Where we are today...

This is Andrea posting this time. It is hard to believe that it’s been 2 weeks since our last post. In one sense, it has gone so quickly and in another, it seems like a very long time, with the days running together. It’s been a blur of activity – radiation treatments, trips back and forth to the hospital, family visits, doctor appointments, some “complications”, etc. We were very happy to see that the heart complication which necessitated a short hospital stay was taken care of by a new medication.

Thank you for your continued prayers, cards, emails, gifts, offers of help, etc. which remind us that we are part of the family of God and He is caring for us in more ways than we could ask or imagine through this difficult time. We are so humbled and blessed by your love and prayers!

Dave enjoyed a wonderful visit with his brother and sister last week. It was so great for us to reconnect with them as distance and the “grown up children stage” of our lives has prevented us from seeing them very much over the last several years. This weekend, we are so excited to have all three of our girls home again! We are soaking in every minute! Then, this next week, Dave’s brother is flying in with his mom for a few days. It is a flurry of activity, but time that will be well spent and very much needed.

I’d like to be able to report that things are going well and Dave’s strength is increasing, but that isn’t the case. While the radiation has provided relief of the lower back pain, we continue to have a “roller coaster” ride of physical symptoms and, as a result, emotions. There are good days and bad days; then there are better days and really awful days. It has been difficult to fight discouragement, but we are continually reminded of God’s sovereignty and His love.

So the big question is, “How is Dave doing?” Physically, the cancer is spreading and causing many complications. His mobility has still not returned. Although the radiation has removed the cancer from the lower spinal cord/nerve endings, the doctor said that nerves can take a while to mend and it will probably be a while before he can stand/walk again. We are trying to work on exercises to keep the muscle tone in his legs.

The radiation and some of the meds he needs upset his stomach and he doesn’t feel much like eating. His weight is down, but we are pumping down as much good food in him as we can get, bits at a time. Some of the medication also impedes his concentration, making writing emails or having long conversations difficult for him. Recently, he started with some lightheadedness and dizziness, causing difficulty focusing his eyes as well as a nauseous feeling.

We thought some of the meds and/or low blood counts were causing this dizziness but both were ruled out on an MRI of his head this past Thursday. Results showed that there is cancer involvement in the brain. He began radiation treatment to the head the same day. This should help alleviate the dizziness and allow him to focus clearly without the world “spinning around him”.

Although it seems to us that we keep receiving more bad news than good news, we know that it is just the nature of an aggressive cancer. Unless God intervenes with a miracle, his condition will continue to worsen. Of course, we continue to pray for a miracle…but we also pray that God will give him grace and courage for each day and for minimum discomfort.

Spiritually, I have been reminded of these verses over and over again, “ ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’"

As a family, our “way” is that God would heal Dave completely. We have been praying for that and believing that God can do that! It seems, however, from the physical symptoms which we are observing, that God may have another “way” than what we’d like to see.

Does that mean He is not good and gracious and loving and kind? Absolutely not! It just means that sometimes we never will see what God is doing through His “ways” on this earth. But we know He IS in control and He IS working out His plan and He IS changing and transforming lives through all of this. We just may have to wait until we get to heaven to see how He worked through it all.

From a human standpoint, we may not like being the “instrument” that He works through or being the ones that He teaches lessons through BUT from an eternal standpoint, “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” To God be the glory….we pray that we will live our lives as a testimony to His great love and power. The road is difficult, but we know that God is giving us the strength for each minute of each day.

While we would love to visit with so many of you, Dave’s physical condition is too weakened to do that. His white counts are extremely low and so is his physical strength and stamina. Please understand if he does not reply/respond to emails or voicemails. Good days have become fewer and far between. But know that we are so uplifted by your words of encouragement and love and by your prayers.

Thank you for standing with us in prayer. We could not walk this journey without God’s help! Every day we are reminded of your love, encouragement, support and prayers! Thank you for taking the time to express this to us …. it is really appreciated!