Sometimes we feel as if life itself is impossible. But there it is.
Over the past month, I have watched as my cousin Andy has battled brain cancer. This
obnoxious tumor decided to grow half-way through chemo. Andy is a child. He is only 13. He is a fighter though, armed with his faith in God and will to as Dory says in
Finding Nemo, "just keep swimming, just keep swimming..."
Andy was diagnosed just before Thanksgiving last year and completed a very successful run of radiation before starting chemo a couple months back. Andy was greeted with this disease at what is normally an already difficult time in a young person's life. Andy was a good kid. He made good grades, played soccer, loved posing as the subject for his sister Emily's artwork, and wasn't at all the difficult kid many expect a twelve year old boy to be when he got his diagnosis. His humility overwhelmed him, when in the hospital, he began throwing up and my brother Ben was comforting him. As Ben held the trash can for Andy, Andy told him, "I'm sorry Ben, you don't have to watch." To this Ben, a college student replied, "It's okay Andy, trust me, I've seen worse."
I've heard a lot of friends and family say this diagnosis was impossible. Andy is a good kid from a good family. His mother helps lead the choir. His dad works in robotics. The way I hear this question most often asked is , "why us?"
To that question I pose, "why not us?" Both of Andy's parents have five brothers and sisters on Earth and his mother has a brother in heaven. Andy still has 3 out of 4 grandparents on Earth and one grandma in heaven. He has countless cousins and two brothers and a sister himself. He has numerous friends and is a member of a large competitive ski team and very active church group. He has support like no one can imagine. He has received "praying hands" from all over the world, hands people traced or photocopied and left notes of prayers and encouragement on.
So my question "why not us?" doesn't seem so unreasonable. God believes we are capable of carrying this cross. As heavy and as difficult as it has been, over the last six months, I have had to learn to kiss that cross. I have had to put Andy in God's hands and trust that God knows what He is doing much better than anything we could possibly understand. It is hard. I struggle with it every day, but I force myself to do it. And I inevitably feel at peace.
Nothing is impossible, even a cure. I look at my own children, the ones I was told I had a less than 10% of having at one point, as proof of that.
John Paul II we humbly ask for your intercession for Andy. Please pray he is held in the palm of God's hand and that he receive the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for us on Earth. We ask this in the name of our merciful God and saviour, Amen.
Andy and Cousin Ben at a Wrestling Match 2008
