Email: (from J’s aunt to me)

I am so disappointed to hear the rep was not helpful!!!!!….

Will pray even harder.

BUT God opens doors that no one can close and closes doors no one can open.  His ways are perfect and what seems right to us may be good, but not His will.

Love this passage… Isaiah 43

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by your name;

You are Mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.

When you walk though the fire, you shall not be burned,

Nor shall the flame scorch you.

For I am The Lord your God,

The Holy One of Israel, your Saviour;

…Fear not, for I am with you.”

Love you so much,

Your Aunt

 

Email: (response from me to J’s aunt):

Thanks!  Love that passage and such a fitting reminder right now.  Am feeling better about things now, just in the moment of that phone call yesterday I was pretty discouraged – had seemed like such a great option, and was tough to hear they couldn’t help us right away.  Still an option though, and I might press further if other treatment options don’t pan out.  

Did speak w/ another oncologist yesterday and set up a second opinion apt. for his first  available in a couple weeks.  So we’ll go ahead and start the chemo and radiation as planned with the first cancer center we met with and then meet w/ this other oncologist to make sure we’re on the best course.  Feeling @ peace w/ this ( at least for today!).

Thanks for your support & prayers, means so very much.  Your tips & links are great too and feel free to keep ’em coming as you come across them : )

Love,

Kari 

 

Email: (from Nana to friends & family)

Hi,

Good news!  Papa is to be discharged from rehab next week, at which time I will take him for his first radiation treatment.  That will continue 5 days a week for 6 weeks.  Chemo will begin that evening, at home,  with 3 pills to be taken 7 days a week during radiation and continuing five days a week, one week each month for 6 months to a year.  That is if all goes well and he does not get too sick or his bone marrow or platelets don’t get too low.  

He is doing well and we pray he will stay that way and that all will go well once he gets home.  We are to have in-home speech and physical therapy for as long as they determine necessary, along with discipline on our part to do exercise and activities for his continued improvement.  Please pray for our wisdom, peace,patience, strength and stamina.

Again, thank you for your love and prayers and “hanging in there” with us!  We know it has been vital for bringing us this far!  Praise God!!

Love,   Papa and Nana

 

Text: (from me to one of my DPSG friends):

Since you offered up [your husband’s] scientific services, the chemo drug they’re putting my dad on is Temodar along with Zofran (anti-nausea) and Decadron (steroid) and Bactrim (antibiotic to prevent PCP lung infection).  Don’t know what he can do with all that info, and no pressure to do anything, but for what it’s worth, there it is.  SO great hangin’ with you the other night – so good to get out w/ you ladies and thanks for listening!

 

Email: (from me to a friend)

Oh my goodness!  Have had a note on my fridge reminding me to email you for quite some time now…. Finally getting to it – sorry for taking so long!  

Thanks so much for the sweet email.  It’s been a rough month and a half, but my dad is doing better.  I know my mom just sent an update with all the details, so I won’t repeat all that.  Big stuff ahead; the doctors say the next six weeks should be the most difficult as far as treatment goes… so we’re hoping/praying he tolerates it well and complications (especially with his heart-related issues) don’t arise due to side affects from the chemo.  One day at a time, just encouraged he’s made big strides these past couple weeks.

Thanks for checking in about the get-together date and trying to coordinate that with our schedule.  I’m sorry we’ll be missing it this year, just feel like there’s a lot going on and feel the need to pare down a bit.  Being in a social situation with a lot of people I don’t know too well also seems a bit daunting these days…. I just don’t have a lot of excess mental energy to be “on” socially like you have to be when you don’t have that familiarity and have to make small talk, etc.  Does that make sense?  Not meaning to sound rude, just trying to be honest with where I’m at right now.  

This doesn’t apply to your family though! – definitely feel comfortable around you guys and hope we can get together another time soon.  Think our schedule is pretty open next month at this point.

Take care!