In Sickness and in Health

By Brenda Louque

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her...

~Ephesians 5:25

On a Saturday morning in September 2011, I woke up with a low-grade fever and a nagging ache in my lower back. My husband drove me to the emergency room because I thought I had a kidney infection, but my diagnosis would not be that simple. No antibiotic would cure my problem.

After the urinalysis came back negative, the emergency room doctor ordered a CT scan. He seemed to think I had a kidney stone. I will never forget the look on the doctor's face when he gave me the results. His face was lined with pity when he said to me, "The CT scan indicates lymphoma."

I was sent home with instructions to call my family physician on Monday. My husband held my hand all the way and kept telling me that I was going to be okay. I sat in stunned silence, not believing the diagnosis.

The diagnosis, however, was correct. After having bone marrow and lymph node biopsies, I was determined to have Type B non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It is a slow-growing lymphoma, but I was already in stage 4. My husband was the one to ask questions, while I sat in shocked silence. He was the one who assured me that my hair wouldn't fall out, and if it did, he would buy me "new hair."

The coming months were to be some of the hardest in our lives. My husband became my tower of strength. He drove me to all my appointments. He held my hand during my first round of chemo. He cooked meals that I "thought" I wanted, but was too nauseated to eat. He prayed with me and for me when I was too sick to pray for myself.

He became my nurse, housekeeper, and sole breadwinner. He gave up golf dates and fishing trips to stay home with me. Many times, he has told me, "I don't want to go to work and leave you because I worry about you."

He has been by my side every step of the way through my cancer journey. He has held me when I cried in frustration and encouraged me when I wanted to give up. And he was there when I got the news that my lymphoma was in remission.

When I try to tell him how much I appreciate him, he just says, "I am trying to be the man that God wants me to be."

Thank you, Lord, for this man. By your mercy and grace, and with my husband's love, I have conquered my disease.

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