8 years ago today....

8 years ago today, I remember being woken up from a nap by my dad. I remember his words clearly, "They think Laura has cancer." I didn't understand. I never would've imagined someone so close to me being diagnosed with cancer, especially not my 22 year old sister. She was in San Marcos at the time finishing her senior year at Southwest Texas State University.

I got out of bed and went to the living room where my dad was. I remember looking out the window as I soaked it all in. I wondered why her and not me? She was the one with all the big dreams. It wasn't long until a peace came over me. At the exact same time, my dad said a peace came over him. Her friend Jhonathan called at that time as well saying he felt a peace. Obviously this peace was a gift from God, and He was allowing us all to experience it.:)

I remember my mom coming home early that day and calling her sister. My grandma and my mom drove 2 and a half hours to San Marcos. An ambulance was bringing my sister to Houston straight to MD Anderson. My mom would do anything for her family, and she was going to do whatever it took to get to her first born.

It wasn't until the next afternoon that I saw my sister. As she was wheeled into a room at MD Anderson, I turned my head so I could stop the tears from streaming down my face. Then the doctor came in with those horrifying words that none of us will ever forget, "You have acute mylogenous leukemia." We cried. Laura wanted to be left alone.

The rest of that year was challenging. She went on to have chemotherapy while she was in isolation for about 40 days. My mom was at the window outside her room everyday, watching her daughter. She was only allowed to go in the isolation room once during that time to cry with my sister. As we all know, there is nothing like the bond of a mother and a daughter:)

I watched my sister try to take that IV pole and walk straight out of that isolation room. I watched my sister get a bone marrow transplant from an anonymous donor. I watched my sister lose her hair. I watched my sister experience the effects of chemotherapy, vomiting through the night.

Through it all, I saw many prayers get answered and all our faith grow.

I don't talk about this often, and I went through a lot of emotions blogging about it. Today, I have a heart full of praise to our Saving King, Jesus Christ who chose to heal my sister. I also remain forever proud of my sister, the biggest fighter I know. Still with her big dreams. And now a cancer survivor.