A Magnolia's Heart Beats

Prayers for Jimmy

Please lift up my uncle, pictured here with his wife Susan and twin boys, James and John.

How do I tell this story?

When I was young, in upper junior high, maybe just starting high school, Jimmy was diagnosed with malignant melanoma. It was removed and he underwent a series of procedures at Duke University. Doctors, medication and lots of God's handprints all over him later, he remained cancer-free for many many years.

A few years ago, the melanoma came back, this time in some lymph nodes on his side. He underwent surgery and some grueling immunotherapy and between doctors (this time from here and from M. D. Anderson, also consulting with Duke University) medication, and God's handprints all over him, he remained cancer free for almost a year.

The cancer returned, this time to his brain. The doctor was an angel and removed it successfully. The oncologist at M. D. Anderson prescribed some chemo pills and he did very well for a while. It returned and he had a second surgery with the same doctor. Not sure if he was still on chemo, but he did have a cyberknife procedure performed. Between the doctors, medication and God's handprints all over him, he remained cancer free.

His last scans were not what we hoped. There are some spots, miniscule, really, on his brain. He'll have a new mask made for the cyberknife and go back for that very very soon. A spot also showed up on his neck, just under the skin. A spot also has appeared in his liver. The spots are suspicious but Jimmy is not. He knows God is in control. He is very optimistic. He has appointments lined up with his oncologist here, at M. D. Anderson and I think Mother said with a surgeon about the one on his neck. My guess would be (call me Dr. Laurie Ann, LOL - I have to laugh to keep from crying right now) that his oncologist at M. D. Anderson will start him back on chemo.

Whether this is cancer or not, and we do not know that the spots on his liver and neck are, what we do know for sure is that God WILL reign victorious and continue to be glorified in this. God has not failed Jimmy. He has been right there with him every step of the way. You have no idea the things Jimmy was not supposed to be able to do after surgery that he was able to do. The Holy Spirit has moved mightily in this situation and we continue to see God be Jimmy's Great Physician.

Please pray that the spots are not malignant and that they are a weird malfunction of some defective equipment. Yeah, I think like that. My prayer is that on his next scans they'll be saying, "What spots?"

He does have many appointments lined up in the near future, so please pray for his stamina to endure all the testing with God's peace resting upon him. Please pray for Susan. Susan is truly a wonderful woman after God's own heart. She stands by Jimmy and is so strong. She is one of my personal heroes in life. And please pray for their two precious boys, James and John, age 8. Routine is a big part of any child's life and during times like this, when Dad is sick and Mom is worried, the kids are bound to pick up on it. Jimmy and Susan are incredibly strong and you would never know the trials they have been through just to look at them. They run a tight ship, serving their family and God and the children they teach and their community. Still, kids know things, you know? So please pray for them, too.

And, to add insult to injury, they had to put their beloved dog Alex, age 16, to sleep over spring break. He's healthy and whole in Heaven now, playing with my angel Copper and a couple of your pets, too, I'm sure.

Thank you so much for being faithful to pray. God hears our prayers and will be glorified as we praise Him for how He works His good and perfect will out through all of this.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." ~ Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

Blessings & Hugs,