The past five weeks have been some of the most challenging weeks our family has faced. Five weeks ago my wife Sandra found an enlarged lymph node on her neck. She went to our family doctor who quickly sent her for a CT scan and for a biopsy. I wasn’t truly concerned because I honestly didn’t think it was anything serious. We went through the steps we needed to take to rule out what we believed to be impossible. We waited for the results hoping and praying for a good result. For reasons we will never fully know the results we were looking for never came. On November 6 the doctor who did the biopsy called Sandra and told her she had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. There are few feelings that match the feeling when you first hear that you have or someone you love has Cancer.
The hardest part of knowing you have cancer is what you don’t know. To not think to far into the future or to keep from constructing worst case scenario is a daily battle. We have since been on a journey to understand what Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is and what is the best way to treat it. We meet with Sandra’s Oncologist a couple weeks later who told us we were facing 4 to 6 months of Chemo with possible radiation. We contacted a few close friends and family to pray. We went back last week and it confirmed through a PET Scan that she has Stage 2 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The good news is this is very treatable it has a 95% rate of recovery. We met with the Oncologist last week to discuss treatment and the results of the PET scan. He told us that the Lymphoma was very early stage, limited in size and located only in two places, as a result, she would only need three months of chemo and no radiation. This was a definite answer to prayer. If she is cancer free at the end of three months of treatment she is done. If she still has cancer cells at the end of three months she will have to have another month of chemo followed by radiation. Please join us in praying that there will be no cancer remaining after three months.
We believe that God is a healer. We also understand that God uses means. He can and does heal miraculously but most often does so through doctors and over time. We also know that one day He is coming back to make all the sad things of this world untrue. Cancer is one of those things. We don’t understand why but we trust the one who does know, because the God that we serve is not safe but He’s good. We are already seeing God at work in big ways and small ways. There are few things that clarify what matters most than facing your own mortality. There are few things more difficult for a husband than to be utterly helpless to take away what is causing the person he loves more than anything in the world so much pain. In the midst of this trial we have much to rejoice over and much to be thankful for. We each have such amazing faith-filled families. We have a church that is truly a family the support we have felt already is deeply humbling to say the least. When I reflect as I write these words on all the blessings God has placed in our life I am overwhelmed. Completely overwhelmed by friends I don’t deserve, by a family that is so precious to me, by my need for daily Grace, and by a Savior who loves a wrench like me.
What we ask of you is pray with us to believe God with us for Sandra’s healing. Here is what you can pray:
- Sandra’s healing.
- Strength for Sandra as she goes through chemo that she will be strong and be unaffected by side effects.
- That at the end of three months of treatment there will be no cancer alive in her body
- For our kids – That God will be with them and guard their hearts in this time that as we walk this out as a family that we will rejoice together and weep together. That as a result of this trial Christ will become infinitely more precious to them.
- Pray for Sandra and me that when the waves of doubt crash on the shores of our hearts we will keep our eyes fixed upon Christ.
Thank you so much for your prayers, support and friendship if you want more information or want to help in anyway we ask that you not feel any pressure to do so, your prayers are what we covet most. If you want to keep updated I will do that on my blog the link is below if you want to reach out in any way I have also included links for you to do that. Thanks again we love you.
Sorrowful yet always rejoicing,
The Luce Family
To keep up to date on Sandra’s condition this link has the latest http://samluce.com/category/sandra-update/
If you would like to send a note or would like to offer to help in any way a friend of ours will be replying to the email address we have set up which is [email protected]
If you would like to send card our address is
14 Charles St. Herkimer NY 13350
If you would like to give you can do it through a site a family member created. Here is the link
Have been praying and will continue. Grateful that God is bigger than our hearts. Grateful for miracles already. Most of all, grateful to have your family in my family’s life. Praying!!
Praying for you and your sweet wife and family. So grateful we serve a big God who never says “oops”.
Prayers will be lifted! We declare by His wounds we are healed! Love you guys
Praying for you guys – how i love Sandra and your beautiful children.
May the grace and mercy of the Lord be your portion today.
Love you Bro! I Samuel 12:16
I am so sorry, Sam. I can’t imagine what you’re going through right now. I will be praying specifically for you and your wife. I hope there is quick healing for her.
So sorry to hear of sandra’s illness..prayers have been said. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help. ..
Sam, we are praying for you all. We are so sorry that this has come to your family, and we are inspired by your godly response. Know that we love you and stand with you.
Sam…praying that God will be with you, your wife and kids through your family’s current hardship, that He will heal your wife of her cancer and that through your circumstances God will be honored and many will be blessed.
You guys know we love you and are praying for you. You all will come thru this and be amazed that you had so much of Gods strength in you than you ever realized you had. You both are going to be ok, and you know I’m not just saying that. Love you both. ❤️
Sam,
We do serve a healing God and we set our faith in agreement with you all for total and complete healing in the name above Cancer!!!
Check this out, it will bless you!
https://www.facebook.com/rjmphotoworks/videos/957025374313175/
PE
Dear Sam and Sandra, what the devil meant for evil God will always turn for good! I will definitely be standing with you in prayer. Sandra, I had thyroid cancer when I was pregnant with Kevin, so I know what it feels like to face this–I came away stronger in so many ways and I experienced the faithfulness of the Holy Spirit to give me the strength to stand firm–it was totally Him. Our God is love and faithfulness!
I love you guys!
I’m so sorry you are walking through this….praying for you, your dear wife and your family Sam!! and thankful for all our friends standing with you in person there!!!!
Sam and Sandra, I’m so sorry to hear that you are going through this. I have no doubt that our Father has every step in His sight and will be with you through them all. I’m praying that you will feel Him close with each day. Praying with you and for you!
I am praying for healing. I read this scripture two days ago and after I heard about Sandra I felt like I should share it.
John 9:3
“Jesus said, ‘but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.’ ”
I just wanted to speak that over Sandra. This is the story of the blind man that Jesus healed when he put dirt on his eyes. Praying for comfort, peace and rest in this time 🙂
Praying earnestly for Sandra’s full recovery! Love you guys!!!!!!!