In Honor My Precious Daughter, Leanne – A Daughter Who Has Done Valiantly!

A favorite of Leanne and me at Lake Pine (Leanne, Before Kids)

As a mom, this past year was one of my most difficult years ever. In January, the most feared”C” diagnosis came to our family. Our oldest daughter, Leanne, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Leanne is the third young woman in our family to be diagnosed with thyroid cancer. My sister, Michelle, had thyroid cancer in 1992. Our niece, Rachel, was diagnosed in 2010. And this time, it was our girl. I hated that she had to go through this, wishing it could have been me, not her! She is the mom of three little boys, and her youngest, Micah, was only a few weeks old when the diagnosis was confirmed. Jadon was two, and Erik was four years old. Leanne’s thyroid was removed in April of last year, and a month later, her husband, Sam,  woke up with a severe migraine.

After being treated at the ER and given medication to help the pain, Sam returned home, but his headache did not go away. It just got worse.- and he was having difficulty with his vision. He went back to the ER and after having a CT Scan, Sam was diagnosed with a pituitary tumor. Leanne was still recovering from surgery. Now Sam was out of work.  A lot of people prayed, helped financially, and assisted with meals and caring for the children. Sam’s symptoms finally began to subside, and when Sam went back to the doctor to schedule the surgery and have another scan, the doctors decided not to do surgery. The tumor had shrunk. Sam was able to go back to work again after several weeks.

Through all of these difficult months of uncertainty and waiting, Leanne and Sam exhibited God’s abundant grace and peace beyond human comprehension. Both Sam and Leanne were examples of great courage and perseverance. Leanne used her Facebook page to chronicle the journey of that difficult year, each month choosing a theme from her quiet time in God’s Word. Here are a few of the themes as Leanne experienced her radiation treatment last fall (from her Facebook page):

September – Our theme verse: “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10 ESV)
As we prepare for my radiation treatment in October, I’m not sure how many photos or activities will be documented. What I do know is that this month will need us to rely on our Lord for strength and peace. It’s time for us to be still and reflect on God and who He is.

October – Our theme verse this month: Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! (Psalm 34:8 ESV)… We are blessed and we see the Lord’s goodness!

November – Our theme verse: We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds. (Psalm 75:1 ESV)

Thank you, Leanne for your courage, your faithfulness, and your joy in spite of the circumstances you faced! I am so blessed that God has placed you in our family! I love you more than you can ever imagine!

Last year I was walking and praying for Leanne one morning, and for her precious family. I thought about how it difficult it would be for Erik, Jadon, and Micah, while their mommy was going into the hospital for surgery and again in a few months for her radiation treatment. And as I prayed, an idea came to write a simple book for the boys to help them while their mommy was away. And out of those thoughts came My Mommy is My SuperHero!