This weekend my grandmother (my father's mother) went to Sanford's to get her gallbladder removed. It had been causing her pain and the procedure is pretty simple now. The doctors are able to go in through the belly-button or something. So Friday night, around 1am my grandmother goes in for surgery. The doctor comes out later and tells my parents and other relatives that they couldn't remove the gall-bladder. The entire area is inflamed and there appeared to be a tumor that was wrapped around the gall bladder and hooked itself onto the liver. Therefore, they couldn't remove the gall bladder without removing the liver and a person cannot live without a liver. Perhaps that is why they named it the live-r. Life is connected to the liver.
Needless to say the news was a shock to all of us. The next morning my father and aunt spoke to my grandmother when she woke from the anesthesia. They told her that the doctors couldn't remove her gall bladder. All she said was, "Did they mention the c-word?" "Yes."
It was the c-word that disrupted our family a few years ago when my grandfather was diagnosed with it. He died about a year and a half ago. It was the c-word that took both of my grandmother's parents. And now, it is the c-word that will take her too. No doubt I haven't finished dealing with the c-word in the course of this life.
It is hard for me not to wonder why this is happening. Haven't I had enough pain for a little while? At the same time, something is different this time. Even while hearing the news my heart swelled because I knew that God is faithful. In times of great trial God is faithful.
Sunday I talked to my grandmother on the phone. It was nice to hear her voice. She told me that she decided not to do chemotherapy because she wanted to enjoy the time she had left. And do you know what else she said? She knew that God would be with her. I could tell she had already given the decision and ultimately her life up to him. She knew she would get through it - not because she was strong enough - but because God is. That gave me comfort.
I ask that you pray for my family. I ask specifically that you pray for God's will to be done and that we are all reminded of his faithfulness in these difficult times.
Z and Luna
8 months ago
2 comments:
Katie -- I'm so sorry to hear about your grandmother. The c-word sucks. But how wonderful to hear of her trust in God. That is very encouraging.
Nathan and I have been asking ourselves why Christians have to die, since Christ has already died in our place, and we are saved. If that's true, shouldn't death be a thing of the past for us? But it's not -- so why not? We've been thinking of the passage in I Peter 3 where it says that God is not slow in keeping his promises (specifically, the return of Christ), but that's he patient, not wanting anyone to perish. Maybe this means that in our death, we participate in the redemption of the world. God's patience with the world requires the death of his saints. We die, so that others have time to come to Christ before the last day. Once Christ returns, there will be no more death, but there will also be no more time for sinners to come to God. Certainly, many Christians have died before I was born, and their deaths made my life, both physical and spiritual possible. So the death of God's saints is precious to him, since they suffer according to his patience with the world.
I'll be praying.
Christina
Yo Yo Katie Jean,
I am definitely praying for you and your family- and actually, I have found that remembering to pray for others is yet another way that I experience God's faithfulness...so you never know how God is working. Also, congrats on the job. I finally read up on your blog, so I have a better understanding of your life at present. :) Peace my dear.
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