Illness and church© Julie Richie
Sep 10, 1999
August was a terrible month for our family. While on vacation in the Northeast, I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma, which is a type of cancer of the lymph nodes. I was in and out of the hospital all month and had my heart drained because it was surrounded by too much fluid. I started chemotherapy and will soon lose all of my hair. It has been incredibly stressful going through this and having to take care of our two young children. Recently we hired a nanny. On the way home from Boston, where I had many tests done, I turned to my husband on the plane and said, "I really wish we had joined a church already so we could have that support during this time."
Ironically, when we got home, there was a message on the answering machine from the minister of the church we are thinking about joining. And when I was in the hospital the day after we came home, he came to visit me. It was incredibly comforting. I am so glad Chris and I have decided to compromise and join this church because, especially during times of crisis, it is so beneficial to have the support of a church. Even though I've always been someone who questions the existence of a "god," to have a potentially fatal disease really makes having any sort of spiritual grounding necessary. When we attend church this week we will start a month-long Sunday school class for those interested in membership in the church. I am hoping that at the end I can truthfully say the I believe everything and join and be baptized. But if I can't, that's ok too and I can attend the church and participate without formally joining. The support of that community is so important right now.
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