Cancer…

It’s such an ugly word isn’t it? You never really think about it until it touches someone you love. Well it did just that. This month has been filled with more than a few ups and downs. My dad has cancer. (I can finally type that without shedding a tear or two) First let me say THANK YOU to all of you who have sent us messages, texts, e-mails, phone calls, dropping by, so much service has been rendered on our behalf. We have been reminded over and over again how incredibly kind & good people are. My dad is really an amazing man (amazing is an understatement), and so many people love him. As a family we can’t keep up with updating everyone with what is going on- so we thought  this might be a good place to try.

My cute dad has been limping for a few months now and had some pain in his left knee. He had a family doctor check it out and they assumed it was probably tendonitis. He did acupuncture, he did cortisone shots, he tried a bunch of remedies but nothing was helping. So they went in to a specialist who thankfully saw what it really was.

Without going in to too much detail, he has high grade Osteosarcoma of the left distal femur. It is a type of bone cancer that is normally found in teenagers.  He had a biopsy 2 weeks ago,  that confirmed it. It has not spread- a huge blessing. He will start chemo this Sunday night. We are so lucky that he can do his Chemo treatments close to home, just up the road, in Rexburg. They have excellent doctors there that have been trained by the Huntsman clinic in Salt Lake City. He will do 3 day cycles of Chemo, so he will be in the hospital until Wednesday morning. He will most likely do two rounds of chemo then go in for surgery in Salt Lake to remove the tumor in his knee. Then a few months later he will start another chemo regiment when the Dr. feels that he is ready.

 

 We have been praying for miracles, and we believe we will get them.

We have already seen SO many “tender mercies” from our Father in Heaven.  Two scriptures that have been of great comfort

Mosiah 23:27-28

Mosiah 24:14-16

Another sweet reminder that our Heavenly Father is walking along side of us. {Especially the 2nd & 3rd verse}

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said—
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

In every condition, In Sickness, in Health
In poverties veil, or abounding in wealth;
At home or abroad, on the Land or the Sea
As thy days may demand, So thy succor shall be

“Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand.”

“When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee thy trouble to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.”

“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not harm thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.”

“E’en down to old age, All my people shall prove
My sovereign, Eternal, Unchangeable Love;
And when hoary hairs, shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in my bosom be bourne.”

“The soul that on Jesus doth lean for repose,
I will not, I can not, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!”

Even in trials the Lord is with us. We can do hard things. We love you dad!