Tuesday, May 20, 2008

A friend of mine needs prayer. She is not a person of faith at all - she’s actually hostile to the Christian faith because of her childhood experience. It’s all too common and sad, but she is gracious to accept prayers on her behalf when I offer them.

Anyway, about two months ago her husband was having localized pain. After a couple of weeks with no relief he went to the doctor. The doctor discovered a lump that concerned him so he referred him to a specialist at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. They determined that the lump was a tumor requiring surgery to remove it, which they did within a day or two of diagnosis. Then he spent several weeks recovering at home and seemed to be doing well when pain returned to the area.

His doctors found another mass that concerned them enough that they moved up the surgery that they scheduled for this Friday to last Thursday. (Did you get that? It’s confusing, I know). He had surgery last week, but the prognosis is not good this time. He requires further surgery to remove body parts and even then they’re not hopeful of the outcome.

I have not talked to my friend directly, but should see her tomorrow. I am sad that I’m going away just now because I would like to be here to be of help if she needs it. But one way I know I can help is to pray for them. So I ask you to pray for them as well.

Pray for healing. Pray for wisdom. Pray for peace and comfort. Above all, pray that they would see God in the face of their despair. Thanks for praying.

[UPDATE 5/21]: Just talked with my friend. He has a rare form of cancer. What they were told is that the doctors will do all they can to treat his symptoms and fight, but that they have yet to have a case resulting in a cure. He will undergo a combination of radiation and chemo - he has a team of oncologists who plan to meet to discuss how this will occur and how to start. For now he is recovering from the latest surgery at home.

Their two sons were prepared for this news, so they are handling it pretty well considering. They are adults, by the way - in their mid-20s. My friend is devastated, but determined to do whatever it takes to help her husband fight and live as long as possible.