April 30, 2012

          It is Monday morning, with radiation today and a meeting with Dr. Schneekloth. Then we have our last radiation treatment tomorrow and a meeting with the research nurse practitioner. We meet with Dr. Tolentino, the oncologist, on Friday to see how things are going and how long I am on a break from chemo. I am supposed to get a 28 to 42 day rest period with no chemo or radiation. Then, I go on only chemo from here on out.

          I have been feeling pretty good – a lot more tired, and still have acid reflux issues, but otherwise pretty good.

          We had Doug and Peg over on Saturday for a visit and lunch at the Diner downtown. We went to Mass at 04:00 PM on Saturday night, and then Margaret and I went up to Dell Rapids for a family rosary and short visit at my sister’s house. 

          On Sunday I built some rabbit proof fencing for around our small garden. I will need to get some tomatoes planted and try some blueberry bushes once again. I planted three bushes a couple of years ago, but the rabbits kept the new bushes ate off so they never took off. The blueberry bushes are supposed to make a nice flowering bush as well as provide us with a few blueberries. We will see how that all goes. The asparagrus is going well now after a couple of years. We have more rhubarb than we can use. Let us know if you want rhubarb, or just stop over and help yourselves. It grows like weeds, and we can’t keep ahead of it.

I have been fairly busy during the days, and kind of tired, so the blogs have suffered a bit. I see and hear the red cardinals almost every day, so I have not stopped paying attention to God’s messages, just haven’t been sharing them with you. We went to the school Mass at St. Michael last Friday, and had a nice service there. On Saturday at Mass, I was a Eucharistic Minister, which went well. I always worry a bit about how that will go, but the Good Lord was with me once again and things went well.

Have a Blessed week, and look for God in other people and the world around you. He is everywhere, and usually at work in your life, you just have to notice Him.

April 24, 2012

It was a beautiful day today. Nice sunshine and a warm day. It sounds like we get one more day like that, then cooler with rain.

We have five more treatments of radiation, then a break from chemo and radiation for 28 to 42 days. I look forward to that time. I am down to one MG of steroid per day now, and no sleeping pill last night – went pretty well. I hope to wean off some of the drugs as I can.

          The paper work is processing that allows me to drive again now, so that is good as well. I am sure that Margaret looks forward to that. No more passenger seat directions for her to put up with. She can guide me now once again.

          I am more tired now, which they told us would happen towards the end of the radiation treatments. It takes a longer nap to get refreshed each day. I am trying to exercise more and drop some weight so I feel a bit better. I picked up about 16 pounds since I got this prognosis, and I need to be able to move and feel a bit better. So, I am trying to eat more wisely and to exercise a bit more. The radiation mask is a snug fit to say the least. I told them they may need some washers to make this work, but now I am down a couple of pounds, so we hope we are going in the right direction. Where I used to have several chins, I now have one large chunk of chin. When you tie your shoes and need to catch your breath, you probably need to drop a few pounds. The joys of chemo, steroids, and unchained eating…………….

          I saw a red cardinal yesterday morning sitting in a bush while I was doing my exercise, so I know that God is still out there watching and guiding me each day. Have a good day, and enjoy the sunshine!

April 21, 2012

       We had a nice day today. Kolbe and I went to run a few errands with my brother, John today.

At one stop, Kolbe and I waited in the truck while John met with some people. The birds were singing away in that area of town. I opened the window where Kolbe was sitting and told him to listen to the birds sing. His eyes got pretty big, as he doesn’t miss much when it comes to music and sounds. He really liked to hear the birds singing, and the cardinals were about the loudest of the bunch.

Margaret, the boys, and I cleaned out a storage room today. This was a room that has had stuff sitting on shelves for close to twenty years now, some things much older than that. We had a few good laughs at some of the things we had saved. Some of the stuff will get junked, some goes to the rummage for St. Michael’s youth group, and some will get put back onto the shelves.

We all went to Mass at St. Katherine Drexel’s tonight at 05:00 pm. It was one of their First Communion Masses, and was a pretty special event. We thoroughly enjoyed the entire ceremony. The First Communicants looked so nice in their suits and nice white dresses. It was a special day for all of them and their families. Father Joe did a nice job with the whole Mass, homily, and entire ceremony. 

I was touched by God with my grandson, Kolbe, several times today. I was also moved by the Spirit several times at the Mass tonight. It was truly a special day. Have a great Sunday!

April 20, 2012

This morning there was a First Communion School Mass at St. Michael. My sister and I went to this Mass prior to her taking me to radiation today. I have always enjoyed the children’s Masses at St. Michael – there is always a special sense of the presence of the Lord at these Masses. Today was no different. I got choked up at the entrance hymn of The Table of Plenty. I always get a little catch in my throat at “God will provide for all that you need here at the table of plenty.”

He truly does provide for all that we need, and this song hits it right on the head for me. The sight of the second graders in their First Communion finest dresses and suits was moving to me as well, as I thought of what a special day this is for each of them.

Father Dan did a nice job with his homily, explaining how the bread and wine can become the Body and Blood of Christ through the power and grace Jesus. I thought he hit it right on the head for the second graders, and for all of us.

We had a great day, last radiation for this week – seven to go and done. Not that I don’t love having my swollen head strapped down on a table and being radiated, but it will be nice to be done with this part of the journey. The radiation techs are really nice, and I will miss them, but not the treatments.

I had lunch with a good friend today, and had a nice afternoon of a nap and a few tasks completed. It is hard to beat a day like this!

Mark, Sara, and Kolbe are here for the weekend now as well, so fun will be had by all of us. Kolbe is quite the card, and loves to dance and put on a show for all of us. He is a busy little guy.

My touched by God moments today were several times at Mass this morning. Make it a great weekend!

April 18, 2012

I have nine more radiation treatments to go, then the break. Blood counts all look pretty good yet. A sore in my mouth and a bit of a mucousy throat, ten pounds heavier than when I started, swollen steroid neck, otherwise things are just peachy here.

Overall, I do feel pretty good yet. I just get tired of taking meds and meds and meds to counter act what the meds do to you. I guess that is my journey now, so whining doesn’t make it any easier. I know a lot of people who are in a lot more pain than I am. Just have to vent occasionally. I do notice that I am getting tired more easily, probably a side effect of the radiation. They said this would start to happen, that is why we take the break in nine more treatments.

I want all of you to a prayer for my friend, Butch, who had some major surgery yesterday, and is now recovering in the hospital. Pray for all of those who are struggling with sickness and illness. Never take your good health for granted. It is truly a gift.

I noticed that it bothers me to see people who smoke now more than it once did. I think to myself, “Why are they choosing to kill themselves.”

 I did not ever smoke, and here I am. I guess Fair is a place where you show pigs for ribbons and not necessarily the way life goes.

 We had lunch with a couple of old friends today. We worked together back in the 70’s if you can imagine way back then. It was good to see them and to visit with them.

I have heard the birds and the cardinals singing several times over the past few days, so I know He is watching over me always.

The readings since Easter have been from the Acts of the Apostles. Those early Christians sold all they had and gave it to the group for the betterment of everyone. They lived like they expected Jesus to return shortly to take them all to heaven. I suppose they really didn’t know what to expect. We grow more complacent about all of that, since that was nearly 1,979 years ago, and He has not returned yet. We each have to learn to live each day to the fullest, trying to become the best version of ourselves each day. For each of us, He will come someday, and for some of us, that day may be sooner rather than later. Are you ready to meet Him?

GOING HOME TO THE MASTER

My mom sent this to me today. I had seen it a few times before, and thought it might be nice to share with all of you tonight. It is a rather comforting way to look at the journey from here to the other side of death.

GOING HOME TO THE MASTER

A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said, “Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side.”

Very quietly, the doctor said, “I don't know.”

“You don't know? You're a Christian man, and don't know what's on the other side?”

The doctor was holding the handle of the door; on the other side came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.

Turning to the patient, the doctor said, “Did you notice my dog? He's never been in this room before. He didn't know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing...I know my Master is there and that is enough.”

April 16, 2012

Yesterday’s readings were about Jesus appearing to the Apostles in their barricaded shut upper room. They had witnessed all that had happened to Jesus during His Passion and death, and were now hiding for fear of retaliation from the Jewish leaders. After seeing all that they had seen and learned from Jesus himself, they could not yet believe what had happened, nor go out and preach about it because they did not have the Spirit of God with them as of yet. Then, when Jesus did appear to them, they believed and understood a bit better. They excitedly tell their fellow Apostle, Thomas, that Jesus was there, but old “doubting Thomas” scoffs at them. How could he not believe it was possible after seeing Jesus perform any of the many miracles they had witnessed?

Jesus appears to all of them the next week, and Thomas is with them. Jesus goes up to Thomas, and instructs him to place his fingers in the wounds on His hands and His feet, and to put his hand into Jesus’ side. Then he says, “You see and you believe. Blessed are they who do not see and still believe.”

          That is you and I! We have to believe without seeing. Thomas gives me some comfort in my faith life, as he was right there and had his doubts about things. I was raised believing, and I still believe, but we all have days when our faith waivers a bit. We can feel the wind, but we cannot see the wind, yet know it is there. It is much the same with God – He is there, we just have to look for Him.

I had a nice evening meeting with a small group of friends who gather periodically to discuss our Faith and to share with one another our journey’s tales as we travel through this world. It is a great, faith-filled discussion each time we gather. I enjoy those gatherings, and I feel the presence of God each time in our discussions. We are all fathers of families, business people, and we all share the same Catholic Faith and Beliefs. I am Blessed to have been asked to join this small group.

There should be more groups like this small group. Gather a few friends together, have a few snacks and beverages, and discuss your belief in God and His teachings. That is how we learn to grow in our faith and to help to reach out to others and spread that Faith. Make it a great day. 

Pray for a friend today who has surgery this morning. We hope for a good outcome for him and for his family.

April 15, 2012

It was a nice and quiet Sunday around here. I got some office work completed and a small wood project done. Nice day to just relax for a nap as well. The weather went from cloudy to rainy to sunny to cold and blustery tonight. At least we are not cleaning up after tornado damage up here. Dad said they had a little over two inches of rain so far, so we are blessed with that moisture as the farmers are getting set to begin planting their crops.

This evening, as I was walking around the house policing the area a bit, the cardinal was singing away in the neighbor’s tree again. God is good, and always there for all of us. Make it a great week!

April 14, 2012

It was a nice Saturday. We went to John’s soccer game – they ended up winning, and John had two scores, so a great game. It was pretty nice day to watch a soccer game as well.

I got a haircut to blend in the bare areas with the hair areas – not quite so weird looking now. High and tight.

We had Tom and Deb here from Wisconsin for a couple of days, and we had a nice visit with them. We don’t get to see them that often anymore, so nice of them to drive over. We plan to try to get up to their place sometime this summer with Doug and Peg. We would go up to Door County on that same trip. Margaret likes the fish boils up there.

St. Michael had one of their First Communion Masses at 4:00 PM today. It was a pretty nice service and special for those children receiving their First Holy Communion. It was nice to be a part of that.

Tonight as we were visiting with Tom and Deb, we heard the cardinal singing, and went out on the deck to see him sitting in the neighbor’s tree. He stopped singing once we stepped out onto the deck, but he was sitting there for quite a while.

I saw God there in that red bird and at that First Communion Mass today. Have a Blessed Sunday!

April 13, 2012

 

We had a nice rainy day today. That blessed moisture means quite a lot to this areas farmers and ranchers. They put millions of dollars cumulatively into the soil with seed, fertilizer, weed killer, and diesel fuel in their machinery. Then they get to sit back and have the good faith that God will grant sufficient rain and sunshine for their crops to grow. Many of us non-farmers take all of that for granted.

Imagine borrowing enough money to build a nice house, buying expensive seed corn and beans, chemicals to get them started right, and then putting all of into the ground. Now you sit back and hope and pray that the crops grow, and grow enough to pay back your investment at the very least. This is your entire year’s income as well.

Then, as the summer progresses, things look just great. This could be a two hundred bushel plus crop, and a dark dark storm cloud can pass over and wipe it all out with hail in a few minutes.

Over the past few years the farmers have been doing well because of great yields, and good crop prices, but the ten year average has not always been that good. Say a prayer for those farmers when you see them out in their fields over these next weeks. They are a vital part of our economy, and they are our friends and neighbors. Their very lively hood is a true act of Faith in God.

The spring of the year brings out that little bit of farmer in all of us. We get anxious to get some plants started or to plant a few tomatoes, or to start a small vegetable garden. This spring has been about thirty days ahead of normal schedule. Now, it seems, we are back into more normal temperatures and patterns. Soon we can put out those annual flowers and get things going.

Celebrate the warm sunshine and God’s gift of spring to us. You will see his smiling face while He is watching you pick from His large selection of colorful flowers for you garden and your flower pots. He could have made all gray flowers, but instead He made the flowers with almost endless beauty for you and I to enjoy! Thank God for the beauty of Springtime!

April 11 & 12, 2012

We have had a busy couple of days, which makes it harder to sit down and blog items.  I have been feeling pretty well. I have learned to drink a 4 ounce glass of cold water with a teaspoon of Arm and Hammer baking soda in it twice a day. This seems to take care of the acid reflux better than the tums and should have fewer ingredients in it. Taste is not great, but neither is the taste of chalk.

I even did a mile on the cross trainer yesterday. It has been a bit cooler and raining, so walking is limited now. We have been too busy to take the time to walk anyway. It is good to be busy, but you can quickly again get caught up in things and forget about your prayer life. I still need to take the time to just sit and meditate and pray. It gets hard to do some days, even when you are “Walkin the Mile!” (From the Green Mile)

Radiation goes to day 17 of 30 today. I have lost almost all of the hair on my right side, which I was told was going to happen. Now the hair in the same area on the left side is letting go. I may have to go get a number one cut up to the timberline and then blend it in. We’ll see how that pays out.

I heard the cardinal singing yesterday at one time. We got a nice little rain yesterday, with more to come over the next few days. There was a brilliant flash of lightning yesterday afternoon right over to the west as I was in my office. I see God in those brilliant storms at times. Nature is pretty cool stuff. God could make every storm the same, but the way they come causes us excitement and anticipation each time. Thank you for that God.

April 10, 2012

We had a pretty busy day once again. After the morning radiation, we met with a research person for the Mayo Study drug info, then with a radiation doctor to look me over and visit about any concerns.  

The issue now is that I have been on Nexium for acid reflux for probably the past fifteen years. It has always worked well, no problems. Of course, the Nexium has to interfere with the chemo drugs, so I am told to stop taking Nexium, which I have. Now I get to battle acid reflux with Tums and Maalox. I don’t like this, but I did concede and agree to not take the Nexium for the next 15 days. After that I get a break of 28 to 42 days without any radiation or chemo. During that rest time, I can get back on the Nexium, and perhaps life will appear normal for a while. For now, I crunch on Tums like M&Ms. My loving wife tells me I could try to eat right as well, which I suppose is an option…….

We drove up to a track meet in Madison later in the day. It was a pretty cold event, compared to what we have become used to.

I was having one of those days feeling like I am tired of being sick. I suppose I can have those, but they just make me feel sorry for myself. I am tired of taking medicine – I have to now take medicine for thrush because of being on the steroids. You end up taking medicine to counteract the medicine you are taking, and the medicine that does work for me I can’t take because it fights the medicine that is supposed to be helping me. It all gets confusing and frustrating at times. After a few sniffles, I got over it. A lot of people have it worse off than me.

My touched by God came to me during a short nap yesterday. I was thinking about my sister, Connie, and shed a few tears because I do miss her, and soon I will get to communicate with her in a way I have never been able to. I know she is pulling for me as well. I look forward to being with her in Heaven. But first, I have more work to do here…………  Make it a good day. 

April 9, 2012

It was a pretty nice day today, although a bit cooler than it has been. It is probably more seasonable. I got a lot of things done today. Mark helped me get the new digital power unit onto the Shop Smith and box up the old unit. I finished up some new shelving over the weekend, so now, when I get time to work on things, the new shop is almost ready to go.

          Kolbe and I did a dandelion defrocking of the yard this afternoon right before they left for home. He is a busy little guy, but a good helper. For some reason he is attracted to the little running water stream in the back yard. We had a good afternoon. Mark, Sara and Kolbe headed back to Omaha shortly after the weed sweep. It was great to have everyone home for Easter.

          While we were weed pulling, I heard the cardinals singing. I felt great all day! I walked down to St. Michael for Mass at 5:30. On that route, I saw a male cardinal and heard him singing to me along the way. Life is great (even with a bit of a bald spot on the right side of your head)! God is good! Make it a great day.

THE SPARROW AT STARBUCKS

Author Unknown The song that silenced the cappuccino machines

It was chilly in Manhattan but warm inside the Starbucks shop on 51st
Street and Broadway, just a skip up from Times Square. Early November
weather in New York City holds only the slightest hint of the bitter chill
of late December and January, but it's enough to send the masses crowding
indoors to vie for available space and warmth.

For a musician, it's the most lucrative Starbucks location in the world,
I'm told, and consequently, the tips can be substantial if you play your
tunes right. Apparently, we were striking all the right chords that night,
because our basket was almost overflowing. It was a fun, low-pressure gig
- I was playing keyboard and singing backup for my friend who also added
rhythm with an arsenal of percussion instruments. We mostly did pop songs
from the '40s to the '90s with a few original tunes thrown in. During our
emotional rendition of the classic, "If You Don't Know Me by Now," I
noticed a lady sitting in one of the lounge chairs across from me. She was
swaying to the beat and singing along.

After the tune was over, she approached me. "I apologize for singing along
on that song. Did it bother you?" she asked. "No," I replied. "We love it
when the audience joins in. Would you like to sing up front on the next
selection?"

To my delight, she accepted my invitation. "You choose," I said. "What
are you in the mood to sing?"

"Well. ... do you know any hymns?"

Hymns? This woman didn't know who she was dealing with. I cut my teeth on
hymns. Before I was even born, I was going to church. I gave our guest
singer a knowing look. "Name one."

"Oh, I don't know. There are so many good ones. You pick one."

"Okay," I replied. "How about 'His Eye is on the Sparrow'?"

My new friend was silent, her eyes averted. Then she fixed her eyes on
mine again and said, "Yeah. Let's do that one." She slowly nodded her
head, put down her purse, straightened her jacket and faced the center of
the shop. With my two-bar setup, she began to sing.

Why should I be discouraged? Why should the shadows come?
I sing because I'm happy; I sing because I'm free. For His eye is on the
sparrow and I know He watches me.

The audience of coffee drinkers was transfixed. Even the gurgling noises
of the cappuccino machine ceased as the employees stopped what they were
doing to listen. The song rose to its conclusion.

I sing because I'm happy; I sing because I'm free. For His eye is on the
sparrow And I know He watches me.

When the last note was sung, the applause crescendoed to a deafening roar
that would have rivaled a sold-out crowd at Carnegie Hall. Embarrassed,
the woman tried to shout over the din, "Oh, y'all go back to your coffee!
I didn't come in here to do a concert! I just came in here to get
somethin' to drink, just like you!" But the ovation continued.

I embraced my new friend. "You, my dear, have made my whole year! That was
beautiful!"

"Well, it's funny that you picked that particular hymn," she said.

"Why is that?"

"Well . .." she hesitated again, "that was my daughter's favorite song."

"Really!" I exclaimed.

"Yes," she said, and then grabbed my hands. By this time, the applause had
subsided and it was business as usual.. "She was 16. She died of a brain
tumor last week."

I said the first thing that found its way through my stunned silence. "Are
you going to be okay?"

She smiled through tear-filled eyes and squeezed my hands. "I'm gonna be
okay. I've just got to keep trusting the Lord and singing his songs, and
everything's gonna be just fine." She picked up her bag, gave me her card,
and then she was gone.

Was it just a coincidence that we happened to be singing in that
particular coffee shop on that particular November night? Coincidence that
this wonderful lady just happened to walk into that particular shop?
Coincidence that of all the hymns to choose from, I just happened to pick
the very hymn that was the favorite of her daughter, who had died just the
week before? I refuse to believe it.

God has been arranging encounters in human history since the beginning of
time, and it's no stretch for me to imagine that God could reach into a
coffee shop in midtown Manhattan and turn an ordinary gig into a revival.
It was a great reminder that if we keep trusting God and singing the
songs, everything's gonna be okay.

The next time you feel like GOD can't use YOU, just remember...
Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Sampson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
John the Baptist ate bugs
Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious
Timothy had an ulcer...
AND Lazarus was dead!

No more excuses now!! God can use you to your full potential. Besides you
aren't the message, you are just the messenger.

Easter Sunday, 2012

It is Easter Sunday, and what a glorious day. We went to Mass this morning at 09:30. There was a huge crowd, which is good to see. Nice service once again, and a wonderful Easter morning.

We went out to Humboldt for a family gathering today. We had all of the grandchildren there except the twins, who are in the Air Force.  We had lots of pictures taken today, lots of great food, and just a nice time to be together.

We had a quiet late afternoon at home, and now it is time for the Easter Bunny to go to bed. My touched by God moment had to be at Mass today.

Holy Saturday, 2012

It is Holy Saturday today. We had a great day. Matt brought over some pre-emergent and fertilizer, and Mark put them on the lawn. Then we picked up some cedar mulch and Preened and mulched the garden beds. Well, the boys did, I stayed in the garage and worked on getting things organized in the shop. I had a great day. I still feel pretty good – a little bit of a bald spot on the right side of my head behind my ears. Those glasses must be rubbing back there……….
Margaret and I hit Sam’s Club and Hy-Vee today. Their stock should go up. We had a nice errand run. I really felt good today. I am learning to celebrate each day as much as I can.

We had a nice supper with our family. Kolbe had a busy day. He has not been sleeping well, so we hope he is tired for tonight. I know that last night he was crying, but he did not waken me. Cutting back on those steroids is helping me sleep better anyway. Tonight we have to color some eggs, and the Easter Bunny has to fill a basket or two. Otherwise, pretty low key night.

I heard the cardinals singing this morning during my scripture reading. God is right there – all we need to do is look for Him. Have a Blessed Easter tomorrow!

Good Friday, 2012

It is Good Friday today. We went to the Living Stations of the Cross at St. Michael at 12:15 PM today. This has got to be the best performance I can remember. It was really well done, and the kids did a nice job. I was very moved by the production, and the reverence of the entire event. Sitting there during the Veneration of The Cross was very moving for me. I was filled with an awesome thankfulness to Jesus Christ for all he went through and suffered for each of us during His Passion and His death.

He had been abandoned by all those He loved during His trial and death, except for His mother and the one beloved disciple. To feel utterly alone and to be so focused on doing the God’s will is beyond what any of us can comprehend. Jesus did all of that so that you and I can conquer death and have eternal life with Him in heaven. And all of that is in spite of the way we treat each other and Jesus while we are on this earth. He loves us and will forgive us if we but ask.

Tonight, my grandson and his parents are with us for Easter, so we get to have a pretty fun filled weekend of coloring Easter eggs and playing with Kolbe – and there might be one family gathering in there as well on Sunday. My touched by God moment today is definitely at the Living Stations of the Cross. Thank you, Jesus.

April 5, 2012

 

Another great day. We got a radiation treatment, met with Dr. Tolentino, and did a few errands. I am going to see if Dr. Viola and the State of South Dakota will allow me to drive again. I need to fill out some forms, then rely on the good Doctor’s input. That may take some pressure off of my lovely chauffeur, and allow me to be in control for a bit longer.

I had been contacted by a friend who had a friend who has been cancer free with the “same type” of tumor now for seven years. He uses some nutritionist from Utah, and has had good luck. His type of tumor is different than mine, but I inquired anyway. The nutritionist wants to put you on a strict diet that helps to slow growth in brain tumors. The oncologist looked over the list and found several supplements that will directly conflict with what the treatment is supposed to do. I have to err on the side of the doctor I am seeing, and not an unregulated nutritionist from Utah. The highs and lows of all of this can be like riding a roller coaster. I think the bottom line, and Dr. Tolentino agrees with us on that, is to have the best quality of life possible during the treatment of this cancer. This cancer is an aggressive brain cancer – there are no Grade 2 or Grade 3 in this type – it either is Glioblastoma (grade 4) or it is not. So, Margaret and I have decided to try to eat as healthily as we can, exercise when we can, and enjoy the time we have to do so.

The treatment path is to finish radiation on May 1^st, then get a two week break from all medicines to let the body rest and catch up. After that, I get the chemo drugs for another 6 months. At that time we assess where we are at to decide how we proceed. Each case is different, so hard to predict. I want to be able to dance with my newest daughter-in-law on September 1^st, although I may step on her feet a bit.

I also want to be able to enjoy a few bird hunts, build a few projects in the garage, fish a bit, watch some deer hunting, enjoy the most beautiful Christmas Season ever, then we can wind down. We’ll see how that works with God’s plan for me. If we go on longer than that, it is another gift. Anyway, I rattle on.

We got to attend the Holy Thursday services at St. Michael Church tonight. What a beautiful ceremony they have each year. It was a very moving liturgy remembering the Lord’s Last Supper. I was moved to tears several times, but I get philosophically once in a while. I think I might see this service from heaven next year, so I look at these things a bit differently now.

My touched by God moment was all through the services tonight. It was a nice touch too. Have a Good Friday tomorrow.

April 4, 2012

We did radiation session number 11 of 30 today. Had a blood draw and met with the Research Nurse. Blood levels are doing well yet, although dropping in some areas. I feel pretty good. The steroids levels are at half what I was now, so I have been able to sleep almost normally for about 5 hours. That feels a lot better as well. Next week, if the Oncologist agrees, we will drop those steroids to even half of what I am on now. I might lose my Charlie Brown big round face (or not) and my veracious appetite.

We got a few errands done, then had a few meetings with folks after lunch. A pretty busy day- I didn’t know being fully retired could be so busy! We went to Adoration later yesterday and had some nice quiet time with Christ in the Chapel. There was one red cardinal singing away just outside the window of the chapel while we were there. God is good!

We got to get together with Doug and Peg for dinner and had a nice visit as well. We used to always say we were going to get together at least once per month, and did not do that for years. We are getting better about it now. The four of us used to do a lot of stuff together in our youth, and it is good to get together to reminisce and to celebrate where we are today.

My God moments today were with old friends and in the chapel. Have a great Holy Week! 

Two Paths

Today is Holy Thursday and we remember the Lord’s Last Supper with his chosen Apostles this evening. This is the celebration of the first Mass. At this supper, Jesus gave His Body and Blood to his Apostles to take and eat, doing this in remembrance of Me.

After Judas Iscariot received Christ’s Body and Blood, we are told by the scriptures that Satan entered Judas as he knew he would betray his God for thirty pieces of silver.

At this same meal, Jesus told his Apostles that He would be going away from them now. Peter wanted to come along, and Christ predicted that Peter would deny him three times before the cock crowed that morning. Peter couldn’t believe that could happen, but it did.

There were two different paths taken by two of Christ’s beloved Apostles. Both Apostles had followed Christ, been given the power to heal others, and had loved Christ. Both denied Christ, as we often do because of our human frailty.  One Apostle gave up on hope and ended up in despair and death. The other Apostle believed in the forgiveness of Christ and became the head of the Catholic Church.

Each of us will sin and fail - God knows that, as we are fallen humans. The difference is which path do you take after you fail.

The choices you have are:

1) Do I ask forgiveness and try to do better.

2) Do I despair and go on living in sin?

Choose wisely. Make it a Blessed Holy Week, and get out there to find God. He is waiting for you!

April 3, 2012

 

It was a bit cooler today, but more seasonable weather and still pretty nice. We had round ten of thirty radiation treatments completed. Those treatments for me are a snap; literally, they snap the hockey goalie face piece down on the table, holding my Charlie Brown round red faced head to the table for the radiation treatment. I am pretty lucky, able to get onto and off of the table myself – do not have to disrobe – only my gray round red faced head. The whole process from start to finish is less than fifteen minutes. The techs are really nice as well.

I get pretty close to God each of these treatments, especially this week. I think about how Jesus was betrayed by one of His own Apostles, rejected by His own people and condemned to be beaten and crucified for all sins, mine included. He went through all of that without any friends standing by Him. They all abandoned him at the last. I have friends, your prayers, and an incredible family support system. So, the buzzing machines do not get to me, as I know what He did for me.

Father Dave Desmond had a nice Mass of Healing out at St. George Catholic Church in Hartford last night. We all received the Anointing of the Sick during Mass. A very beautiful church, if you have not had the opportunity to visit them out there. We then met with a group of cancer survivors from the Hartford area, with my classmate, Cheryl Prunty presiding. It was nice to visit with those folks – I went to high school with some of them, and have known many of them for years. Great, salt of the earth, people.

My touched by God moments yesterday were at radiation and then again at the Mass of Healing in Hartford. Make it a great and Blessed Holy Week!

April 1, 2012

What a beautiful Palm Sunday. We went to Mass this morning and Johnny took us out to breakfast (well it was his idea, I guess). We had a pretty quiet day. Sara’s parents from McCook stopped on the way through town to visit and we had a late lunch with them. It was nice to see them and to be able to visit with them again. We don’t get together as much as we should, but with that new granddaughter coming, we will probably get together more frequently for a birth, a baptism, and a few more visits.

I spent some quality time with a router in the garage this afternoon – made some good progress on my first project. Margaret and I walked for a bit – she made me work up a sweat today. Nice quiet evening now. All is good.

I was touched by God today with the wonderful, peaceful day and the visit from Dick and Kathie. Thank you, God. Have a great Holy Week everyone!

The Blessings Of These Last Fifty Years

The other night I had the opportunity to visit with a friend of mine about things. We were reminiscing on our lives, the many blessings we have both had, and what faces each of us in the future. He made a comment to me that really hit home. He said, “Think about the past fifty years we have had the opportunity to live in. They have to be the greatest fifty years ever. How many times did you go to bed hungry, cold, or afraid for your life?”

I have thought about that some more, and so I blog away. The two generations before ours fought two World Wars to guarantee our freedom from tyranny. Those men and women gave everything they had to guarantee that I can go to the church I want to, vote for who I want to, and even walk down my street without worrying about getting checked out by some guards.  Then there was the Korean Conflict, The Vietnam War, and the wars in the Middle East we are in now. Our military has paid the ultimate price for all of our freedoms. We need to thank God for that gift every day we get out of bed and take a breath of fresh free air.

Technology has advanced beyond our wildest dreams. When I was a young man, the Apollo missions were going on. I wanted to be the first astronaut Priest on the moon at one time. Rockets were cool. We got to watch the first man set foot onto the surface of the moon. Think of all of the things we learned from NASA. Computers used to fill a room, now they are smaller than a pin head. Now I can e-mail, twitter, blog, Skype, use a small cell phone, and probably a lot of other things I do not even know how to do. We can run our home appliances form our cell phones. We can listen to any music we want on tiny little devices that put out better sound than my old eight track tape deck!

One of the saddest things has been the degeneration of the family and of the sanctity of human life. We have now a generation of people who grew up thinking that abortion is a normal and okay. The fact that EACH life is created in the image and likeness of God from natural conception until natural death has been lost. We, as a nation, in the name of our “freedom to choose” seem to think it is okay to eliminate any inconvenient lives and to do things our way. What if one of those little babies was going to cure Glioblastoma Brain Cancer? We will never know, because we took into our hands what we wanted to do with that person’s life instead of letting God’s plan play out.

We have lived through a lot of historical events. I remember when Sister came into the classroom to tell us that President Kennedy had been shot. We all bowed our heads and said prayers for his family and for our country. I remember when his Brother, Bobby Kennedy, was shot, and the night they shot Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Kent State protests and shootings. We saw the Berlin Wall built, and we got to see it torn down by the people it attempted to confine. We lived through the election to the papacy, the lifelong service, and then the death of Blessed Pope John Paul II. We watched Mother Theresa working with her missions and win the Nobel Peace Prize on the news.

There are so many good things that have happened in my lifetime, and also some bad. It is always thus. The more prosperous we become as a people, it seems that sometimes the farther we stray from the truth and from God. It doesn’t have to be that way, and we can make that difference. Start each day by thanking the Good Lord for all we each have and for those who fought and gave their lives so we could have our freedom. This is still the greatest nation in the world – we just have to remind ourselves and others of that once in a while. Make it a great day, and thank a veteran or an active member of the military when you see one!

March 31, 2012

We had another good day. I spent a lot of the morning in the garage cleaning out cabinets and moving tools into cupboards and drawers. I cleaned out all of those drawers I had full of junk for years. I kept every odd screw I ever ran across – will never use them, so now the trash can is a bit heavier even though I still kept a lot of fasteners. I had to move all of the tools I had in my pickup into the cabinets and drawers. It is now done, and I can start on a few projects. My garage stall actually makes a nice little wood shop.

I have a couple of items on Craigslist and E-Bay, but no solid hits yet. Lots of garbage e-mails from Craigslist – I am rather disappointed in that. I have used that resource in the past, and have sold several things. This time I got a lot of scam offers – “I am on a submarine but I want to buy the item for an uncle - send money to a shipper and I will put extra money in your account etc.” Oh well, time will tell.

Margaret got to spend some time with friends a long overdue lunch. It is nice for her to get away, and it gives me time to tinker a bit.

We went for a long walk down around Dunham Park tonight. It was a gorgeous evening. We heard lots of birds - among them was a persistent cardinal on the way back up the hill. We got to Skype with our oldest grandson tonight as well. He is a busy little guy. He got to go to the Omaha Zoo today with mom and dad, so he was a bit tired when we visited. He still shows a little bit of an ornery streak, which may have originated in the Humboldt area somewhere…… He likes to have his way – brings back memories of his father.

My touched by God moments today were the morning Mass, the walk with Margaret, and Kolbe. Thank you, God for another day in the sun!