January 26, 2020

 We were able to get to the North Shore this week and have Karl cut my hair. He is so sweet and concerned about Tom. He had written a poem for Tom and posted it to us. We stopped at the Vancouver Stake Center on the way home from North Van and met briefly with Elder Swan, Natalie’s son, to give him his belated Christmas gift. He is serving his mission here after being reassigned from South America. We shopped Costco on Thursday and continued the Temple Prep lessons with Carol. Tom did blood tests on Friday for Dr. Collingridge and the kidney levels were better. We have been trying so hard to find things to eat that agree with kidney levels, high cholesterol and cancer. We are both losing weight. We took the sacrament to Carol on Sunday. Did some banking this week and went to see Dr. Vrabec on Monday for Tom to receive the first hormone injection. He will receive an injection every four months and will continue taking the hormone pills for one month total and then stop taking  them. 

The highlight of our week was our family zoom meeting on Sunday. Max’s Jacqui joined from Australia and that was lovely. Rissa gave the spiritual thought on being kind and then Zach then told everyone that he was going to play with a hockey team in Pensacola Florida and was leaving the next day to drive down. He had played a game with them while they were in Tennessee. He also told us that he had received the Melchizedek Priesthood that day and we were surprised and thrilled. This is a miracle and a result of his time at home with his family during covid. Having both he and Max back at church and holders of the Melchizedek Priesthood is a blessing we treasure greatly and our hearts are full.

After our visit to Dr. Vrabec and his second message to Dr. Bahl, we received a call that Tom had his appointment moved up to February 12th with Dr. Bahl. That too is blessing. We are still working toward the theranostic treatment options in Australia or Germany, calling the dietitian, various doctors and others for help.

We so appreciate our family, our friends and the prayers of so many. We are praying hard and working hard here at home too. We are busy each day going for our walk and trying to stay healthy, along with appointments, calls and messaging. Seeking to find our path to health and healing.

January 19, 2021

We went to Dr. Vrabec, our urologist last Tuesday and he ordered hormones to be picked up at the cancer clinic. After we had lunch and visited Costco, we went to pick them up, feeling we had given them enough time. They informed Tom that he would have to have a phone meeting with the pharmacist tomorrow and only then would the hormones be couriered to us. We left empty handed. On Tuesday Tom had his meeting with the pharmacist and was told that we would receive them within the next two days. Tom told them we were driving out to pick them up immediately and we did and he started taking them that day. Dr. Collingridge called to to say that CT scan results came and no cancer in lungs or abdomen but prostate impinging on areas around it. High cholesterol is showing deposits on the arteries. Potassium also high which could mean kidney distress. Now we are trying to eat for cancer, cholesterol and high potassium - which means there is little left to eat and cooking and planning is stressful. We have both lost weight. We have talked to the B.C. Cancer nutritionist a couple of times and she appreciates our plight. We are walking our full length walk each day, shopping and doing choirs. Tom keeps his pain under control and we are looking forward to the high dose of hormones as that is supposed to relieve the pain. Our days are all about dealing with this. How swiftly life changes. We are so grateful for the gospel for all the kind words and all the prayers being said on our behalf. We receive messages, calls, cards and love everyday.

Our children are wonderful and in touch with us constantly. They decided to have a family zoom meeting every Sunday for a brief devotional and pray. The grandchildren are right there with our children and we feel so blessed. Everyone was at the “zoom” on Sunday. It was such a treat to see everyone.

The highlight of the week was our trip to the Temple Tuesday morning. The Temple President called a week or so ago and offered to open the Temple for us. We were so touched as our Vancouver Temple is only on phase one for live sealings. The Carlsons and Brother Bigler met us there and helped us perform ten couple sealings and then they just allowed us to spend time in the Celestial room and walk thru the Temple. We have been experiencing a drought and this experience helped fill our reservoir. Oh, how miss the Temple. 

We love each other so much. We laugh, we cry, we pray and we have hope and faith.

January 5, 2021

It has been a difficult week but we feel extremely blessed and almost overwhelmed with love being extended to us. After Dr. Collingridge called with the news that the cancer had gone to Tom’s bones, I told Tom that I felt we needed to tell others. It is too much for our family to carry alone, especially with the isolating affect that covid is having. Surprisingly, he agreed. I emailed and messaged some of our close friends and both Cindy and Liza explained the situation on Facebook and from there things exploded. People began to call, message and respond that they would join with us fasting and praying on Sunday for Tom. We let our Temple President and mission friends from England know and they jumped in with support and love too. By Saturday people all around the world were committing to pray for Tom. The ward decided to fast and then the Stake joined in. Several of the Vancouver Stake ward leaders asked their members to fast. Our extended family put the call out for prayers too. We were deeply touched to listen to people’s comments and hear expressions of love for Tom. I know how precious he is but in his quiet humble way he served and touched the lives of  so many thru the years and they love him in return. He has trouble understanding the love, respect and concern people have for him but it is being expressed at this time. I am blessed to have him in my life. I have always known that. We went for a CT scan this morning and we are hoping and praying that we can get into the oncologist quickly. Calls and messages continue to arrive.

We took Christmas down on Saturday and Paul and Max came to give Tom a blessing on Sunday. So thrilled to have Max assist with this blessing. We are keeping busy and going on short walks each day. Tom has completed yet another puzzle these last few days. 

We feel very blessed and loved.