Back in 1982-1983, the Lord called Donn and me to sing full time for a year, as well as holding a Christian nursery school in our home. In one of our nursery school classes we had Stephanie, the cutest little blonde girl you could imagine, who turned out to be the only child with whom we still have a connection.
In 2004 Stephanie graduated from nurses’ training with our former daughter-in-law, and later she was employed at Greenville Hospital when Donn began volunteering there in 2012. When I started publishing books, we crossed paths with her and her boy friend at Craft Shows and one day she visited me at our home to pick up another book. Then we connected on Facebook and occasionally messaged one another.
When I was diagnosed with breast cancer early in January of this year, I was very open with the readers of my blogs, telling them about my diagnosis in my next blog. Not everyone chooses that path, but for me, anything else seemed less than honest. So my diagnosis was common knowledge on Facebook.
Around the time of my diagnosis, Stephanie’s dad passed away and I sent messages to see how she was doing. Then in May, less than a week after my surgery on May 9, Stephanie messaged me to see how I was doing and ask some questions. Eventually, she said, “I wanted to tell you something as well. I have breast cancer too.”
I was stunned. It was the beginning of a deepening of our relationship. Near the end of that message, she said, “I’m sorry we’re both in this club, but glad we aren’t alone.” What a great way of putting it!
Later that day I sent Stephanie a message to tell her I’d gotten a good post-surgery pathology report. Near the end of that lengthy interchange, she said, “Like I said, we’re in a club now.” Below this message was a picture of me with Stephanie and three other members of her nursery school class.
Stephanie and I had so much in common as we went through this process–me still mourning the loss of our son when I learned that I had breast cancer and her still mourning the loss of her dad when she received the news. We messaged each other often to give love and support as needed.
I prayed that she would receive a better diagnosis than I did in the areas that were difficult for me, and when she did, I was delighted. As she waited for results and a surgery date, I understood how hard it is to wait. At one point she said, “Who would’ve thought we would’ve been going through this together?!”
I responded, “I know! Who would’ve thought we would still have a connection after 40 years! God is amazing!”
When I mentioned going to our grandson, Connor’s, graduation (who was born during Stephanie’s nurses’ training), she sent me a picture of our former daughter-in-law holding him at their graduation! Oh, the connections!
As the weeks have gone by, Stephanie and I have continued to keep in touch, encouraging each other and praying for one another. And I have continued to marvel at the amazing God who put us in the same club at the same time.
Since then I’ve been amazed at the other people God has connected me with who are in the same club. I’d found a Christian fiction author I loved whose writing helped to distract me and make me laugh during my journey. When I sent her a private message on Facebook, thanking her and mentioning that I’d been diagnosed with breast cancer in January, she responded, “…I was diagnosed with breast cancer myself in April. So I’m walking alongside you.”
A few weeks ago when I told someone from whom I buy vitamins that I’d been diagnosed with breast cancer in January, she said, “Me too!” And immediately, there was a deeper connection. We are in the same club.
Near the end of June, I received another private message on Facebook from a woman with whom I attended grade school. She had been following my breast cancer journey and wanted to tell me that she also was diagnosed with breast cancer the end of May. Once again I was very glad I’d been so open about my diagnosis because otherwise, it’s unlikely that I’d have learned of the other members of this club in time to provide support and encouragement.
In May, some of my daily devotions led me to believe that what I was going through was preparation for what God planned for me to do in the future. If that’s true, it has already begun. I’ve always believed that nothing we go through is ever wasted if we surrender it and ourselves to Jesus.
Father, help us make ourselves and our suffering available to you for your purposes, whatever they may be. Amen.
HEALTH UPDATE
Praise God chemo went well on Tuesday with no reaction or bad after affects. Annie was my oncology nurse again, and I requested that the final segment be started slowly since I hadn’t had chemo the previous week, and chemo hadn’t been done full speed since the day I’d had a reaction. Please continue to pray for wisdom for my oncology nurses. I am now one third of the way through the initial twelve weeks of chemo. Thank you so much for your love and prayers.