LAVISHED LOVE FOR LYDIA CAMPAIGN

“See what great LOVE the Father has LAVISHED on us, that we should be called Children of God!” I John 3:1a (NIV)

Lydia is first and foremost a CHILD OF GOD! She is one of the sweetest, sincerest, most gracious, generous, loving and kindest people we know. She inspires us to love others more. She shines Jesus’ love to everyone she meets...even strangers. It is not unusual to hear from Lydia that she has met yet another new friend and she always asks us to join her in lifting them up in prayer. She is loved by so many. Even though her body is filled with pain, she still exudes compassion. Her focus is never on herself and what she is going through…instead, she is always thinking about and praying for others. Her capacity to give love has no bounds. Despite Lydia’s many health challenges throughout her life, living with chronic diseases and debilitating pain, she has still joyfully continued to be a sweet wife, along with loving & caring for the day-to-day responsibilities of being a mother to her precious 11-year-old daughter, Sophia, and to her furrybaby, Salsa (who is very ill & requires round-the-clock care & medications). Lydia *SPARKLES* as she shows us all how to have true JOY IN THE LORD & GLORIFY HIM even through her many Life trials & immeasurable tribulation!

As many of you already know, our precious friend has had many medical issues throughout her life, including fibromyalgia, IBSD, sleep apnea, thyroid, kidney, liver, & bladder issues, severe, chronic eczema, metabolic syndrome, and in the past, stage 4 endometriosis (including a large abdominal tumor) which ended in an early hysterectomy at just 41 years of age…all this, just to name a few of her numerous ailments. She also recently found out, after some specialized testing through a 3D Body Scan, that she has a problem with her Heart, a very high red blood cell count, & problems with her spine, all of which she is continuing to see doctors about & will hopefully receive some answers soon so that she can add these issues into her Fight Plan. In 2012, she was diagnosed with stage 2B highly-aggressive & invasive breast cancer. She courageously fought this cancer with 6 months of Herceptin medication & 6 months of two different chemotherapies….all while being bald & experiencing all the horrible after effects of chemo, and then underwent bi-lateral “oncoplasty” surgery (which is a “mini-mastectomy” with reconstruction). Of course she also had to endure countless, painful tests & procedures throughout this journey.

In 2013, Lydia was again diagnosed with breast cancer, but this time it was another type of cancer which was there all along but never showed up in any testing and was only detected through her surgery & pathology. She then had to undergo yet another surgery in an attempt to remove that cancer. Lydia was blessed in late-2013 to receive teaching & healing help through Hallelujah Acres (at their healing retreat in Lake Lure, N.C.) and adopted a wonderfully clean lifestyle thanks to them, thanks to the Lord, thanks to Lydia’s strong support system, & thanks to her strong constitution and willpower. She went through a difficult detox & immediately changed her lifestyle by eating a diet that was only organic, high raw, gluten-free, sugar-free, & soy-free, and she also went vegan and worked tirelessly at cleansing her home & environment from chemicals & toxins.

Fast forward to July 1st, 2016, this past summer, when we received an urgent message from Lydia that she was driving herself to the ER because she was experiencing excruciating pain in her back & abdomen. After blood-work, x-rays, & a CT scan, the results showed that she had kidney stones and a kidney infection. It became obvious to all of us while Lydia was in the ER, that the Lord had used this painful experience with her kidneys to reveal to her through all of the testing that her breast cancer had now metastasized (spread) to her lymphatic system, her abdomen, and to other areas. Throughout Lydia’s breast cancer journey, she has never once asked God, “Why Me?” Instead, she has said, “Why NOT me?” AND “Please use me to inspire others AND so that Jesus shines out through my broken vessel!” Now, if you’re thinking that Lydia’s difficult & sad ER visit was all that happened to her over this past summer, well, prepare your heart for what comes next. Just a few days after her harrowing experience in the ER, she took Sophia to go play & enjoy fellowship with friends for a couple of hours at a local trampoline park, even though she wasn’t feeling well. About 30 minutes into this special time with friends, Lydia was involved in a freak accident and ended up having to undergo testing over the next few days which included neurological & eye exams, a head CT scan, & multiple neck and back x-rays, not to mention all of the debilitating pain she had to endure. All of the doctors’ visits and testing resulted in a diagnosis of brain trauma with whiplash and a concussion. Needless to say, this also set her back in her efforts to get in somewhere for treatment for her cancer & other medical issues because she had to stop everything she was doing to tend to her new injury, to rest, & to work on recovering from this shocking accident. This, and many more examples of the difficult life challenges Lydia faces all the time, is why we lovingly call her JOBlicious!

After Lydia found out through Hallelujah Acres about The Cancer Center for Healing in Irvine, CA (right in our backyards) and the wonderful doctors there, she knew that the Lord was leading her to continue battling her ongoing cancer and other health challenges in partnership with them. Although there were may delays in her getting into the center initially (researching, gathering, & sending all pertinent medical information, lab reports, & all scans and then there were the monetary challenges that came up just to start the process, get seen, & start treatment) through much prayer, love, & some initial monetary help from loved ones, we are happy to report that Lydia was finally able to see doctors there at the Cancer Center for Healing, who then designed a personalized treatment plan for her, and in August, she was able to start her healing treatments…with God’s gracious & merciful blessings, through the Cancer Center for Healing, we pray that He will deliver our sweet friend from not only her cancer but also from all other diseases and physical pain. Lydia is so very honored & grateful to be able to receive treatment at this center where the Lord has led her!

Lydia had to undergo a painful but necessary surgery on Wednesday, 8/31/16, at Hoag Hospital, for the placement in her chest of her second Port-A-Cath so that she would be able to continue with her daily I.V. infusions & potential chemo in the near future (since her veins have been irreparably harmed by her first chemotherapy infusions years ago). This new Port-A-Cath means no more poking, prodding, pain, & awful bruises for her hands & arms. At first, with a humble heart, she did not want our help with any financial assistance, but, in humility, she now knows that this type of help is a blessing from God & a blessing for others, too, who long to help her in their compassion. Financially, is just one way to assist her; however, prayer is truly the best. We covet your prayers, as we know that our Lord can do great and mighty things through our pleadings.

We (Riza, Gina, and Rita) have been called by our Lord God, who has impeccable timing, to start this LAVISHED LOVE FOR LYDIA GoFundMe Campaign in order to expedite and assist Lydia with the ongoing expenses of her testing and treatments at the Cancer Center for Healing, where she’s hoping and praying to be able to continue. The funds that we are asking for are possibly only ½ of the total cost of what she will actually need to go through her personalized treatment plan in the future which includes ongoing testing, scans, I.V. Infusions, detox and anti-inflammation treatments, hyperbaric oxygen chamber therapy, biofeedback, hyperthermia, accupuncture, lymphatic drainage massage, numerous other physical & emotional therapies, nutritional support, naturally building up her extremely weak immune system, a couple of medical healing devices she needs for continued home therapy, and possibly chemo. Lydia just had another PET Scan & CT Scan on 10/27/16 and we are all anxiously awaiting the findings which she should receive later this week when she meets with her doctor, Dr. Connealy, who is the Director of the Cancer Center For Healing. We are all lifting our precious friend up in prayer that our Gracious Lord has indeed been healing her in many wonderful ways through the center where He led her. No matter what the outcome is of these all-important tests, Lydia will need to continue her healing treatments at the center for a long time going into the future.

Thank you for taking the time to read and share in this moment in time for our Amazing Lydia. It is but a moment. It is but a chapter. Her book is not finished. Our God has great plans for her yet. He is truly the God of Her Story, and He’s writing every page for His Glory (and her refinement)! Let’s keep encouraging her, loving her, praying for her, and please give a monetary love offering that could change her life forever! Please lift up our Sweet Lydia & her Family to our Great Physician Who comforts, heals, & performs miracles!

Blessings,

Riza, Gina, & Rita