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4/28/08

I apologize for the delay in keeping you posted.

One month ago today, Robert had surgery. It’s been a long process, but he’s now out and about and doing very well…still a little slow moving, but he’s progressing nicely He still has a large wound that has to heal from the inside out; and according to the doctors, that could take several months to heal.

About the surgery. The surgeon found more cancer than they had originally thought. It had grown into his prostate, so they had to remove part of it. They also took out two lymph glands. One tested positive for cancer, the other negative. It’s recommended that Robert have radiation…which we’re opting NOT to do at this time. Logically, we can’t see the point. If the surgeon got out all the cancer he found in that area (testing tissue surrounding to make sure there was no more cancer there), then why radiation? If it has gone farther via the one lymph gland (and we don’t believe it has), radiation to the originating area won’t help the situation at all. The lymph gland was removed, and if cancer has traveled from there, we can’t know where to treat next.

If you’ve been following, you know that we’ve searched high and low and have made major changes to our diet and every day life. The dietary changes, while they didn’t “cure” the cancer, have been a positive move. Robert has lost 40 lbs. and wants to lose at least another 40. I’ve lost weight, but since I don’t step on the scales, I have no idea how much

We’re hopeful. My friend, Leah, introduced us to XanGo Juice. Although we haven’t been able to try it yet (it’s supposed to arrive today), I’ve read SO MANY INCREDIBLE testimonies about the benefits of XanGo Juice. As I was reading through them, the word “miracle” kept running through my mind. I’m not a product pusher (except for my own artwork), especially when I haven’t had the opportunity to test the product myself. However, Leah is drinking this juice, as is her whole family…and they’re feeling GREAT. So because I personally know someone who has already seen results, I’M EXCITED.

We’ve made a list of health issues we both have…I’ll keep you posted concerning our own personal experience with it.

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03/26/08

We’re preparing now for surgery (colostomy). After changing our diet and taking many types of vitamins and minerals, it seems the tumor has begun to grow again, almost to the point of blocking Robert’s ability to eliminate. Surgery has been scheduled for Friday, March 28th. They say it could take around 6 hours; and they plan to admit him afterward…not sure how many days he’ll need to stay.

Leah will be available to take care of any issues and answer questions regarding business.

We value your prayers during this time and thank all those who have continued to write with expressions of love.

God bless.

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03/11/08

Robert had a colonoscopy last Friday (thought we were going to have to cancel again, due to the snow). It showed no new masses or areas of concern. So, apparently there is nothing other than the one tumor, according to the tests we’ve had…praise the Lord

The doctor is now saying that he would like to do a colostomy, remove the tumor, and we won’t have to do chemo and radiation (which is not something we would opt for anyway, only as a last resort).

We attempted a “grape diet” to help cleanse his liver and other organs. He lasted about a day and a half on that - LOL! But that’s ok, I knew it would be difficult and possibly not something he would be able to stick with for very long…but it was worth a shot. This diet is recommended for people who are in Stage IV anyway, so it wasn’t imperative. Now, we’re back to the veggies, fruits, and a LITTLE bit of fish.

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03/05/08

It’s been a little confusing, because there are conflicting opinions, but I’ve tried to use wisdom in choosing the best approach. So far, these are the steps we’ve taken…

Diet -

Raw, dark green and dark yellow vegetables
Lima beans, tomatoes
Whole grains, almonds
Berries, apples and apple seeds, grapes, bananas
Fish

Very little (or none): sugar, iodized salt, dairy, meats, processed meats, white flour, caffeine, chocolate

Vitamins/Supplements/Other Natural Products -

Fish oil, zinc, selenium, Vitamin C (mega doses), Vitamins E, D, B6, AHCC, folic acid, colon cleanse
Esiak Tea
Garlic, cummin, curry, parsley
Extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed oil

We were also doing iodine (started with 10 drops/3 times a day, then increased the number of drops each day), but it made his chest feel heavy and he would become really hot and tired, so we stopped that.

Attitude -

At first, we had some difficulty. The news was delivered by the doctor before my butt even hit the chair…drove 50 miles because he just couldn’t tell us on the phone.

Now, however, we only think about cancer as a temporary setback. And quite honestly, I can’t really call it a setback. We believe it was God’s way of protecting my husband against something else that could have been much more sudden, devastating, or even fatal. He needed to change his eating habits…we both did.

We have a mission, and we’re treating this like any other thing that needs to be addressed. We do all we can and then STAND. My husband’s life is in the palm of God’s hand, and it cannot be taken without God’s permission.

Hugs. We try give each other lots of hugs every day, and I touch him every time I can think of it…face, shoulders, back, hands, arms, legs. Which reminds me, when he had surgery to repair the fissure, I was poking his hair into the surgery cap, and his heart rate jumped about 4-5 beats per minute - LOL!

And finally, we’re just enjoying life. We choose to watch humorous, uplifting programs as opposed to dramatic and depressing programs; and we just returned from a weekend get-away that we considered cancelling because of the financial and physical strain we had anticipated due to the illness.

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2/27/08

We’ve now completely changed our diet; and boy, grocery shopping is a whole new experience! It took us twice as long (and cost nearly twice as much) to find appropriate foods for Robert’s best interest. He’s taking many different vitamins, supplements, and other natural products…and he’s being a really good patient He’s feeling much better and thinks that the tumor has even reduced in size.

The other wonderful news is that the CT scan revealed that there are no other points of concern!!! He’s supposed to go on March 7th for a colonoscopy, just to make sure there’s not any more cancer that hasn’t already been discovered.

In the meantime, he and I will be taking a short vacation, long overdue. We used to take short trips every month or so, but since he hasn’t been feeling well, we haven’t ventured out. So, we’ll be on “The Road to the Horse” in Murfreesboro, Tennessee this weekend.

Leah has graciously volunteered to watch over things while we’re gone, but I’ll check in from time to time as well.

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2/20/08

The past week and a half have been emotional and busy.

On Monday, the 11th of February, Robert underwent minor surgery and had a biopsy at the same time. Although the procedure left part of him feeling better, it left another small incision that caused him more pain. On Wednesday (Feb. 13), we made another trip to the doctor (an hour one way) to find out that he has an adenocarcinoma in his rectum…about the diameter of a quarter.

I emailed all my 2500+ friends through Digi Scrap Kits to ask for prayer, and the response was amazing. I started trying to write back to each person individually, but there were literally hundreds of people who wrote back with their prayers, well wishes, encouragement, and even stories of their own journey through a diagnosis of cancer. Although I’ve read every single email, I just haven’t been able to respond to each one personally. But I want everyone to know that your kindness, your positive words, your prayers, and your stories have touched me beyond words. There are many good people in the world, and there is a huge collection of them who visit me at Digi Scrap Kits! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Now we face many decisions that can affect his very life. The first doctor wanted him to begin chemo and radiation as soon as possible. Because we’re both self-employed and have no health insurance, we have switched to another doctor and hospital which operates on a sliding fee scale. We saw a second doctor yesterday (Feb. 19) who said he felt that Robert would have to do chemo and radiation…then a six week break…and then have surgery as well to remove his rectum. He sent us to the hospital to have a CT Scan and has set up an appointment for a colonoscopy on Friday.

In the meantime, I’ve done a lot of research on natural cures/therapy. Every source says something different, so it’s hard to discern which is the best approach. I’m trying to use my God-given brain to logically think it all through and take the best of the best information to create a new diet, vitamin, and supplement regimen for my husband.

He is now eating a mostly vegetable and fruit based diet with some fish thrown in for good measure, while taking vitamins and supplements one, two, and three times daily. This is a time when I really wish I had grown a garden last year, because he needs food that have no hormones, preservatives, pesticides, and fertilizer.

So the decision remains to be made concerning whether to follow the doctor’s recommendation or to give the natural remedies a chance to work. We just don’t know, and the decision is ultimately Robert’s to make. I don’t want to play Russian Roulette with his life…he owes me another 35 years (at least)!

First, our prayer is that God will miraculously and completely heal Robert’s body. Second, we pray that He will give us the wisdom to know what to do minute by minute.