I have some really great friends from long ago--like 20 years ago. Some are old roommates. Some are childhood friends or high school friends that I've kept in touch with on Facebook. Some were newlyweds about the same time we were and we all came from the same (final) singles ward.
One of those friends is Amelia. This is a friend from 20+ years ago, from my last singles ward, but she never married and has had more than her fair share of struggles and trouble. Some has been health, some has been financial. But throughout it all she has been one of the most faithful women I have ever met.
I learned from other Facebook friends that Amelia was struggling again, but this time it was really serious. She was diagnosed with Stage 4 kidney cancer. She was in the hospital and was scheduled for surgery the next day or so.
She was in Provo at the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center--a tremendously successful place for healing--at the time, so I took advantage of living relatively close and headed down to give you my support in person. When I go there, her sister and brother were there from out of state.
She hasn't had the ideal, picture perfect family life. Ever. So this was the first tie I had met her siblings. Her brother was going through some paperwork, including a living will, with her, and her sister caught me outside the room and told me what was going on.
The doctor's were preparing to do a hysterectomy and remove her cancer-filled kidney (luckily only one was diseased). Her ovaries were covered in either cysts or metastasized cancer. they wouldn't know until they saw it. Her strength was low and her understanding about the situation wasn't complete yet. The doctor's knew that this first surgery would either make it a possibility to fight the cancer, or it would break her. There wasn't much in between.
That weekend, we heard fro her family that the surgery was successful, but that the real test would be to see if her remaining kidney would start up once they take off the meds and dialysis that were necessary fro the surgery. Monday was the day for the kidney to step up and do it's job, or Amelia would be on dialysis the rest of her, likely, short life.
Having seen a little of kidney issues with my dad's kidney transplant and the months leading up that that miracle, I didn't want Amelia to have to look forward to a life like that, or worse. As friends who knew her, we committed to fasting for her kidney to work on Sunday, knowing that we were running out of time for the miracle she needed.
That Monday, the kidney specialist (who is a little on the dour side anyway, according to Amelia) was shocked and amazed that her remaining kidney immediately kicked into gear and began running properly. We knew why and were so grateful for that blessing for our friend.
Not long after that miracle, a new challenge arrived: her port became infected. And the infection was bad. It nearly wiped her out. But with some strong antibiotics, surgery to remove the port, and a blood transfusion plus some time to heal and regain some strength, I saw her Wednesday after work and she was just remarkably better.
But the decision was made that she'd move this weekend to Portland to live with her sister and very near her brother and many nieces and nephews. She will resume fighting the cancer now that the periphery issues are cleared up.
I was happy to see her, and to find her in such better health and positive spirits. Good luck, Amelia. A new adventure just means there are new friends to make.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment