MOM

Although I do not have my mother with me anymore as she is glowing in GOD's glory and celebrating Heaven with our true father, I truely miss her. I think of her everyday and see her presence in all of the many memories and things she left us to remember her by. Growing up with my mother was definitely a great experience. Since my brothers were so much older than I, Mom and Dad and I grew up together in a period of time that had its hardships. My father was ill most of my teenage life and Mom worked hard at the MaxAnn Bakery in Hickory, PA. keeping the family going. I remember most the closeness we had during those years as it seemed at times that we were the only ones supporting each other. I won't forget the first paycheck I received from my part-time work at Grants department store when I was 16 years of age. Mom always liked listening to good music, especially hymns. I took most of that check as I remember and bought us a record player and a few Tennessee Ernie records. Mom and I wore that record player out and she kept it for a number of years even after the family moved to California. It was my working and Mom's hard work that contributed to a difficult financial time for us but we got through it all and were the closer for it. It taught me how to share and has been a part of me to this day to share with others whenever I could, especially family. Mom and I used to sit on our front porch and listen to the rain and radio programs and spent hours talking about school, the boys, Dad's difficulties and the blessings that we had. She continued to be that same person until the day she went to the Lord. Even when I was in the Army and far away I always felt close to my parents and talked to them often. They would get most of my paycheck from the Army and put it away for me so that I would have a good start when I got out and it was that money that paid for my first car and got me started in my first job. I often tried to spend that money on a car before I got out but it was Mom who kept reminding me that it was for a later time. It must have been hard for both of my parents during my absence as I know they could have used some of the financial support I could have provided if I stayed home. Mom always encouraged me to move on in life and better myself and her advice was always timely, though I probably didn't always take it. But that is what good mothers try to do for their children and Mom always was a good mother. This is our first Mother's Day without her and both Rita and I miss her so much.

Our Trip

Rita and I decided to take a short retreat for a week since she was feeling so much better after her surgery. She is waiting for her radiation therapy now scheduled for May 30th this month. Our choice was to take a leisurely drive down to the Smoky Mountains and use some of our time share points to stay at Bentwood Creek Resort. The weather has been really nice this year and the mild temperatures continued during our whole trip. We had lots of nice days to enjoy the Tennessee cooking and sit by the many creeks and streams in the Park area. The town of Gatlinburg was a nice distraction from the big city of Pittsburgh and the crowds were thin and the restaurants not crowded. One of the best days we had was to walk the streets of Gatlinburg and end up in the Smoky Mountain Park area and just sit and enjoy the sounds of the rushing streams and end the day by the fireplace at our condo time share. Rita progressed enough during the stay that when she came home she spoke to her employer about perhaps coming back for a week and one half before her radiation therapy. After talking to her doctor and the disability carrier it created too many problems going off disability and returning so soon again for her therapy. The therapist wants Rita to rest for several weeks to make sure that she does not have any brain swelling from the therapy before evaluating her return to work. We are so glad though that she felt well physically and mentally enough to consider the option of going back to work temporarily. The LORD has been so good to us as we have worked our way through her treatments. It will be wonderful to finish the next stage and look forward to resuming our lives without so much medical interaction. Our time was so relaxed we spent each day reading our Bible lessons and reflecting on how GOD uses our difficulties to bring us closer to HIM.

"Hold fast to Christ and He will give

The will to see you through;

And if you keep on keeping on

Your strength He will renew."

I have included some pictures from our trip location. What a tranquil place.

More Smoky Mountains and Downtown Gatlinburg

I know it has been a long time since I posted to our Blog, but as most of you know Rita and I have been busy taking care of business, primarily her health. We praise the LORD that she has lived the 23rd Psalm and holds it close to her heart as her health outlook is so much better after a long surgery. Nine and one half hours of surgery takes a lot out of you, both of us, but she did wonderfully well and we will move on to the next stage. From all aspects, another surgery will probably not be in the picture for sometime, as we are pretty much focusing on having the Gamma Knife radiation next. We have a meeting with her primary Neurosurgeon tomorrow(who did the microsurgery) but he has not given us the information we need at this time to put Rita through another surgical approach to remove any more of her tumor. The Radiation Medical Therapist and his staff are instead quite confident in their presentation to us that they can be successful in stopping the present growth of her tumor and shrinking it over time. Rita's symptoms after surgery so far have not increased and they are minor, at this time, and we do not want to cause her greater harm from another surgical approach without any conclusive results expected. The Gamma Knife procedure will be only one treatment and no significant side effects are expected from that procedure. Our outlook from that point on would be to follow her tumor status over the next many years and determine that it is or is not growing any further. We can only give continued praise for what has happened so far. So many events have happened along this pathway to her surgery that have inspired us. I would have to chronologically address them for you to know them all. Many of the events have been people who have unexpectably been placed in both our paths to lead us or inspire us from doctors, former patients who have had such procedures, church members and even the hairdresser who witnessed to Rita just a week before her surgery, telling about her sister who had a tumor ten years ago like Rita and confessing her faith as a Christian. If I could type all the tears that we have shed it would be wonderful but they have been all to the glory of our LORD and more were for joy than saddness. They were meant to support us each day. We give thanks to all of you who have called so many times to encourage us and the wonderful cards and letters we have received. We also acknowledge the wonderful medical care we have received so far, the doctors, nurses and staff who have loved Rita and I through this crisis. Especially to Dr. Rachel Hess, Rita's primary care physician who so quickly responded to her minor symptoms to identify the tumors and who has encouraged her so closely and warmly through this time. I have put in a couple of pictures of some of the cards( in front of Dan's stained glass window that he made sometime ago) We received so many cards and a few of you sent some spring flowers to brighten our day. How we continue to enjoy and will treasure those beautiful words that were written by all of you. Of course we cannot show the prayers you offered but those will always be written in our hearts and in heaven for eternity. Thank you all so much and continue to keep us in those prayers as we will in thanks to you all. GOD BLESS.

WINTER HAS FINALLY ARRIVED

Rita and I were thinking that we would never see any real snow this year as it has been so warm and dry. Well we finally got some of that white stuff this week and it makes for a cozy night in a warm home viewing out the windows at all the fresh clean snow that makes it feel like Pennsylvania. We do not have much but it seems to be sticking around for awhile. Enjoy a few of the pictures above from our back and front yards.

THE DECISION

Rita and I after much prayer and many medical consultations have come to the decision that her long term health must include taking some risks and trusting in GOD to have the right medical care. Considering all of this we know that surgery would be the best option for her to regain her full health and stop the growth of the largest of the meningiomas. The recommendations from the opinions we received would be to have a two step surgery(all in one procedure, approximately six hours) scheduled with follow up one time radiation therapy at an appointed time and watch the progress over the following years. We will schedule this with her surgeon after we have completed all the initial other consultations that her doctors would like to take place first, probably around March 5th or no later than April 5th. Continue to pray for us as waiting has its own issues and we are always needing the strength to continue. We will continue to let you know of the events as they occur by using our e-mail instead of the BLOG. We are really at peace with these decisions and our focus is entirely on Rita. GOD BLESS