As I type away, I’m enjoying Christmas lights strung around the windows, across the balconies, and over the fireplace of our family room. We didn’t start decorating Christmas early this year, and they weren’t left up from last year’s festivities if you’re wondering. Instead, they were hung a little over a month ago for a celebration. You see, on September 2 my husband went through a bone marrow transplant. Early last February, he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. I cannot begin to tell you what it was like to hear those words, “You have cancer.” We were paralyzed for weeks. Amid a pandemic, it just drew us deeper under a rock.
It took almost a month to start radiation. Then there were 12 weeks of chemotherapy. Treatment was intertwined with numerous doctor visits and tests that were not only uncomfortable but a bit intimidating. Then what seemed to be like forever, but then came so quickly, was the transplant. It took two weeks of tests and five days of collecting stem cells to prepare. The real challenge came in the hospital with the transplant—two days of intense chemo, a day of rest, the actual transplant day, and then 2 weeks of recovery. And now, he’s home. We are on the other side, staring back in amazement at where we’ve been, not sure how to put into words or even how we feel about it all. But one thing we know for sure, God carried us.
In those early days, only one or two people knew. They committed to pray for us daily. They prayed continuously. Whatever they were doing, they kept praying. It didn’t take long to feel the results of their prayers. God doesn’t promise that we can “feel” prayers or even “feel” His presence because God wants us to trust Him, but many times, He allows us to feel. Those initial emotions of fear and shock slowly faded to trust and even hope. I remember thinking in early spring that we were in the middle of this horrible situation, but I felt such peace that I knew I wasn’t grasping the real severity of the situation. Even Todd was more concentrated on following the doctor’s orders than realizing the doses of poison going in him. God was listening and acting. We were learning to focus on each day while not dwelling on the next. Only God.
What have I learned? I’ve learned that God hears our prayers. He hears my prayer. He hears your prayers. He hears us when we pray for ourselves. He hears us when we pray for each other. I want you to know that praying for a good outcome is important, but remember, our prayers are just as important for helping the person through their difficulties. Even though I sent updates about my husband, there were many things Todd went through that I never shared. But because of prayer, God carried him, and He carried me too. Yes, we are celebrating because God allowed Todd to get to remission. But we are also celebrating with thanksgiving friends that continue to pray and make a difference. I encourage you to make a difference. Be a warrior of prayer for others.
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 1 Timothy 2:1