Thankfulness

   Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. I have many good memories from childhood on the farm; harvest season is over, great cooking from Mom and Aunts and Cousins. The annual Harvest Festival Dinner at our little Baptist church in Eagle, Idaho.  Pumpkin pie eating competition with my cousin, Dick Olson. A time to give thanks for all our blessings.
   I am thankful for Jesus and the eternal and present hope that He gives me. I am thankful for a loving family, for the most dedicated and loving wife imaginable; for children and grandchildren who love Jesus and have such good hearts. Wonderful kids!

   We saw the doctor on Monday. The CT showed no tumors and no growth in the lung nodules That's good. However, my abdomen is swollen with fluid again and the Ca 19-9 marker is elevated all the way back up to 30,000. Not good. He laid out 3 options:#1 - there is 1 more drug they could give me, but he said it is "nasty".  #2 - a clinical trial at Sarah Cannon, or #3 -  do nothing (in which case he estimated 6 more months of life). We added option #4 - a natural solution called the Budwig diet. It is flax seed oil emulsified (with an immersion blender) with cottage cheese. That makes the oil more easily absorbed and the Omega 3 oil strengthens healthy cells to fight off the cancer cells.
   We have a first hand account from the best friend of our friend who's marker fell from very high to normal in just a few weeks, and it has remained low. I have been on it 1 week now. You combine it with healthy eating.....avoid sugar, animal fats, processed food, etc. We are praying that the Lord will bless this and make it effective.
   I will give another blood sample on Dec. 4 and see the doctor on Dec. 10. Please pray that the marker test is reduced, not elevated.
  I will call the doctor Monday to schedule an out patient procedure to drain fluid again.  Please pray that it will not return rapidly as it did this time.
   Thank you so much for your prayers.

In All Things, Give Thanks.

Not So Good News

 Caleb and Grandpa

   I spent 2 days in the hospital last week as they removed 2.6 liters of fluid from my abdomen and gave me a unit of blood. I saw the Dr. today and the Ca 19-9 marker is elevated and all indications are that the cancer has spread. I will have a CT tomorrow and see the Dr. Monday to see if I am eligible for a clinical trial treatment at Sarah Cannon in Nashville. It is, along with M.D. Anderson, one of the top cancer research facilities in the nation. 

   Most likely I have peritoneal seeding, where cancer cells are in the fluid in my abdomen.

   I feel good except for some pain in the abdomen, which may be caused by pressure from the fluid.

   We will keep fighting while still submitting to God's will for me. He knew my days from the beginning of time and I trust Him. Thank you for your continuing prayers.

I know not why God’s wondrous grace

To me He hath made known,

Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love

Redeemed me for His own.

1. I know not what of good or ill
   May be reserved for me,
   Of weary ways or golden days,
   Before His face I see.
2. I know not when my Lord may come,
   At night or noonday fair,
   Nor if I walk the vale with Him,
   Or meet Him in the air.

But “I know Whom I have believed,

And am persuaded that He is able

To keep that which I’ve committed

Unto Him against that day.”

Ready for winter ?

   This is a basket of Jimmy Nardello sweet peppers. We started them from seed very late last spring but they took off and are extremely prolific. Rita likes them raw, or they are great in stir fry and salads. This was effectively the last garden harvest. We had a freeze last night and supposed to be in the 20's tonight.
   We have not been able to get the garden in winter shape as we normally would, but I just tell myself that it will still be there next spring!
   We gave the red hens to a friend today. I just did't want to deal with caring for them through the winter.
   After such a dry Aug and Sept, we had over 9.5" of rain in October. "Shake and shake the catsup bottle...first comes none and then a lottle!"
   My chemo and radiation treatments ended about 3 weeks ago. I am still dealing with side effects.....mostly neuropathy in feet and legs and what I call "wooden legs", making walking difficult. I am eating well but only have an appetite for certain things. I had a CT scan last week and it showed that the small nodules in my lungs have increased in size since the July CT. The Dr. says it is "concerning" and we will monitor closely.
   Please pray that these stop growing and prove to be non-cancerous.
   Thanks again for reading the blog and for praying.