Rita and I were downtown the other night to attend the arts fair which goes on for several weeks at the POINT(where the three rivers join). They also had an event which goes on thru the middle of July where they light up five of the city buildings with picture lighting on the face of the buildings. The city arts commission paid this French artist to do this at a cost of around $300,000? Can you imagine how cities spend their money, especially a city like Pittsburgh that always seems to have news items how they do not have enough money to run departments in the city. Any way the lights were pretty and it was so different to see a building change so quickly at dusk. I have included above a couple of the pictures I took so enjoy our city lit up!!

The fair was most interesting. As most fairs go everything was expensive for the arts and crafts, the food great, the crowds were too much..

BACK TO WORK

It was great seeing my wife return to her job at UPMC Western Psych this last week. I know she was anxious to be with her co-workers and feel healthy again. I have to say my faith was somewhat weak in the beginning, as I tried to deal with her having that terrible tumor in her head but the LORD strengthened us both and we can only feel the greatest celebration and thanks to GOD as he brought Rita back to a point of feeling better. We now only have to monitor the results over the next many years and see how things progress but we both know that it will be all right. Rita had a quiet week at work as Dr. Tica Hall, her researcher was away and this did allow her to take more time to adjust to returning to her desk. Each day she came home we shared the day as she felt welcomed back by individual co-workers and a few tributes to her strength and resiliency this last nine weeks. I honestly feel she seems better then when before she had the tumor. Work is a good thing for all of us. Even I can see it now that I am retired and I do miss the workplace and all the activities that go on plus the challenges. I still am doing contract work so that gives me a good sense of enjoyment and I probably will do that for some time as Rita wants to work at least 5-7 years more depending on how she feels and what goes on with our lives. We do miss the full time traveling, Well, I should say I do. Rita seems more content working now and enjoying our home and church here in the Pittsburgh area. Isn't life interesting!

Rita in the Gamma Knife Holder and In the Treatment Unit

Today, or should I say very very early this morning we went back to the University of Pittsburgh for Rita to have her Gamma Knife Radial Surgery(Radiation treatment). We were both a little tired because we had not gone to bed as early as we should have. But no matter, this was an important day for us as this would be the ending procedure for the care of her meningioma and then we both felt we could move on to better days. It is nice when you are going into Pittsburgh that early(around 5:30am) because there is not traffic and the parking is great. We reported to the admission desk and it was not long before we were sent down to the Gamma Knife reception. We were there even before the main receptionist arrived. Donna from Gamma Knife came out and took us inside and explained the procedure that morning. Rita would be prepared and then have the Gamma Knife head unit placed on her head with four pins holding the unit. After that was done she went into MRI for the planning scans, then into the Gamma Knife, where her head device locked into the unit. At this time she was pretty sedated and slept through the in and out treatment comfortably. She was allowed to bring her music with her and she chose Lynda Randel as she loves her singing and it was calming for her. We especially enjoyed the fact that everyone in the room area(around six people) were receiving the same blessing and listening to the music also and they did comment on it as well as Dr. Neranjan MD, her neuroradiation specialist. Rita did wonderfully as she always does and she is always able to give us great smiles. I had the opportunity to visit with family members, in the waiting area, who were there for their husbands, fathers and mothers having more serious treayments for more serious malignant tumors. In sharing my and Rita's faith I found great comfort in the the time I had with them also. So much suffering in those families and so much strength in their own stories of struggle and hope. GOD is good and it is more obvious every day as Rita and I go through all of her getting well. Well, that's all we have to do now, just wait for a few weeks and Rita can go back to her work that she enjoys. We will have to return every six months for many years to follow the effect of her care and treatment but we know the LORD is with us and nothing else matters. I have included a few pictures of Rita in her head unit and in the Gamma Knife that the staff gave us. Look at it this way... What a blessing we have the knowledge and technology to magnify GOD's glory and many praises for the medical staff as they continue their care for so many wonderful folks and give them life.

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY EVERYONE

"Of all the earthly things God gives,
There's one above all others:
It is the precious, priceless gift
Of loving Christian mothers."

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.