Perspective, and Inspiration, Gained

I haven't blogged since Tuesday because I have been swimming in last-minute details for an event I have coming up in New York next week. To me, this is my least favorite part...making sure all the little details are covered. Each day, a new thing pops up-- someone needs a hotel room and we're sold out or they want to change to another tour or the speakers are requesting last-minute items... or I hear there is a taxi drivers strike in New York.

[rubbing temples]

"Oh woe is me..." This has been my internal mantra over the last couple weeks. The girl that stresses about having to pay $71 per person for bacon and eggs. I have so much to do...it's really been tough this week.

Then, last night, at about 10pm I was stopped in my tracks. A friend of mine in the neighborhood emailed to tell me she has cancer. A very rare form stemming from her endometriosis. It 's called endometrioid adenocarcinoma. They discovered it when she went to have a mass removed off of her ovary and had it biopsied. It was indeed cancer. The large mass was on her right ovary (which they removed) and the smaller one was on her left ovary (which they left in). Then a PET scan showed a nother possible cancerous mass near her sigmoid colon. Since the tumor was found to be a grade 3--highly aggressive and likely to spread--she is having surgery on September 19 to have everything from her ovary and cervix to her appendix and all lymph nodes in her pelvis removed to help prevent spreading.

This came on the heels of another friend in Alabama being diagnosed with breast cancer out of the blue. A friend who has seen both parents battle cancer and who also gave her kidney to a guy in her Sunday school class. She is now at MD Anderson in Houston being evaluated and emailed last night to say they did find 3 more masses in the same breast and abnormal cells in the lymph nodes under her arm. She is awaiting biopsy results.

Both of these women are young and have small children and plenty of life ahead of them. I thought about the worries that I had on my plate and how my biggest worry was that my son thinks that I am super-glued to this office chair. My worries over spending time with my husband and son will end in 12 days. For these women, the battle is just beginning. It humbled me and brought me to tears.

The pity party I have been having about the stress of my job ended last night.

Here are two examples of women who, in the face of a serious illness, are positive, optimistic and staying strong for their families and friends. As I prayed this morning, I prayed to God and asked for forgiveness for not being dependent on him for the little things. I prayed for these women that they will continue to seek Him and to maintain their positive attitudes. For so long, I have followed the courageous story of fellow blogger Heather who is battling brain cancer. Her most recent post is an essay on having cancer written by former White House Press Secretary Tony Snow. It eloquently reveals the positive aspects of dealing with a grave illness.

Read it for yourself...and prepare to be inspired.

I can only pray that I would handle it with as much class and strength and determination.