Heading Home

Just got back from a lovely evening with Andy's family.  Supper on the patio and an impromptu game of dictionary.  Mom and Dad are packing up and will start the trip back to Washington tomorrow after spending a couple of days with Nathan and family in Fargo.
Mom and Dad have had a busy week dealing with paperwork to deal with Washington state insurance and working to get records transferred from Mayo back to Washington. 

While it is not playing out how I had hoped it would, Dr. Nichols, the thoracic surgeon at Mayo has assured us that Washington (particularly the University of Washington) has good care for esophageal cancer and that proceeding with care as outlined here in Rochester (6 rounds of chemo and radiation and then surgery to remove the esophagus) was a good option and could be done there as well as here.

Dad's still feeling good, and able to eat most things he wants to.  They will be taking their time driving back and Dad assures us that he's feeling good to drive. They are pretty sure that they will be able to begin treatment in Seattle or Everett in early June  Once we know more about when and where Dad will be getting treatment, I (Sara) and the boys will probably make some plans for trips to be helping out, but of course we won't really know plans until we know both when Dad's starting treatment and how he reacts to the radiation and chemo. 

Andy's family is reading through Daniel, and we were able to join them in reading Daniel 6 tonight.  The chapter concludes with the words of King Darius after seeing God rescue Daniel from the lion's den.  These words were a reminder to me that God uses seemingly impossible situations to bring glory to himself, and that it is indeed a privilege to be a piece in God's work.
"Peace be multiplied to you.  I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,
   for he is the living God,
     enduring forever;
  his kingdom shall never be destroyed
     and his dominion shall be to the end.
  he delivers and rescues;
     he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth,
  he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions."