Bob had an appointment with his oncologist today and she continues to be very pleased with his progress. The latest bloodwork in which they looked for something called a "tumour marker" once again indicated that it had decreased quite a bit. The first time this kind of result was tested, his tumour marker was 37. A couple of months later it was 26. And the latest bloodwork showed that it had decreased to 11. This is wonderful news!! She said that due to the strange nature of his tumour, likely CT scans won't reveal its size or severity with as clearly, and that the bloodwork may give a more accurate reading. This is so encouraging.
He will continue to have chemo until the end of November, and every few months or so they will test for this "tumour marker" in his bloodwork and assess whether chemo needs to be resumed at any time. We are SO grateful to the Lord for His healing touch--and thanks again for your prayers!!
Of course he continues to be on dialysis three times a week. It's amazing how one adjusts to such a regimen, ESPECIALLY when it brings such improvement and well-being. Rather than being an inconvenience, Bob finds it to be a good time to read, have extended phone conversations with our children, and often a friend drops by the "renal unit" to visit with him while he's on dialysis. So again--nothing is wasted when we receive it as a "gift" from God's loving hand!!
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Thursday 27 October 2011
Wednesday 26 October 2011
Sunny California!!
I'm having a wonderful time re-connecting with family and friends in Sunny California. Attending my high school reunion on Saturday evening was such a thrill--especially being able to spend some concentrated time with four of my best high school friends.
My brother Jim is still recovering from his aggressive cancer treatment and continuing to lose weight, unable to eat and drink as much as he needs to. I had a couple of days with Jim and Kim and on Sunday afternoon, he and I drove out to Palm Springs to be with Mom and Dad. It was hard for them to see him in such a weakened condition, but we continue to trust that the Lord will bring him through this ordeal. He will have surgery in three weeks, and at that time 2/3 of his esophagus will be removed and 1/2 of his stomach!!! He returned home last evening and needs to gain strength (and weight) before his surgery.
It's always a delight to be with Mom and Dad who constantly amaze us with their mental, emotional, and spiritual strength, although each of them has some significant health issues.
Thanks so much for your prayers for Tim and Kim. Kim's surgery went well last Thursday and she came home from the hospital the following morning!! They are awaiting the pathology report that will indicate whether further treatment will be necessary.
Kim's supposed to be resting and is finding that challenging, as she's such an active gal. She has always worked alongside Tim doing all of the chores morning and night, so he's carrying quite a heavy load. Some of the horse-owners have been assisting Tim a bit, and friends are bringing in meals and all manner of treats and gifts. Apparently they say that it's almost like Christmas!! We are so grateful for the loving generosity of their friends and church family, especially when we live so far away. The children are quite sensitive to their mommy's condition and are helping around the house with a mature sense of "responsibility".
Bob is managing well in my absence this week. He will see his oncologist tomorrow afternoon and have chemo on Friday, and I will be flying home on Sunday evening.
Again . . . thank you so much for praying for Kim, and for Jim, and for Bob. We know that God answers prayer!!
My brother Jim is still recovering from his aggressive cancer treatment and continuing to lose weight, unable to eat and drink as much as he needs to. I had a couple of days with Jim and Kim and on Sunday afternoon, he and I drove out to Palm Springs to be with Mom and Dad. It was hard for them to see him in such a weakened condition, but we continue to trust that the Lord will bring him through this ordeal. He will have surgery in three weeks, and at that time 2/3 of his esophagus will be removed and 1/2 of his stomach!!! He returned home last evening and needs to gain strength (and weight) before his surgery.
It's always a delight to be with Mom and Dad who constantly amaze us with their mental, emotional, and spiritual strength, although each of them has some significant health issues.
Thanks so much for your prayers for Tim and Kim. Kim's surgery went well last Thursday and she came home from the hospital the following morning!! They are awaiting the pathology report that will indicate whether further treatment will be necessary.
Kim's supposed to be resting and is finding that challenging, as she's such an active gal. She has always worked alongside Tim doing all of the chores morning and night, so he's carrying quite a heavy load. Some of the horse-owners have been assisting Tim a bit, and friends are bringing in meals and all manner of treats and gifts. Apparently they say that it's almost like Christmas!! We are so grateful for the loving generosity of their friends and church family, especially when we live so far away. The children are quite sensitive to their mommy's condition and are helping around the house with a mature sense of "responsibility".
Bob is managing well in my absence this week. He will see his oncologist tomorrow afternoon and have chemo on Friday, and I will be flying home on Sunday evening.
Again . . . thank you so much for praying for Kim, and for Jim, and for Bob. We know that God answers prayer!!
Thursday 20 October 2011
Surgery's over!!
Kim came through the surgery well this afternoon. Tim and Kim will talk to the surgeon in the morning to get a full report. Her left breast was removed and a tissue sample from one of her lymph nodes will be examined and they will receive a pathology report in a couple of weeks. Apparently this is the best result for now. The surgeon told them if she noticed a hardness and suspicious nature in the lymph node area, she would go ahead right away and remove all the lymph nodes, but that wasn't done, so we're encouraged. If there is ultimately some cancer in the lymph node or nodes, they will operate again and remove them.
Thanks for your love and prayers. We'll keep you posted.
Now I need to get packed to head for CA in the morning!! My brother Jim is meeting me at the LA airport and I'll be in the Arcadia area for two days--spending time with Jim and Kim and also attending my high school class of '66 45th year reunion!!!! Then on Sunday Jim and I will drive out to Palm Springs and I'll spend a week with Mom and Dad. It will be so good to see them. I haven't seen them since mid-March.
It will be wonderful to see Jim too. He's recovering right now from his 6 week chemo and radiation "assault" and will have surgery on Nov. 15.
Bob's doing amazingly well and actually has a rest from chemo this week. I think that he just may enjoy some solitude, although we're both sure that we'll miss one another quite a lot since we've been together almost 24/7 for the past few months.
We continue to trust the Lord for healing for Bob, Jim, and Kim. This morning Bob and I read Psalm 20 and pondered the meaning of verse 7, which says, "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God."
We paraphrased it in this way--"Some trust in surgeons, oncologists, and chemo, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God!"
Although we USE the medical professionals and treatments, just as King David used horses and chariots in battle, our ultimate TRUST is in the LORD!
Thanks for your love and prayers. We'll keep you posted.
Now I need to get packed to head for CA in the morning!! My brother Jim is meeting me at the LA airport and I'll be in the Arcadia area for two days--spending time with Jim and Kim and also attending my high school class of '66 45th year reunion!!!! Then on Sunday Jim and I will drive out to Palm Springs and I'll spend a week with Mom and Dad. It will be so good to see them. I haven't seen them since mid-March.
It will be wonderful to see Jim too. He's recovering right now from his 6 week chemo and radiation "assault" and will have surgery on Nov. 15.
Bob's doing amazingly well and actually has a rest from chemo this week. I think that he just may enjoy some solitude, although we're both sure that we'll miss one another quite a lot since we've been together almost 24/7 for the past few months.
We continue to trust the Lord for healing for Bob, Jim, and Kim. This morning Bob and I read Psalm 20 and pondered the meaning of verse 7, which says, "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God."
We paraphrased it in this way--"Some trust in surgeons, oncologists, and chemo, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God!"
Although we USE the medical professionals and treatments, just as King David used horses and chariots in battle, our ultimate TRUST is in the LORD!
Wednesday 19 October 2011
Kim's surgery
Our daughter-in-"love" Kim will be having surgery tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 21, at 1:00 pm in Regina. She'll be having a mastectomy, and greater examination of her lymph nodes will take place to ensure that they haven't been affected, and they will be treated accordingly.
Please pray for Kim and Tim. They are confident in God's faithfulness and love, which gives such hope, but are naturally struggling with fears and the various losses that this represents. Pray that they will experience the peace that passes human understanding and successful surgery, recovery, and complete healing.
It seems much easier to go through these kinds of experiences ourselves than to watch our children face them. However, we have seen God's faithfulness in abundance these past few months and that encourages us as we walk with our children--and we hope that it strengthens them too.
Please pray for Kim and Tim. They are confident in God's faithfulness and love, which gives such hope, but are naturally struggling with fears and the various losses that this represents. Pray that they will experience the peace that passes human understanding and successful surgery, recovery, and complete healing.
It seems much easier to go through these kinds of experiences ourselves than to watch our children face them. However, we have seen God's faithfulness in abundance these past few months and that encourages us as we walk with our children--and we hope that it strengthens them too.
Wednesday 12 October 2011
Tim and Kim
For a couple of weeks now we have been living with an additional health concern for our daughter-in-law Kim. She has had multiple doctors' appointments and tests that just last week confirmed that she has breast cancer!! The diagnosis came the day after I returned from spending a week with them in Regina. It hit us all with a mixture of shock and numbness, on a larger scale than Bob's diagnosis. It's one thing for a 68 year old to have cancer, and quite another for a 33 year old mother of four little children and wonderful wife to our son.
Kim had an MRI on Tuesday to determine whether the cancer had affected any lymph nodes, and we're so relieved to find out today that it likely hasn't. She'll be having a mastectomy (which is major enough!) towards the end of next week, and further treatment, if need be.
Tim and Kim are facing this with such courage and faith, and the assurance that God is in control, and that the only thing they have control of is how they respond to what God has allowed. They are learning to live one day at a time and even finding things to be thankful for!!
Thankfully, Barbie lives just minutes away from them and will be helping take care of the children as much as she can, and Kim's mother lives in the area as well.
Please join us in praying for them and we will continue to post updates. Bob and I can attest to the powerful impact that the prayers of friends and family have had as we've walked this journey through the "valley of the shadow". We have truly experienced a peace, joy, strength, and healing that only comes from the Lord, and we are confident that Tim and Kim will receive these same gifts from His loving hand as well.
This picture was taken when they visited us here in BC this summer. The children are Colby (8), Gracyn (6), Carson (4), and Mykenna (2).
Kim had an MRI on Tuesday to determine whether the cancer had affected any lymph nodes, and we're so relieved to find out today that it likely hasn't. She'll be having a mastectomy (which is major enough!) towards the end of next week, and further treatment, if need be.
Tim and Kim are facing this with such courage and faith, and the assurance that God is in control, and that the only thing they have control of is how they respond to what God has allowed. They are learning to live one day at a time and even finding things to be thankful for!!
Thankfully, Barbie lives just minutes away from them and will be helping take care of the children as much as she can, and Kim's mother lives in the area as well.
Please join us in praying for them and we will continue to post updates. Bob and I can attest to the powerful impact that the prayers of friends and family have had as we've walked this journey through the "valley of the shadow". We have truly experienced a peace, joy, strength, and healing that only comes from the Lord, and we are confident that Tim and Kim will receive these same gifts from His loving hand as well.
This picture was taken when they visited us here in BC this summer. The children are Colby (8), Gracyn (6), Carson (4), and Mykenna (2).
Sunday 9 October 2011
Thanksgiving
On this Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, we want to make it official: we thank God for the challenges he has sent our way. Carol and I were talking the other night about how we're learning attitudes and perspectives that we couldn't imagine coming any other way. While many are suffering in this world, we're grateful to be included in that host, and God has become more real to us. For those of you who know the Bible, you could easily recall many verses that verify what we're saying. One of them goes like this: "Don't worry about anything, instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." (Philippians, 4:6-7, New Living Translation).
We also thank God for those of you who follow our journey with such interest and prayers. You have been an amazing gift to us. My latest report from the CT Scan suggests the cancer is not spreading, so for today that's encouraging news.
The attached pictures of Carol's recent visit to Regina will help you visualize our deep thankfulness for all those in our family there as well as in Western New York. God is good . . . all the time, and we're thankful.
Colby, Gracyn, and Carson waiting for the school bus in the morning
Grammy, Mykenna, and Gracyn with their horses Sassy and Ferro (the Shetland pony)
The three cowgirls--Mykenna astride Sassy and Gracyn grooming her while Kim overseas it all
Tim reading a bedtime story to Colby and Carson--"Hank, the Cowdog"!
Super-Auntie Barb and Mykenna
We also thank God for those of you who follow our journey with such interest and prayers. You have been an amazing gift to us. My latest report from the CT Scan suggests the cancer is not spreading, so for today that's encouraging news.
The attached pictures of Carol's recent visit to Regina will help you visualize our deep thankfulness for all those in our family there as well as in Western New York. God is good . . . all the time, and we're thankful.
Colby, Gracyn, and Carson waiting for the school bus in the morning
Grammy, Mykenna, and Gracyn with their horses Sassy and Ferro (the Shetland pony)
The three cowgirls--Mykenna astride Sassy and Gracyn grooming her while Kim overseas it all
Tim reading a bedtime story to Colby and Carson--"Hank, the Cowdog"!
Super-Auntie Barb and Mykenna
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