Thursday, 17 October 2013

That Fateful Day


So, I wrote an essay. I wrote it about two weeks ago for my online English class. I had to write a description essay. A description essay is where you describe a word that has changed your life and how you now view it differently. You can probably guess what word I chose. Yup. I wrote about cancer. It was the easiest essay I have ever written. Here it is:

That Fateful Day

             It all began that sunny day in June when I went to see the doctor. Pain in my elbow had bothered me occasionally, and it had gradually gotten worse by spreading to my hand. At that time, after two years of having this nagging pain, my elbow became almost twice the size of the other elbow. We finally found a Christian family doctor and set up an appointment. Subsequent to my meeting with the doctor, followed by numerous tests and consultations, the final diagnosis came in. I had cancer. That one six-lettered word changed my life forever! All those appointments before the diagnosis, the chemotherapy treatments, and the change in my spiritual life, will forevermore impact my life.

            Before the shock of my diagnosis, the many tests that they performed overwhelmed me. It started off with the initial visit with my family doctor, who sent me off to have a few X-rays done. Not many days later, the doctor urgently called my parents and me in to his office, and he gave us the discouraging news. We left the office with instructions to immediately go to BC Children’s Hospital. At this hospital, I underwent what seemed like countless appointments with different doctors and specialists. Surrounding these meetings, I had numerous X-rays, a CT scan, a MRI, a full body bone scan, and a biopsy of my enlarged elbow. During the biopsy, they immediately tested the cells, and they diagnosed me. Without delay, they put a tube inside my chest for the purpose of administering the chemotherapy treatments. Throughout all these tests, I cried many times and pleaded with God asking, “Why God? Why me?” and God answered me. He said, “Why not you?” and I surprisingly agreed. So throughout all the tests, I learned what it meant to trust and have faith in God, and this made me no longer view cancer through the lens of death. Cancer gave me life; a life filled with the love and power of God.

            Following the diagnosis and tests, the chemotherapy treatments began. These treatments are an experience all their own. Imagine a yardstick. Either people have extremely unpleasant side effects or their side effects take place very minimally. For myself, the side effects occurred on the minimal side. I attribute it to the hundreds of people praying for me. Occasional nausea, vomiting, and headaches bothered me. Despite the manageable side effects, however, other things arose that challenged me emotionally, such as hair loss, weight loss and occasional nightmares. This frequently became tough and it did not help that some of the medication made me emotionally unstable. Yet throughout everything, I drew closer to God and He became my refuge and strength.

            While I suffered with Lymphoblastic Lymphoma Cancer, I learned what it meant to lean and trust wholeheartedly on God. God has the best plan for my life and I do not, but He will show me, in His good time, what He requires of me. Lying in bed at night, crying because of my situation, I would recite to myself out loud, over and over again, Psalm 27. This uplifting Psalm contains an abundance of hope and joy. Verses one and fourteen, especially, spoke to me and I will always cherish them. “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” and “I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!” (Psalm 27)

            To this day, I continue to praise the Lord that He gave me cancer; otherwise, I would never have experienced His love in such an amazing way. My family, friends, and church family supported and encouraged me throughout that difficult time of my life. Now healthy and no longer bald, I realize that that one six-lettered word did change my life forever, but in a good way. I would never want to go back to my life before cancer. God has blessed me so much and I praise and love Him for it. In the words of David in Psalm 18, “The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust.” 

Friday, 4 October 2013

the blessings of life

Wasn't summer amazing? I am missing it now as this rain seems to be never ending. Our family vacation at the beginning of September was awesomely fun despite the occasional downpour. The great thing about being homeschooled is that you can go on vacation during the first week of school and not even care. You just make up for it later on. It's marvelous. 

On one of the cloudier and windier days, Rachel and I walked to the beach down road and had some fun in the water and sand and we took a few photos to capture the day. 
















I was super happy about the smiley face on the road. Whoever did it is brilliant. 

Now that school has started up and fall is coming, I realize how blessed I am.

I am blessed by being healthy.
I am blessed by being happy.
I am blessed by being able to write.
I am blessed with so much more. God is a great Provider and He fulfills my needs every day. He continues to surprise me in so many different ways. 
And I am blessed by being able to play this amazing piano. Oh, how I love it. 


I am doing my Gr. 10 piano exam this year and I know that it will be tough. But I think I am ready for the challenge. I mean, if I can be sick and vomiting for 1/2 a year because of cancer and chemotherapy, I am pretty sure I can conquer a piano exam. But I know that I can only do it if I trust God for His help. 

Have a blessed day and weekend!
Rebecca

Friday, 6 September 2013

encouragement

This Christian lady reflects on a year with cancer with her oldest son. It is being shared around on Facebook and I wanted to also share it here. I love what she says and I really agree with it.

http://cinnamonrollsandbacon.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/reflections-on-year-with-cancer.html

Friday, 9 August 2013

update

This is just a little note to say that I got my port taken out yesterday and that I am thankful that I no longer have a tube inside myself. I am alive and doing well and I have very little pain. :)

Monday, 22 July 2013

!!

AND..... I'm done!!! I am SO happy to be done. I was technically done on Friday (I had to take a few chemo pills) but we celebrated the day before when I had to go in and get my last treatment through IV.  All my sisters took the day off of work to come celebrate in the joyous occasion. :)

Sitting around waiting to get my treatment.






After waiting for a while, the nurse called me and she checked all my vital signs for the last time (not really) and then I received my final chemo!









My Doctor and I




I love my family so much! They are so supportive and awesome and they are so excited that I am finally done. 


After leaving the hospital, we went for lunch in Gastown and then enjoyed the shops and sights on Granville Island. 


My gorgeous sisters and one adorable child. 



Joel practicing his babywearing skills :)


And because I am done they gave me a Certificate of Bravery, a Courage Award, and a little stuffed puppy. :)

I give praise and thanks to God for all His love and grace that He has poured on me. I am so happy to be done and whatever happens in the future I know that God will always be there to lift me up.

As a final salute to being done, here is a video that Rachel made.



Monday, 13 May 2013

Everything is peachy, wonderful, amazing. What a wonderful week it was! It was full of:

sunshine
laughter
a choir concert
friends
family
mothers (especially mine. I love you!)
a surprise (or not) b'day party
a good friend who I hadn't seen in 4 months
hayrides
singing the "goat version" of Trouble by Taylor Swift in the car with my siblings
playing a horribly old and out of tune piano
late nights
sudden downpours










Ahh, yes. What a great group of friends I have. :)

Tuesday, 7 May 2013

my weekend

Just a bit of an update about what happened last weekend. Remember all those events I was stressed about? The weekend in Seattle went really well and I had lots of fun and was greatly inspired in many ways. Mostly to continue giving everything to God. On Monday I had my piano festival. My performance in the morning went ok. There was two of us and I got 2nd place so I didn't continue to the next round. My 2nd performance in the afternoon also went well and I played quite confidently. I was the only one in my class so I naturally got 1st place and moved to the next round. I played again on Thursday and I didn't play quite as well as I could have. So yes. That was my weekend.

10 weeks, 2 days. 72 days. Seriously?! :) :)


Tuesday, 23 April 2013

being pushed

I'm actually feeling a little more relaxed and it's only two days later. Which is good, because I do want to have a good time this weekend. Now I just want to get tomorrow over and done with and then I can be extremely happy.

I'm reading a book right now called "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan and it is really helping and encouraging me to let everything go and to trust completely in God. Here's a little section which I particularly liked:

'Then I remembered Ephesians 2:10, which tells us that we were created "to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." That verse is meant for me and all others who have been "saved by grace through faith." My existence was not random, nor was it an accident. God knew who He was creating, and He designed me for a specific work.'

'God will ensure my success in accordance with His plan, not mine.'

Yes. This book is really pushing me to give God everything. I love it. I love God.

Sunday, 21 April 2013

oh help me.

All of a sudden I felt a sudden urge of inspiration to write something. I just need to let my energy loose somewhere. Let me first clarify that my life is absolutely crazy right now. AND. IT. IS. NOT. FUN. I think my problem is stressing about things before they actually happen.

I'll try to give you the short version. I have a piano festival next Monday in which I am playing two pieces and I don't feel 'uber confident on one of them. This coming Wednesday, I have my monthly chemo treatment at the hospital. The next day (Thursday), we leave to go away for the weekend and be back Sunday evening. So that means, I will have just gotten a whole bunch of drugs and I probably won't be feeling very well. We come home and I won't have played the piano for 4 days and the next day I have to compete on pieces that aren't quite ready yet. SOOO. YES. I hope that made sense.

I talked to Rach about it earlier and she talked me through it and gave me some good advice. So what I'm going to do is take Monday - Wednesday off from all the "unimportant" school. Meaning, I will only do the homework for my online class and other than that I will "try" very hard to practice 2+ hours a day.

I think it's ok to stress about my piano, but I need to try and stop stressing about the hospital visit and whether or not I will get side effects this next week. Basically, I need to do my best, do it to the glory of God, and trust that whatever happens will be used for good in my life and help me grow in Christ. 

Oh, and there are 12 weeks and 4 days till I'm done. 88 days. Oh yes. 

Tuesday, 9 April 2013

4 months

I'm still counting down. There are now 4 months left. 18 weeks and 3 days. 129 days. I'm getting there. Almost done. :D

Wednesday, 27 March 2013

picture

it turns out that this picture was from a year ago at the end of March. My hair has definitely grown A LOT since then, which I am happy about. :)


Look at that fuzz! I look like a little chick. haha. :)

Tuesday, 12 March 2013

you can do this.

5 more treatments left. I only have to go in 5. more. times. You can do this Rebecca. You can do this.  You've made it this far, you can make it a little farther. Keep pushing yourself along. Be faithful to your medication. You don't have to take it much longer. You can do it.



God help me do this.

Sunday, 27 January 2013

it is time.

It is time. Time for an update.

I am 16. (Finally. It took me long enough.)
I have my Learners License.
My sister and I have successfully, for the time being, started our own business.
I am in Grade 10 school.
I am in Grade 10 piano.
I will be done all chemo treatments in July 2013. (6 months left!!)
I am stoked.
I am happy.
I love God.
I am an auntie to 5 beautiful nieces and 5 handsome nephews.
My family is the best.
My friends are amazing.
Learning how to drive a standard car.
Sunsets are amazing.
Stars take my breath away.
Sisters are one of the best things God has ever given to me.
The power of prayer is incredible.
Church.

:) This turned into a list of my favoritest things instead of an update. It will do just as well.