02/22/2022
Lynn Murphy Mark
Not long ago I wrote about a good friend who heard the words, “You have cancer”. For the last three weeks her life has been a whirlwind of preparation for surgery – ultrasounds, an MRI, the placement of markers to guide the surgeon. All of this done with the deep hope that surgery would be the only treatment needed.
People from all over the world prayed for her. She is from overseas. She did mission work in Africa for years. She has been here in the United States for a couple of decades now and has formed her own village of friends and supporters. My son, who has known her since he was a small child, has been waiting to hear progress reports, and has worried along with the rest of us. She has an eclectic collection of people who love her.
She came through surgery with flying colors. As an old nurse, I’m still shocked at what these days is considered an outpatient surgery, but my job was simply to drive her home. You’d have to know her to appreciate this: still fuzzy from anesthetic she felt the need to give me directions while I drove.
When surgery was finished, the surgeon called with a report that she had not found any surprises, but that she had removed some lymph nodes to send for pathology results. Not until that report would be available would she know for sure what treatment options to offer. The options ranged from radiation therapy to the taking of a certain pill for five years post operatively.
The prayer ninja groups continued to send requests to God and the Universe – wanting to cover all the bases. I can only imagine the power of prayers sent by so many from such diverse places. I believe with all my heart that there is a healing energy that accompanies our petitions, sent from the heart and powered by divine energy.
Surgery was last week. No one knew for sure when the results would be available. Her surgeon left on a well deserved ski vacation, but somehow we knew that she would call as soon as she learned what the pathologist would report. So, today was the day for results to be released.
Her surgeon called from afar: all four lymph nodes are clear. There is no better news than this. No radiation needed, simply the daily ingestion of a pill for the next five years. The news has gone out, practically around the world. Big sighs of relief are in order. My friend is flying high with this literal reprieve.
The result could so easily have been different if the marauding cells had migrated into her lymphatic system. But it wasn’t and they didn’t and there is joy throughout my friend’s wide world. Thank you God. Thank you Universe, powered by the purest love.