CAT
A cat is a beautiful creature. A cat is subtle with its displays of affection and is able to move with silence. A cat is known for its independence and intelligence. And so is this CAT ...
The amazing story of Cat Borck
I'm not talking about a four-legged pet, but a real person. Her name is Cathleen Borck, but everyone calls her Cat. Let me tell you about this amazing lady.
Let's start with a quick, little background. Cat was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her dad served in World War II. He was one of the first army men who landed on Omaha Beach during WWII. He had to climb poles to put up communication wires. Her dad was one of the main targets that the enemies shot at. He has been awarded many metals for his bravery. So it goes to say, this is the kind of breed that is in Cat. In fact, Cat was taking college prep courses when she was only in 9th grade!
Just like a cat loves to prowl in the outdoors, so does Cat. She loves to go camping and fishing with her family. She remembers when she was little how she scared her dad. He was under the camper leveling it. Cat had her dad's keys in her hands while she was watching. For some reason, her dad had a timer thing on his keys. Cat decided to turn on this timer as she stood there watching him. The timer went off while her dad was still under the camper. Her dad immediately thought it was a rattle snake! "Boy, did dad move out from under the camper really super fast!" Cat chuckles. Cat also recalls the life changing event for her when her dad had to go in the hospital.
Cat's dad had to be hospitalized for a few days. While he was in the hospital, he had a very nice roommate. Soon this roommate and her dad became good friends. Their wives also became close and they all started going to the same church together. These new friends also had a son who was 9 years old. Cat was 11 at this time. The two played together, went to church and even went camping as families together for years. Cat and their son were very good friends. Cat accepted the Lord as her Saviour when she turned 13. When Cat was in her late teens, this dear friend of hers, Ted by name, went to a youth rally with Cat. On their way to the youth rally, Cat and Ted were sitting in the car with their parents. They started holding hands there in the car. This changed Cat. She and Ted were married a few years later.
Ted enlisted into the Navy after they had been married for only one year. Ted felt it best to join the Navy because the draft had been instituted and he didn't want to be put into the Army. Ted served in the Navy for almost 20 years! We are going to hear a little bit more about him soon.
After ten years of marriage, Cat wanted so badly to be a mother. They had tried for so many years. In desperation, Cat went to God with her tears. Just like Hannah in the Bible, Cat asked for a child. She also accepted the fact that God knows best, and may not want to grant this prayer request. But Cat said in her prayers that if she became pregnant within just a short amount of time, then she would know for certain that God did hear her. Three months later, Cat received a positive pregnancy test! She is so very thankful to her Heavenly Father who answered her humble prayer with a beautiful daughter, whom she named Cindy Lynn. But when Cindy was only three years old, she suffered a very bad accident.
Ted was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia. Ted was in and out to sea. On one of his times home, they went to visit Cat's parents in Ohio. Her dad was pushing Cindy Lynn on a makeshift swing. The pipe that the swing was hanging from worked its way loose and fell down on Cindy's little head. It hit her so hard that her skull was crushed! She was rushed to the emergency room. Everyone was fearing the injury to Cindy's head. "It is extremely hard to see your child hurting and in such pain," Cat remembers. Doctors warned the family that the area of Cindy's head that was damaged was the part protecting her eyesight. The doctor stated that if even just one piece of her skull bone had cut into that, she would be blind. Cat's family started praying and trying hard to accept the outcome. Finally, the doctor came out and gave the family good news. Cindy would not loose her sight, even though she still bears a large scar on the back of her head to this day. God answered Cat's prayer again for her daughter, whom she loves to pieces. Cindy Lynn is now a beautiful young mother herself.
Another accident happened on Palm Sunday. There was a men's prayer time at 9:30 a.m. that Sunday morning. Ted had left at 9 a.m. on his Harley motorcycle. Cat and Cindy left at 9:45 a.m. for regular service. They had to cross a four lane highway to get to their church. As Cat approached, she could see there had been an accident. Flashing lights were everywhere from police cars and an ambulance. Cat said to her daughter, "I hope it wasn't your father!" But it was! As Ted had crossed this four lane highway, he did not see a car behind a semi-truck. He broadsided the car. Ted was thrown from his bike. The motorcycle was severly damaged. However, Ted didn't even get his jeans dirty! In reality, Ted should have been killed immediately; at least, very badly hurt but he wasn't! Everyone was amazed. Cat said, "God must have caught Ted in His hands! There is no other explanation!" Then do you know what Ted did?
This is Ted, in the red hat, firing the cannon!
Ted and Cat Borck
Civil War Reenactors
Ted took Cat to see a car show/Civil War Reenactment. They were both excited and especially enjoyed the war reenactment. One reenactor, who was in charge of the cannons, allowed Ted to fire a cannon. Ted was hooked. Both Cat and Ted became faithful participants in the Civil War Reenactments. Cat started out having to dress up as a man, she chuckles, because they were short of men. Now she portrays a beautiful Civil War lady adorned in a puffy dress. Ted and Cat still serve in the reenactments. It has been 15 years, even with what Cat is going through right now. This is the most trying time in her life. This is real rough. Please read on ...
Cat and Ted with a group of reenactors.
What is Cat going through now? It surely is not easy. Not for her, Ted, her family or anyone else who has had to go through this. Cat has learned to give thanks to God for all things. "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
It was a Sunday morning, Cat and Ted were ready to go to church. It was cold and rainy. When Cat neared their car, she realized that she had forgotten her phone. She has her Bible on her phone. Coming back out of the house, Cat slipped and fell down the back steps. Now here is where God used this accident. Cat hurt her back so bad that she had to go to the doctors. The doctor took an x-ray of her back. However, the back injury was not all that the doctor saw. The doctor saw a spot on her lung that looked like it had been there for awhile. Cat thought within herself, 'since it had been there for a few years, than it must be alright'. Three days later, Cat had an appointment with a pulmonary doctor. A biopsy was then done. Cancer was affirmed. The doctor said that because of the position of where the cancer is, he could not get very much of a sample, but what he got was cancerous.
Within a week, Cat saw a surgeon. The surgeon wanted to know if the cancer was in the lymph nodes also. So Cat needed a second biopsy for more tissue. The second biopsy came back as positive of cancer in the lymph nodes. A plan was put together at the beginning for chemo and surgery, but when the doctors found cancer in the lymph nodes, the surgeon said, "No, we are not doing surgery. We are going to do radiation." Cat had one treatment of chemo every week for four weeks.
Let me insert here. Cat lives one hour from her cancer treatment center. Ted is now legally blind and cannot drive. Cat drove herself to and from every one of her chemo treatments, alone. One hour to drive there and then one hour to drive home after each treatment. Each chemo treatment took five hours. Cat held up to her name because a cat is independent and intelligent, as we mentioned at the beginning of this article.
Next, Cat was told she had to have radiation treatments. That meant she went everyday for eight weeks -- driving herself to her treatments and driving herself back home after the treatments. The driving after the treatments took a lot out of Cat. Cat recalls talking to a friend who told her that radiation treatments take a lot out of people and also causes extreme fatigue. The friend said she knew someone who was so exhausted that she could hardly lift their head. Cat said she thought to herself, 'How can I do this? Drive an hour one way, go through the treatments and then drive home everyday for eight weeks?' Her husband, Ted, prayed very hard for her. It tore him up inside to see her have to drive and go through all this. He felt helpless, especially not being able to drive. He turned to the Lord; and God answered his prayers, and kept Cat strong through all her treatments.
Now is the waiting period. The treatments are over. Cat is feeling weak, tired and fatigued. Cat said she just doen'ts have strength anymore. She will be starting Immune Therapy soon. This is where she will go to the treatment center and the doctors will put an IV of fluids with all kinds of vitamins into her system to help build her immune system back up. However, she received a call from the doctors who informed her that her insurance company wants proof that her treatments have helped her before they will approve the Immune Therapy. So Cat had to make an appintment to have a CAT Scan done. She drove herself to her CAT Scan. Cat said that she is glad that the insurance company required the CAT Scan so she can know how well her chemo and radiation treatents have worked. Cat sees God's hand leading in all of this trial.
Cat says she is so glad that God used her accident to show her the cancer. She has seen God answer so many prayers. She will be beginning her Immune Therapy soon and trusting in the Lord. Cat says one of her joys through all this, is that her husband, Ted, use to tell her that he loves her about 50 times a day. Now he tells her that he loves her about 100 times a day!
