Praying for Wendy

Last year in MOPS I had a secret sister, her name is Wendy. As secret sister you find out all the little details about that person's life - likes, dislikes, hobbies, family, etc. and shower that person with gifts throughout the year. Among some of the things I learned about her that year is that she is a mother of three girls. The oldest is now 15 and the youngest is in preschool.

About this time last year, Wendy discovered she had breast cancer. She found it when she fell and hurt her arm. She was told it was a very aggressive cancer, and if she hadn't have found it when she did, she probably wouldn't have survived it.

So last spring she started a very courageous journey fighting the cancer. She endured mastectomy surgery, radiation and chemo. Things started looking positive - although Wendy never lost her positive attitude.

Then she started some dizzy spells. This led to the more recent discovery that the cancer was now in her brain. Inoperable because of its location. To the outside world, this appeared to be horrible news but Wendy continued to exhibit incredible faith and hope. She was standing firm on the Rock.

Even more recently Wendy has been experiencing severe back pain. Because of medications she was on, she had been restricted on the amount of driving she could do. I took her to get a full body CAT Scan on Feb. 11th. She spoke of the back pain then. I heard little details about what the CAT Scan showed. Then, she went to the ER a couple of weeks ago because the pain had gotten so severe. She was admitted and we learned the cancer is now in her spine. The pain was from extra fluid. She was to have brain surgery last week to put a port in from which they would give her chemo treatments. Due to an infection she's had, she's been unable to have the surgery. They have done two other chemo treatments in her time at the hospital. Today she found out they are not working. She is moving to the Hospice House in about an hour and a half.

To read her full story and journal entries from her entire battle, go here http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/wendyschwarz/mystory

I am coveting your prayers for her and her family during this time. My heart aches for her three girls and her husband, who has been juggling taking care of the girls, spending time with Wendy and working full time.

It has been an honor to watch Wendy go through this battle with cancer. She has clung to her Jesus every step of the way, and continues to do so. According to her husband, she is still praying for a miracle. Will you pray too? For a miracle...I'll leave that up to you. Praying for miracles is something I've always struggled with. Do I believe that God can perform this miracle? Absolutely. But just because He can, doesn't mean I think He will. Thankfully, I don't have to decide. I trust that God knows best. I'll be honest with Him and tell Him what I want for Him to do, but will end my prayer with the words of Jesus, "yet not my will, but yours be done."