Prayer request

It was a difficult night for Dad.  Could I ask that you please pray for some relief from the deep retching.  His body is reacting to the location of the cancer (in his abdomen) the rearrangment of his stomach and removal of most of his esophagus at surgery in September by trying to expel the contents of anything (everything?) inside. While he is not taking in anything more than ice chips and a few sips of ginger ale, there is still bile and other things the body is producing that he is trying to expel.

This causes some obvious problems with medications and amount that may be in his system.  The drugs he's been taking for the last week or so are all the kind that dissolve in his mouth (not swallowed). But we're still unsure how much is staying in his systme. Yesterday, our hospice nurse worked with the pharmacy to create a "lotion" that can be applied on the skin with some of the drugs including one that is supposed to help relax the muscles and help relieve the vomiting.  We tried this for the first time last night, but so far we haven't seen much difference.  We're hoping that giving it a little more time to work into his system will help.

Mom is so very strong and is by his side constantly doing all the gross work involved with this without any complaint but also without any real rest.

Please pray for
1. Relief from the retching
2. Wisdom to know which drugs help
3. Method of application of the drugs that will penetrate to provide relief
4. Peace

Maundy Thursday

Thank you so much to all of you who have been praying for us.  I (Sara) am in Washington and enjoying my time with Mom and Dad.  Dad is very sick and it is difficult to see him so frail, but we are all so grateful that we know that this time is only temporary and our true home is waiting for us. 

Dad has some good moments and some not so good moments.  Yesterday was a relatively good day.  So much so that he was able to give me instructions on reassembling the lawn mower and even an in-bed tutorial on the weed wacker.

Today is a bit tougher and not as active as we are letting the morphine do it's work and letting Dad sleep as much as he can.

Keep praying for comfort and rest for Dad, and the same for Mom.

Plans

Was it really only a week ago that we got the report that Dad's cancer has returned?  It feels like a lifetime.  This has been a week of planning and preparation.

I (Sara) will be flying to Washington on Monday, Mar 25, and both the boys have tickets to come out in in the following weeks. Nathan to get there on April 6, and Andrew on the 13th.  I am so blessed to have a job that will allow me to work from Washington, but my supervisor and other leadership in the department have assured me that I can take all the time I need and to not have to worry about trying to get hours in.  My work life over the past two years including my current position, which it turns out I love, has been such a clear example of God going before me to prepare Good for me and not Disaster.  I am truly grateful for the position and my co-workers.

Mom and Dad have also been making plans this week.  From conversations with hospice to finalizing taxes, they have been busy.  Dad is tired very quickly and it sounds as though the cancer in the abdomen is advancing very quickly. It may be days or a few weeks that we have left with Dad, but as Mom reassured me last night, this too is in God's hands and His timing is perfect.

Specific prayer requests
1. Comfort from pain - Dad was given multiple drugs for pain this week. Please pray for wisdom for both Mom and Dad as they figure out doses and combinations of these new drugs

2. Traveling mercies - We live in a day where we can get across the country in hours, but Monday will still be a long day with a couple of shuttles, a couple of planes, and a couple of car rides.

3. Wisdom - For all of us as we figure out the questions to ask of the doctors, hospice workers, and each other.

4. Glory to God - Please pray that God would be glorified in our words and actions to all those around us.  From co-workers to cab drivers to our kids we'll be having conversations about many things and opportunities to go deeper into who God is than we may have ever before.  Please pray that God's goodness would shine through even in our pain.

Always

Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior Habakkuk 3:18

It is with an aching heart that I write these words. After receiving a positive report at his 3-month scan in December, now at six months Dad’s cancer has returned and seemingly with a vengeance. Perhaps at some point I’ll write about the details and the new anatomy terms I have learned this week (who knew there was an omentum, and that it had anything to do with cake?), but suffice it to say that the cancer from his esophagus that we knew had entered his lymph nodes has now moved (metastasized) into his abdomen.

Mom and Dad met yesterday (Thursday afternoon) with the oncologist in Everett to discuss the results of the CT scan that was done on Wednesday. I have not yet heard the details of this discussion, but the end result was that Mom and Dad will be looking into hospice care for the next month or so. We are a bit in shock right now and will be making lots of decisions in the coming days about lots of things, but wanted to let you, our family and friends, who have been so faithful in praying for us and encouraging us, know what is happening.

I know that both Mom and Dad would like to talk to so many of you in person, and I hope that you are not offended to find out this way, but we wanted to get the word out and start the prayers as soon as possible and thought that everyone hearing at one time may be better than telling some and inadvertently “missing” others.

There are a number of verses that have been running through my mind over the last 12 hours.  You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you (Isaiah 26:3).  Therefore, prepare your minds for action, be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed (I Peter 1:13). But for some reason Philippians 4:4 is going over and over in my mind. This is one of those “always” time that rejoicing is difficult, but I am clinging to the command to rejoice, knowing that God is in control of all of this, and in that I can rejoice.