2016 was a year full of emotional events, some were good, some were sad, and some left physical and emotional scars.  January found us celebrating two events. The news that we would become grandparents in the summer of 2016 was the best news ever!  The second was a major milestone in the life of our church family.

I had the privilege of serving as Children’s Minister in our church for just over seven years, and the year 2016 was a really big year for the church.  Plans that had begun long before we were members came to fruition that month.  We celebrated our first Sunday in a brand new building on new land just one mile from where the church met for over 100 years.  The first Sunday of the new year gave us a wonderful uplifting worship service and celebration.  What a “good” month! 

February introduced the first “sad” event of 2016.  My mom had a physical and a chest x-ray was ordered.  Suspicious areas on that x-ray led to a CT scan, then a PET scan, along with visits to several specialists within two months.  By the end of April, it was fairly evident mom was facing some type of cancer diagnosis.  What kind would be revealed soon enough. This news was especially difficult for my sisters and I as my younger sister’s husband was facing his own battle with brain cancer.  She was 1500 miles away from us and that distance was hard on all of us during such a sad time in our lives. 

Early May found us making the decision together for mom to seek medical care in my area. She would move in with us as she sought answers and possible treatment plans.  First up was a colonoscopy to get a close up look at the suspicious areas seen on the PET scan. The results: colon cancer that had spread to other areas.  Surgery to remove the cancerous portion of her colon was scheduled quickly. Surgery went well, but complications arose after mom suffered a mild heart attack a few days later.  This led to stents being put in place and a longer than expected hospital stay.  The physical scar from the surgery was minimal; but was she up to facing treatment after the emotional  “scars” the heart attack created? 

Following surgery the oncology visits began.  After a slow start with one doctor that moved away, we were blessed to be assigned to a new doctor that felt treatment was possible if mom was willing.  She was excited about that first great grandbaby that was due in July, so she chose to try chemo.  In the midst of this process, that precious grandbaby arrived early on the first Saturday morning of July.  She became the very, very, “good” in the year 2016. I guess another “good” was the prompting mom’s diagnosis gave my sisters and I to have our own colonoscopies.  Mine was five years past due, and those five years were crucial.  

My colonoscopy found suspicious polyps that couldn’t be removed during the procedure.  Thankfully, biopsies indicated they were not yet cancerous, but did need to be removed to keep cancer from developing. The surgeon felt I had up to a year to proceed with surgery.  Since I knew my mom’s journey with cancer was bound to become more difficult, I saw no reason to wait. I took a few weeks to consider when to schedule surgery.  Then, another “sad” turn of events occurred.  

Our son had been under the care of a cardiologist for a malformed aortic heart valve. When the bicuspid valve was discovered at age 13 the expectation was a replacement valve would be needed around age 30.  But – his 2016 summer appointment found the valve had begun to leak too severely to wait.  He was just about to begin his sophomore year of college.  Oh the emotional ”scars” this began to create!  The decision on when to have surgery and what to do about school were very tough. 

After more tests and appointments it was decided he would have his open heart surgery during his month long winter break.  Once his surgery date was set, I set a date for my own colon surgery for September.  Surgery was successful, recovery was quick and final biopsy results were the best possible.  Sadly, if I had proceeded with a colonoscopy when first recommended, those polyps would have been removed during that less invasive procedure.  Lesson learned.  Now my mom and I had matching physical scars. By early fall, mom was on her first round of oral chemo treatment.  The “good” was the very minimal side effects she suffered.  

The best of the “good” by this time were our weekly sleepovers with my daughter and new granddaughter.  They came nearly every week for two nights.  The joy of watching my first grandbaby grow alongside my mom was full of memories that will survive for many, many years.  Many of those moments will survive thanks to the technology that provides plentiful photos and videos of those visits and conversations.  The oral chemo was working as it kept the remaining cancer from growing or progressing.  We spent that fall enjoying family visits.  

As the December surgery for our son approached, his surgeon sought input from pediatric surgeons on various techniques to use on our young adult son.  Multiple types of scans had been taken in hopes that a repair could be done of the valve, but the pictures indicated a replacement was needed.  Surgery would take several hours.  During the procedure we were to receive two calls; the first to let us know when he was on bypass and the second when he was headed to recovery.  Imagine the shock, slight fear, and surprise when we got a call that surgery was over much sooner than expected. We were only told that he was doing well, and was in recovery.  Waiting for the surgeon to meet with us was a bit agonizing.  But the wait brought wonderfully “good” news.  Once he could physically see our son’s heart valve, he saw that the valve could be repaired after all!  

All those discussions with the pediatric surgeons had proven to be very, very “good” discussions.  The end result was that our son didn’t yet have to take medications needed for artificial or animal valves.  He will need a replacement at some time in his life, but procedures are improving by leaps and bounds in this field.  Hopefully it will be a much simpler, less invasive procedure, so that his current surgical “scar” will be the only one needed.  Within a week, he was back home recovering and spending time with family.  

While my workplace had celebrated a wonderful first year in the new building with the most amazing Christmas Cantata, things quickly changed. The day following our son’s discharge from the hospital, one of my coworkers (and long time friend) fell down some stairs.  After a trip to the hospital and necessary tests, scans and visits with doctors, this wonderful follower of Jesus was diagnosed with the same type of brain cancer my brother-in-law was battling.  Once again, the “sad” invaded our lives. The mental and emotional “scars” from his diagnosis were very hard for me to accept after such a roller coaster year.  

The only thing that kept – and keeps – me going is the knowledge that Jesus continues to hold me up and all of these events will be used to glorify HIM. Even though I am secure in that knowledge – I admit that I was rather happy for a new year to arrive and welcomed 2017.  

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalms 23:4

“The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Psalms 126:3