Posts Tagged "cancer"

Survivors, Caretakers, and Life

Posted by Lori Freeland on Jan 18, 2013 in Christian living, Featured, Guest Posts | 2 comments

I have a special guest today. Cameron read my blog about our journey through my oldest son Kyle’s leukemia and offered to share his own story about becoming his wife’s caretaker. Thank you, Cameron, for opening up your heart to a fellow caretaker and celebrating both our survivor stories. 

Cameron is husband to Heather Von St. James, survivor advocate for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance, and father to Lily Rose.  He and Heather  had their world’s turned upside down when Heather was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma, just 3 1/2 months after the birth of their only child.  Like Heather, Cameron is passionate about bringing awareness to mesothelioma and the dangers of asbestos exposure. It is his hope that sharing his story will help others  battling cancer and their caregivers who provide them care and guidance in their journey.

Becoming My Wife’s Caregiver

By Cameron Von St. James

When you are part of a young couple, you don’t expect to become caregiver to your spouse. But that was exactly the situation my wife Heather and I found ourselves in on November 21, 2005. That’s the day she was diagnosed with a form of cancer known as malignant pleural mesothelioma. Instead of celebrating the holidays with our daughter Lily who was just three months old at that point, we would be fighting for Heather’s life.

The Three P’s That Drive Prayer

Posted by Lori Freeland on Dec 29, 2012 in Christian living, Featured | 7 comments

I’ve learned something over the last few years. God lives in an upside down, backward, sideways economy. At least according to human standards. For me, the prime example is how God does the most good inside my weakness. He uses my most broken moments to transform me and impact others.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (II Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV).

Conceding Christmas Part Two: The Response

Posted by Lori Freeland on Dec 21, 2012 in Christian living, Featured, The Blog | 7 comments

Conceding Christmas is the story I wrote about our Christmas in 2004, less than two months after Kyle was diagnosed with leukemia. This blog is one of my favorites.

Here is Part Two. 

Conceding Christmas

I curl up in a ball. Think about that verse from Matthew 11. “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Do I believe it? Can I live it?

Release him. Trust me.

Every moment I don’t let go, fear eats away at me. I live in bondage to the terror that Kyle will die and leave me. I can’t hold out any longer on the tugging of my heart.

“Okay, Lord. Okay. Your ways are not my ways.” Deep inside, where I cling to Kyle, I force myself to relax. I imagine picking him up, kissing him softly on his cheek, and walking over to Jesus. It takes me a moment to offer him up and hand him over. His weight leaves my arms and my heart stutters. Kicks into overdrive.

I almost grab him back.