“Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.” Psalm 112:6-7
It was Friday 24th July 2020 and we were just heading back home from a bit of shopping at Banbridge when the phone rang in the car. It was Dr Hall and the first thing he asked was if anybody else in the car. We just looked at each other in silence.
He went on to ask us if we had received a call from one of the consultants. Jude had left her phone at home so Dr Hall had called me directly. On hands free in the car, he said Jude’s white cell count was high and they thought it might be Leukaemia. At that point I think we were just struck dumb. Looking back now, a swollen gum, a lump on the back of the neck are both potential symptoms of Leukaemia. Click Here for list of symptoms.
The plan was to get Jude into hospital immediately. Typically, Jude said she needed to get some new pyjamas and things and it was agreed with it getting later in the day that we would report first thing Saturday 25th July. The consultant would call us that evening.
It was quiet in the car after the conversation ended, no tears, but only disbelief. The scripture from Wednesday was so timely, I knew God was going before. We continued to drive straight to Sainsburys for Jude’s stuff and as we normally did at the end of the week got a fish supper on the way home.
Around 6.30pm the consultant called us from his home as Covid was still restricting things somewhat and put us in the picture. He said we should report first thing in the morning. Jude called her mum and I think the rest of the evening we just settled, prayed & waited.
Prayer
Dear Lord, as the Psalmist said, “There is no fear in bad news”, but in reality, for most of us, it still comes as a great initial shock until we compose ourselves in You. The initial moments can be scary & frightening for some, even dumbfounding. It seems a door has just opened into a deep valley and we are about to pass through. I pray again for those that have received some “bad news” recently that like the Psalmist, we will eventually find our “hearts steadfast, trusting in The LORD”, whatever the outcome.
I speak the peace of Christ that passes all understanding over their lives right now.
In Jesus’ Name-Amen
Jude Gray 