On the day that Whittlee Hamblin’s husband, Stewart, was given a clean bill of health from a brain tumor he was diagnosed with last year, she was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. This news came as nothing short of a shock to their systems. Having a young family, their oldest daughter is 5 and their twin daughters are 4, they never anticipated facing these heavy health related trials at this stage in their lives. They thought they were on the up and up with their health until a hard mass was found in Whittlee’s abdomen. She now halfway through her chemotherapy treatments and says she feels so much better since being treated.
Whittlee shared, “We don’t always understand why we are called to go through certain trials in life. However, I have learned that God’s plan is the best plan! When I put my faith in His timing I feel more peace in my life. When I trust that the trials I face are happening for my good, that they are rigged in my favor, I find evidence of this truth. I can see how perfectly God has orchestrated my life to be exactly the way it is. I can also see how these trials are blessing the lives of my family members and those in my community.”
Whittlee and her family are an inspiration to anyone who crosses their paths, and we are thrilled that she was willing share with us some of the things that are and are not helpful for her and her sweet family as they make their way through this trial.
What are some things that people say to you that you find helpful?
The most uplifting words shared with us through this experience have been “we love you and we are praying for you”. No other phrase has brought as much peace to our hearts as this simple expression of love and as those who surround us pray on behalf of our family.
Were there certain things that have been said to you or your family during this time that have been hurtful?
I firmly believe that the words people share are neutral and that the thoughts I have about the words that are shared are my responsibility. Put simply, I can choose to be hurt by words or I can choose to think that people are genuinely trying to help in some way. What hasn’t been helpful are stories of other people that have passed away from the same type of cancer that I have. I focus so much on living and keeping a positive attitude that these stories of death can pull me down quickly if I let them.
Can you tell us about some acts of service that have meant a lot to your family?
Absolutely! Here are some things people in our community have done that have majorly helped us:
· Sent a text message along the lines of “Hey, I’m headed to Walmart, Target, or Costco. Do you need anything while I’m out?” This specific text lets me think about what I’ve forgotten to purchase for my family and allows my friends to help in a specific way.
· A family in our church congregation has taken on the liberty of mowing our lawn every other weekend so my husband has more time with my family.
· 4 different friends trade off helping me with laundry each week. They’ll pick up two loads of laundry each Monday and return the clean, folded clothes the next day. This is so helpful!
· Another friend with more means has paid for a cleaning service to deep clean our home every other week. This is so generous and helpful. My husband and I can keep our home picked up and tidy during the week. But it’s so helpful to have someone come to deep clean the bathrooms and kitchen!
· I have a friend who will send me humorous memes via text a couple times a week. These make me laugh and help me see humor in my life!
Were there any actions from others that have been hurtful to you or your family?
Yes! When I was first diagnosed with colon cancer, well-meaning friends would often drop in out of the blue to say “hi”. During that time, I was in immense physical pain and wasn’t always up for visits. So these unannounced pop-in visits were very draining even though the intention behind them was good. We learned our lesson and made a sign for our front door. This sign indicated that we were having family time. It gave people notice that we would love a visit, but to text us first so we made sure it was a good time for our family. This helped tremendously!
Instagram handles: @whittlee & @inspriredhomepodcast @hamblingroupinteriors
Facebook pages: Whittlee Hamblin & Whittlee’s Warrirors
Website: whittlee.hamblin.cc
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