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Aug. 24, 2006
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Faith sustains mom, family
during daughter’s illness |
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Name: Amy Golden
Age: 45
Occupation: Director of youth ministry/parish volunteer
Parish: St. Paul, Genesee Depot
Book recently read: “The Englisher” by Beverly Lewis
Favorite movie: “The Sound of Music” and “The Trouble with Angels”
Favorite quotation: “Get a good night’s sleep and everything will look better in the morning.” (Catholic Herald photo by Sam Lucero) |
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For Amy Golden and her family, who are used to giving of themselves, hope comes disguised as love, compassion and accepting help.
Amy plays guitar and sings in the St. Paul, Genesee Depot, church folk group. She has also volunteered with her parish school for the past eight years, serving in the school’s library, as room mother, in the hot lunch program, on the school board and in the Home and School Association.
“After my term, I was hired as a substitute teacher and then a full-time resource specialist,” she said. “I did a lot of small group or one on one with those students needing extra help. My latest involvement with the school was as the middle school art teacher — I really enjoy that age group!”
In addition to involvement with the capital campaign drive for building a new church, Amy has been director of youth ministry since July 1.
On Memorial Day weekend, Amy and Phil Golden’s 14-year-old daughter Maggie wasn’t feeling well. After having her examined, they were shocked to learn that her cancer had returned.
“We just couldn’t believe it,” Amy said. “She had been going in for monthly check ups and everything looked great; our lives were turned upside down once again.”
It was just before Easter in April of 2003 that 11-year-old Maggie was diagnosed with ALL (leukemia) in Milwaukee at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. Throughout Maggie’s illness and treatment, the loving arms of their parish family comforted the Goldens.
“We had many people supporting us in many different ways,” Amy said. “Our neighbors and our parish helped with cleaning, meals, our boys, Erich, 16, and Mike, 12, and just being there for the day-to-day family needs. Our parish also provided us with much needed prayers, and generous donations to the Leukemia Society and Relay for Life.”
The chemotherapy treatments ended in October 2005; Maggie was cancer free and looking forward to a happy and healthy eighth grade.
Following the diagnosis they received over Memorial Day, Maggie missed her class trip and eighth grade graduation.
“That was a heartbreaking day,” admitted Amy. “Maggie worked so hard through grade school. Even with chemo treatments and many days of missing school, she graduated with high honors.”
Visibly shaken, it was the night of Maggie’s would-be graduation that Amy felt most alone, depressed and searching for a thread of faith on which to grasp.
“I really had to rely on my parish and my family for their prayers, especially when I didn’t have the strength or energy to pray. It’s really hard for me to ask this sometimes, but they will pray and all of a sudden I have this strength that I need to make it through,” she said. “Now that we’re into a new sort of normal routine, I do feel stronger, due to the support of family and friends. We received special rosaries made by the 97-year-old grandmother of a friend of ours. I try to pray that rosary when Maggie is resting in the hospital after treatments.”
A bone marrow match for Maggie is giving the family hope. If Maggie is well enough, she should have a bone marrow transplant in the fall, just as she is beginning high school at Catholic Memorial.
“She will miss a lot of school this year,” Amy said, “But everyone at CMH has been so supportive and helpful during this difficult time.”
Coping with Maggie’s pain and suffering seems to be bringing the close-knit family of five even closer together.
“It is hard to see our child so weak and withdrawing into herself,” Amy said. “She is a bright girl and understands exactly what the next six months hold in store for her. We sometimes wonder, ‘Why us Lord?’”
Although they are survivors, Amy admits that there are days when her emotions and faith are on shaky ground.
“Some days I feel really strong, like I can do anything,” she said. “While other days I am an emotional wreck. Teenagers are supposed to be having fun with friends and activities and my kids are faced with challenges that most people will never know. But my hope is that they will gain the courage and strength they need to become wonderful adults.”
On hold and waiting for her when Maggie is feeling better, is the youth ministry position that Amy felt was lost.
“It was such a sad day for me when I decided that I just couldn’t take on this role right now,” she said. “But I have a more important job, being a nurse, caregiver and nurturer to my daughter and sons. I was really happy to learn that they are holding the position for me when I am able to take it on.”
Admittedly, Amy sometimes finds it difficult to be a Catholic during this “rocky” period, but it is when she feels most abandoned and alone that she draws strength from Catholic traditions, her parish and her parish family.
“I know that God gives me the strength to face each new day,” she said. “And he understands that sometimes I question why things have to be so difficult. No one ever said that faith is an easy thing.” |
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