Hi, this is Crystal's husband Scott. We got word from Emily's doctor today and it turns out that our nine year old daughter Emily has Cancer. Specifically Thyroid Cancer. More specifically Papillary Thyroid Cancer. Obviously this is terrible news. We're doing our best to stay positive and optimistic, and with good reason as we've been told her cancer is very treatable with cure rates above 90%. We've been told it's the "good" cancer to get, for whatever that's worth. It's late now, almost 10, and we got this news around 1pm. We're both extremely tired. We're both physically ill. We've both cried a lot. We've both wished this wasn't happening.
But it is.
I know I'm not the first father who has sat in front of a keyboard and typed an email or blog post to say his baby girl has cancer. I know lots of those fathers were facing much bleaker circumstances than I am. But I'll admit that I'm scared. I'm scared for my daughter who will take hormone pills everyday for the rest of her life. I'm scared for my wife who won't get a decent nights rest for the next five years; up worrying about tests, and screenings, and reoccurrences.
Most of all I'm scared of what we all fear the most; the unknown. What's going to happen? I don't know. I know we have an appointment to remove the stitches from her biopsy tomorrow. I know we have an appointment to get her a CT scan, a chest X-ray, and blood test on Monday. I know she'll have her thyroid removed some time in the next two weeks. Other than that I know nothing. Will all her treatments work? Will the cancer come back? Are we going to loose everything trying to pay for this?
Will anything ever be back to normal?
Well, no, I know the answer to that question. It won't. This is permanent. This is forever. From today on life will forever be separated into the time "before Emily had cancer" and "after Emily had cancer." I guess the only real question is whether or not the time after can be better than the time before.
I believe it can. I believe it's my job as the head of this family to make sure it will be.
I love this family. I love you Crystal. I love my little Emily.
Please keep Emily in your prayers.
41 comments:
I'm very proud of you.
Love Dad
I pray that you feel Jesus' arms around you in a very tangible way, and that you will be able to rest inside His promises.
Peace be.
Thank you for being honest with your tender heart....we're all holding it carefully.
Friends from around the globe,
I beseech you yo pray unceasingly for this family...it's so amazing having warriors in all corners...pray for strength, wisdom, grace, healing...whatever God prompts you to pray...be Scott and Crystal's voice to the Lord...Pray for rest from the tears...pray for a breath of fresh air...Specifically, pray that God's glory be revealed in and through Emily Mae...
Scott & Crystal and dear family,
Please know that we will pray often for your sweet Emily. I am so sorry that you will have to endure this trial. But, you will endure because you have the joy of the Lord as your strength! Cling to His promises right now... the one who loves Emily more than we can imagine.
"Yet the God who controls the wheeling galaxies and who spoke before the foundation of the world must be the God who holds the smallest circumstance of your life in His hands. We are encompassed on all sides by the Almighty. 'His tender mercies are over all His works,' 'steadfast love surrounds him who trusts in the Lord,' and 'underneath are the Everlasting Arms.' Over, around, underneath. We are enfolded. Can you think of a safer place to be?" (Elisabeth Elliot, Let Me Be A Woman, p. 59)
I know that nothing I can say will bring you comfort right now. I am praying without ceasing for you and Emily, and I know that God will give you peace. He is in control of this. If you do have any questions at all about the treatments, please post here or on my site, and I will attempt to answer them, if I don't know the answer, I can track things down pretty easily.
Mt. 11:28
Crystal and Scott,
Missy told me the news when I got home last night and I was stunned. My heart bleeds for you and we will all pray for a complete recovery. I just read your post and am all welled up and can hardly see what I am typing.
Praying for little Emily and your family!
Blessings, Dawn
from Choosing Home
I am so, so sorry. I feel so sick. Ugh, this is horrible, I'm so sorry. You and Scott are the best parents and I'm so sorry you have to go through this. I know God is with you guys right now. You have the best family too, and I know they are there for you.
If you need anything at all, we are here for you. Please call me if you need anything!
You will continueously be in our thoughts and prayers.
Love,
Sara & Steve
What more can I say than this: We love you and please let us know if you need anything. Noah will be deploying in the coming weeks but that means that I'll be back in Illinois and, like I said, if there is anything I can do, please let me know. (Even if it is watching Malachy so that Steph and Kim can be there with you.)
All our love,
Lauren & Noah
Crystal,
I don't really know what to say on your blog...it feels too personal to me to put my thoughts on the blog. Especially because I don't even know what to think so it add's to my insecurites about what to say. However, I'm in awe if the vulnerbility and honesty you and Scott are displaying right now. You guys are an encouragement to Mark and I. You know I love you all and I'm commited to doing whatever I can to serve your family in this time.
Love ya, Steph
you will be in my prayers.
Crystal and Scott, I could hardly read you posting through my tear filled eyes. In fact I had to take a break before I could compose myself enough to write. I can not imagine what it is like to hear the news you have received. Jackie and I will be lifting you and you family up in prayer.
Praying for you guys.
Love,
Molly
Crystal and Scott,
What shocking news. I wish I was closer and I could bring you a meal or something; clean your house--give you both some hugs. I'm so sorry this is happening to you but I will be praying for you every night with my family at dinner time, okay. It will be at the forefront of my prayers.
Please come back whenever you can (I know you have so many more important things to do right now) and update us so that we can pray more effectively and specifically. I'll have my church body pray in our service if the opportunity comes up for me to share. Okay?
Know that I'm thinking of you and my heart goes out to you.
Give Emily a hug and a hello from her blog friend--Sadie
Peace be with you and God Bless
I am definitely praying for you and your precious daughter.
I don't have words enough to express my thoughts. *big hugs*
Please keep us posted, so we know how to pray, and so we know what else we can do to help.
God bless you guys. *hugs*
I will be praying for you and your precious girl. Denise
I will pray for all of you! And I'll share it at prayer time with my church here in Germany tomorrow, so they will pray for you too!
I'm sending lots of supportive and loving hugs. These are the times when I wish I could jsut come over in person, instead of just knowing you from the computer...
Scott and Crystal,
Like everyone else that left comments its hard to know what to say, unless we have been through it. I cant imagine what you all are going through but do know my family and so many others will be praying for your sweet girl, Emily
and we will be praying for you both to get through this time in your life. May God always have his arms around you.
deezie
Praying for peace & comfort for your family right now. May God wrap his arms around you and your family, and most of all Emily right now.
I know it won't help much right now - but I have a good friend who had thyroid cancer as a girl. She is now over 30 and just gave birth to her third child...
I'll be praying too...
praying for you all...God will see you through this
Crystal and family,
I am so sorry for your news. I know that the Great Shepherd will walk thru this valley with you every step of the way.
I will be praying for you ALL.
Holly from
Choosing Home
You'll be in our prayers every day!!
I don't know y'all, but I was weeping as I read what you are going through.
May you feel the presence of the Lord with you every step of the way, as you walk this difficult road!
Praying for your family.
Scott you are a truly gifted writer. I have tears running down my cheeks. I will pray that Emily will get better and have a great future. Much love to you all.
I just got your link from another blog I read regularly. I can't imagine what you are all feeling right now. I trust, as you shared, that you are all scared....probably more scared than you've ever been in your life. We have friends that faced a very similar situation just last December with their 18 yr old daughter...thyroid cancer. It has been a precious life-changing experience for them, which has been by the LORD's sweet GRACE!!!They would say they know Jesus more intimately now than they ever could have known Him "pre-cancer". We will be praying for the LORD to touch your family in a similar way through this experience.
I always wonder how families make it through such hard circumstances, and over and over I hear the simple, but yet AMAZING answer - He gives grace for ALL He calls us to. You have been called to an amazing opportunity to trust Him and testify to our LORD - may you KNOW His grace with each passing moment through all the unknowns, all the sleepless nights, all the tears, all the tests, surgeries, and spurts of laughter and joy through this experience!!!
I don't know if you've already read it, but an amazing pastor we once sat under was recently diagnosed with cancer. The day before his surgery he wrote an article called "Don't Waste Your Cancer". I share it with you because I hope/pray the LORD would use it to encourage you!!!
http://www.desiringgod.org/library/fresh_words/2006/021506.html
with love and prayers!!!
praying this moment for your precious girl.
Mary
I didn't want to clog up your comments with something from a stranger, so I posted about your Emily on my blog:
http://right-to-the-end.blogspot.com/
I'll pray for you guys.
-C
Found out through the grapevine from Sadie Lou about your dear daughter's condition. I will be praying for you and let others know about her condition. Heaven will be stormed with prayers for her. Hold fast and praise him, through the good and the bad...blessed be His name!
Crystal & Scott,
We prayed for you and your daughter during our service today. A woman named Becky came up to me after prayer time and told me that she had Thyroid Cancer twice! She had it at 9 years old and the doctors then didn't know that they could remove the entire thyroid, so they just took out half of it.
She got the cancer again, later in life and again, was treated. She is healthy and has had four lovely boys. She said I could put you in touch with her in any form you feel most comfortable--either by way of telephone or email--whatever.
Let me know if you would like to speak to her. She seemed very encouraged to lift you guys in prayer and do whatever she can to ease your minds.
Contact me on my blog as to what you want to do.
I love you guys!
Sadie
I will be praying for you and your daughter during this difficult time. I know how hard times can be, I am an 11 year childhood cancer survivor!
God is BIG, run to Him during this time of sorrow! The days, weeks, maybe months of waiting and not knowing are the worst. Rest in the fact that God knows!
These times can be sweet, sweet times with our Savior.
I would love to hear more about what you are going through and would be happy to hear from you and answer questions, sometimes it helps to be able to "talk" with someone who knows the cancer lingo!
Blessed be His glorious name.
Our family will be praying for yours. Keep us posted, Blessings, from Canada
heresseven
I will keep you all in my prayers. Stay strong. God is with you all.
lt
As Pastor John Piper prayed for in his announcement letter regarding his Cancer, "Lord, for your great glory, don’t let me miss any of the sanctifying blessings that you have for me in this experience..." This is my prayer for each and everyone one of you. Soli deo Gloria. May you find peace and comfort in the knowledge that God's fingerprints are everywhere in this experience (2 Corinthians 1:4-6)
I thought you may want to hear from a survivor of PTC. Actually, I am one of 3 family members surviving PTC (Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma). My mom, brother and I have all gone through the ordeal of the diagnosis, surgery and follow-up. Mom is now 18 years post-surgical. My brother and I were diagnosed within 2 months of each other and are now 2 1/2 years post surgical.
I must tell you that it only gets better. The fear, the panic, the guilt - all of it will ease with time. Believe it or not, there will come a time where you will almost completely forget about it.
Once the balance has been made with the medication, you'll see a whole new, happier person emerge. The change in demeanor is astounding.
I promise, things will get better!
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Hi,
I know this is a scary time for you. I know because I was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer when I was 19 years old, that was 18 long years ago. Now I have 3 wonderful children that range in age from 14 to 5 years old. I admit you will spend the rest of your life monitoring this between blood tests and scans. But eventually the scans are out to 5 year intervals and the blood tests once per year. You forget about it most of the time. I had reoccurances in my lymph glands for about the first 6 years. This is a cancer that if you keep ahead of it you can almost always win the battle. Good luck to you and God bless.
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