Linette is going through Ovarian Cancer and at the same time, going through tons of chemo. She was rail thin, and surprisingly, pretty young--I wanna say in her late 40s.
I did simple everyday things for her that we take for granted, but she is too weak to do herself right now: made her a piece of toast, put on a cup of tea, watered her plants, and helped her clean.
There were definitely certain sights that were hard to witness, stuff that I won't elaborate on; however, I wasn't afraid. Like I said, I prayed about it...and anytime I felt weak (the sight of needles make we wanna pass out sometimes) I just said a quick "HELP ME GOD!" in my head.
Of course, I ended up learning that Linette was the one with vast inner strength, and I admire that about her, as well as her wit and charm. (She kept apologizing for the "stank" and ended up calling me ASH--in all caps cause she said it with gusto!--by the end of an hour).
That's all it took! A measly hour of my time made a big difference for someone else. Of course I told her, "When you are better, let's go to church!" And I truly feel optimistic that she will get better. But the frightful truth of this ministry is that some of the patients I meet are going to pass away.
That's not what I need to be concerned about. A life consumed with worry about death is no life at all, even when one feels they are close to death. I think most of you have experienced this--that when you are around death, that is when you appreciate life the very most. I know Linette is appreciating every second that she still has to live hers.
Thank you so much for sharing how this went, I was thinking about you this week. I loved this post - a reminder to everyone reading not to take anything for granted, and how much of a difference an hour of your tmie can make for somebody else. I'm thankful for people like you as I know people like Linette, and people like my own grandma rely on them. I hope she gets better so you can go to church together! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing what you're doing! That's awesome that you're serving in this way and making an impact in these patients' lives. Major props, Ash. :)
ReplyDeleteAshley, you are truly an inspiration! Thank you for sharing that. I will continue to pray for you and all the ways that God is leading and blessing you.
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You always make people feel better. You had fears starting this work, but you find good in all people very easily. That's your talent.
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