I met Judi two years ago via an e-mail from a mutual friend. Even though Judi and I have never met in person, we’ve been through a lot together; two years ago her grandson, newborn, had serious breathing difficulties, failure to gain weight, and other neonatal issues. He wasn’t expected to live. He went through a lot, and they came close to losing him several times.
A number of us–of all religions and no religion at all–spent time each day praying for Isaiah in our own fashions. Two years later, he’s thriving.
Judi isn’t. She’s been diagnosed with advanced kidney cancer. She won’t be doing chemo or radiation or surgery; she’t taking a two-drug cocktail that the oncologists hope will stop the cancer’s spread and perhaps promote shrinkage of the tumors she has.
A lot of you know that I was an RN for quite a few years, working in the ER, the ICU, and on Med-Surg. I’m not religious. My stance on religion is that God is a great guy with terrible PR, the PR being religion–any religion.
That said, in my personal life as well as in my years in nursing, I have seen prayer work. I don’t believe it works. I know it works. It connects us, and through that connection we make things happen.
I’m asking of those of those of you who are willing to pray, or light candles, or cast spells, or however you choose to connect and focus your will, that you pray that Judi’s cancer will go away, and that she’ll be well. Judi is Christian, but she knows I’m not, and she knows a whole lot of you aren’t, and she’s fine with that.
She wants to live. She has a lot to live for.
Thanks.
Prayers to you, Judi.
Hi, Holly, and thank you again.
Judi is great people, and I like and respect her tremendously from years working with her on RivenCon.
Judi,
You’re in our prayers no matter what your religious persuasion, but it never hurts to clarify facts.
Hugs, Judi. And keep on keeping on. We’re with you.
Don’t know where I got the idea that you were Christian. Maybe from the company you keep. (Hi, Jim.)
Holly, I can’ begin to tell you just how much your support means to me. The outpouring of prayer and concern from all over has just been overwhelming. I send my thanks and my love to you and all that you reach. I know that we’ve never really brought up religion. It’s never been an issue, because I believe that all prayer goes to the same place. Just to set the record straight. I’m Jewish. I think that pretty much covers most of the major, minor, Pagan and Earth based beliefs. I am a very stubborn Taurus and quitting is not in my vocabulary. I have no intention of allowing it to enter now. God bless you.
Peace and Love, Judi
Judi is almost 60 — she has a birthday coming up soon. The cancer is aggressive and has metastasized extensively, which is why no surgery, though I’m not sure about the reasons for not doing chemo or radiation; one that comes to mind is that they’d be too traumatic for her system to handle.
Thank you, everyone, for your prayers, good thoughts, and support.
Praying here, too.
My brother Jim just finished treatment for Hodgkins. He can attest to the power of prayer, no matter what you call it. I’ll add Judi to my list.
She’s on the prayer chain here.
Not a fan of religions myself but I can tell you from personal experience that the warm thoughts of others can have a major impact on someone fighting cancer. My wife has fought off breast cancer twice now and the prayers and hopes of the folks around us played a major part in her recovery.
Judi has nothing but my very best thoughts and prayers.
Hang tough and never give up!
Thank you for letting us know. I’ll be praying for her whichever way feels right this month.
Wolverine.
Judi is in my prayers. As an oncology nurse, i know how devastating news like that can be. How old is she? Has she been through chemo before?
I’ll pray and send energy 🙂
Dear friend, thank you.
Jim
Consider the prayers sent, Holly. I’ll try to get my friends to pray as well.
I’ll add her to my prayer list as well as my church’s prayer chain. Tell her we’re thinking of her.
I’m praying, sending positive thoughts, healing energy, and whatever else I can think of. You’re right, Holly, it does work.
Keep us updated, and send Judi my love.
Consider her prayed for, and you, too, Holly. I hope that you don’t mind. I like how you put that, by the way, “God has bad PR.” True enough, we humans have a knack for that sort of thing… but I digress.