YuleLog Ornament Collector's Bulletin Board Forums Discussion Ornament Collecting Discussion Prayers Needed

Dear Mariem,
I've been out of commission the last several days here, very sick and haven't felt up to coming to the computer until today. I am sooo sorry to hear about your situation and will definitely be praying for you, to have God's strength and power in the coming days. Hopefully, He will heal you and all will be well.

Maybe you can print out our replies to you here and take them with you to read on the plane. Please know that we all are thinking about you, praying for you and sending all the electronic hugs we possibly can. I hope you'll be able to feel them, to help you get stronger. Please have someone keep us posted on how you're doing if you can.

Sending you love and prayers for your healing,

Marie, my prayers are with you.

Mariem, you are in all our thoughts and prayers. Please let us know if there is anything you need,
Mary Kaye

Hello Yuleloggers

I am home again and want to thank all of you for your prayers. My appointment went well and I feel much better after speaking to my doctor. I will give you a run down since your prayers are such a big part of it. My hope when I went there was to the option for more treatment because my family doctor Charlie had been blown off and told there was nothing they could do without even hearing everything he had to say. He was angry at the attitude the doctor in Vancouver had and we just wanted me to have a chance.

For those of you who don�t know, I was diagnosed with cervical cancer that quickly spread to my stomach. They thought it might be caused because I had been a smoker for years although I had quit three years before I got sick. It will be 3� years since I spent four months at the cancer clinic. I was involved with three studies, had weekly biopsies, weekly chemo, and 59 radiation treatments plus four boosts of radiation and two surgeries that allowed them to put the radiation pellets directly onto the tumor for 18 hour intervals. When I finished my treatments and came home I had to go back to Vancouver every three months for a full head�to-toe exam (ladies you know what I mean) plus all the lab work and x-rays, ultrasounds etc., that are routinely done. At my first check-up, they found that the cancer was spreading and they discovered a lump on my collarbone that they decided would be better left alone so they wouldn�t compromise my immune system and weaken me sooner than expected. All seven doctors then told me I would probably not live out another year.

In December I had one of my three-month check-ups and they decided to do another ct-scan and check my tumor markers. The range for the tumor marker test they did should have been 0-35 but mine came back at 83. Not good. The Ct-scan showed the cancer had spread to my right lymph node, the top of my right lung, and the right side of my throat. Charlie, my family doctor, contacted the clinic to see if I could get more radiation to extend my time. Without even seeing me or the results of the recent tests my cancer doctor decided I wouldn�t get any more treatments. Charlie pushed for a face-to-face visit for me so that the cancer doctor could get a better idea of the condition I am in. I still feel pretty good and am still fairly strong at this point. If he would still refuse me he would have to do it to my face. He was expecting a haggard, skinny, hanging-on-by-a-thread patient and to his surprise he got me in all my overweight, stubborn glory.

I forgot to mention one of the most important details. All the doctors down in Vancouver thought I would be dead by now. They were shocked to see that not only am I still alive but I still go to two jobs each day. I was told that everyone else in my situation, at that time, is gone now. They did an exam and asked a million questions and were shocked to find that the lump I had on my collarbone is gone. In fact they did the exam a second time just to be sure. They kept looking at me and smiling with a confused look on faces and I definitely began to feel a little �weird� about it.

My prayers, and yours, that I have the option of more treatment is once again on the table. They want to closely watch the lump under my arm and if it grows even a little they will either take it out or do more radiation. That is what I wanted to have happen.

They now think I am �fascinating� and my cancer is �funky� and I am �weird� but I shouldn�t take it personally. Huh? When I took the nursing program years ago, words like �funky� were not part of medical terminology and we were told not to call our patients weird but I guess its okay now. Apparently my immune system is doing something �funky� and they don�t understand what is going on. The doctors remembered how much I believe in positive thinking and how that helped me get through the treatment. I told them that is what is keeping me here. I don�t thing about having cancer and I don�t think about being �sick�. I don�t like having those thoughts in my head at all because I really believe the line �Your thoughts create your future� and so I get up everyday believing I am having a good day.

I feel like a ton had been lifted off my shoulders and would like to say THANK YOU!... THANK YOU!...THANK YOU! for all your prayers. You will never know how much I appreciate your kind thoughts and wishes.

Your friend
Marie

Marie,
That is so great. Prayers work.
Mary

Marie, you are living proof that doctors are only human, and they too must bow to a higher power from whom they receive theirs. I believe that you aren't funky or weird; you're one of God's miracles. Keep your faith in Him, and the redeeming work of His Son Jesus, in your life, and we too will keep praying for the miracle to continue.

Marie, glad to hear the good news. God has a plan for you! The studies you participated in for your cancer could help millions. Keep the faith!

I will continue to pray for your healing.

Love and blessings,
Claudia

This is wonderful Marie. Your outlook on life is so inspiring!

WOW WOW WOW such an amazing story and I know when we first emailed way back when on various committees I was really worried about you and always am happy when I see you post, especially IF you've gone a few weeks without posting~!!! Every time I see anything with a Canadian "maple leaf" on it I always remember you and send good thoughts for you for the past several years~! More prayers and good thoughts coming your way and thank goodness for your doctor Charlie who was there for you and compelled the Vancouver doctors to schedule more tests & exams & treatments~!!!

Go Marie~!

Oh Marie, I'm so glad you're weird! I mean that in the best of all possible ways.
As I shared with you before, you just can't believe those prognostications by doctors. My sister Penny was told she wouldn't live out the year due to her brain cancer, and 16 years later we were going to the Hallmark event in Florida!
I hope to meet you at a Hallmark event in 16 years. Can we make it a date?
Keep up the positive thinking and terrific attitude!

Marie, I am so happy for you and am sitting here with tears in my eyes. I, of course, will continue to keep you in my thoughts and prayers and wish only the best for you with any future treatments. You are proof positive how important it is to never give up, even when the "odds" are against you. Take care and keep us posted!

That's fabulous news!! It just shows what positive thinking and powerful prayer can do. You know that's why you've been diagnosed as "weird" & "funky" - sometimes those in the medical profession forget about the power of prayer and that's the only explanation they have for it. I wish you the best.

EXCELLENT NEWS MARIE!

I am glad our Prayers have helped and that you are doing well!

I cannot tell you what an inspiration you are, Marie. I can only hope that if something like this should ever happen to me, I would have the strength and the attitude that you possess. You have shown us and the doctors that the prayers that have been sent your way, have worked and will continue to. May you continue to feel God's arms around you.

Continued Prayers and God's Speed...
Terri

That is the MOST EXCELLENT news! Way to go!

"Your current thoughts are creating your future life."

Love this quote!

Keep it up!

Mariem,
Your beautiful post made me cry! God Bless You, You Are Truely A Beautiful Person! What a marvelous constituion you have! Your gifted strength and positive frame of mind is your strongest ali!

God has special plans for such a special person! May he continue to walk with you, carry you when he needs to, comfort you on bad days, as his love is never ending.

Marie, I said the power of prayer is great, God Bless You and I will continue to pray for you and keep that terrific attitude.
AND GO DOCTOR CHARLIE!!!!!


Sandy

Oh, Marie, I am so glad you have a miracle going on there. They call it weird, and funky but God calls it all in a days work. Keep you wonderful attitude and faith and keep us posted on your condition. Lots of love and prayers will continue from here. Nancy

Error. Sorry

Marie

Thanks again to everyone for your kind messages and prayers.

Deanna, you are right about my love affair with the Canadian flag. I'm not sure when it even started; I think its always been there. I'm not into Canadiana stuff but the flag is special to me. I think I like the simplicity of it. Thanks for your messages and good thoughts and prayers over the years.

Diana, you have yourself a date. Usually when someone asks for a date you pretend to check the calendar as if you already know you are busy but I am going to pencil you in for HM Premiere, July 2024. I also hope to see you sooner at an event. I have never been to one yet but I hope to in the near future. Thanks for all the ecards over the years. It is so nice to check your emails and every once in a while I get a "how you doing?" card.

When I was in Vancouver my sister invited me to go with her to New York for a couple of days in June. I don't know why she is going there (business?) and to be honest I don't even care but I am going with her. Can't wait. She also said we should go to England with our other sister in the fall. We are all September babies. I have always wanted to go to England. Love to see the architecture among other things.Have to update my passport, haven't used it since I went with her and my son to China in 1999. Thank goodness she works for the airline or I wouldn't be able to afford to go anywhere. Thank goodness for younger sisters.

Marie