Things are not going well for Randy.  Still unable to eat.  Tummy is full feeling and bloated.  Talked to the nurse and we are doing everything right to help alleviate his issues.  There is not much more we could do as he is on the top of the line program to help with constipation.   All of the medication and the chemo he is on causes constipation.  His lack of energy and inactivity also complicates the situation. So please pray for relief for him. 


We have an appointment on Feb 18th with the doctor to review CT scan and talk about these issues - face to face.  Randy has lost more weight.  Not a good thing when he needs all the strength he can get to fight this disease. 


It's very hard for the boys and I to watch this once strong man become a sick and weakened man.  There is nothing you can do for him to help.  The helplessness is overwhelming.




Almighty and Eternal God, You are the everlasting health of those who believe in You. Hear us for Your sick servant Randy for whom we implore the aid of Your tender mercy, that being restored to bodily health, he may give thanks to You in Your Church. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

Since the last post Randy had been struggling a lot with his eating and the tummy troubles.  Has not been able to have his 5 cans a night.  Maybe he can get down 2 or 3.  His energy level this past week is very, very low.  It's a struggle to get to his appointments and such.  Still sore from the insertion of the PEG tube.  Hopefully this will start to ease up as we're going into week 3.  Doctor told us it could take 3 weeks to heal. 




We have our regular appointment with the Doctor on Feb 18th.  They phoned today to see if he wants to come in separately for an appt. to talk about the CT scan.  Decided to wait until the 18th.  It's quite a time going for these appointments so to add another one seems silly. 






Pretty sad that the Bronco's forgot to show up for the Super Bowl.  Had a nice visit with all who came over to join us in watching the game.  A gentleman who drives at Jeff's work was in Denver and bought a Bronco's jacket for Randy.  It's remarkable how people who don't even know Randy want to do nice things for him.  Makes you hopeful for humanity.  God Bless all who are touched by this tragedy and want to make a positive impact in the world.




We are using this time to enjoy being with Randy, sharing in memories and creating new ones to carry us forward. 




Look forward to watching the Olympics and cheering team Canada on.


Love to you all.


Kim and family.

We made it through this week will all the appointments.  Nice to have a day where you do not need to go to a hospital!!  Now we wait for the doctor to call with the CT scan results.  Hoping for early next week. 


Randy has been battling tummy troubles since the PEG insertion and the chemo on Wednesday.  He feels not quite nauseous but crampy, bloated and gassy.  He has been able to take a little of his food at night but still not up to his 5 cans a day.  His weight did not go down since last week which is great. 


It is quiet around the house as Andrew and Matthew have gone back to school after the 3 week exam break.  Andrew is in his last semester of high school!!  Hard to believe how the time has flown by.  Seems like yesterday that I was taking him for his first day of school. His Grad is in May.  Matthew is doing well in his first year of high school. This semester should be a challenge as he has 3 core courses, Math, English, and Science!!  Dan continues to do well at SAIT, he will be graduating in April with a degree in Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Technology.  Loves working on the airplanes and helicopters. 


Getting together this Sunday with Jeff, Shelly, Mom, Tim, Rhonda and Glen to watch the Super Bowl.  Go Broncos Go!! 





Love to all and thanks for your continued thoughts and prayers.


Lord, I surrender my heart to you, I give you all my disappointments pain and suffering, which You alone can understand. Please give me the strength to move forward!

It had been an up and down few days for Randy.  Still pretty sore from the PEG tube insertion, every movement causes pain, even yawing!!  He also has not been feeling well.  He says his stomach is not right,  he kind of feels hungry/upset/bloated.  Has been struggling to eat his normal 5 cans of Ensure each night which has caused him to lose more weight,  we are a bit concerned and he really tries to eat what he can.  Hopefully his tummy settles down. 


He finds it easier to swallow now that the nose tube is gone.  Still can take only small sips, has not tried solids.  No more gagging when he moves and talks which is a blessing.  Does think there might be a small ulcer type sore in the back of his throat from the tube rubbing for 5.5 months.  Should get  better soon.


There are a few spots which are painful for him.  There is one where his liver is and in his back a couple of the lymph nodes are swollen so they cause pain.  We pray the chemo will start to reduce some of the size of the tumors to alleviate the pain.


Today we went for blood work and on Wednesday at 8:15 am Randy will have the long chemo treatment.  (4 hours or so)


On Thursday Jan 30 Randy is scheduled for a CT scan to see if there has been any change in tumor size since chemo has started.  Please pray for a positive report. 


Dear Lord, as my loved ones and I await the results of my next CT scan about my cancer, let us offer you our anxieties for our good and your glory.
Calm us in our worries, knowing these don’t add wisdom but rather stress to this situation.
Enlighten us, though the power of your Spirit, to make wise decisions as to treatment.
Help us not to turn away from You in these fragile, painful moments, but rather towards you for grace and strength.
Comfort us in seeking you now as we place all our concerns in your loving hands as we say “Thy Will Be Done.”

Good News!!!  Randy was discharged today at 5.  He is home now resting peacefully.  Stomach is pretty sore but all in all he feels not too bad. Says you sure don't want to get stabbed in the stomach!!  It's amazing, every thing you do you use your abdominal muscles.  Driving home in the car was hell as every bump in the road caused pain. 


Randy didn't get much sleep in the hospital so he is very tired.  His roommate was quite chatty and left her TV on all night.  Back is sore from the awful hospital bed.  Now he can relax and rest up surrounded by his loving family doting on him. 


Our thoughts and prayers are with our nephew Owen, who is 16 months old, because he fell down yesterday and broke his right arm.  Poor little guy.  Hearing from his mom Kelly he handled it all like a trooper.  His cast is "Flaming" Red!!!




Dear Lord,
You know my friend/family member so much better than I do. You know his sickness and the burden he carries. You also know his heart. Lord, I ask you to be with my friend now as you work in his life.
Lord, let your will be done in my friend's life. If there is a sin that needs to be confessed and forgiven, please help him to see his need and confess.
Lord, I pray for my friend just as your Word tells me to pray, for healing. I believe you hear this earnest prayer from my heart and that it is powerful because of your promise. I have faith in you, Lord, to heal my friend, but I also trust in the plan you have for his life.
Lord, I don't always understand your ways. I don't know why my friend has to suffer, but I trust you. I ask that you look with mercy and grace toward my friend. Nourish his spirit and soul in this time of suffering and comfort him with your presence.
Let my friend know you are there with him through this difficulty. Give him strength. And may you, through this difficulty, be glorified in his life and also in mine.
Amen.

PRAYER AFTER SURGERY

Blessed Saviour, I thank you that this operation is safely past, and now let Randy rest in your abiding presence, relaxing every tension, releasing every care and anxiety, receiving more and more of your healing into every part of his being. In moments of pain, may he turn to you for strength, in times of loneliness, may he feel your loving nearness. Grant that your love and joy flow through him for the healing of others in your name. Amen.

Thanks Kelly for the above prayer.  Thanks to all who prayed for Randy today.

All went ok today.  Randy has his new PEG Feeding Tube now.  The old tube through the nose has been removed.  It was a rough start today as we were told to check in at 10 am in the unit.  They were not ready for us.  The bed they had for Randy was still occupied by a patient not yet discharged.  Sat in the waiting area for 45 minutes.  When it was time for the surgery they sent us down to Angio in a wheelchair.  We got there and sat for 25 minutes before someone talked to us.  Didn't have a bed there so had to scramble to find one.  Randy finally got to lay down at 11:45 am.  Went in for the procedure at 12:15 pm.  Took 30 minutes or so.  We had been at the hospital since 8 am due to "stat" blood work that needed to be done before the insertion, so a very long morning for Randy.  Took it like a trooper. 

It was an unpleasant experience for Randy.  They said they were going to give him "relaxing" medication but they did not.  Froze the area and started the procedure.  Lots of pressure and pushing and pulling.  They had to fill his stomach with air so he was very "full" after the procedure.  As of this evening he is feeling not too too bad.  Sore around the insertion area, but resting nicely.  He will be without food for 2 nights as they don't want to use the new tube for couple days.  Probably shouldn't have removed the old tube just yet.  Has a saline drip so shouldn't get dehydrated.  Going to watch the Flames game tonight. 

It's quiet in the house tonight.  Randy has been a permanent fixture on the couch and he's not there!!  Thank goodness for cell phone we can text each other....

Randy will be going in Wednesday Jan 22nd for the PEG feeding tube insertion.  His scheduled chemo treatment, that was for tomorrow,  will be put off for a week ( Jan 29th).    The doctors felt it was more important to get the tube situation fixed.  He will be admitted to the Foothills hospital tomorrow for 48 hours to make sure there is no complications/infection.  The scheduled time for the procedure will be 11 am.


We first have to go for blood work at 8 am and then have the chemo bottle removed at 8:30 am then check in at 10 am.  Another busy day. 


Please pray for a successful insertion and no complications - infection being the biggest one. 

A Prayer Before Surgery

Dear Father, we thank You for this beautiful day and for the blessing of calling upon You for help with a prayer before surgery. We love You, Father and we know You love Randy.   We love Randy very much too. We are grateful he is in our lives.

We ask You to please bless Randy to feel Your love and our love, in comforting healing power now. We ask that You give Randy strength to be at ease and free from worry or concerns at this time.

We thank You for the talented doctors and good medical staff that are all around us now. We ask You to bless the surgeons that will attend Randy now; that they will be directed by You, that their skills be heightened and their hands be made steady and sure. Please bless our humble prayer before surgery to cause all to go smoothly with this surgery before and after during surgery recovery.

We thank You for all You have given us, and humbly ask blessings on all; especially Randy. This is our prayer and we ask for these blessings to be given if it is Your will, in Jesus' name, Amen.