Friends For The Journey

… Joseph found a place for his bag in the back of the plane and as he neared we saw the young couple’s dilemma…they wanted to sit together but had not been able to get seats together, so Joseph traded with the young man. The young woman apologized but I told her it was fine, that we’d been married 36 years, so two hours wasn’t going to hurt us.

As we landed in Miami, she said she was afraid of flying, so I told her my how my mom tells everyone she can only die once and refuses to let fear keep her from doing things she wants to do. Laurie (the young woman) said that was a good attitude and began to talk about other fears then.

I told her about being diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer and given about a year to live, but that it had been almost 5 years now. I told her I believe in God and know that my times are in His hands.. Her eyes grew wide as we talked and awaited our turn to deplane.

I mentioned that one of my daughters is an Air Traffic Control Trainee at MIA and she said, “Oh, you have children!” I told her the doctors had told us we would never have children, but God had given us four. She asked if I even believed the doctor anymore, I just told her I chose to put my faith in God instead. I told her about the doctor giving my dad 6 months to live and how God answered my prayers and gave him fifteen more years of life.

As we stood to leave, I said, “Laurie, difficult times will come, but we can still thank God and enjoy each day He gives us. She said her mother had died of breast cancer. “I’m sorry,” I said “and I’m sure she would want you to enjoy your life, especially your little boy and not let fear steal away your joy. Life is too short to be afraid.” “You’re right,” she said. “Thank you, so much” and she smiled for the first time as she and her husband walked away. Joseph asked what had happened when he saw tears in my eyes…“I just feel grateful that God allowed me to be a vessel of His love to a young woman,” I said.

I am doing well. The endocrinologist told us that I have adrenal insufficiency (normal is 7.5, mine is less than 1) caused by the higher doses of steroids I have been on for my kidneys for the last 6 months and all I can do at this point is continue taking them because my body cannot produce them on its own, while keeping an eye on side effects such as osteoporosis and cataracts (the eye doctor said cataracts were beginning in the back of my eyes, indicating they were caused by the steroids). I may be looking at eye surgery in the next few months since my vision is getting worse. He said there is less than 10% chance of my body beginning to produce adrenalin on its own again. I am on a different med for my kidneys to see if it will help (spirolactone). The chemo I am on right now (Navelbine) continues to shrink the tumors as verified by the PET scan and two of my tumor markers are at zero. They don’t use the word remission with metastatic cancer, but I am holding my own at this point and continue to enjoy each day the Lord gives me.

Blessings,
Debbie