A Request for Prayer

Our extended family got some bad news this week. I can only ask any and all of you who stop by here to say prayers for the Hamilton family.

Kristina Hamilton is my sister's (Cynthia) husband's sister. She is married to Brian and they have one daughter, Makayla (7) and one son, Braedon (2.5). A little over three years ago Brian was diagnosed with Melanoma, which was contained to one lymph node and removed. He was going for check ups every six months. This past Thanksgiving, he went back because he had started having severe headaches. The news wasn't good. Two tumors were found in his brain. He started an agressive radiation treatment and went back last week to see how it was working. Well, it wasn't. In fact, the tumors had grown by 30% and he has been very sick. He is battling nausea, headaches and personality changes. This past Thursday he suffered his first seizure. And in the last month, he has lost 30 pounds.

One tumor is in the front lobe and is about the size of a quarter in diameter. This tumor is in the part of the brain that controls personality. The tumor and radiation is causing swelling, which is causing his personality shift. The other tumor is in the back of the brain and about the size of a double yolk egg. After seeing that the radiation has not worked, his doctor told him that baring a miracle, he had about six months left.

Please pray for this family. Kristina and I are the same age. She said she feels like God has been preparing her for this since he was first diagnosed over three years ago. She is amazingly strong right now. Makayla knows her Daddy has cancer and that it has something to do with his head. Beyond that, I don't know if she knows the severity. Kristina said she will be told things on a needs to know basis. Braedon was a big Daddy's boy before Brian got real sick. Now he won't have anything to do with his Daddy. I'm sure he is scared.

Pray for a miracle. We know God is capable, but should He chose not to heal Brian, please pray for mercy. Pray he won't have to suffer and he can get some normalcy back and spend quality, fun time with his kids and Kristina.

This has really hit home for me and my sister, Cynthia. We lost our father when he was 37, the same age as Brian. Cynthia was 13 at the time and I was 8...almost the same age as Makayla. It isn't anything you want a child to have to go through, I can still remember how hard it was on me and my sister. I also think of my family now. I don't know what I would do if I lost Jon Paul. He is the love of my life and a great husband and father. All this just brings everything into perspective and you realize just how precious life is. Thanks in advance for all your prayers...