Ministry of Mothers Sharing at Holy Family Catholic Church at 5125 South Apopka-Vineland Rd., Orlando, FL 32819 US - A Mom’s Journal

When our family moved from Cleveland last year, it was quite a momentous event. My husband and I had never lived anywhere else, but we were forced to relocate so that he could accept a new job. Once the moving truck had been loaded, we said good-bye to our family and friends.

I felt apprehensive, and yet I sensed that we were on a journey greater than the one to Florida. We had a newborn baby as well as a five-year-old and a three-year-old. I also had a tumor the size of an orange in my back. I knew it was the perfect recipe for an incredible work of God in my life!

I had discovered the tumor during the last months of my pregnancy as I was rubbing my lower back to ease some pain. Since the lump could have been pregnancy related and might have disappeared on its own after the delivery, my doctor decided to wait until my baby was born to investigate it further.

The lump did not disappear! Six weeks after my child was born, a biopsy revealed a rare desmoid tumor that had become lodged in muscle tissue near the spine in my lower back. It was unclear whether the tumor had become intertwined with my spinal cord. Since our family was scheduled to move shortly, my husband and I, along with the doctors, decided that it would be best to postpone surgery until after we had relocated.

Seeking Friendship. Once we were settled into our new home, I arranged the details for my surgery and made plans for the older children to attend school in the fall. However, I was in dire need of friendship. Since my dearest friends in Ohio were from our church, it seemed obvious to seek out friends through our new parish community. So, I attended the last meeting before the summer break of Family Focus, a family ministry group at our new parish.

The surgery was scheduled for the beginning of August. As the date ap-proached, it became clear that the recovery time would be longer than we had originally anticipated. My mother and mother-in-law each planned to stay with us for a week. However, my recovery would require at least three weeks of rest, including limited mobility (use of a walker and no lifting), followed by several weeks of radiation and therapy to regain normal activity. My husband could take little time off since he had just started his new job.

Trusting in God. I had developed a regular habit of prayer, and as I prayed, I felt assured that God was allowing all these circumstances for reasons beyond what I could perceive. So, while others, like my mother, were feeling panicked about how we were going to manage, I felt peaceful and certain that God would sustain us somehow. However, that didn’t mean I could sit idly waiting for an angel to appear at my doorstep. I needed to take steps to look for help, trusting that God would lead us.

I am not the kind of person who likes to ask for help, but I think God forced me to humble myself by “giving” me this desperate situation. If I were still in Cleveland, I thought, to whom would I turn? My family and my friends from church! So, I called the president of Family Focus at our parish. Making that one phone call was all I needed to do.

This woman, whom I had met only very briefly at the meeting earlier that summer, assured me that she would arrange for help. After a chain of phone calls and e-mails, volunteers were scheduled to provide meals, do the laundry and household chores, and care for my infant. It was amazing! Not one angel at my door, but many!

I had never met any of these women, but they were there to do whatever needed to be done. I felt so blessed and humbled! Not only did God provide for me and my family during my surgery, recovery, and subsequent treatment, but in doing so, he answered what had been the deepest cry of my heart during our relocation. I had prayed to find true friends with whom I could share my life. Within a few months, I formed friendships that may have taken years to develop if my situation hadn’t been so needy and so urgent.

Affirmation and Support. These women were truly sent by God. Spending time with them has helped to affirm me in my role as wife and mother. What we do day to day is truly extraordinary. There is a special bond and depth of understanding that I will always share with them. To this day, I either visit or phone these women regularly. In addition, I have become even more involved in our church. I formed a babysitting co-op that especially helps those without families in the area, and I helped to facilitate a Ministry of Mothers Sharing (MOMS) group at my church.

My new friends have seen me at my lowest, and yet they still love me. Through my surgery and recovery, they provided me with the courage and strength I needed to persevere. I am so grateful for their support. We continue to support each other just by being available to listen and to encourage one another through all of life’s challenges. It felt wonderful to be able to prepare a dinner for several of my friends in need. Not only were they grateful, but I felt needed. This time I was able to be their angel at the door!

Recovery and Gratitude. My physical recovery has gone as well as anyone could have expected. I’ve come a long way in just months. Recently I’ve been able to move about without using a walker. I can also resume more normal activity. The surgeons had to remove a muscle from my shoulder to place in my back, but the reconstruction of my shoulder looks almost normal, and I am rehabilitating both my shoulder and my back. My prognosis is good. There is only a 5 percent chance of recurrence of the tumor.
More importantly, I have been changed inwardly. I feel humbled by the fact that complete strangers have cared so much for me. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for everything. I find myself thanking God when I am able to shower or to wash the kitchen floor. I don’t take anything for granted anymore. All the chores and mundane tasks I used to complain about I now feel blessed to be able to do. Whenever I catch myself thinking, “Oh, nobody sees all the work I do; what I do doesn’t matter,” I remember this experience.

God does recognize what I do. He thinks I’m important and that I can be a blessing to others.

God’s plans are so much bigger and better than mine. He sent us away from our dearest family and friends. He allowed a tumor to grow in my back. And yet, I thank him for what he has done for me and for my family.

Michelle Wilson lives in Orlando, Florida.

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