Dads Diagnosis
My dad has been struggling health wise the last few months and ended up going to the doctor to get answers. We not only got answers, we also got a cancer diagnosis no one wanted to hear. Adenocarcinoma- colon cancer.
We knew based off of his symptoms that something was going on but no one can ever prepare themselves for a cancer diagnosis. It’s been a journey to navigate, riding all the unsuspecting strange waves of it all as much of it has still been the waiting game. We’ll know within the next few days if the cancer is consolidated to one area or if it has spread at all into any other organs.
Dad has been in very good spirits and has been very optimistic through it all which we are so grateful for. The next few days and weeks seem very uncertain and pivitol for him so hopefully once we get some more results back we’ll know a little more on the severity of it.
Once his diagnosis was confirmed mom and dad packed up to temporarily move down to Arizona to receive treatment at a clinic down there over the next few months. It’s a clinic that treats cancer and Lyme disease and is a little bit of a hybrid between holistic and medial, something mom and dad both preferred.
I know mom and dad have many friends and family spread across the states so we thought it’d be nice to have a place to update people so feel free to check back for updates as I’ll be trying to keep the blog updates with any new developments.
The clinic that dads are at is a private clinic meaning they don’t take insurance and the financial burden of it all falls back on mom and dad, if any of you have it on your hearts to support financially we have set up a link up where you can donate to them ( tax deductible) and all donations will go toward the cost of his treatment.
More information is listed below 👇
Also any cards of words of encouragement or birthday wishes are very welcome. His birthday is coming up- September 9 🙂
We recently compile something called “Storyworth” for dad and it’s basically a little book of his memories, stories, and small snippets of his life. In his last question it asked him What legacy he wants to leave behind for his children and I asked if he’d mind if I’d share his response publicly with you all. My dad has never been much to elaborate with his words when speaking but I’ve always enjoyed reading his thoughts and how he articulates things on paper ❤️ My dad has been through a lot in his life time, many many trials and things that were set to destroy him, if you have the time to read his thoughts I think you’ll find it worth your time.
“Of all the good questions set forth in this series, this one means the most to me and is probably the most important question any father can ask himself. I saved this one for last because this was such a practical one to end with.
Forgive me if this goes a little longer, but give me space to unburden my heart.
Let me begin by quoting of my favorite scriptures, in Psalm 86:5 “For thou Lord art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.”
I want to leave a legacy to my children that the grace of God is the most marvelous thing to a lost soul, and far beyond the ability of this stammering tongue to proclaim.
That I no longer live, but Christ liveth in me, and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved and gave Himself for me.
As I bring these writings to a close, it is August 28, 2022 and we are in Scottsdale, AZ. The sun is shining and it is around 104 degrees.
We are here for medical treatment for my colorectal cancer. I do not know how many weeks we have to stay yet, nor do I know what the future holds, but this I know, that I do not need to worry, but we can submit all our cares to Him, because He cares for us. We are at peace here and know that all things work together for good to those that love Him.
Regardless of what happens, I consider myself a very blessed man, a beautiful family and grandchildren, a wife that loves me-when I think of all my blessings it seems like a Niagara falls of blessings.
But most of all and far above all else, Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
If this writing is an encouragement to someone, my life has not been in vain, and may we all gather around His throne one day and give praise to Him that loved and gave Himself for me.
If I can leave a legacy of one that faced a dark night of the soul when Satan said there no hope for such a one as you, all the mercies that God showed you over the years you have spurned, and your life is in ruins and God has forsaken you, all the promises seemed completely closed, as I listened to that hellish voice. And in that awful day when I succumbed to that enemy of my soul, all was dark, darker than the blackest midnight, but what Satan did not tell me was that God redeemeth thy life from destruction, and He forgiveth all thy iniquities and that Jesus, the Lover of my soul purchased me with His own blood. No the sun did not rise immediately to full heights but it began slowly like the sun arising in the morning (till the daystar arise in your hearts).
Like the verse in Peter where he says that God is not willing that any should perish but that all would come to repentance, all would include ME.
Psalm 150:1-6
1 Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.
And Ephesian “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” these and many other verses. Like, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
These verses and many others started to take root in my spirit, and shed light more and more to my soul. The more the sun comes up on a beautiful morning when you are out camping or some place of beauty, the more you see the marvels of creation and that is the way the word of God is to us. There are marvelous beauty in them.
I seek not to leave a legacy about myself, but I want to leave a legacy that God delights in those that fear Him, and hope in His mercy.
And that there is not a night so dark or a situation so bad that God is not more than able to deliver us from, and make us more than conquerors through him that loved us.”
