MY STORY

IN JANUARY 2012, I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM MY MOTHER ASKING ME TO COME AND PICK HER UP AT URGENT CARE.  CONFUSED AND CONCERNED, I ARRIVED TO BE GREETED BY TWO OF HER BOSSES.  THEY PROCEEDED TO EXPLAIN THAT THERE HAD BEEN AN INCENT ON THE JOB.  I LEARNED THAT SHE HAD BEEN ATTACKED AND SHE WAS GETTING MEDICAL TREATMENT.  LITTLE DID I KNOW MOM'S INJURIES WOULD HAVE A LASTING AFFECT ON HER AND THE REST OF THE FAMILY.

A YEAR LATER SHE HAD HER FIRST BACK SURGERY WHERE SHE HAD TO HAVE TITANIUM RODS AND SIX SCREWS PLACED IN HER LOWER BACK.  SHE WOULD GO ON TO HAVE ANOTHER BACK SURGERY TO ADD MORE RODS AND SCREWS SEVEN YEARS LATER.   WHILE BATTLING THE CHRONIC BACK PAIN AND STENOSIS AT TWO DIFFERENT TIMES WE WERE ALSO WARRING WITH HER SEVERE COMPLEX POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER SINCE THE ATTACK OCCURRED.  IF THIS WAS NOT ENOUGH JUST TEN DAYS AFTER HER LAST BACK SURGERY, SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH STAGE FOUR PARITINIUM CANCER, WHICH ENDED UP RESULTING FROM HER APPENDIX.  MOM WITHSTOOD SIX MONTHS OF CHEMOTHERAPY AND TWO ILESTOMIES BEFORE PASSING AWAY AT THE AGE OF 60 ON GOOD FRIDAY OF 2020 FROM AN INFECTION.

OVER THE COURSE OF EIGHT AND A HALF YEARS OUR FAMILY WENT ON A JOURNEY THAT NO FAMILY SHOULD HAVE TO ENDURE.  YET WE DID AND WE WERE FOREVER CHANGED.  OUR STRENGTH CAME ONLY FROM OUR HEAVENLY FATHER WHO SHOWED US WHAT IT MEANT TO ENDURE THROUGH HIS STRENGTH ALONE.  THIS ALSO ALLOWED US TO DO THINGS BEYOND ALL UNDERSTANDING AND IT IS TO HIM THAT WE OWE EVERTHING.  WHILE WE WERE NOT GRANTED OUR DESIRED OUTCOME, WE DID GAIN A MORE THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT GOD IS CAPABLE OF.  OUT OF THIS KNOWLEDGE IT IS MY GOAL TO PROVIDE EDIFICATION, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND EMPOWERMENT TO THOSE WALKING WHERE I HAVE ALREADY BEEN.

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