Great news!!

We have wonderful news regarding my brother JIM. Yesterday he received the results of the CT scan he had on Monday and it was CLEAR—meaning no sign of a tumor or cancer activity!! We are SO relieved and thankful to the Lord. He will likely have a CT scan every few months to keep a close watch on his status.

He drove out to Palm Springs yesterday to work on his income tax at our folks’—a tedious task that will be lightened considerably by this good report!!

KIM had her fourth chemo treatment this morning and Super Auntie Barb has moved back into their home for a few days to help take care of the kids while Kim rests. She’s anticipating that the next week to ten days will be difficult, so your continued prayers are much appreciated.

And BOB and I are doing well and enjoyed a few walks in the sunshine this week. Here’s a picture of Bob when we walked on the promenade and pier in White Rock on Tuesday. For those of you who aren’t familiar with our lovely coastal city, the famed “white rock” can be seen in the distance just to the left of Bob.

Bob's new second home!!

Last week BOB was introduced to his new "second home" as he began to get his dialysis treatments at a community clinic just five miles from our home. Here he is all hooked up and relaxing in a lovely recliner instead of a hospital bed!

He goes to Panorama Community Renal Unit three evenings a week--Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Since Valentine's Day was on a Tuesday this year, we had a special dinner the night before. Bob barbecued steak and it was delicious. That was topped off with his all-time favourite dessert pictured below!!

We continue to marvel at God's love and goodness to us and for the gift of one another's love and companionship on life's journey.

KIM is beginning to count the weeks until she will be finished with chemo. Her third chemo (two weeks ago) really took a lot from her, but after nine days, her energy and enjoyment of life slowly returned and this week she even rode her horse!! Her fourth chemo will be next Friday, Feb. 24th, with two more chemo treatments following that. Tim is holding down the fort amazingly well, and with the help of Auntie Barb and the support of friends and church family, they are doing well.

JIM is gaining in strength and is riding his bike almost an hour each day. Getting out in the sunshine on his bicycle is great therapy for both body and spirit. He's trying to eat several small meals throughout the day and is managing to maintain his weight (which is at least 25 pounds under what he used to weigh). Next week he'll have a CT scan and bloodwork, and we're hoping and praying that there won't be any evidence of cancer activity.

We'll update the blog again next Friday, unless there's something special to report sooner. Thanks again for your love, support, and prayers for us.

1000 Gifts

In her book, 1000 Gifts, Ann Voskamp has helped many including Carol and me to cultivate an inner posture of thankfulness. One year ago this month I checked into the Emergency Dept. of the hospital in White Rock, feeling increasingly unwell. That began the saga of the past year that has included many weeks in hospital, needle pokes, surgery and health-care professionals attending to my needs. And today dialysis is a regular part of my week, and chemotherapy is on hold until my bloodwork and body suggest it is needed again. My strength is increasing, renewed each morning, and I am without pain. I believe God has been at work giving me his health for each day, and I feel as though I have 1000 gifts for which to be thankful. Beyond the physical renewal, I'm grateful to have experienced the reality of the presence of Christ in my life. A couple of years ago it was my deep desire to experience this at a new level, and God designed the right "school" for me.

A year of laying low, being dependent on the direction of others, takes a lot, but it also gives a lot. I'm immensely grateful for the many wonderful caregivers in our amazing health-care system: I don't have any complaints. I'm indebted to a host of friends who have expressed their concerns and prayers on my behalf. My amazing wife Carol and my kids and grandchildren have been gifts to the spirit without equal: I'm blessed.

Now the challenge is to "get on with my life." My health is stabilized and improving, and it is time to re-engage. I'm reflecting on and listening for the clues of what that should be. For each day that God gives me I want to be His influence for good in this world.

God is completely trustworthy and good. His best gifts are never withheld but given freely the moment they are needed.

Bob (for your regular 'reporter' Carol).

Back Home

I arrived home late this afternoon after a wonderful nine days with my folks in Palm Springs. Mom is gaining in strength as her ribs heal and the bruises on her face are fading too.

Jim came out to the desert for three days and it was so good to see him again as well. He's gaining in strength--a little more slowly than he'd like though. Here's a picture of the two of us with Mom and Dad and also a very good friend from my high school years!

While Jim was with us, he and I picked over 100 pounds of grapefruit in about 20 minutes from trees in the backyard of a friend's home!! I brought home a suitcase full of grapefruit. Oh, they are SO good!!

Bob just phoned from Edmonton and he sounded amazingly well considering the busy weekend he's had. It's been over a year since he's had this kind of involvement and we were wondering how he would fare. Apparently the workshop went very well and everyone, particularly the lead pastor, was thrilled with what he presented. The board all gathered around Bob and prayed that God would restore his health so that he could continue to use his gifting to enrich churches and help promote board health. He was so encouraged!!! He flies home tomorrow morning and will go for dialysis in the afternoon.

Kim had her third (out of six) chemo treatment yesterday and is again finding that it makes her extremely tired for the first week. Barbie's there to help Tim with the children and friends and their church family are once again bringing a meal every day for a week.

God is GOOD!! Yesterday when I was shopping at Target, I talked to a black lady who was collecting money for a shelter for battered women in the desert. She was a sweetie and in our conversation I shared about the challenges we've faced this past year and the fact that God is good. She gave me a marvelous retort when she said, "Honey, food is good, GOD is GREAT!" I couldn't agree more!!

Sunny Palm Springs

I can't help but put up another posting to share some more good news!!

Mom (almost 89)and Dad (almost 90) are the most amazing octogenarians I know, who don't let chronic back pain, heart problems, and bruised bodies sideline them for very long. Here are a few pictures to illustrate what I mean.

Dad's still driving (except after dark) and pumping his own gas, doing all of the shopping, and when I awakened this morning, he was doing a couple of loads of laundry!!

And Mom is recovering nicely from her bad fall four weeks ago. Her bruised ribs were more painful than her bruised face and ego, but she's feeling much better and is now back sleeping in their bed rather than on the recliner. She got fully dressed today for the first time and here she is squeezing fresh orange juice from their orange tree.

I'll bet you're wondering what I'm doing other than relaxing in the sunshine since Mom and Dad have things well under control!! Well, there's a bit of housecleaning, etc to be done and right now I've got buns and cinnamon buns rising!! Just being together gives us all a lift and we enjoy playing games and reading together. Dad's macular degeneration prevents him from reading, so I'm reading them a biography right now of a wonderful man they knew personally way back in the '40's--Percy Wills.

And BOB is doing well at home. On Thursday he received a phone call asking if he'd be able to conduct of "board workshop" for a church in Alberta next Saturday!! He was thrilled to be given the opportunity at a time when he's feeling so well. He'll be able to be gone for two days without missing dialysis.

KIM is enjoying a week of feeling pretty good, knowing that she'll have her third chemo this coming Friday. JIM plans to come out and visit us this week and it will be so good to see him.

GOD IS SO GOOD!!

Heading South

I'm updating our blog a little early this week because I'm flying to Palm Springs tomorrow morning for nine days. It will be wonderful to be with my folks again, although I know that Bob and I will miss one another more than ever since we've been together almost 24 hours a day for the past year.

Unfortunately, Bob is unable to go due to his need to be on dialysis. But there is good news regarding his dialysis. Next week he will be transferred from Surrey Memorial Hospital to Panorama Community Clinic to receive his dialysis. This is a relatively new facility just five miles from us, less that half the distance that he now travels to the hospital. His schedule will be adjusted slightly, changing one of his treatments from Sunday afternoon to Saturday evening. We're so pleased about this, as it will mean that we don't have to rush out of church on Sunday mornings, but can stay around to visit and also have friends over to our home for lunch!!

We've had so many guests around our dining room table lately, it's beginning to feel awfully quiet!! Vi, Bart, Lois, and Duane all left on Monday after three wonderful days together. Talking, laughing, playing games, watching games--NFL football, and of course eating together filled our days. Everyone sampled our "favourite" cocktail--carrot/apple juice--with mixed reviews!!

The occasions are far too few when Bob, Vi, and Lois are together. That makes these events SO very special.

It was great to have our nephew Bart with us again. He was the first of all the family to come and visit us just after Bob's diagnosis and release from the hospital back in early May. He's the oldest of our nieces and nephews, and definitely the tallest. Bob isn't very short, but he sure looks like a midget beside Bart, even with Bart trying to crouch down a bit!!

KIM began to feel much better about ten days after her chemo and now knows what to expect in terms of side-effects. She'll have her next chemo in nine days and is enjoying more energy until then. Tim's been doing an awesome job caring for the kids, horses, and Kim. Colby told us on the phone that his dad is a "SuperDad" and we agree!! Thanks so much for praying for them.

I'm looking so forward to being with Mom and Dad and also seeing Jim, who will come out to Palm Springs for a couple of days next week. You can be sure that I'll be taking pictures to include in my next update.

We continue to "Give Thanks" to the Lord and our dear family and friends for your love and prayers.

More family time

We're spending the next three days with Vi and Bart and Lois and Duane. Vi was in Vancouver on business this week so we met her downtown for dinner on Wednesday evening.

I went with Bob to his dialysis this week and saw his new "hook-up" to the graft in his arm. He's adjusting quite well to the new system.

We've had a lot of snow and unseasonably cold weather in BC this week--and all over the Pacific Northwest. Lois and Duane were supposed to take the Amtrak from Eugene, OR up to Bellingham, WA yesterday, but the extreme weather played havoc with the railroad and roads, so their trip was delayed a day.

Bart flew into Vancouver this morning from Edmonton, and he and Vi drove out here at noon today and all six of us will be spending the weekend together before Lois and Duane return to South America on Monday.

KIM had chemo last Friday and it made her VERY tired. Barbie's been able to arrange to stay with them for a few days after each of the chemo treatments.

Well, it's time to venture out on the roads to drive down to Bellingham to pick up Lois and Duane. We're looking SO forward to these next few days together.

THEN, next Thursday I'm flying to Palm Springs to spend a week with my folks. Since Bob's doing so well, he encouraged me to make the trip. It will be so good to be with them again--and to enjoy some sunshine and warmth!!