Road Trip - Day 3 (Pocatello)

We made it to Pocatello, Idaho this evening

About 8pm

With NO MISHAPS along the way!

Wow!

We looked ahead at the weather forecast

Which predicted sun the rest of the way

So we took off without repairing the wiper motor

In order to get in at a more reasonable time

With the plan to fix the wiper motor

When we get to our son's in Colorado.

Cindy is amazing

Doing all of the driving

While I sleep the majority of the time.

It's a good team concept!!

We ate at a late lunch/early dinner

In Dillon, Montana

We enjoyed miles and miles of beautiful scenery

Thousands upon thousands of acres of pasture and farm land

Alfalfa

Potatoes

Cows

Very thankful for air-conditioning!

The plan is to head out by noon checkout tomorrow

And set our sites on Green River, Utah

As our final stop before arriving at our son's on Friday, June 18.

I know that some of you are disappointed

By the lack of drama in our traveling today

But for us it was a delightful respite

And we would be happy to continue our trip 

The rest of the way

In the same fashion!

Appreciate you all...

Dave

Road Trip - Day 2 (Missoula)

Well...we made it to Missoula, Montana this evening

At about 8:15pm

Mountain Time

About 2 hours later than our expected arrival...

More excitement!

To put it into a nutshell

Which when thinking about it

Isn't a very big object...

We had car problems today.

We encountered an unexpected rain storm

Beginning in Idaho

And continuing on into Montana.

No big deal for Washingtonians

Except that at that moment

Our windshield wipers decided to quit working!

Yes...you heard correctly

Who would have guessed.

We did everything we could to keep moving

Stopping every 100 yards 

For several miles to unjam the wipers

Then...

We jurryrigged (spelling?) an extension cord to one of the wipers

So that when it jammed I could pull on it to keep it moving!

Maybe I missed my calling and should have been an inventor??

Except that only worked for several miles

Until they permanently jammed

And really didn't provide that great of visionary improvement

In the downpour that was upon us.

So for several more miles

Cindy displayed her exceptional driving skills

In inclement weather 

By driving without windshield wipers

Until that really became too dangerous 

And we pulled over and called AAA

For a tow the rest of the way into Missoula

About 70 miles away at this point.

Then about a half hour into waiting

For the tow truck to show up

The sun came out 

We cancelled AAA

And drove the rest of the way to Missoula

Arriving at before mentioned time!

We checked into our motel

Bought some pizza for dinner

And are now officially wiped out

From our day's adventure.

Please keep remembering and praying for us...

I kind of crashed a bit ago

Had a good cry

With lots of hugs from Cindy

As the difficulty and challenge of this adventure

Is settling in

Due to the swelling in the lower part of my body

And the difficulty breathing

Note: I used oxygen when we got to the motel

And it helped for which I am thankful.

So...that wraps it up for Day2

It is 11:15pm our time

And we are ready for bed...

Tomorrow we will decide whether to get the windshield wiper motor fixed

Here in Missoula, if possible,

Or head out an maybe take care of in Colorado 

When we arrive there.

Thanks for listening!

Dave

Road Trip - Day 1 (Ellensburg)

We made it to Ellensburg

About 10pm tonight

Getting away at 6pm 

Instead of 4pm

Due to a challenge

In getting the oxygen supplies

We are taking with us

In case oxygen is needed in the higher elevations

We will be traveling through and to.

Note: This would not have even been possible today except for a wonderful friendster who went to the oxygen supply place and personally made it happen!  Thank you!

We had a delightful

But brief

Stop in Tacoma 

To have dinner with Cindy's mom

To pick up the wheelchair she had for us to use

And then on the road

For the first leg of our journey!

So...the adventure has begun...

Some things to pray about:

1. Endurance for Cindy.  She will be doing all of the driving, the hauling of belongings in and out of the hotels and taking care of her needy husband.

2. Grace for Dave. My feet and legs are very swollen despite the medication I am taking. My breathing is also not what it should be even after having 1,600ml of fluid drained from my right lung. 

Tomorrow morning we check out of our hotel by 11am and begin our next stage to Missoula, MT!

Off to bed...

Road Trip - Day 0 (Emergency Room)

Today is Sunday, June 13,

The day before our eagerly anticipated Road Trip begins

And all the adventures that will go with such RT!

I am going to attempt a brief, daily

Chronicle of our RT

With a highlight of its excitements and challenges

For your entertainment and prayer.

So...why not start with today - Day 0

Preparation Day?

It was certainly

A typical way that we seek to do things!!

It started at 4:30am

When I attempted to get up 

To use the bathroom

And I couldn't

I couldn't breathe!

It was really 

SCARY...

I thought it might be the first time that 

We needed to call 911

To bring me to the ER.

Thankfully within several seconds

I was able to begin breathing

Though with difficulty and very shallowly

And we decided that

We could drive ourselves to the ER

Which we immediately did

Arriving at about 5:45am this morning.

NOTE: If you need to go to the ER

That is the time to do it!

The last time we attempted the Silverdale ER

I waited in the ER waiting room

SIX HOURS

Before being seen!

This morning?

SIX MINUTES!

Hallelujah!

And with incredible doctor and nurse care

And within 4 hours of arriving

And lots of tests...

I'd had a thoracentesis (fluid draining)

Of my right lung

Removing 1,600ml of fluid!

Note: That is a LOT!

Opening the way for me

To BREATHE again

And for us to continue 

Preparation for our RT tomorrow!

YES!

Soooo thankful...

So that about sums up Day 0

Preparation Day

Because after such a procedure

All I'm really good for is sleeping

Which I'm pretty skilled at!

Our plan is to depart on our RT

Tomorrow about 4pm

After Cindy's last day of spring classes teaching

Stop at Cindy's mom in Tacoma

To have dinner 

To pick up a wheelchair

And then to continue on to Ellensburg

Where we will spend our first night!

Well...

Looks like I need to sleep again!

Good night,

Dave

Road Trip!

Call us crazy and you are probably right on target!

After all...

I took my family to a rebel controlled community to live

With graves in the front yard and back

Of which amoebic dysentery

Gigantic spiders and cobras

There was no lack!

I left a secure job

With no viable means of support

With street and homeless youth to build a rapport.

Believing in each case

The calling of God

Though considered by many

That our senses of us had been robbed!

So now...

To the road we have been called!

No...I'm not blaming this on God

Nor even insinuating that is Him 

Who has called us this path to trod.

We just want to do it!!

Cindy and I have so many fond memories

Of motorcycle trips together

Along the 101 highway down to California

The North Cascades

And across the Canadian Rockies.

So...

Despite the pain 

The difficulty walking

The recent very difficult chemo side effects

(Of which I am much better)

It is time for another road trip together

Taking it easy

Stopping when need be

Together two weeks on the road

(In the car)

Just shifting into enjoyment mode!

That's it...

We have put any treatment on hold

As we will be considering when we get back

How God wants us to move forward.

(More on that later)

Our plan is to be gone two weeks

Heading south to our oldest son and family in Genesee

Then looping back a different route

To enjoy the beauty this country is about.

We leave in two days

That we can do this is certainly a reason for praise!

We would appreciate your prayer and positive thoughts

That any problems would come to naught.

Thanks again for your incredible support!

Many blessings,

Dave

41 Years!

Today, June 7, is Cindy and my 41st wedding anniversary!

Who would have imagined during this tumultuous cancer journey

With all of its ups and downs

That we would have reached this milestone?

And yet here we are 

By the grace of God

And my oncologist...

So...this blog will be a 

Remember When?

Much of it

Only known to my bride and me

To the rest of you...a mystery!

Remember when...

We met at Millersylvania

The first of two Bible camps!

Remember...

The tragedy of your landlady

When instead of your parents

You reached out to me?

Remember...

The melting of the mocha pies

As I looked into your eyes

And asked you to be my wife?

The farmer and miss skit

Which was quite the hit

As we revealed to our friends

The upcoming life together

That was soon to begin?

Remember...

Our amazing wedding day

When before 500 family and friends

We committed to each other

A forever yay?

Our beautiful and crazy honeymoon

On an incredible sailing yacht

With multiple dangers fraught?

I remember...

The amazing wife and mother

You showed yourself to be

During our three year adventure

In a rebel controlled area of the Philippines!

Raising our children...

Fearing my kidnapping...

Living for Jesus

Even when they didn't believe us...

Thinking we were

CIA spies

Believing lies

Until they witnessed our lives.

Remember...

How sick you were too

I thought I was going to lose you!

But God made you strong

Even running a half marathon!

I remember...

The dozens upon dozens

Maybe a hundred and fifty all told?

You have cared for in our home

Who never had a home to call their own.

The hundreds upon hundreds

Maybe thousands all told?

Who through The Coffee Oasis

You became a mother

Young men and women who had no other.

I remember...

The Masters degree you earned

And the incredible instructor at Olympic College

Helping those who've given up learning

Math and History learned!

And all of the above accomplished

And so, so much more

While being for 41 years

My incredible wife, encourager, lover and friend

The mother of our four children

And ten grandchildren!

I love and adore you

I am so thankful for you!

Yours,

Dave

NOTE: In case you wondered...we are NOT in Seattle having radiation treatments. The chemotherapy infusions have caused enough havoc on my body so that we are waiting to see how they are handled before we proceed with any radiation.

Yay! + Yuck!

The pain and the pleasure go together!

Those were the words that popped into my mind

As I stood at the back of the Burwell Coffee Oasis

Listening to a hundred plus people singing songs of praise to God

At a Sunday morning church gathering

While at the same time as a family

Experiencing a very difficult time

And wondering...

Should I be doing this?

Pastoring a growing church

Directing a non-profit serving homeless youth

When our lives were anything  but "put together"?

The pain and the pleasure go together

That's been this cancer journey for me...

A lot of hard

A lot of good 

As I've seen God in His amazing 

Goodness and Greatness

Use the hard to accomplish the good!

That's been again the experience of the past couple of weeks

After my last blog...

My oncologist immediately got approval 

For me to have a chemotherapy treatment

Two different chemo drugs that I had not previously had

In an effort to deal with the cancer invasion

Into my lymph system

And its impact on my mobility

Rendering me incapable of walking without assistance.

It is working!!

I am now able to walk again 

With the slight aid of a cane for stability

The swelling decreasing

The pain lessening

That is the...YAY!!

I am thankful...

Oh...but the YUCK!

It has been hard

As the chemo has ravaged my digestive system

Seven straight days of hiccups!

Phlegm that blocks my airway

Rendering me unable to breathe

For several seconds at a time!

Scary!!

The pain and the pleasure go together

I am thankful...

It is scary...

What is next

I do not know what it will be

Whether entering into eternity or

Living many more years on earth?

What I am learning

Is that 

The pain and the pleasure go together

And the more I trust in

The goodness and greatness of God

In the midst of this very hard journey

The more content

I am daily to live today!

Enduring the pain

Enjoying the pleasure...

Thanks again for listening

And walking with Cindy and I through this cancer journey.

You are a blessing!

Dave