March 08, 2006

Kay

My wife's best friend is Kay. Kay is 44 years old with three kids and an active faith. She has recurrent breast cancer that is now spreading all over her body. Sadly, it appears that the end is near, at least from a medical standpoint.

Laura (my wife, who is a church-planting pastor) visited Kay yesterday and wrote this e-mail to a number of her friends:

Many of you have been praying for Kay and have asked for updates. Most of you know that the breast cancer has now spread to her lungs and stomach, and possibly other places we don't know about. I got to see her today for the first time in 10 days due to a cold I have had. During that time, her new doctor has prescribed all kinds of pain medication in the hopes that her body could finally get some rest and maybe feel like eating a little more. The doctor has also started her on hormone therapy to help fight the cancer.

The difference between the Kay I saw 10 days and today is dramatic. The pain medication keeps her in a near-constant state of "doped" to the point that she is unable to have any kind of conversation at all. Her body looks very emaciated, and in the hour I was there today, it was a battle for her mother to get her to take three sips of Coke. And the hormones are making her agitated and irritable. When I walked in and saw her, it seemed to me like the end of her life is near - although I cannot say if that means days, weeks or months. Of course, our God can even now reverse the cancer and the damage it has done, but I think God is preparing to welcome her home soon.

Please pray for her family - for her three kids (Isabella, Micah and Juliana), for her husband Richard and her mother and step-father Zoe and Don. And I covet your prayers for me, as well. Kay has been my best friend for 14 years, and hardly a day has gone by in that time when we haven't spoken on the phone. She is such a huge part of my life, and I will need God's help to fill the emptiness when she is gone. I know that our goodbye is only temporary, but it still hurts so much to have to say it.

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