I truly believe in the power of prayer and that God can perform modern day miracles. I ask you to pray for our good friends Brandon and Phyllis Warren. Brandon is the new Athletic Director/Head Football Coach here in Queen City and was diagnosed with colon cancer 18 months ago. Lute and I spend a great bulk of time with both of them along with our other friends Erin and Courtney and since moving here to Q.C. we have not seen the physical affects of his cancer because of his wonderful early treatment and lack of growth. Last Wednesday Brandon and Phyllis went in for a routine scan and it was discovered that the cancer has since moved to his liver and lungs. Both of them are such strong and wonderful, Godly people with 3 precious boys ranging from 2 to 8 years old (8, 5, & 2). Please keep all of them in your prayers and close to your heart. Brandon started chemotherapy yesterday (Monday) and he is very sick with some major side affects. I have attached a copy of what Phyllis posted on her Caring Bridge page in regards to Brandon and where they are in life right now. I thought if everyone could read it then they would get a great idea of what a wonderful person, wife, and friend she is.
Okay guys...I'm going to try this, but let me warn you...the last week has been pretty emotional.
On Tuesday, Brandon spent the day at MD Anderson having all the usual tests. On Wednesday, we met with the doctor. I can honestly say that I had absolutely no anxiety about the report this time...maybe that should have been a warning. Anyway, the doctor went through the usual questions...How have you been feeling? How's your appetite? Any pain, fatigue, nausea? He really seemed to be stalling and I think that is when I first had that uneasy feeling about what was to come. Then he told us that there had been some growth. Several spots on the liver were larger and there was also a new spot on the lung. He said that they were not certain that the spot on the lung was cancer, but he called it a nodule. Last time there was a question about a spot on the lung, he called it a cloudy spot. I think I prefer cloudy spot. His recommendation was to go back on the full force chemo for a 4 treatment cycle and then come back to reevaluate. So...Brandon went in this morning for his first treatment in Cancer: Act II.
That’s the nuts and bolts of the whole scenario. Now I’m going to attempt to address the emotions. I felt like someone had hit me in the stomach...full force...no warning. I honestly thought I would throw up. I think for Brandon it was more of a feeling of fury. He just seemed so angry that he would have to do this all over again.
That was then, though and this is now. The thing that keeps running through my head right now is how blessed we are. Our community, friends, family, church, and STUDENTS are amazing. Within hours of our doctor’s appointment, there were text messages and phone calls literally “flying” around Queen City. Friends and family prayed and called each other to find out what they could do. Students gathered at each other’s houses to hold prayer meetings and make signs of encouragement to greet Brandon at school on Thursday morning. Friends organized dinner for us on Thursday night. The Lord made sure that there were people (angels) in place to take care of us. I have turned this all over in my head a thousand times since last week. Of course I’ve asked why, why, why. I even tried some heavy duty bargaining on the way home from Houston, and I’m pretty sure I could not have kept up my end of some of those promises I was making. I just cannot wrap my brain around the whole situation. Then…just when I least expected it…that song I wrote about a while back (Count Your Many Blessings) came rushing back. Cancer stinks, but WE ARE BLESSED.
Brandon and I had this conversation a few weeks back about how well our basketball team was doing, how hard the kids were working, and what a great job Coach Christenson was doing. Brandon made a comment about how it’s easy to be positive when you ‘re winning, and that he hoped our kids would be able to stand together and continue their hard work even through the tough times. Everybody loses a game here and there. Does that mean that suddenly the coach isn’t any good or that all the players are just a bunch of lazy kids with no work ethic or desire to be successful. It made me think…Just two short weeks ago, Brandon and I (and most of the rest of Queen City) were singing God’s praises. More than a few times I have heard people refer to Brandon as a walking miracle. It was easy to be positive when we were winning, but what about now. Is God any different today than last Tuesday when we didn’t yet know that the cancer was back? Is he any less faithful or good? What if all this is a test for us? Can we sing God’s praises through the good times AND the bad? God is God. He is good and faithful ALL THE TIME, and I thank him for that. I thank him for you all, for 6 months with no chemo, for the doctors who hopefully caught this early enough to treat it successfully, and for a community who is not afraid to say “We are praying for you!” Praise God …we are surrounded by a community of Christians.
I am going to try to add a new picture to the website. It is a picture of one of the signs the kids hung at the High School on Thursday. It covers the whole front window, and you cannot miss it as you walk up to the school. I want you to notice the scriptures written all over the sign. High school aged kids gathered together with their Bibles and looked up scripture that they felt would be meaningful and appropriate to Brandon. I thank God that we are blessed by the students we teach and coach and that during this difficult time, they chose to go to the Word of God for support and answers and comfort. On Thursday morning, one of our students prayed over the intercom at school and during activity period a large group of students gathered at the flag pole to pray again. During this age of “Political Correctness”, does it simply amaze anyone else the way God is working through this?
I know that this is long a
nd that I am rambling, but I want you to know that we serve an AWESOME GOD, and he is working in our lives every day. We want your prayers, appreciate them, and consider them one of our greatest blessings.Count your blessings, name them one by one…That is what we will continue to do here in Queen City.
I promise I will update again this week and let everyone know how the first round went. Thanks for your prayers and keep ‘em coming.
Phyllis
