Three Generations, Together Every Step of the Way
Patricia McMorrow | 10.19.15
“We have walked some places no others would want to walk. Things have changed in our lives.” – Becky R.
Rebecca was a first grader when she was admitted to the hospital with pancreatitis.
Her grandmother, Becky, focused on two things: healing for her granddaughter, and to walk along side her daughter and son-in-law, Christyn and Brian, during a very difficult time. She needed to be there for two generations of her family when it mattered most. This grandmother faced her role in a difficult journey with resolute faith and hope.
The Journey Begins
One evening Becky was helping her daughter Christyn at their family home. That night Rebecca had an attack that left her doubled over in pain.
Rebecca was admitted to the hospital with pancreatitis. She became sicker and sicker despite countless procedures, trips to numerous hospitals, handfuls of doctors and surgery upon surgery over the course of 5 years. Her parents had taken her everywhere and there seemed to be little more they could do.
“Half the world was praying for us at this time,” Becky recalls, “but all we were doing was buying her more time. We knew we couldn’t keep living like this.”
“CaringBridge Is the Way that We Survived”
Emotionally drained and exhausted, CaringBridge became a way for Becky to carry on in her role as mother and grandmother.
“CaringBridge is the way that we survived. I couldn’t answer the phone and say that Rebecca was doing worse one more time. I would hang up the phone and want to climb in bed. Everything had to be pared down to just the essentials to survive. Even my prayers were bare boned.”
CaringBridge became mission control to communicate with the outside world. A dear friend and nurse, Carol, helped write the medically focused posts, while her daughter Christyn used the journal as a way to write what she was thinking and feeling.
The Turning Point
The family decided to take a chance and revisit a procedure they had previously ruled out as too risky. The major surgery would remove five of Rebecca’s organs.
“Rebecca was down to 58 pounds,” Becky recalled, “having trouble walking and we didn’t have much time left. She was slipping away. But the procedure was a nightmare surgery and we didn’t know if she could even survive it.”
Rebecca did survive the intensive 20-hour surgery, and the grueling and almost insurmountable recovery.
A Grandmother’s Love
Special small moments happened along the way where a grandmother’s love would be just what Rebecca needed.
Moments like Rebecca asking Becky to watch movies with her in her hospital bed. “Rebecca would say ‘Yaya, climb on the bed and watch a movie with me’. We were all so tired that I thought this would be a great time to get some rest. But she was so smart. She would quiz me about all these movies. You would get stuck in that bed for four hours. But that’s what I did.”
Throughout the whole journey Becky and her family would hang on to CaringBridge because of the power in getting the story out. It served as the platform for their people to send them love, goodness, hope and prayers.
“Things Have Changed in Our Lives”
Ultimately, this grandmother has been changed.
“We have walked some places no others would want to walk. Things have changed in our lives. CaringBridge has been at the center of changing others’ lives as they have been through this very difficult journey with us.”
Rebecca continues to face each day with a joyful heart, and can return to experiencing sweet moments every 13 year old should, like decorating her very own locker as a seventh grader. And her Yaya is there to cheer her on every step of the way.
Here When You Need It
Are you or a loved one facing a health journey? If so, start a CaringBridge website, where you can share health updates and receive encouragement and support from your community.
Caring bridge Is the most wonderful thing a family can have when a love one is fighting a serious illness. Great way to communicate with family and friends.
i really felt touched and encouraged by what i read please check out my blog @inspiration.in.life
Wow. This makes most of our lives look like a cake walk. Bless you as you travel through the rest of your blessed life. Way to preserver.
What a strong little girl Rebecca must be. I might add, what a loving and supportive family you are. and how much love and comfort you gave Rebecca. I’m sure she felt this love throughout her long ordeal. To a very loving yaya, I want to say “A job well done”. May God coninue to bless your wonderful family.
this is the thing which no one can understand abut parents espacially mothers
you can never imagine how much strongest our parents are
Thank you for sharing this heart-warming story. It is children and people such as these that rise above life’s challenges that help build us up and encourage us in so many ways. God bless precious Rebecca and her family. Praying for complete healing and God’s continued great Grace in all their lives.
My mother had pancreatitis this summer numerous complicarations I had to force her discharge from nursing home & now she’s back to her old self!
Unfortunately, I know too well the horrible pain of pancreatitis. I also have a chronic case of it. I feel for Rebecca and what she has had to endure. She sounds like she has a joyful attitude despite it all. Please give her a hug for me. I pray for a long life for her and many happy moments in her life. Take care. 🙂
Fantastic story Iam glad she healed
Beautiful family story. Inspiring for hope,health,courage, and most of all to always have faith????????
A VERY MOVING STORY. GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
May she continue to be blessed!
Absolutely fabulous family. they looks amazing.
Thanks for CaringBridge, it is a great program
God bless Rebecca and her family.
To watch your dear little girl gradually weaken in horrible pain and come close to passing away is a paralyzing agony no parent can scarcely imagine, let alone endure. Even their loving and ever-giving grandmother felt lost until she happened upon the wonderful work of Caring Bridge. It is with immense relief, fully watering my cheeks, that I view Rebecca whole with her beautiful family.
Now a dear friend of mine is making use of Caring Bridge to cope with the scores of friends who all want to send prayers and messages to her and her cancer-ridden husband (my best friend from graduate school). I understand that CB can also help organize visits from across town or from the other side of the country. I have already donated funds and intend to do so again.
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I was blessed. God is in your experience and His peace has shown out to me. He love is also apparent and this makes me happy. God bless you all.
Wow. This hits close to home being that I have daughters ages 10 & 13. Your a tough kid Rebecca.
My girls like to say their prayers with me at night and you will be included in them from here on in.
Inspiring as well as encouraging to many people who fight personal battles that most of us would consider far too daunting and just quit
NEVER EVER EVER QUIT!!!!
That’s an amazing family! Prayers for Rebecca’s recovery!
You deserve so much respect. I wish I could work with you, however, I am very ill with asthma induced COPD, broken ribs from a fall, abnormal blood work and then today I received word from my insurance provider that they are no longer going to provide one of my best medicines, Zyflo. I am devastated. I really need this expensive medicine but it looks like I will have to do without. I am on oxygen 24/7. Please pray for me.
Caringbridge has been a life saver and giver to not only me,but my family as they cared for me in the pancreatic cancer battle-Whipple surgery-et al. To win this walk and know the prayers and lifting of others is the ultimate on the journey and healing–and love. We support each other.
Oh, I can’t imagine how hard this was for this family to go through all of this! God bless them and Caring Bridge! Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you! Especially Rebecca!
That’s a awesome story and God will work wonders
This is very touching story you think you have broblems until you read this God bless this family.
and I pray for her to live the fullest life????????????????.
Praying for Rebecca! Thanks for sharing your story.
Enjoyed reading your share of Rebecca & your family !! My GREAT NEICE MEKKI has been on this site for about ,7 months now & it’s been a journey of love, kindness
& healing !!! Thank you for posting Rebecca’s story !!
What a special grandmother and Family!!! Praying for you sweet Rebecca ❤️
So happy for Rebecca!! What a fortunate girl to have a special, caring Family by her side along this difficult time!!! So happy she is feeling better and better!!! Praying for you sweet Rebecca ❤️
I Thank God for Holy Healing Rebecca and her Family……Blessings!!!
Praise God for His healing hand and caring that He gives all of us.
God loves Rebecca and is there to provide comfort and support in the healing process.
Joe
I am the grandma in the story of PRAY for HOPE on Facebook. HOPE is still in her mommy’s womb, but has been diagnosed with brittle bone disease and is not expected to live. This is just what Grandma needs today. The story of a miracle girl. We are trusting God for a miracle for HOPE, knowing He is willing and able. We will accept and praise Him whatever the outcome is. My daughter’s due date is Dec. 17th though HOPE may come early. Thank you for posting this story of victory.
To Becky, Christyn, and Rebecca (and other fantastic members of this amazing family):
Your sweet sharing of this ongoing journey has made me want to be a better wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, friend AND (most importantly) CHRISTIAN! Thank you. Love and peace.
What a beautiful story of love, courage, family, and hope. I think Caring Bridge can make a huge difference in a life.
A loving grandmother to a lovely granddaughter and her family. We have all learned so much from their courage and faith.
Praying for Rebecca and her family
So glad for Rebeca’s recovery. Thank you for sharing this story.
What a touching story. I am glad Rebecca recovered.
I too was a grandmother experiencing many of the things that Becky has mentioned. My grandson battled Hodgkins for four years but lost his battle or year ago. I understand Becky’s hardship and trying to be strong when your heart is aching is very difficult. I too crawled in bed with Trevor many times. It seemed he like the closeness and other times his body was so racked with pain that he didn’t want to be touched. We used caring bridge for all those years it was an outlet for my daughter to write in the journal.. Having friends and family right special notes was a blessing. Thank you caring bridge for allowing us to sometimes vent our feelings. I’m sure there are many stories out there that could be told. I’m thankful that Becky was able to write her story and even though it’s been a long journey for us we never gave up hope. Trevor never gave up he fought to the bitter end. He was my hero
I do not know Rebecca, never met Rebecca, but I certainly will PRAY for Rebecca. God Bless her recovery. Heart Felt story.
What a wonderful blessing you are to your family …especially during this difficult time with your granddaughter . You’ve made all grandmothers take a real deep look into their hearts when it comes to being there for their family and trusting in God and the resources He gives us in being strong for the family.
Thank you for this story. I only wish I had CaringBridge when my Mom, Grandma and Grandpa all went down that Journey. This story is so inspiriting. Yes, you all a very special family. Sending thoughts and prayers your way,.
Rhonda, Thank you for sharing this truly amazing story about Rebecca. Caring Bridge is an amazing way to reach out to those who can make a difference in the lives of those who need prayers, and support. This journey that Rebecca and family went through is one we hopefully will never have to take. Only God knows, and prayer is so powerful.
I know of a young lady who went through so much with breast cancer. She was a fighter like Rebecca, after many surgeries, chemo., and radiation plus surgeries she was not able to have because of so many complications she is finally doing much better. She would post on Caring Bridge long messages about what she was going through along with humor which made us the prayer warriors feel good even tho she was going, excuse the word, through “hell”. I know your Yaya is so proud of you Rebecca, her love, prayers and just being by your side as you all went through this journey is so special. Prayers are being sent your way that you continue to grow strong. Thank you Caring Bridge for this wonderful way to reach out to those who need our help.
Blessings,
May God bless your precious family always.
Dear Rebecca, My heart goes out to you in all you are going through. I went through some very difficult times with
my health and the Bible verse God gave to me was Eph. 3:20: God is able to do exceedingly abundantlly above all
we ask or think. Unto God we give glory. I am praying that you will come to know Jesus as your personal savior and
that you will be saved and that you will be healed.
Ya Ya, you are the heroine in this story!! Prayers for Rebecca and her Mom, but mostly hugs, prayers and strength for you to continue on the path God has put you on. It’s heartbreaking for Rebecca, but
I can’t even imagine your heavy heart. and mental and physical exhaustion you are enduring.
I pray for your strength, take care of you for Rebecca????????????????????????????????????????
Hi, I am from Nova Scotia, Canada and through Caring Bridge I was able to follow Drew Dorsett’s challenge and amazing recovery from leukemia. I will also remember Rebecca in my prayers. God Bless you all !! Gloria
What an inspiring story. Thank you for sharing it. I pray Rebecca and her family will be blessed with many wonderful memories throughout the coming years.
Attention, like watching movies together, was part of Rebecca’s healing process…didn’t have to cost anything and there’s always more, as the resource of personal attention never runs out…thanks for all the work you do…
Very heart-felt story. Thanks so much for sharing and I’m so glad life seems back to normal now. Caringbridge, this site is priceless!
Thank you
An amazing family
Very touching story of encouragement and hope
May God bless Rebecca and keep her healing every day God is Great…I am a double lung transplant patient and I too was blessed by God and given a new life. May the Lord bless your whole family in this long journey.
I also have pancreatitis and my sister and my brother died of it… I knw exactly what that little girl is going throw and has gone through…. But i would like to know more about the surgery she had
Beautiful testament to family and the power of love!!! God Bless this family. ❤️
As a grandmother who has spent time with seriously ill grandchildren I feel her pain and yes CaringBridge is a real source of release. it is fabulous that you recognize the true pain and absolute joy of being a grandmother.
My brother Norm has been on your website before however his cancer came back and is on high potent doses of chemo. I would love to start a caring brigdge but his wife Anne has never mention caring bridge and I don’t know how much it would cost. I have recently moved near them due to my husband who accepted a job and during the week we were settling in I received the news from Norman. They are very involved with their church. I am just his little sister the baby as they call me even though I am 54 yrs old and have a daughter of my own. They don’t call upon even though I am available three days a week. I will look on your volunteer page. Thank You for all that you have done for my brother when he first got diagnosed. God bless this ministry and all that you do.
What an amazing and heart warming story. There has to be so many people touched by this story.
I have had several experiences with Caringbridge. Our family used it to keep family and friends informed about my mother in law for several months prior to our loss of her this past February 5th. We as a family were so great full for Caringbridge, we looked forward to the words of comfort, support and even laughter on some days. It really helped us through some very difficult days and weeks. We read the messages to mom every day. She would smile.
I now have a very dear friend and her family going through a very difficult time. He brother was diagnosed with leukemia this past April, it is such an up and down ride day by day fir him and the family. With the treatments and in and outs of the hospital. Caringbridge has made such a differ for him, family and friends to keep everyone up to date with out all the calls. There comes a point you really don’t want to answer the phone. The post , prayers and love have kept his spirits up along with his strong faith. Today is the day we have all been working towards. He will receive him bone marrow transplant later today. We are all praying for him and his family. He still has a journey ahead of him the next few months and especially the next 5 to 7 days are the most critical. I have not mentioned any names. Should you have a moment in your day, please say a prayer his way, and thoughts to his family. Thank you Caringbridge for being such a huge part in the healing and helping process for so many people along with their family and friends. GOD BLESS YOU…
Thanks for this story. “There but for the grace of God…” I’ll pray for this family. We have our own health challenge with a daughter having crohns. It’s good to know Caring Bridge is here if we need it. Thank you.
May God continue to bless Rebecca and her family for their faithfulness.
You are an amazing young woman. Because of what you have faced and overcome, you see the world differently than any other young girl. You have a purpose, never forget that. Many hugs.
You, Rebecca will also be in my daily prayers. What a miracle! God is good all the time, and all the time God is good. I bless God for your beautiful family who never gave up. Stay strong – I wish you love and happiness.
I just read this story. What a miracle achieved by faith, hope, love and a yaya and granddaughter that would not give up. I would do he same for my granddaughter! Love can conquer all!
Kiki (what my grandchildren call me)
Thanks for sharing and may God bless you.
Such as a sad story hopefully Rebecca is continuing to be on the mend, the Caring Bridge has helped people in my life hopefully it helps hers ! Prayers for that little girl sent
I feel that CaringBidges was there when my classmate was diagnosed with cancer. The word went out to our graduating class and many responded to give prayers, donations and support. My classmate has finished her treatments and is well on the way to recover thanks to CaringBridges!
What a blessing to have CaringBridge. When you’re going through a crisis, you just can’t continually answer the phone and answer all the questions–and this gives all who are concerned a way to keep up with the journey!!
It’s just a life-saver for the care-giver.
How heartwarming to hear as a grand mother of 11 I am proud to be part of those praying for Rebecca’s recovery and sent this to all my friends!
This is an Absolutely Amazing family… Even with God’s help most families would have
crumbled. Since I had met Rebecca’s uncle John Paul I felt really close to all of them.
I have contributed to Caring Bridge twice because it was SUCH a blessed vehicle to get the
story out there so we ALL could pray for them, incluidng the medical teams.
May God’s blessing continue to abound on this family and may Rebecca have complete recovery.
I am glad to hear YaYa’s story also. Sincerely,
family and may beautiful Rebecca have full recovery.
I hope for many years of good health and happiness for REBECA and her family they have been through so much
I am very happy for this family and REBEC’S RECOVERY
What a beautiful girl and family. I pray that Rebecca lives a full and happy life.
This is a very special family indeed. So glad you wrote this story!!