Homecoming

I drove dad home yesterday. He still has an infection and he is weak. Pray for strength to build up. Pray for the CT scan to happen soon and that it would show exactly what is going on. Praise God tha dad is out of the hospital so he can properly recover at home!

I would appreciate prayer for me as I make some big decisions in the next fews days.

I'm involved in the "Relay For Life" this weekend. It is a fundraiser for cancer research. Basically I am on a team of 10 people and one of us has to be walking at all times between 7pm-7am this Friday night/Sat. morning. We do this on a track behind a school and pitch tents in the field to catch a nap if we want. I want to share God's love with these people. You can pray that I would get a chance to talk to others about what God has been doing in my life.

The Waiting Game

Dad is doing better. Went to see 'im for a bit today. It's so boring in there I can see why he doesn't like it, not to mention all the drugs and side effects. Anyway, he should be getting out this week for good if all is well. He goes back in a couple weeks for a scan and then we will know what the drugs have done to the cancer. The waiting game continues....God give us patience.

Still @ RUH

Well, dad is still in the hospital. He has had a rough time recovering from this round. Right now he has an infection which is highly contagious. Visitors have to wear a gown, gloves, and the whole bit. He also has a blood clot in his arm. They have been treating both of these problems for a few days. Please pray everything will clear up and he will be able to go home soon.

It Is Finished!

Chemo is done! (We're hoping the doctors don't change their minds again.) Dad is feeling relieved after his last day of chemo today. We celebrated by giving in to dad's (steroid) cravings of Burger King and Fresca. My face is completely red from spending all of Sunday outside watching my friend Kent race his dirt bike with the Saskatchewan Motocross Circuit in Saskatoon here. He placed 3rd and 6th in his two races. The ten or so of us had an awesome day of sun and fun. Oh and my friend's Mitch and Genny bought a house the other day. We're excited for them! I have some work right now but just on weekend with a bud who runs a hauling/moving business. He owns a half-ton and takes calls to well....haul or move people's stuff. It's a great job and is great money, but it's only weekends. And so the search continues.....

I'm going to Nipawin tomorrow for a few days. I'm just tired of everything right now--city drivers, boxes, lifting boxes, people's stuff all over, job hunting, etc. So I'm taking a break. I love Nipawin's pace. Nobody is in a hurry for anything, that's how I love to live my life. Who really needs to be all busy anyway? We only live twice, right?! We need to spend time with people and building relationships. We need to let God's love show through the things we do, the things we say. We need to kick back and take the time to remember who's really in control of the universe and essentially who is the Author of life itself. We're not here by chance, we're not here because of some explosion that came out of nothing--we are here because God loves us and has an amazing plan for our lives, yours and mine! So today why don't you let God take control of where you're headed and let Him steer you in the right direction, let Him be the Lord of your life.

I leave you with a verse that has meant so much to me over the years.....

"The mind of man plans his way,
But the LORD directs his steps."
-Proverbs 16:9

Home Stretch

Dad has two more full days of chemo and then recovery for at least a week. He's had the hiccups for a full day and a bit. Last time it was four days straight hiccups, we're hoping that's not the case this time. Well, God is in control. Pray for a good last few days for dad and an amazing recovery! Pray that the hiccups will subside and that any other side effects will not be a big deal. Pray that the CT scan at the end of all this will show us what is going on. We trust that God's will is accomplished through the last days and weeks as we have seen His amazing work up until now. God bless!

Back @ RUH

Dad's back at the RUH as of today. The doctors have now told us that he has only Round 2 to finish up and then he is done (we hope). This came as a complete surprise because we were originally told dad had 3 rounds in total. We don't really know what is happening, we're just going with it (and praising the Lord). And so we are expecting another 2 and a half - 3 weeks with a CT scan at the end to see what is going on inside dad. And then he can go home to recuperate (we hope--it seems to change every time we ask). Dad did very well at home for 10 days and gained 9 pounds back from the 40 pounds he has lost over the past 3 months.

As for me, I am jobless. Nothing has worked out thus far...still looking.

Birthday Celebration.....Again?

Yes again! This time it's my turn. I turn a quarter of a century this evening. Mitchell's Foods phoned me this morning to set up an interview later today, it sounds promising. It is a meat processing plant. I would be on the assembly line as a Production Line Worker. It's good pay (for Saskatoon) and good benefits so I will take it if I get it. Happy Birthday to me!

Oh, I should update everyone on dad's birthday. The day before his birthday, the 26th, he had a blood transfusion, all his counts were down, and he was not very coherent. Dad was hoping to make it out the next day for his birthday but the nurses were doubtful. Mom made a comment to one of the nurses, "we'll have to pray the counts up." The nurses were of course skeptical and did not know what to make of mom's comment. But God will not be taken as a fool, mom faithfully prayed for the white blood cell and platelet counts to rise--and rise they did! Overnight dad's white blood cell count went from 0.4 to 17, which had never happened this fast before. The next day the nurses were very surprised and later on the doctor was as well. He granted dad a day pass so we could celebrate his 58th out of the hospital! We had a good time with dad being coherent and feeling good. The next time the nurses and doctors can't see the impossible happen, we'll tell them that we serve a Mighty God--a God that loves to bless those who serve Him! He is the Great Physician!

Dad is currently doing well. He did his taxes over the weekend while he was released for a few days from the hospital. There hasn't been a scan in a while so we have no idea what the cancer is doing. Sometimes it's frustrating working with the doctors because they are, well, human.

Requests:
-Pray that communication will be smooth between us and the doctors.
-For dad's complete healing.
-Pray against infections and side effects.
-Dad to get sleep.
-Rounds 3 and 4 to go smoothly.
-Mom as she does so much for us.

GO FLAMES GO! GAME 6 IS TONIGHT!