be religious; it is to cleanse our hearts, in the first place by repentance and regeneration, and then to wash our hands in innocency by a universal reformation of our lives. It is not in vain to do this, not in vain to serve God and keep his ordinances; but good men have been sometimes tempted to say, “It is in vain,” and “Religion is a thing that there is nothing to be got by”, because they see wicked people in prosperity. But, however the thing may appear now, when the pure in heart, those blessed ones, shall see God (Matthew 5:8), they will not say that they cleansed their hearts in vain.
Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible, Psalm LXXIII, vs. 1-14, highlights
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
In October you will be seeing people wearing pink ribbons for breast cancer awareness. I will be one of those people because I am a nine-year breast cancer survivor. This month I will be writing more about my journey. Read my post of how it started at It is Cancer.
The American Cancer Society is an excellent source to find out more about breast cancer.
Women in World War II
Life magazine photojournalist Margaret Bourke-White wears high-altitude flying gear in front of an Allied airplane Flying Fortress airplane during a World War II assignment in February 1943. (AP Photo)
The Atlantic Monthly is in the midst of a 20 part perspective on World War II. This past week, Part 13 World War II: Women at War was posted. Women in the United States volunteered throughout the war and many worked in the factories, replacing the men who were sent overseas. This really changed our workforce forever. This photo log shows more than just American women and you see how women on both sides of the war were involved.
