In Sickness and in Health:

When we said our vows 7 years ago, we had no idea the “in sickness” part would be put to the test so soon.

Justin has suffered from a chronic cough for over a year now. He went to the dr a few times about it, and in September mentioned he had some unexplained weight loss as well. What followed was a series of appointments and a slowly unraveling thread that led us to the worst phone call of our lives.

Cancer.

And not just any cancer, but a rare, aggressive and deadly cancer that is typically seen in a much older demographic… not a 35-year-old with a desk job.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma is caused by asbestos exposure. We have no idea how he was exposed, but we’re told it was probably when he was a teenager due to the long latency period.

What is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year has turned into the darkest season of our lives.

While all this feels overwhelming and lonely, we know we are not alone. Friends and family near and far (and from all seasons of life) have shown up to carry this burden with us. We have cried from grief, but we have also cried from gratitude.

On December 13th, Justin will undergo major abdominal surgery that will remove his tumor and all visible disease. During his surgery he will also receive HIPEC, a procedure that infuses his abdomen with heated chemotherapy to target microscopic cancer cells.

It’s the best case scenario for this worst case situation we are in. We are told the cancer will come back, but we hold onto hope that it will not. We pray, of course, and Justin is doing everything within his power to be as healthy as possible.

We have a long road ahead with more unknowns than ever. Our kids do not know the word cancer and we hope to keep it that way – all they know is daddy has a bump on his belly and will have surgery to remove it.

As the days, weeks, and months unfold, we will take all the prayers we can get.

We hope to see the “in health” part of our vows once again.