Monday, November 19, 2012

"Mama, the Dr called.....

.....and she said I do have breast cancer and all she said was it was very aggressive breast cancer.", Leslie poured out so blatently from the other end of the phone line.
(Leslie is my 31 year old, age 30 at the time)
This was on a cold rainy day, February 16, 2012.
The day I thought my world had surely came to an end.
 
Fast forward to today
November 19, 2012
.........
Today was Leslie's last cancer treatment!!
She endured a bilateral mastectomy in March,
6 rounds of chemotherapy,
breast implant surgery
and today finished up 28 rounds of daily radiation treatments.
WOOOOOOOOTTTTT!!!!!!!
 
.........
 
This past 9 months have been a roller coaster ride of lows....way down low....nope even lower than that.....
and highs....very high highs!! Higher, higher.....HIGHER!!
When you can reach out and touch God, then you are at the right level of high!
However, God was right by our side at all points along the way, the lowest of places he was there to lift us all up and at the highest points he was still right there beside us as we rejoiced for His works!
 
Leslie's faith in her Savior can not even be described in words. Not from me anyway, I am a writer, blogger, motor mouth (as my dearest calls me so often) and photographer. I am a blogger and facebooker and I am very transparent. Yes, transparent! That's me. What you see is what you get with me. I don't hide anything. I have always gotten in trouble for that little flaw but I still bear all, tell all, share it with everyone is my motto! Don't get me wrong I can keep a secret when I need to, unless it is the secret of Christmas gifts for my children, they need to know asap what I have gotten them! LOLOLOL
 
God really does work in mysterious ways.
I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason even though as a human I question his plan very often. Then out of the blue He comes through with a subtle explanation of His plan in the funniest of ways so I keep my faith in him and trust and lean on his power thru it all!
 
..........
Leslie's amazing support group has been such a big help to her and all of us.
We all gained a brand new church and an awesome church family thru this disease.
(possibly to be considered one of the HIGHEST points along this roller coaster ride)
The new church's pastor came into our lives from out of the blue and is such a close friend and spiritual leader. We all love him and he has been right by our sides from the first Sunday after her dreaded call from the Dr. Danny and I were led to attend this new church and we haven't missed a Sunday since that gloomy weekend in February.
I am pretty proud of that accomplishment.
Fighting Ole Satan off can be pretty hard some Sunday mornings but we know what a blessing always comes from our Sunday morning service at Slate Mountain Presbyterian Church!
We are thankful that Leslie and her family are there to worship with us and our sweet Morgan, all under one roof! That makes a Mama happy, ya know!
 
..........
Leslie has always been loved by so many people, I don't think the child has ever had an ememy in her whole life. Her friends and family have showered her with so much over the past 9 months, food, cards, prayers, love, company, gifts, benefits, money, prayers, etc etc etc......
and more prayers!
Yeah, she likes those prayers!!
We like her to be prayed over, too!!!
There have been people in her past who she had not seen nor spoke to since school and they came in jumping thru hoops to help wherever they could.
Family, same way, some that we never get to see have sent cards, gifts, prayers, etc etc.
Some that we never thought cared at all about us little people have rallyed together for a greater good.
Some, on the other hand, who should be there totally gave up on us and chose not to honor the family oath. Leslie does not deserve that treatment. Those people have been tossed to the wayside and are no longer burdening my life. I have way to much living and negative people don't have any room in my life.
Tired of wasting time begging for love from them and now I just continue to pray for them to see the light one day. I just wish they would stop talking about us in the mean time....that's all I have to say about that!
There have been so many in our extended families who have been brought closer together for one common bond, Leslie! For that I am eternally thankful!!
 
..........
Now that her treatments are over, she still has some minor cosmetic surgery and a port to be surgically removed someday, but her big job is to remain cancer free for 75 years!!!
Help me to continue to ask God to take care of my sweet Leslie and her little family!
She has so much to live for and she is a fighter and a winner!!
 
Thanks to all of you who have had any part in this battle!
May God richly bless you all!!!
 Robin, Leslie and I will be celebrating tomorrow!
Big celebration!!
Big!
Huge!
BIG!!!
love you guys,
becky
She was all smiles this morning after that last treatment!