Life is but a vapor

I'm so distracted at work today. All I can think about is my sweet niece, Sarah Kate, who's been struggling for her life this past weekend. I am so thankful that I have a Savior to cling to who knows exactly what the hurt and pain feels like when your child is suffering, because I sure don't. I can't even imagine the love a parent has for their child, so to have to see that very child that you brought into this world grasping for air to live has got to be devastating. Sarah Kate was diagnosed with RSV on Friday and has been in critical condition, including having to have a blood transfusion, this weekend. She is a very strong little girl (only 2 months old) and I know that her parents and all those surrounding her who love her very much are having their faith tested right now but will be so much stronger in the end for the endurance. She on the uphill of the battle right now and things are looking much brighter than they did Saturday night, but it will still be a journey. I pray that Jesus just breathes into her little lungs and fights the battle for her that she is not strong enough to conquer right now.

Also, one of our dear members at Mabel White, Wayne Morris, and someone I've worked closely with over my time here at Mabel is struggling for his life as well. Here is an overview of all he has been going through over the past year from his caringbridge website: "Wayne has been ill since the first of April 2008. He spent four days in the hospital and the doctors went from thinking he had the flu, a virus, a tick borne illness (although he never had a tick bite), an MRI in may revealed what they called inflammation in the pitiutary and they begin to think it was a disease called Neuro-sarcoidosis. We continued on this journey and the Macon doctors decided to send him to Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. Six weeks later on August 18, 2008 we started yet another journey of finding out what was wrong. They began doing testing and discovered that he had a tumor on his pituitary gland that not only had trashed his endocrine system but it was also starting to press on the optic nerves and he was beginning to lose some peripheal vision. During all this they did a chest x-ray (originally looking for sarcoidosis) and discovered a spot on his lung, they did a CT scan followed by a bronchscopsy on Fri 8/22. We came home(I actually drove us home through tropical storm Faye) and on Tuesday 8/26/08 the Doctor called Wayne and told him the biopsy had come back malignat (we had an agreement that the doctor would call us with the results). We headed back down to Mayo for more testing and also learned the cancer was in two lymph nodes in the bronchial tube. On 8/29/08 a PET scan revealed that there were spots in the liver and suspicious spots in his spine around the pelvic area. They set the date to de-bulk the pituitary tumor on 9/3/08. They learned that the pituitary tumor was also malignant and had come from the lung. We have come back to Macon to begin treatment and Wayne started whole brain radiation on 9/18/08. He will take fourteen units (Mon-Fri). On 9/23/08 they put in a porta cath and as soon as the radiation is complete they will begin chemo. The biggest challenge to date is dealing with all the hormone issues from the pituitary gland failure. We are trusting and knowing that God has a plan for Wayne and we don't believe that HE is through with him yet."

I just found out today that Wayne is "going downhill very fast." I am reminded of a point in the sermon yesterday, that Life is but a vapor. I have learned to not take a day for granted and to be thankful for everything God has given me. Today's a struggle for me. I have friends who are going through relationship troubles as well and it all just reminds me to have faith and trust in God with everything. He is sovereign and in control.