How God is speaking to us...

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

This has been our prayer and God has graciously been giving us His incredible joy, peace, and hope as we trust in Him.
It is also our prayer for you!




Thursday 28 February 2013

The last day of February

Today has been quite good, considering Bob's recent problems with chills and fever. He's had no recurrence today as he's been taking Tylenol regularly every four hours to stay ahead of it.

We saw our wonderful family doctor this morning. Bob had the opportunity to give her a very heartfelt and slightly teary "thank you" for her wonderful care and she asked if she could give him a hug and teared up herself.



We then went to dialysis where all went well. Barbie's his resident massage therapist and daughter extraordinaire!!
Our friends Bob and Cath Shatford came for a visit. Bob has visited our Bob almost every week since he's been on dialysis. He was the worship leader at our church when we first came 17 years ago and we've asked if he would lead the congregational singing at the Memorial Service.

Bob has been craving pizza, so we picked one up on our way home from dialysis!! Chris Hopwood's still with us, and she's just great to have around. She made a delicious salad to accompany our pizza so at least we can say that we got our veggies.

I was so tired after supper that I laid down for a nap. I awakened to talking and laughing in the living room. Chris and Bob had gotten into a good conversation and she decided to take a video of him talking to each of the grandchildren individually and they were happy with the results--yeah!! Eventually they'll receive it.

Barbie plans to return home to Regina on Sunday morning and Bob's sister Vi is coming on Monday for two days. We are so blessed with a marvelous family, wonderful friends, and an amazing God!

Tuesday 26 February 2013

News on the homefront

We've had two wonderful days at home together, so far!! Barbie's here and also Chris Hopwood, so our little condo is a pretty full space--AND full of such joy and peace and love.

Bob is feeling pretty well considering all that he's dealing with. We were able to get both a walker and transport wheelchair from the Red Cross yesterday. Today Barbie and I took him back to the hospital for dialysis. Barbie just loves showering her dad with TLC.



Then we came home to a lovely roast beef dinner prepared by Chris. Lyle also joined us. There's nothing like "old friends"!!



Every day is precious!!

Sunday 24 February 2013

Home Sweet Home

Well, we're home from the hospital. Bob had dialysis this morning and was discharged mid-afternoon. He was pretty tired by the time he got home--but SO glad!!! Chris Hopwood is staying with us for a couple of days or more.

Here are a few "father/daughter" pics. The last one was just as we were leaving the hospital. Barbie and her dad have had such a good time together. Lots of talking, laughing, and massaging!!



Bob has been saying over and over, "I feel SO loved"!!

We appreciate your prayers as we adjust to caring for him at home for a while. A home care nurse is coming tomorrow to assess our needs and respond accordingly.

Enjoying every single moment of each day to the full and grateful for God's unfailing presence, care, and peace.

Saturday 23 February 2013

Hopefully coming home tomorrow


Two attempts were made yesterday to put a tube through some ducts in Bob's liver. The first wasn't successful, however later in the day the doctors decided to go in from his side and WERE successful!! This will make him much more comfortable. Thanks so much for your prayers.

It was a painful night for Bob. He felt as though someone had sat on his chest and broken his ribs, but pain medication has really helped and as healing takes place, he will get relief.

We have been overwhelmed by the care and attention given Bob at the hospital this past week. The "hospitalist" (doctor assigned to Bob's ward to personally monitor each patient's care) has been particularly amazing. He's given us such wise and caring counsel that ultimately led to having this procedure done to deal with Bob's liver problems.

We are made aware constantly that nothing can be done medically for Bob's cancer, but that the dialysis and stent in his liver will enable at least those organs to function. We are quick to share with doctors and nurses that our strength and peace come from God, and that Bob's life and times are in His hands. This delightful Lebanese doctor encouraged us to "keep praying"--and we will most certainly do that!!

Barbie will be with us for another week. Chris and Lyle Hopwood, who are like a second set of parents for our kids, provided taxi service every day this past week for our children and Lois and Alison--driving them all to and from the airports and train station. I wanted to stay overnight with Bob last night so Chris offered to come to our home and stay with Barbie and will be with us whenever we need her.

We are blessed with such wonderful family and friends. Since we live such a distance from family, our friends have become like family. Here are two who are like family to us--Jill and Debbie. The three of us gals sat with Bob for almost two hours while he waited for the second procedure yesterday and his feet and back were rubbed almost continuously!! Such a wonderful harem!!



And when Bob gets home, you can be sure that Barbie and I will totally pamper him!!

Friday 22 February 2013

Family time at the hospital

Sorry for the silence the last couple of days. I’ve spent the last two days and nights with Bob at the hospital. Last night I even slept with him in his hospital bed—and we both slept amazingly well!!

Lois and Alison left on Wednesday morning and David and Tim left this morning. Barbie’s still here until March 3. We’ve had an amazing week as a family and there’s been a revolving door of friends visiting us at the hospital. We feel so blessed.



This picture is of Papa opening all of the letters, drawings, and cards from our grandchildren!

Bob had a CT scan yesterday morning and we received the results today. The cancer has definitely spread to the liver and the other two tumours have grown, and in addition the lymph nodes continue to enlarge. This news was not unexpected, but still quite sobering.

At 5:00 pm tonight, a doctor who specializes in liver disorders visited us and told us that he could do a surgical procedure tomorrow morning whereby he would put a stent through Bob’s bile duct to his pancreas, etc. It’s hard to remember all of the particulars and how it will actually work, but it would definitely increase Bob’s liver function. This would be similar to the stent that Bob has in his ureter between his left kidney and bladder. There are some small risks but the benefits could likely outweigh the risks.

Of course this won’t address Bob’s growing cancer, but it will help the toxins to be elimiated from his body. We were given a few hours to decide whether to go ahead with it or not. We talked a lot and prayed together and both of us felt that Bob should have this procedure done.

If you read this before 8:30 am Pacific time on Friday morning (just nine hours from now), we’d appreciate your prayers.

Now it's time to go to bed and get some much-needed rest.

Tuesday 19 February 2013

A temporary resurrection!!

Bob continues to improve and is apparently at dialysis in the hospital right now. He'll be having a CT scan tomorrow morning. It will be so good to have a clearer picture of what's going on in his liver and abdomen. We're prepared to hear that his cancer may be extensive, but there is a possibility that he's just had a significant blockage in his liver.

We are savouring the extra days God is giving us. Tim arrives this afternoon. Then the family circle will be slmost complete, minus our dear Kim, Ann, and grandkids.

As you can imagine, I continue to record these days in pictures and will add a few here. The first one was just an hour or so after Bob "checked back in" on Sunday morning after about 36 hours of unresponsiveness. The pictures that follow are mostly of family with him.



I see that I haven't gotten Barbie in any of these pictures. I'll work on that!!

Monday 18 February 2013

Yesterday was a special gift from God

Bob has had an amazing turn around in his alertness and engagement--and it's continuing!! I stayed overnight with him last night and he was clear all night, probably only sleeping about four hours. We discussed all the Memorial Service plans and he is in absolute agreement with all that Pastor Brian, Lois, and I planned on Saturday. When those plans will need to be implemented could be anytime, but for now we're thankful for a bit more time!!

Barbie and I have come home just now for a few hours of sleep. We both stayed last night. She found a couch in the chapel down the hall, while I lined us three chairs to make a bed beside Bob.

About 30 friends came by yesterday. What a blessing!! Bob had been taken down to have dialysis, so all of his visitors (just two or three at a time) gathered around his bed down there. He had a lovely location in the renal unit--a wall behind him, no one across from him, and a huge floor to ceiling window on his side. Bob recognized every one and called them by name and interacted and joined in their prayers for him. He had no memory of the previous day!!

Yesterday was a gift from God and we're praying for more of those. David arrives today and Tim tomorrow.

Since Bob has rallied, he will likely have some more tests. The ultrasound revealed that Bob's liver is swollen and there's likely a blockage. A CT scan would give a better picture as to whether it is cancer (which is what we're expecting) or something that could dislodge spontaneously or through some procedure. This is a small liklihood, but our personal preference!!

Thanks again for your love and prayers. Now for a few hours of sleep!!

Sunday 17 February 2013

Time without limits

Yesterday when I wrote that in eternity, time will be no more, I got to thinking that some may think I was saying that there's no more time, when what I meant is that in heaven, time will be totally unlimited and no clocks will be needed!! I'm so thrilled about that, as I'm a person who is very prone to being late. Even as a child I would be running out the door to school asking my dad if he could please give me more minutes!! He promised he would to comfort me but I was still late!! My Heavenly Father is going to give me unlimited minutes!!

Yesterday was an amazing day, as about 20 friends came and told us how much Bob had impacted their lives. There was a steady stream coming in very manageable intervals. Bob's sister Lois and I felt as though we were even getting to know Bob better as we had the opportunity to see him through other's eyes and what he has meant to them. It really was a very sacred time.

Bob didn't respond at all until around 9:30 pm when he had a bit of a coughing spell. A couple of friends were there at the time. This awakened him somewhat and we kept poking and teasing him until he opened his eyes and even gave us some smiles and kisses!! I hope he heard some of the expressions of gratitude, deep affection, and memories of his influence in the lives of all who came to visit. Lois and I were very moved by it all and felt so proud and bessed to be his sister and wife.

Lois and I are heading back to the hospital shortly and Barbie will be arriving soon.

Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers and love.

Saturday 16 February 2013

Time is precious . . .

. . . and it is short. Bob took a huge turn on Wednesday night and was taken to the hospital on Thursday. The cancer has likely spread to his liver. An ultrasound will confirm that today. He's pretty sedated so isn't able to be engaged much, but still is SO loving, thoughtful, and even his ever-professional, gracious self when interacting with the nursing staff and the rest of us.

I love him more every hour. The Lord has given us an amazing two years together with almost unlimited time (in each 24 hour period) to spend together. Our relationship with one another and the Lord has deepened so much and it took this illness and suffering to bring this all about.

But now time is short. Bob's sister Lois arrived yesterday and our three children are arriving in the next two days. It's WONDERFUL to have them all here and so many friends, but I miss having him all to myself already.

But eternity awaits, when time will be no more!!

Thanks for your love and prayers,
Carol

Sunday 10 February 2013

Still lots of pain


Bob’s pain (mostly lower back pain) continues to increase, either that or his body has adjusted to the amount of pain medication he’s taking and isn’t as effective, requiring more. This makes him very sleepy and we’ve also found that it also makes him nauseous. We were blaming the chemo for the nausea, but he hasn’t had chemo for almost four weeks now, and it was only a half dose. When we reviewed the information about the hydromorphone pain medication, we found that nausea was the first side-effect listed!!

It will be so wonderful when his pain medication can be reduced. We’re hoping that the chemo and also the efforts we’re making to boost his immune system will shrink the tumour and cancer activity in his body so that there’s less pressure on the nerves in his lower back.

In spite of all of this we’ve enjoyed a week with friends who came out here to visit us from Toronto!! Flora and Paul Wesley (Flora taught at CBC way back in the 70’s) have been with us, but staying in the guest suite in our condo complex. We’ve enjoyed their time with us so much—talking, checking out the beautiful surroundings, sharing the challenges of health issues (Flora also has cancer and Paul has Parkinson’s), reading and praying together, and of course EATING!!




On Thursday Bob had a small surgical procedure done whereby a port-a-cath was inserted in his upper chest. He’ll be able to get his chemo through that port as well as other medications and procedures. This was performed at the hospital in Abbotsford where our dear friends Chris and Lyle Hopwood live. Amazingly, Bob felt well enough after the procedure to go out for lunch with Chris and Lyle.


We will see Bob’s oncologist on Tuesday and then he’ll have his second chemo in this cycle on Thursday. We’re doing all we can to boost Bob’s immune system through diet and herbal products. This allows me to be quite active in caring for Bob as I make protein drinks, veggie juices, various teas, and prepare as healthy a diet as possible. It’s quite a task being on top of the daily regime of taking medication at the right times and preparing and serving these other things. Since Bob’s pretty “foggy”, he needs his resident nurse to be on top of all of these things and there’s nothing I’d rather do!!

Our daily devotional times, listening to wonderful music, connecting with family and friends frequently, taking occasional walks, and reading together keep feeding our spirits and nurturing our relationship. We continue to be amazed by and so very grateful for the reality of God’s presence and peace.

Barbie’s flying out from Regina for ten days later this month and we are looking so forward to that!!