August 30, 2007
It is 10:50pm and I am just getting ready to go to bed. We have to be up and ready to go to the hospital in Edmonton so that we can be there at 6:00am. That means we have to get up at about 4:00am By this time tomorrow the surgery will be done and I will be out of it.
Not very talkative tonight. Just dealing with the possibilities. In any case "God is in control."
In His Care and Under His Wings
Rick
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Countdown
On Friday Aug 25 I had blood tests. On Monday I have to go to a pre-operation clinic at the Royal Alexander Hospital. On Wednesday evening I begin fasting and on Thursday morning I have to go through a bowel purge - much easier now that when I did it 9 years ago. I had to take a solution called magnisium citrate which tasted awful and was a killer after you had taken two bottles - that had to be drunk over a couple of hours on each evening to two successive days. Exciting stuff.
I am really looking forward to going into the hospital and being stripped naked, left with no clothes except a airy gown that ties in the back. I will be exciting to have needles poked into my body and tubes put in any place they can find a place to put them. (sarcasm of course) What I am looking forward to is the recovery after the surgery. Each day is a step to feeling better again. They surgery itself is over in a very short time. The recovery takes a bit. I am praying for healing for the recovery. My daughter and daughter-in-law are assuring me that they are sure I will be home in 7 to 10 days. My prayer is that everything will go well.
In His Care and Under His Wings
Rick
I am really looking forward to going into the hospital and being stripped naked, left with no clothes except a airy gown that ties in the back. I will be exciting to have needles poked into my body and tubes put in any place they can find a place to put them. (sarcasm of course) What I am looking forward to is the recovery after the surgery. Each day is a step to feeling better again. They surgery itself is over in a very short time. The recovery takes a bit. I am praying for healing for the recovery. My daughter and daughter-in-law are assuring me that they are sure I will be home in 7 to 10 days. My prayer is that everything will go well.
In His Care and Under His Wings
Rick
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Aug 23, 2007 6:30pm
Well there are only 8 days left until surgery day. We have had some good news over the past few days. My wife also had a colonoscopy and they found a large polyp. We had a few anxious days but the pathology came back ok - no cancer. I had a cat scan last Friday and the results were positive. There is no evidence of any further occurences of cancer. Monday I go for a pre-operation clinic prior to the surgery. I expect I'll spend three hours there finding out all of the things I already am aware of. Next Thursday they will phone me after 4pm to tell me when I have to be in the hospital on Friday for surgery. The biggest difficulty I am having is dealing with the extreme fatigue that has hit me over the last few weeks. Apparently this is a symptom of cancer. I am trusting that God will make all things work out well. All the people I have spoken to have the assurance that I will recover quickly. Both my daughter Susan and my daughter-in-law Cindy are convinced I will be out of the hospital and home recovering in 7 to 10 days. Nothing would make me happier.
In his care and under his wings
Rick
Well there are only 8 days left until surgery day. We have had some good news over the past few days. My wife also had a colonoscopy and they found a large polyp. We had a few anxious days but the pathology came back ok - no cancer. I had a cat scan last Friday and the results were positive. There is no evidence of any further occurences of cancer. Monday I go for a pre-operation clinic prior to the surgery. I expect I'll spend three hours there finding out all of the things I already am aware of. Next Thursday they will phone me after 4pm to tell me when I have to be in the hospital on Friday for surgery. The biggest difficulty I am having is dealing with the extreme fatigue that has hit me over the last few weeks. Apparently this is a symptom of cancer. I am trusting that God will make all things work out well. All the people I have spoken to have the assurance that I will recover quickly. Both my daughter Susan and my daughter-in-law Cindy are convinced I will be out of the hospital and home recovering in 7 to 10 days. Nothing would make me happier.
In his care and under his wings
Rick
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Get Ups and Sleeps
August 16, 2007
The count down is on. 15 sleeps and 15 get ups until the surgery day arrives. I have often said that I am not afraid of falling out of a airplane - it is the hitting the ground that will hurt or I am not afraid of dying - it is the process that I fear. So it is with waiting for surgery - the day of the surgery will come and go and I will be on the way to recovery but the waiting is the hardest. I am glad that God has given us peace and hope but it is contrary to my nature to wait - I am more inclined to go at it and get the job done. Why put off until tomorrow what you can do today?
For those who can and will pray, please pray for patience and peace.
In His Care and Under His Wings
Rick
The count down is on. 15 sleeps and 15 get ups until the surgery day arrives. I have often said that I am not afraid of falling out of a airplane - it is the hitting the ground that will hurt or I am not afraid of dying - it is the process that I fear. So it is with waiting for surgery - the day of the surgery will come and go and I will be on the way to recovery but the waiting is the hardest. I am glad that God has given us peace and hope but it is contrary to my nature to wait - I am more inclined to go at it and get the job done. Why put off until tomorrow what you can do today?
For those who can and will pray, please pray for patience and peace.
In His Care and Under His Wings
Rick
Monday, August 13, 2007
Making Progress
Update - August 13, 2007
I met with my surgeon this morning. We discussed the possible course of action. He has advised major surgery where my large intestine would be removed. The surgery is tentatively scheduled for August 31. I will need some further tests and have to go to a hospital pre-operation clinic. I need to get my FCA work organised and have made quite a bit of progress in getting everything ready for the upcoming convention and the renewal packages that will be mailed in mid September. Your continued prayers are appreciate.
I met with my surgeon this morning. We discussed the possible course of action. He has advised major surgery where my large intestine would be removed. The surgery is tentatively scheduled for August 31. I will need some further tests and have to go to a hospital pre-operation clinic. I need to get my FCA work organised and have made quite a bit of progress in getting everything ready for the upcoming convention and the renewal packages that will be mailed in mid September. Your continued prayers are appreciate.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Every Day Is Different
Aug 11, 2007
What a day! What a day! I am still in the midst of waiting. In the midst of the wait I was reminded that whenever life seems to be on hold, it isn't. I was busy preparing my work so that everything is prepared when I go into hospital. Just after lunch I received a telephone call from our sister church, Christian Fellowship Assembly, in Grande Prairie. Their senior pastor is on holidays and there was a crisis for one of the families that attending their church. The family is in Edmonton and had lost their new born baby. Would I know someone who could help? I told the caller that I could and she said she would call the father and get him to call me. Shortly after that he called me and we arranged to meet at the Royal Alexander Hospital in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. I went in and met with the whole family: Dad, mom, three young children and their two cousins. So when I met the family their were five children with us, all under the age of 11. The mother had gone for a routine medical procedure as part of her pregnancy care in Grande Prairie. During the procedure the medical staff made some kind of error and the water sack surrounding the baby was punctured. She was put on complete bed rest for about 2 weeks. The baby was born on July 25 - 14 weeks premature. After over two weeks of hope the little baby, a girl, passed away on August 9. The parents lost their precious child whom they had named, Miracle Ene Jedidiah. She was a symbol of hope in their lives. Their prayers were that this precious little one would live. This family is from Nigeria and are just beginning to build their lives in Canada. They recently have purchased a new home in Grande Prairie and things are very tight for them. They do not have much and the way we deal with death in Canada is very different. We have been able to make arrangements for a funeral on August 15 and I was able to help them through the preparations and pray with them. They are a fine Christian couple.
I remembered, in a moment my father's words, who had been ill for most of his life. He said, "whenever I begin to feel sorry for myself I look around and I see someone who has bigger problems." My heart went out to this family and they reminded me that I still have a purpose and a ministry. God opened my eyes and my heart to see that my problems are in His hands. It doesn't matter how my journey through cancer ends. The thing that matters is how I continue to deal with my life through the journey. He will give me the strength and peace to carry me through to the end.
In His care and under His Wings
Rick
What a day! What a day! I am still in the midst of waiting. In the midst of the wait I was reminded that whenever life seems to be on hold, it isn't. I was busy preparing my work so that everything is prepared when I go into hospital. Just after lunch I received a telephone call from our sister church, Christian Fellowship Assembly, in Grande Prairie. Their senior pastor is on holidays and there was a crisis for one of the families that attending their church. The family is in Edmonton and had lost their new born baby. Would I know someone who could help? I told the caller that I could and she said she would call the father and get him to call me. Shortly after that he called me and we arranged to meet at the Royal Alexander Hospital in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. I went in and met with the whole family: Dad, mom, three young children and their two cousins. So when I met the family their were five children with us, all under the age of 11. The mother had gone for a routine medical procedure as part of her pregnancy care in Grande Prairie. During the procedure the medical staff made some kind of error and the water sack surrounding the baby was punctured. She was put on complete bed rest for about 2 weeks. The baby was born on July 25 - 14 weeks premature. After over two weeks of hope the little baby, a girl, passed away on August 9. The parents lost their precious child whom they had named, Miracle Ene Jedidiah. She was a symbol of hope in their lives. Their prayers were that this precious little one would live. This family is from Nigeria and are just beginning to build their lives in Canada. They recently have purchased a new home in Grande Prairie and things are very tight for them. They do not have much and the way we deal with death in Canada is very different. We have been able to make arrangements for a funeral on August 15 and I was able to help them through the preparations and pray with them. They are a fine Christian couple.
I remembered, in a moment my father's words, who had been ill for most of his life. He said, "whenever I begin to feel sorry for myself I look around and I see someone who has bigger problems." My heart went out to this family and they reminded me that I still have a purpose and a ministry. God opened my eyes and my heart to see that my problems are in His hands. It doesn't matter how my journey through cancer ends. The thing that matters is how I continue to deal with my life through the journey. He will give me the strength and peace to carry me through to the end.
In His care and under His Wings
Rick
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Waiting!!!!
Today is another day in the journey towards major surgery and recover. I am waiting for a call from my surgeon's partner who will likely be doing my surgery. At this point it is the waiting that is brings anxiety. After the surgery it will be the recovering that makes life harder. I am praying for courage, strength and peace. It is like your life is put on hold until the problem with cancer is dealt with. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.
In His care and under His wings.
Rick
In His care and under His wings.
Rick
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Cancer & the Christian
On August 1, 2007 I discovered that I have colon cancer. I will be facing major surgery within the next month to six weeks. I hope to document my journey through treatment and recovery. This is the second time I have been diagnosed with colon cancer. In 1998 I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer and treated with surgery, radiation and then radical surgery. My recovery was difficult but I have been cancer free and healthy for nine years and am thankful to God for his healthy, blessing and peace. I know that it can happen again with the help of my wife, my family, my Christian friends and my community. We have the strong assurance that God will bring us to complete healing once again.
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