For Lynne

After a six-plus-year journey, Lynne's battle with breast cancer has come to a permanent cease fire.  She fought a tremendous fight against a formidable enemy, and on August 13, 2012 at 7:11pm, she walked victoriously into the arms of her Lord and Savior to begin a new life in His presence forever.

Lynne's cancer was of the triple-negative variety, meaning it lacked the three most common receptors for fueling breast cancer: estrogen, progesterone, and HER2.  Since most breast cancers have them, the most successful treatments target these receptors. Therefore, triple negative breast cancer is less treatable and more aggressive than other types.  Lynne had multiple surgeries, radiation, and almost continuous chemotherapy for the past six years.

Believing that knowledge was powerful, Lynne was a student of her disease. She read everything she could, and armed herself with the latest research, theories and treatment options. She had a big notebook full of progress reports, research, scans, lab results, and usually brought a list of questions and suggestions to her very patient and supportive oncologist, Dr Brooks.

But believing that faith and hope were even more powerful, Lynne rested in the assurance that God was in control and if He chose, she could be cured in an instant. And if that wasn't to be, she knew that He had a greater plan. She walked through the past six years with tremendous confidence and joy, a true inspiration to all who knew her.

To say she didn't let cancer defeat her is almost an understatement. She refused to let it stop her from living life to the fullest. She stayed actively involved with her family, church and friends. She rose above the demands of a strenuous treatment schedule to take trips to see family and friends, even making a trip of a lifetime to Italy with her husband in January of this year.

I can honestly say there was only once when I saw her waver in her determination, when last fall she felt she was losing ground and wondered "is this the beginning of the end?" Moments later, she gathered herself up and we made plans to take a trip to San Diego to sit on the beach and celebrate her birthday.

Today would have been Lynne's 53rd birthday. I'll celebrate, because that's the way she lived. She was the organizer of family get-togethers, a giver of "happies," a player of games, an instigator of projects, a rearranger of furniture. Lynne was always the "thoughtful" one, and as the middle child, the peacemaker. Lynne is my sister, and though we had our catfights over ridiculous things, we loved each other deeply and were fiercely devoted. She was beautiful and fun, generous and caring, and I don't think my life will ever be the same without her here.

For the past few months, Lynne's and my daily devotion has been a book called Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. One of the verses from today's reading is Isaiah 61:3 -

"...and provide for those who grieve in Zion, 

to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,

the oil of joy instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,

a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor."

I think I'll keep that in mind today.