Welcome to my random thoughts. There is absolutely no telling where I will go or what I will cover in this blog. I find myself on a unique journey at almost 43 years old. I am raising my eight month old granddaughter and I will soon begin to walk with my mother on her SECOND lung cancer journey. My granddaughter is a blessing but she reminds me just how old I am most days. J She is a blessing to my mother as well. Keeps her young and keeps her fighting. It is very likely that this blog will be my way of processing my mother’s journey, processing my feelings. So to start, I’ll back up a few years and start from the beginning.

 

My name is Susan and four years ago this past February, my mom (Linda) was diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer in her right lung. We were very blessed. It was caught early – Stage I – and through surgical intervention alone, the cancer was removed. She lost the bottom lobe of her right lung. She needed no chemo or radiation. God provided us such a miracle. The surgery was rough but she made it through – she’s a tough little bird – and on we went. My mother who had literally stayed sick for years suddenly became the picture of health. No hospitalizations, no use of oxygen, nothing. It was nothing short of amazing. Slowly but surely her check-ups went from three months to every six months to yearly.

Fast forward to December 25^th, 2013; we find my mom hospitalized in the worse shape she’s been in in years. She spent 11 days in the hospital – 7 of those in ICU trying her best to stay of the ventilator. Fast forward to February – time for our yearly CT scan. She did not get a passing grade. And so the testing began. PET scan – positive. Well that sucks. Bronchoscopy done – shows staph in the lungs. Well that sucks. Right now we’re waiting to have PFT’s (lunch function tests) done on Monday the 31^st to see if they are strong enough for her to handle the surgery to do the biopsy. After that we hope to schedule surgery for the 7^th. Then we will set up her treatment plan.

Needless to say this is not the path I had chosen for myself at this juncture in my life but God knew I would be here. He knew what I would need to make it down the path and He will give me the strength to hold my mother’s hand wherever this takes us so that she’s not alone! We are fighters! Our strength is in Jesus.

Our song is Overcomer by Mandisa. The words are below. Maybe they will inspire you.

Staring at a stop sign

Watching people drive by
T mac on the radio
Got so much on your mind
Nothing's really going right
Looking for a ray of hope

Whatever it is you may be going through

I know he's not gonna let it get the best of you
You're an overcomer
Stay in the fight 'til the final round
You're not going under
'Cause God is holding you right now
You might be down for a moment
Feeling like it's hopeless
That's when he reminds you
That you're an overcomer
You're an overcomer
 
Everybody's been down
Hit the bottom, hit the ground
Ooh, You're not alone
Just take a breath, don't forget
Hang on to his promises
He wants you to know

You're an overcomer

Stay in the fight 'til the final round
You're not going under
'Cause God is holding you right now
You might be down for a moment
Feeling like it's hopeless
That's when he reminds you
That you're an overcomer
You're an overcomer

The same man, the great I am

The one who overcame death
Is living inside of you
So just hold tight, fix your eyes
On the one who holds your life
There's nothing he can't do
He's telling you

You're an overcomer

Stay in the fight 'til the final round
You're not going under
'Cause God is holding you right now
You might be down for a moment
Feeling like it's hopeless
That's when he reminds you
That you're an overcomer
You're an overcomer