Choosing To Focus On Today

This has been a week of ups and downs for sure.  A lot of sadness but a lot of praise too.

Let me explain.

{Deep Breath}

So on Sunday, my momma called me and my three sisters to her house to explain to us that she had a large mass in her lower abdomen that they believed to be cancer.

It was a scary thing to hear.

She had been having pain for a while that she thought was gallbladder pain.  But since the tests for that had come back fine, they decided to do a CT scan and that is when they saw the mass.

My mom had breast cancer about ten years ago, but had been in remission since, and we were hoping to never have to hear the C-word again.

But here it was, and we were scared.  Especially since we wouldn't have much information until they operated.

So this past Wednesday, they operated to remove the mass. 

And when the surgeon came out to talk to us, he told us that it was ovarian cancer, stage C3.  I don't know much about ovarian cancer, but that didn't sound good to me.

But the good news is that they were able to get all of the mass removed, (it started in one ovary and had spread all around engulfing the other and grown to a size larger than a softball), but it had NOT spread to her colon.  That had been one of my mom's major concerns.

That was a HUGE praise!

He said she would go through six rounds of chemo and hopefully, after that she would be fine.

I was SOOOO relieved to hear that. 

He also mentioned that there is an 80% remission rate and that also is great news.  Unfortunately, he also mentioned that of that 80%, 75% will have cancer return within 3 years.

Ugh.  Seriously?  Why did he have to say that?

I spent the day with lots of ups and downs. 

First being so thankful that she made it through surgery fine, and that they got all of the tumor, and that she will likely be fine after her chemo.

Then being crushed by the news that she might be dealing with this for many years to come.

In some ways, I felt like a little girl again, a little girl who just wants her mommy.

It is strange to be in this place in life when you start really realizing that your parents won't be around forever.  I knew that, but I don't like to think about it.

But now it's here, trying to get my attention, and I just want it to go away.

After praying and talking with amazing friends who have been down this road, I am choosing to focus on the positive news and only think about today.

Today she is recovering.

Today she is getting stronger.

Today she is tumor free.

Today she is watching Fox News, telling me how to raise my girls, and being sassy with the nurses.

Today, she is being my mom.

I am focusing on that, and praising God for it.

my mom, sisters and I

She will be in the hospital until sometime next week, and then she will go home and start her chemo.  I would covet your prayers for her as she walks down this difficult road.

Thank you!