Posted on 11/24/2014 10:58:34 AM PST by wagglebee
Aaron and Nora met in 2010 and like most people who fall in love, they were head over heels for each other. The next year, Aaron suffered a seizure at work which led to a very grim diagnosis: stage four brain cancer.
Although a large portion of the tumor was a Grade 2, which is usually classified as benign, a portion of it was Grade 4 glioblastoma—the same kind of cancer as Brittany Maynard.
However, despite his illness, their lives went on. Aaron and Nora wed, they had a baby and spent endless time together. For a while his health was looking better, but in 2013 tumors reappeared and his health quickly took a turn for the worse. And according to Nora, now they are approaching the end of their road. She said, “I want to be clear as a bell with everyone: he is dying.”
Nora explains on her blog, My Husbands Tumor, more about their journey with cancer.
She writes, “Because of his grace, we were able to spend the past three years not just being alive, but living. We still went to work and paid our bills. We raised our son and cooked dinner (okay, we ordered in). We worked on our house and watched a ton of movies. We traveled, we went to shows (so many shows). We had a child and lost a child and buried my father, together.” She also says their story isn’t a cancer story; instead “it’s a love story, with some cancer.”
Currently, their family is doing their best to prepare for the days to come and doctors are talking about hospice care. Nora is preparing to plan a funeral and raise her son, Ralph, alone. But as painful as their days are, she is still giving updates on Aaron and praising him for his courage.
She writes, “Everyone wants to see him. I get it. I do. And if it were really my choice I’d be like oh yeah, come on in, say good bye! But, he just doesn’t want to. It didn’t really make sense to me at first, but now I get it. No matter how many people may surround you, death is a solitary journey. In the past few days, I have seen the man who has walked beside me for four years slowly drift onto his own path, where I cannot follow. I know, though, that when it is my turn, I’ll recognize the footprints he left for me, and I won’t feel alone and I won’t feel afraid.
Aaron is not afraid.
The end of life is important, but if you have lived well, it is no more or less important than the beginning of your life, or the middle.”
To learn more about Aaron and Nora’s story watch the video below.
I noticed that as well.
It's always possible they keep their faith private as commanded by Jesus.
Matthew 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
No mention of Jesus though.....
I scanned their blog and didn’t see mention of Jesus there either. It was only a brief scan so I won’t say for sure that they didn’t acknowledge Jesus.
//////
Additionally, this quote ....
//////
“The end of life is important, but if you have lived well, it is no more or less important than the beginning of your life, or the middle.”
I’ve got to disagree with that statement too. It’s how you finish (go into eternity) that matters most. I hope and pray both of them know the Lord when they depart this world.
“I didn’t see it either. This life is a vapor, but the NEXT is what counts. Without Jesus, it’s all in vain.....
John 14:6”
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
At first I was hopeful this man’s story was 100% opposite but is is only different in that he didn’t kill himself.
To be Spiratually dead is still dead.
We can pray he will call upon Jesus for his sake and that of his family.
Randy Pausch wrote “The Last Lecture” exactly regarding these same circumstances...living while dying.....I read about 3/4 of it and scanned the remainder for a clue about Jesus and sadly none was to be found.
All of this guy’s “positive” attitude and great “energy” in the end was for not since He rejected the One True Savior of the World, who died so that we might live.
How many millions times has this pathetic story been played out over and over again in the world?
You’re living a dead life without Him. Period!
Keep this man and his family in your prayers! There’s still hope while he draws breath.
Home viewing bookmark.
Pray for them. Sadly I do not think that Brittany Maynard has found peace in the next life.
God bless you!
I am really sorry for your loss. My husband gave up the cancer fight 2 1/2 years ago. He never complained . Every day is still a struggle for me. When i read about Brittany all i could think is how could she give up so easily? My husband wanted to live so much and endured 8 months of pain. I am so thankful for those 8 months! I wish they could go on forever.
Your prayer is to be private, but you should always express your faith in our Lord and proclaim the gospel to the lost.
Thank you, same here. My wife went through the same. I see my little daily struggles as petty compared to what she endured... all with a smile on her face.
She had more courage and tenacity in her little pinky than I have in my entire body.
I’d give everything I own for ten more minutes.
Lord Jesus our Savior, bless Thy servants Aaron and Nora and bless their children, and be with them through this transition.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, amen.
Praying, yes. Giving to charity, yes. Sharing what the Lord has done for you? Go tell it on tbe mountain. I’ve been Saved for 52 years. It works for me.
I'm glad to hear of your joy in the Lord.
Some folks, like myself, prefer to follow what is said in the Book of James, which is to keep my mouth shut and my nose to the grindstone in service of the Lord and let my works be an expression of my faith.
It could be that these folks feel the same way.
I'm sure you'll agree that there are social settings where sharing the Good News with every new face is sometimes inappropriate.
Do you profess your faith with everyone you meet in the grocery store? Fast-food drive-up? Movie theater? Gas station?
Nope. Only on when the Lord opens a door...or if I visit someone in hospital and it’s obvious they’re close to their departure. That is why I had a burden and a concern for whether this person KNEW where he is going. Everybody it seems, knows John 3:16. But that verse is made a matter of RESPONSE on our part by verses 17 & 18 which follow it.
I make no apology for asking a dying person whether they are SURE where they’ll spend eternity. I’ve had the distinct and humbling experience of explaining God’s Plan of Salvation and guiding them in the Sinner’s Prayer. And they survived long enough afterward to tell family and loved ones that they’d met the Lord, they knew they were forgiven and had the assurance down in their innermost being that they would go to Heaven....as related to me after their funeral by the one they had told it to.
Sharing Salvation is merely one beggar (me) telling another beggar where they can get the biggest, costliest Gift ever given, FOR FREE.....and how to KNOW they have it.
It’s been a pleasure sharing with you.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
Good morning, Ol’ Dan,
Just wanted to alert you to today’s “Our Daily Bread” devotional. Those are posted every day here on FR.
Today’s devotional, on the subject of “fishing for men” just happens to relate to our recent discussions. I don’t mind telling you that reading that devotional this morning had an effect on me very much like saying “siccum!” to a dog.
Very sincerely,
Tommy Tucker
Thanks! I'll check it out.
Tommy Tucker
My dad's name was Tom Tucker and he was known as Tommy growing up. I'm glad to have made your acquaintance.
Right back at you.
I’m a retired car & truck, real estate, livestock and antiques auctioneer. Therefore, I used to “sing” for my supper. In the days of CB radios I took Tommy Tucker as my handle. Then along came emails, and I made that switch.
There’s a small town, Stewartstown, in southern York County, PA (less than a mile from the Mason-Dixon Line) as the proverbial crow flies, that had a real live Tom Tucker who hung out at the local restaurant with a group of oldtimers who discussed and “solved” all the local and world problems over coffee in the mornings.
Blessings on you and yours.
This is a ping list for cancer survivors and caregivers to share information. If you would like your name added to or removed from this ping list, please tell us in the comments section at this link (click here). (For the most updated list of names, click on the same link and go to the last comment.)
Could you give me a link to one of the Daily Bread threads?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.