Finding Joy: Peace through pain

Life has been a real roller coaster ride lately.  Back in December my mom was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.  It was like a shot out of the blue.  One of the things I was most thankful for at Thanksgiving was the fact that despite all the other challenges our family faces, health problems has never really been one of them.  Then just a few days later, "BAM!"  cancer.  It left our whole family reeling.  It was weeks before we had any answers or even knew for sure what kind of cancer it was.  Let me tell you, you become an expert overnight thanks to the Internet.  In some ways it eased my mind, but the research brought up as many questions as it answered.  After many trips to the doctor and even more tests, finally we knew something.  I'm grateful that the news was good.  The cancer was caught in stage 2 and is potentially curable.  Despite the good news, we were still so scared.

So the doctor's appointments continued until finally it was time for the chemotherapy.  We are really lucky in that she only needs 6 treatments, but still...its chemo.  It is extreme fatigue, hair loss, nausea, weight loss and depression.  On Friday, I was able to take her to one her chemo sessions.  I learned a lot that day.  I learned that the nurses who take care of the chemo patients are angels.  They are kind, caring and compassionate.  I learned that chemo isn't a form of medieval torture.  It is administered through IVs, and while some of the side effects aren't great, the process itself is very modern and simple. 

I was also reminded of something I already knew.  That it is an honor to serve and care for those we love.  It is sometimes inconvenient and sometimes hard, but service always brings an increase of love and the healing, peace giving spirit of Christ.  I'm learning that Christ's atonement covers not only our sins, but our pain and our fear.  That we can feel the peace that comes only through His spirit and know that He understands our pain, fear and uncertainty.  It gives me great comfort and peace to know that our family isn't going through this alone.  That the prayers of cancer patients everywhere are being heard on our behalf and that we can feel peace and love even through pain. 

Our family has been blessed in that we know that everything will be okay.  That this cancer will be cured and our family will feel whole again.  That peace is priceless.