Prayer Request

[Kimmifunn]

I know the title of this thread may shock a lot of you, but I have a very close friend who really needs everyone's help.

One of my very best friends from NY, who is from Bham and went to Auburn, emailed me yesterday. Her 24 y/o sister has been diagnosed with cancer. Cancer in the sense that is untreatable and they are researching one treatment that can work for her, but is risky. She and my friend have both had grapefruit sized tumors removed from their bodies between now and the time they were in college.

Megan's family found out about this yesterday and came as a shock to us all as Megan and Brittany could NOT be closer.

I will post her email while I'm at work tomorrow and I have it on hand, but would appreciate those who do pray, to add Brittany Waldrep to their prayer list.

Megan, her sister that I am close to, is working to get Brittany added to all prayer lists that she can. This is what she told me I could do to help, so I wanted to do what I could.

Thank you- and I will post more information about her situation tomorrow.

I don't want to be Debbie downer, but I have to do what I can.

[Cork On the Ocean]

Kimmifun, I understand. One of my realtor's husbands was just diagnosed with small cell lung carcinoma which grows very fast and with treatment, he has about 16-24 months.

Also another of my realtor's live-in boyfriend who is also my ex husband (don't ask) just had a foot amputation.

Everyone, Please keep all of our loved ones in mind that they have the strength to make it through these tough times and that they make every moment their very best. In these days of insurance companies running our healthcare system, so much additional stress is added to the families. Makes you treasure every day and appreciate how lucky we are to not have these challenges right now. So sorry about your friends.

[audie]

done and done.

[Miss Kitty]

Consider it done. Bless you Kimmi for getting the word out. Prayer is powerful.

[Sheila]

Kimmi,

Never would even consider for one second, that you are a downer to ask for something so heartfelt.

She and her family are definetly going to be in my thoughts and prayers! You're a sweet friend Kimmi.

[kathydwells]

Done and Done for both of you. Keeping all your loved one's in my thoughts and prayers.

[Ocean Lover]

Prayers going up for Brittany and family.

[Kimmifunn]

Thanks so much everyone!

[Smiling JOe]

I am sending some good vibes their way. Remember to post the email address later. Cancer sucks!

[Mermaid]

Oh sweetie, what heartbreaking news. Yes, we will send our prayers her way, of course we will.

[30A Skunkape]

Kimmi, I am curious, both had grapefruit sized tumors and now one sister has a malignant tumor? What is the diagnosis?

[Kimmifunn]

Here is the email her sister sent me...

Hi Everybody,

I am reaching out to everybody I know in New York, Washington, Mississippi,
Alabama, etcetera. My little sister Brittany was diagnosed with cancer
yesterday. It has spread to her liver, colon and abdomen. It came from a
malignant tumor she had removed two years ago. Her CA levels went up but
the doctors told her it was nothing. This last week, her stomache pains
worsened and kept her from work.

In Brittany's case, this type of cancer is resistant to treatment. There
is a surgen in D.C. that is practicing a new technique. If she decides to
do this it would be a 13-20 hour operation and the results are mixed. It is
her decision.

Brittany needs a lot of prayer. Please put her in your prayers. Please
tell everybody you know. I am trying to start as many prayer circles as I
can. Please pray for God to wipe the cancer from her organs and make her
well. Please pray for her not to suffer. She's 25 this September. The
doctors are grim but I believe strongly in God and I believe in miracles.
I believe that if it is His will for her to stay on earth and do good a
little while longer, it will happen. Please pray for my parents.

Thank you so much,
Megan
ps. if I've met you once in my life, you're on this email. feel free to
forward this and tell your place of worship about Brittany.

And most recently (yesterday)

I just want to thank everybody for their kind words and responses. Stacy and my Mom and Dad and I will meet with a group of doctors on Friday. If you know of any cancer trials dealing with a person who has a history of Grade 1 Mucinous Adenocarcinoma please forward this on. This cancer is in her abdomen and on top of the intestinal lining of her liver (not inside) just near the colon.

Right now, it is important to keep her attitude upbeat. We are so thankful for your support and continued prayers. Brittany is in a lot of pain and everything has happened so suddenly. We're working on getting her better medicine to deal with pain and fuel the fire (that we all know she is capable of) to beat this. We're looking for clinical trials that are outside the box of just regular chemo that this cancer is not very responsive to.

There is a doctor in D.C. that has is doing something different with this type of cancer. He has mixed results and four families from Birmingham have tried him. The surgery takes 13-20 hours. His practice is to injects a type of chemo directly into the organs and remove everything he possibley can that has been affected. He also uses aggressive chemo afterwards. I have been unable to find out anything online about him. The doctors here are talking to family members from B'ham that have gone through this.

There is a type of chemotherapy called FOLFOX that they're also looking into. It's aggressive and it's used to treat bowel cancer.

There's a group of us actively researching and adding Brittany to prayer lists. If you can help us in any capacity (even if it is just calling churches) please write me and let me know. If you ever want an update, please write. I love y'all and thank you.

Megan
ps Brittany is going to beat this.

[seagrovelover]

Oh my gosh Kimmi.....I will be praying for the girl and her family .

[dbuck]

Kimmi, will keep your friend in my prayers. It sounds like she has a hard road ahead of her.

[Lady D]

Kimmifunn, that is so sad and horrible! My prayers are with her and her family. I don't understand a doctor removing a tumor from both of them and the one's CA level being high and them saying it is nothing. The CA125 blood test is the only test that detects ovarian cancer. Something like that should never be ignored. And the girl is just 24 years old. That is the age of my son! So sad! Will say a prayer for her for whatever she decides to do as to treatment. And here's hoping it is successful! I am 46 and have never had that CA125 blood test, but will seriously think about it next time I go to the gynecologist. Because something could always be lurking that you don't know about.

[Cil]

::sending hugs, prayers, and the best possible vibes::

[Franny]

They are all in my thoughts and prayers.....

[bluemtnfriend]

I am so sorry for your friend and her family. I have 3 friends who are fighting lung cancer right now, will add Brittany to my prayers. Remember Psalm 23:4.

[whitesands]

Sending positive thoughts for a successful treatment for your sister's friend at this most difficult time. Hugs to you too! Miracles can and do happen!

[Kimmifunn]

Thanks everyone!

I'll let Megan know everyone is thinking of them. I'll keep you all posted. Big hugs.

[Destiny]

All will be in my prayers to have strength and healing. Keep the spirits up as one gets courage when spirits of others are held high.
"When the prayer go up, the Blesssings shower down"

[Paula]

Kimmifunn, your friend will certainly be in my thoughts and prayers. There is a wonderful online resource that will do research on medical issues (particularly cancer) for people. It is called "the health resource" and the website is http://www.thehealthresource.com/. When my mom was sick with cancer, the people from this company were wonderful on the phone and the report we received about the type of cancer she had was excellent. It costs some $, but the information seemed worth it to us. They are very fast at getting the research out, too. At least they were about 4 years ago.

[Beach Crazy]

Megan said:
ps Brittany is going to beat this.

That is the attitude it is going to take! I am so glad she's saying that

Tell them alot of people are sending up alot of prayers

[Kimmifunn]

Here is an update- I had been out of town and fell behind. Megan texted me and said she didn't make it to chemo and they did emergency surgery today. Here's the little update below. Thank you all for your prayers!

Brittany Is Out Of Surgery!

Dr. Barnes removed 90% of the cancer and there were no surprises. Brittany read all of her comments and saw her website page print out before entering surgery. She's so happy to know so many people care about her.

Brittany will stay in the ICU for the next 3 or 4 days. Dr. Barnes wants us to know that these 72 hours are criticial. Within two weeks we'd like to start chemotherapy.

Thank you all so much for your information, thoughts and prayer. Brittany is benefitting from them already.

[sweet]

My prayers are with her family and friends

[Cheering472]

Kimmi

I will place Brittany and her family on every prayer list I know. I can't imagine such a horrible thing in my children. Thanks for the updates.

Please don't apologize for "being a downer"! This board is about friendship, on the beach or on the computer we have friends here. Children of God need each other, one of the last things Jesus asked of us was to love each other. You did the right thing in coming here with this request and I feel honored you asked.

Let her know she will be lifted in prayer and that God loves her.

[JT]

She and her family are in my and my familys prayers.

[steele mama]

We will continue to pray for Brittany. Thanks for the update.

[kathydwells]

Thank you for the update kimmi. I will continue to keep this family in my prayers!

[TooFarTampa]

Oh, I can't believe I missed this one ... adding Brittany to my prayer list right now. Sounds like she has wonderful support. Just a thought, has anyone contacted the Lance Armstrong Foundation on her behalf? It sounds like she is receiving great care, but the LAF seems to take special interest in young people with cancer, not surprisingly, and might be able to hook her up with another expert and/or opinion. It might be worth a phone call.

Please keep us posted.

[Kimmifunn]

Oh, I can't believe I missed this one ... adding Brittany to my prayer list right now. Sounds like she has wonderful support. Just a thought, has anyone contacted the Lance Armstrong Foundation on her behalf? It sounds like she is receiving great care, but the LAF seems to take special interest in young people with cancer, not surprisingly, and might be able to hook her up with another expert and/or opinion. It might be worth a phone call.

Please keep us posted.

Thanks so much everyone. I appreciate it- as does Megan. Feel free to leave a little note on her guestbook. Say you're a friend of Kimmi
or Kim actually. Or don't identify yourself!

http://brittanywaldrep.wordpress.com

TFT. I talked to Megan last night and told her about the Lance foundation. Thanks!

[Kimmifunn]

I know I posted this a while back, but we got the sad news this morning that Brittany passed away. Below is what Megan posted.

Thanks for everyone who prayed for her.


From Megan:

Today my little sister passed on to be with my grandmother Mawmaw and God in heaven. She started running a fever last night with Stacy and her friend Jennifer. My Dad was by her side when she slipped away peacefully. My Mom was told by us.

Our beautiful little girl fought so hard and never gave up. Words cannot express my love for Brittany. Nothing can ever replace her light. It gives me comfort to know that she no longer hurts. Her wound, tubes, medicine, everything has disappeared now. Our sweet girl does not suffer anymore.

Brittany lived for others and by doing so her sickness affected so many people. My life will never be the same. The amazing oncology nurses who treated Brittany loved her so much. We all do. God blessed us with Brittany. I thank God ever day for Brittany. I love her so so much.

I will post the last posting with her funeral arrangements later on today. It will be exactly what she wanted. With every breath I take I will be remembering Brittany.

[steele mama]

So, so sorry for the family and friends. I will be praying for their comfort.

[Cheering472]

How very sad. God be with them all.

[kathydwells]

I am so sorry. God bless all of you who knew her!

[Sheila]

Will be keeping this family in my thoughts and prayers. She was a courageous girl. Thanks for letting us know Kimmi.

[Mermaid]

I am so very sorry. So young. My condolences to Brittany's family and may this dear sweet girl rest in peace.

[peapod1980]

I know I posted this a while back, but we got the sad news this morning that Brittany passed away. Below is what Megan posted.

Thanks for everyone who prayed for her.

Oh, Kim, I am so sorry to hear this. Prayers for her family.

[Miss Kitty]

Oh Kimmi, how sad. I will pray for this family and all of Brittany's friends.

[Mango]

So Sorry to hear about your friend Kim. I have 2 sisters and would be crushed if I ever lost one of them. I will pray for her sister and family.

[bamabeachbum]

Its so sad when one that young goes way to early, my brother in law had cystic fibrosis, and passed away when he was only 28 years old. He was a great young man, and had a zest for living. He lived every second like it was his last. When he passed away I made that vow, to live every second like it was my last.

I will keep her family in my prayers kimmi.

[Cil]

So sorry, Kimmi. What a brave young woman.
My heart goes out to all her family and friends.

[Kimmifunn]

I had only met Brittany a handful of times. Megan was so close to her. Megan had to leave NY for personal reasons and was able to really be with Brittany before she knew she was sick. Though we were sad to see Megan go and she had to go for not so good reasons, she was able to enjoy real time with Brittany in Birmingham for about 5 months before all of that happened. She's lucky for that.

[Cheering472]

I had only met Brittany a handful of times. Megan was so close to her. Megan had to leave NY for personal reasons and was able to really be with Brittany before she knew she was sick. Though we were sad to see Megan go and she had to go for not so good reasons, she was able to enjoy real time with Brittany in Birmingham for about 5 months before all of that happened. She's lucky for that.

What a blessing that Megan had that time with her sister. Seems like God was working things out for them. I hope her family finds comfort from that.

[DD]

[Biff]

Very Sorry to hear.............

[TooFarTampa]

Kimmi I had been thinking of Brittany, reading the site and praying for her .. so sad. She really had it tough those last few months. I'm glad your friend got to spend some quality time with her sister before things got too bad. I'm keeping the family in my thoughts and prayers. I just can't imagine.

[Franny]

I had only met Brittany a handful of times. Megan was so close to her. Megan had to leave NY for personal reasons and was able to really be with Brittany before she knew she was sick. Though we were sad to see Megan go and she had to go for not so good reasons, she was able to enjoy real time with Brittany in Birmingham for about 5 months before all of that happened. She's lucky for that.

Kimmi, God works in mysterous ways..I'm sure he made sure they were together prior to this sad ending. Bless you all.

[Paula]

So sorry to hear this, Kimmi. Thank you for following up.

[flowergirl40pc]

Hi Kimmi, I'm new here to this site, but I do believe in the power of prayer.........and have already said one , and will also pass it on to my huge online circle of friends that feel like I do about prayer on yahoo and myspace.