The following is an article that I wrote for "The Relaxed Homeschooler" Newsletter for the Winter 1997-98 issue  

"Teaching in the Midst of Family Illness"

~ Homeschooling offers many challenges to parents. With juggling housework, yard work, caring for the family business, tending to the needs of toddlers and babies, it is only through God's abundant grace that we are able to teach at all. But what happens if Mom gets seriously ill? Or anyone within the family, for that matter. This poses a whole new challenge to face. I KNOW...because I'm a homeschooling Mom, dealing with a serious illness. In our first year of homeschooling, I was diagnosed with Osteomylitis and Melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer. The disease was on the ankle of my left leg and we were told that I must have the leg amputated below the knee. This was NOT easy News to hear, but with the Lord's help, we finally accepted it and the decision was made. ~ I was hospitalized throughout most of August of that year and still not feeling well into September. So our school year began in October. We worked together, sometimes in my bed, or at the physical therapy office. In spite of my illness and our interrupted scehdule, the children did very well that year. Now it is 1997 and I am faced with the possible reoccurance of the Melanoma. This time the doctors fear it may have taken up residence in my pancreas and pancreatic ducts. It is causing bouts of extreme pain and nausea, and I have been repeatedly hospitalized and hooked up to strong pain killers. Once again, we are toting along book bags to doctors offices and treatment centers. During my hospital stays, the children bring all their schoolwork up in the evenings when they visit with their Dad. We turn my hospital room into a "classroom" and get busy until visiting hours are over. During the day, they work on "independent" studies and phone me several times a day with any questions. They are keeping up with their work remarkably well, considering the circumstances facing our family right now. I believe that by staying busy and spending every evening together as a family, this ordeal has been much less stressful on my children. I am forced to consider what their emotional states would be if they were carted to and from public school everyday, rather than being surrounded by family and friends that love them and comfort them when their emotions are running low. I am so grateful to OUR LORD for entrusting me with the privilege of teaching my children. I am so thankful for this time that we get to share together. These days are precious to me. I know that having my children around me has eased my worries and made these otherwise endless hours much more pleasant.   My prognosis is good now. I may have to undergo major surgery to bypass the damaged pancreatic ducts, but I have a good chance for a complete recovery. I am looking forward to six more years of HOMESCHOOLING! ~

"I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength" Phillipians 4:13

~ ~Update~ Soon after writing that article I was admitted to The University of Indianapolis Medical Center where a Pancreatic Specialist performed a procedure that repaired the damage to me pancreatic ducts and he found me to be 100% cancer free! ~ "To God Be The Glory...Great Things He Hath Done..." ~   We'd love to hear from you! ~

If you are interested in receiving "The Relaxed Homeschooler" Newsletter Send $6 to: The Relaxed Homeschooler P.O.Box 2524 Cartersville, GA. 30120

~    Return to Homeschool Page ~ Return to "Living Beyond Adversity" ~

 

This page copyrighted by Denice Whitaker, 1998

My Testimony/Denice's Update/A Special Message/ A Tribute to my Mother/Homeschooling Through Adversity/ The Whitaker Family Kitchen/Chronic Pain-Illness Ministry/Denice's Devotional/ Family Bookstore/Webpage & Email Tutorial/To My Child/Friendship/ My Victorian Home/My SoulMate/Graphics/Awards/Friends Pages