My Mom

Recently I have been called as the Young Women's President and have felt a bit overwhelmed! We went on a temple trip to the Toronto Temple and it was a wonderful experience! Afterwards we went to get a bite to eat with the whole gang and I got a Blackberry message from my sister, Tina, to call her ASAP! It was urgent and about our Mom. When I called her she told me that Mom went to see her doctor that day and he said they found a brain tumor and would need to go to the hospital right away for surgery. My heart sank and I felt so helpless being 4 hours away from her! Immediately I found rides for the youth I was driving and my wonderful girlfriend Cheryl told me she was going to drive me home as I was in no condition to drive. The whole way home I was frantic and scared and just wanted to be with my Mom, hoping I wouldn't be too late.

On the way I called my Boss, who told me to just go and be with her and they would figure out work for me until I could get back. My scheduling coordinator said pretty much the same thing. How nice it was to just be able to drop everything and just go! I am truly blessed to have the job I do!

When I returned home I talked to Justin and my family and made the decision to just go to Michigan and be with my family. Justin was very worried about me and gave me a beautiful blessing of peace and comfort through all of this and that I would be able to understand everything that was happening and be able to help my family through this ordeal. I immediately felt comfort and peace!

It was still hard to watch while my Mom went through tests, and surgery and shaving of her head but through it all I have felt comfort. Maybe it is my Dad gently hugging me or maybe My Heavenly Father showing me peace.

My Mom was diagnosed with Gioblastoma Multiforme stage 4. This is a rarer form of Brain Cancer that is very aggressive and fast growing. It will keep coming back and each time she will need to have surgery and chemo and radiation. She had a successful operation that removed the whole tumor and has just had a 7 week round of chemo and radiation. She asked me to help her pull out her falling hair and then Tina and I shaved it. It has been a bonding experience for our family...somehow we always come together in a crisis. Some of my siblings are doing better with this than others. Tina and Kevin have been taking the brunt of the work since they still are living with her and Heidi and Julie are helping out. I come every other week for a few days at a time.

I sure do Love my Mom and want her to recover fully from this...however this is something that she will live with and have for the rest of her mortal life. Sucky that she has to endure the sickness, torture of chemo and radiation. She has given everything for others and I just wish she can have some relief and a cure. Nevertheless she says she is ready if it is her time. She says that she wants to stay for she has so much she still wants to do. We will all do our best to get her "Bucket List" done before her time to go!