A New Life Cancer Free!

Well, here I am sitting and writing the final blog for Dave that I never wanted to, but he would expect nothing less. He passed away at home on Thursday, December 31, with friends and family surrounding him. I know he wanted me to thank everyone that followed along and left uplifting comments and offered so many heartfelt prayers. I will leave the blog running for a while for anyone who would still like to comment. Dave has been my life for the last 20 plus years, as we met when I had just turned 18 and he was 26. I used to joke that I had married an older man, and as the years went, that I was just married to an old man! He would laugh if he read this because he knows I said it more than once. Dave truly believed he would be healed of this cancer. Funny thing is, he was, just not the way he thought it would be here on Earth. I know he is singing and dancing now, and we can be thankful for not hearing the singing! I hope all reading this understand, the only way I can get through this is with a bit of humor, so don't mistake this as being callous. Dave and I joked many times, as the blessings kept pouring in since his diagnosis, that we should have tried this cancer thing long ago! Of course now I'd hand back every blessing to still have him here to finish the job of raising our kids together and as he always said, growing fat and happy together. But the most important thing Dave would want me to let everyone know, is that his faith in our God never waivered. What Dave wanted most was to share his faith with all. If his testimony inspires even just one person to be lead to Christ, his work and spirit will continue on. Thank you all for being such supportive friends. Dave's memorial service will be held at Neighborhood Church of Redding, 777 Loma Vista in Redding on Saturday, January 16, at 11 o'clock in the morning, reception immediately following. Please come and help celebrate his life.

Love, Donna and Boys

Doom for this Life, But Hope for the Next!

I'm finding more and more through this battle the opportunities that people are having to come closer to God. I have personally witnessed to people that now have Jesus in their lives. This kind of life changing event brings people to thinking about not just the here and now, but the forever. My fear in this life is not knowing how long is left but my comfort is knowing where I am going and I will be in peace and pain free. I have days where I am alert and moving about, slowly, but moving, and days like yesterday where I sleep the day away and am alert for only short times. The hospice nurse says my body is declining, but I will be around to celebrate this great holiday with my family. Beyond that, God has the plan. Who of us really knows when our journey will end here and begin in the here after. Please visit. Even if its one of my sleepy days, I welcome the love of friends and family and the peaceful spirit they bring into our home. With that said, my family and I wish you all a Merry and Blessed Christmas and rejoice in our hope, Jesus Christ.

With Love, Dave, Donna and Boys

In God's Hands We Trust!

Well we have been down this road before, stopping treatment right in the middle. Radiation was helping some but the pain of lying on the table to receive it was not worth it considering the news we were given. That news was that after the 10 radiation treatments, there would be no more of that or chemo, and hospice would be called in. So we decided to just call in hospice and get comfortable. They will come into the home any time of the day or night and adjust my medications if necessary, no trips to the hospital, but comfort at home. We are just taking each day God gives us one at a time. As my doctor said, we all only live breath to breath and have the conscious choice to decide what to do with those breaths. Now some praises. A crew of good friends and former co workers from Orchard Supply Hardware came to our home on Wed. Dec. 2 and made our front yard aglow with lights and Christmas spirit. It has been 4 years since I have worked there and the giving of their time is a testament to true friendship. Thanks to one and all. I love you guys. Tonight, the 8th, my group of Bible study men came to my house as this was easier on me. We enjoyed time together and the prayers showed their brotherly love. We will update you as events unfold.

Love, Dave, Donna and Boys

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend!

The visit with my brother Forrest and his wife Barbara and their girls is going very well. They have done a little sight seeing and visited some relatives while here. They have also enjoyed meeting with and visiting some of my friends that have stopped in to visit me. They are right now at the mall on a Christmas shopping expedition with our boys that came as a welcome surprise to them! We will return the fun exchange with their girls tomorrow. Colby and Spencer went Christmas tree cutting with the Lyter and Griffith families today and brought home a nice one. We will get it ready to bring in the house tomorrow. I would have went but with my current condition that was a little too far to travel from home. Today was not a good day and I needed to stay low and rest most of the day. I am still having pain issues with eating and regularity. All of this pain medication causes the regularity problem. My struggle with eating is causing me to lose weight and I am trying hard to come up with different ways to keep the weight on. Soups, yogurts, and soft vegetables are easiest to eat but don't pack the most calories. I am trying to drink 2 to 3 cans of Ensure a day to supplement. The problem is that I barely eat anything and with the tumor pressing against my stomach I feel Thanksgiving full and uncomfortable. Then it takes a while to get past that pain hurdle. We will start 10 rounds of radiation on Monday to try to shrink that tumor along with that in my esophagus so that I can hopefully be a bit more comfortable eating and get my weight up a little. This is in God's hands and we are hoping for the best outcome with the radiation and then will see if more chemo is in store for the liver. Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving weekend and we will keep you updated as to how the radiation goes.

Love, Dave, Donna and Boys

I can't believe the support, it's strong & last long!

When you go through something with strong ramifications such as cancer, heart diseases and the likes, you come in and out of realities that can lift you out of holes deeper than the Grand Canyon. Then again these realities can send you into a spiraling direction that is hard to cope with at times.

I seem to go to through these areas more now without even knowing I'm even there. So I pray with each passing day that Gods guides me through this with the long lasting support that is provided through the strong friendships that are built on His love. Now that I've given you my heart and provided you some insight to what I deal with I would like to give a special thank you to my Father In Law for his unending support through this time where I always knew he would be nothing less than the Father he's treated me like. Also he's been there for Donna and the boy's with the much needed support of a Father and Grandpa. He stayed on our uncomfortable couch while my pain medications were getting adjusted to make sure I would be ok and to be a companion to me while Donna and the boys were at school. Now they are on a Thanksgiving break so he went home to Sacramento for a much needed rest and will surely return as school comes back around. Speaking of Thanksgiving, I am really looking forward to seeing my brother Forrest, his wife Barbara, and their 2 little girls. I have never had the opportunity of meeting his family and they will be sharing the holiday with us. They are coming from way up in Washington so we ask for prayer for a safe trip and and that my health will allow for a memorable visit. Happy Thanksgiving to all!!

Love, Dave, Donna and Boys

Still alive and far froms deaths door!

Hi everyone, yes I'm still here, I've been having sleep and pain problems. It's a combination of issues that have given way to a necessary trip to the hospital to get my pain medications under control. I am now on a super pump to help even out the meds, wow what a concept. I now have a nice comfy hospital bed that seems to make sleep come easier. The doctor has determined that this particular chemo is not working and we will need to scan again to determine where to go from here. He did however say that I may be able to receive some radiation to hopefully reduce in some areas so that I may experience a little relief and be able to intake proper nutrition. Getting proper nutrition is a battle in its own right now as the cancer puts pressure on my stomach and I feel such discomfort eating even small amounts. So Monday, November 16 I have an appointment to learn more about the radiation. My blogs will be fewer and farther between because this medication although wonderful for my pain, keeps me fairly tired and it is difficult to sit and do anything for very long without falling asleep. Having said that, I am not getting out very often and welcome all to come by and see me. I can sleep any time and would much prefer the company. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love to socialize! I made it to my baptism on Saturday. It went off without a hitch and I send out many thank you's for all the supporters and well wishers. It was great to see so many of my friends come together. I am now dictating my blogs through my lovely wife Donna and will keep you posted as events unfold or if I just need to vent my feelings and frustrations. Love, Dave, Donna and Family

Sleepwalking Through Life!

So sorry it's been a whole week since my last blog, it's hard to write when you fall asleep every 4 or 5 words. Between hardly ever being able to sleep and the doctor needing to up my pain meds, I nod off or just plain have trouble concentrating. It's like living in a daydream. I hear people around me but just fade in and out. I went out to try playing tennis with my buddy Greg a couple of evenings ago, trying to feel like a normal person, and forgot my body isn't up to par and a person on this much pain medication shouldn't try to be so competitive. The result? One skinned up elbow and two skinned up knees! Greg was finally able to beat me! And just so no one fears driving on the roads, I am leaving my keys with Donna for the time being. My reflexes just aren't the same right now. So this really leaves me house bound right now and I welcome home visitors and phone calls now more than ever. Don't worry about waking me. I much prefer the company. For anyone who would like to see my baptism, it will be held at Neighborhood Church of Redding, 777 Loma Vista Dr. on Saturday, November 14 at the 5 p.m. service. It has been a long time coming and I am glad this date is finally here. I have a rest from chemo this week so hopefully I will have some good days until the next chemo date, Friday, November 13. I will keep you updated as pain allows.

Thanks and Love,

Dave, Donna and Boys