Your Love

 

Your love is enough to light up the darkness
It’s Your love,

Your love,

All I ever needed is Your love

(Lyrics by Brandon Heath and Jason Ingram)

(Photo: Mom and Dad (aka Mimi and Poppy)

 

Mom’s oncologist told her that she would be put to sleep for the bone marrow biopsy that was scheduled on Tuesday, September 18, 2012. We both sighed in great relief and told him how thankful we were because the last biopsy was so painful for my mom especially since she has a compressed fracture in her lumbar spine due to the cancer. I guess from our reaction, he didn’t have the heart to finish his sentence which was that it was going to be a twilight sleep like the last time. In fact, we did not find out that she would be awake during the biopsy until the nurse was prepping mom for the procedure. At the time, my dad and I thought the nurse had the wrong information but soon realized that she was right. Of course, I didn’t even want to look at my mom because I thought she would be in a panic but when I finally had the courage to, she looked totally at peace. The nurse then informed us that that the doctor who would be performing the procedure would be in to have my mom sign a consent form and that we could ask any questions that we might have. Mom told us that she was okay and not to say anything about it to the doctor. I told her we would not but that I wanted to pray for her. I prayed, “God, please keep my mom from having any pain during the biopsy instead may she laugh today, belly laugh.” After I prayed, I wondered why in the world did I just ask God to make my mom belly laugh today right before she is going in for a bone marrow biopsy where she will not be put to sleep? Maybe I was the one who was suppose to be put to sleep.

A few minutes later, the doctor enters our area and introduces himself as Dr. STONE!!!!! If you read my previous blog entry, you would find that funny. I LOVE God’s sense of humor. After the doctor spoke with my mom, Lisa, the nurse who would be taking care of mom during the biopsy, came in and told me that she was going to take care of her and that she was going to make sure that she was not in any pain. I hugged her because I knew that God had sent Dr. Stone and her to let us know that He was taking care of everything. When my mom was wheeled away, I heard her laughing with the nurse and this is without any drugs at this point. An hour later, after the biopsy was over, my mom returned with her eyes closed, like she was ASLEEP, but with a SMILE on her face from ear to ear. I wish I would have taken a picture of it. It was hilarious! 

Later, I went and got my mom’s friends, Susan Rine and Joni Owens, who were waiting in the lobby so they could come and see her. We started talking about different things and we just kept laughing, belly laughing, including mom.  After mom’s friends left, the nurse who was getting Mom ready to leave the hospital laughed and said, “The nurses sent me in here to send you guys home because you all are having too much fun!” We laughed again.

When mom got home after the procedure, she did incredible. It was almost like we had never been to the hospital. Last time, mom was in great pain and it took several days to recover. Later that day, I called back to check on her and we laughed again about the things that were said and done at the hospital. It was not until that moment that I realized that God had answered my prayer because I had just been so relieved and amazed that Mom was not in a lot of pain from the procedure. God answered that prayer and did more than I could have ever imagined. He made my mom belly laugh on a day that she should have been in a lot of pain. “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future” (Proverbs 31:25).

　
I forgot to mention that mom said that another doctor ended up performing the procedure and not Dr. Stone. It did not matter because I knew that God has used him to bring comfort to us before mom ever stepped into surgery. He was letting us know, once again, that He goes before us and that He is the Great Physician, Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals. His love, His amazing love, lights up our darkness and makes us laugh, belly laugh.
　
 

“The LORD, my God,

lights up my darkness.”

Psalm 18:28