As I look back a year ago, one of the hardest things I had to do was tell my parents and my children that I had cancer. When I told my Dad and Step-mother, we were still trying to figure things out, and I did not have the full information. I remember my Dad having a look on his face of fear and shock when I broke the news. I asked my Dad to share with me (and you) what a parent goes through when given such devastating news. Here is my Dad's account of what happened.
My Daughter Has Cancer!
When a loved one tells you that there is something important to say and arranges a time to meet, you wonder what it could be about. Many scenarios run through your mind but cancer was not even a thought. Well, that word became a reality when my daughter, Sandy, arranged to meet with my wife Sandy and I.
Upon hearing the news, it leaves you stunned. An overwhelming feeling comes over you with fear and dread. It seems, every waking moment, even in the middle of the night, the thought consumes you. Questions are unanswered for a time and all you can do is pray that when they are, there will be an encouraging answer. You think about how much Sandy means to you, the gravity of it to all of us and how it is out of our hands to do anything about it. You turn to friends that you know are in touch with the Lord, especially ones that are a part of prayer groups or chains. You ask them to pray for Sandy and the up-coming meeting with doctors at City of Hope.
And then we have the meeting with the doctors and the preliminary diagnosis is given. Adeno Carcinoma? What is that all about? Sandy and I go on the Internet for answers. We cling to every encouraging bit of information but there still is a mystery about where the origin of this type of cancer can be. More prayer concerning this is all we can do. We witness the tests that Sandy has to endure and the sadness in seeing her having to deal with the pain, both physical and emotional. I just want to be there with her, hold her in my arms and be a comfort to her throughout this ordeal.
This whole on-going experience results in intensity in your prayer life. You find yourself more in touch with the Lord, as He is the only one who can bring comfort in a situation like this. It also brings you in touch with your friends, especially ones that you do not see on a regular basis. In addition, this emphasizes how important it is to be prayerful about others that have concerns.
If there can be anything positive in an experience like this, it is how proud I am in seeing how my daughter has turned this into a powerful ministry to touch lives for the Lord instead of going on with feelings of worry and defeat. I tell almost everyone I know to look at her ”blog” because I know someone will be encouraged or blessed by what they read. To know we have brought into this world a daughter that has become a powerful woman of faith is truly a blessing to me along with everyone in her family.
Marvin Weston
