A faith builder.

I have been wanting to get this blog post out for quite some time. My life for the past few months has been quite the roller coaster. My father was diagnosed with tongue cancer on February 25, 2013. We knew that his treatment would be rough, so we decided to fly him out to North Carolina so he could live with us. It has been a blessing to have him here with us. It has been a long, ROUGH road, but he is officially done with his radiation treatments and only has one more round of chemotherapy. We are now focused on recovery! He has been (and still is!) a trooper. 

He received 7 weeks of radiation treatment as well as 3 rounds of chemotherapy. We took him in every day, Monday-Friday for radiation. On Thursdays he had to have two treatments that were at least 6 hours apart, so on those days we had to drive into Wilmington twice. The drive is about 30 minutes one way. Since his treatment is very damaging to his throat and mouth, he had a feeding tube put in before he began any treatment. 

My dad was admitted into the hospital about halfway through his treatment because of a fever. His condition rapidly worsened and he was moved to the CCU(Cardiac Care Unit) because he was experiencing shortness of breath due to an extremely excessive amount of mucous. Every time he received his radiation treatment, many cells, cancerous and noncancerous, were killed and each cell secretes mucous. Thankfully they were able to clear his lungs out and he was moved out of the CCU after a couple of days. Several days later he was released from the hospital and got to come home. (Yay!) 

Oh, I forgot to mention that on the evening after my dad was moved into the CCU, we got into our Yukon to visit him. We pulled up to the stoplight before getting on the highway and our car just stopped! A part broke in the transmission. Thankfully we have another car, so we weren't completely stranded while the Yukon was in the shop. We put the boys' car seats in Nelson's work car and headed back on our way to the hospital. As we were walking into the hospital, I tripped while I was holding Ashton and we fell on the hard floor where Ashton hit his poor, sweet head. Talk about a bad day! That night I wrote in our thankful journal all the things I was thankful for. My list was very, very long, even with all the mishaps that day. 

Continuing along with my dad's journey, he was released from the hospital on a Saturday evening and, unfortunately, was admitted back the following Monday evening. He began experiencing SEVERE stomach cramps and vomiting. I think one of the hardest things about this entire experience is seeing someone you love in so much pain. I rushed him to the Emergency Room where they quickly began to admister morphine intravenously. After taking some blood work, we discovered that he had pancreatitis. Thankfully, the situation was able to be controlled and after a few days in the hospital, he was well enough to come home again. Amazingly enough, he never missed a radiation treatment. Even when he was in the CCU, they were able to roll him down to the lab so he could continue his treatment. His doctor was determined to get him through his treatment schedule and I am so thankful for his persistence. My father's nurses and all those who helped care for him are such a blessing to all of us.

    
On his last day of radiation treatment, he was presented with a certificate of completion. What a wonderful day!! We are SO incredibly proud of him. Through this experience, my relationship with the Savior has grown. I have never prayed so hard for so long. I am so grateful for the strength I gain each day from a loving Heavenly Father. I have never been more thankful for my health, and the health of those I love. I have a deeper compassion for others struggling with health issues. My relationship with my father has also deepened and I admire his strength and ability to rely fully on the Savior. 

I am so thankful for my little buddies, Ashton and Beckham, who have amazingly adapted to their new life full of lots of driving and daily doctor appointments. Some days we spent 6 or more hours at the hospital and they always were such good little boys. They became a light in the cancer center. Most people who enter those doors are experiencing the worst trial of their lives. Many whose paths crossed ours didn't have the motivation to smile back at me, but couldn't help but grin at my little boys. There is a healing power in the light of a child's eyes. I'm grateful they could be a blessing to all those we met at the cancer center. 

I cannot express enough gratitude for my husband. I was the first person my dad called after he found out he had cancer and I immediately told him that he needed to come live with us while he received his treatments. I did not consult with my husband before I made the offer, but when I told Nelson the news, he did not hesitate to extend the same hospitality to my father. Nelson has been my rock and constant supporter through this trial. He stepped in with the little things, like cleaning up the dishes after dinner and helped me immensely with our children. He helped me keep an eternal perspective through the rough times and was a perfect comfort to me in my times of need.  Even though we have been married for almost 6 years, I am still discovering new talents and blessings in my amazing husband.  

I am thankful for the support of family and friends. I remember one day in particular was especially rough and my dad received four letters from Idaho. I know they are intended to strengthen my father, but they meant so much to me, too. Tears welled up in my eyes as I recognized the wonderful support and love. Thank you, thank you. Members of our ward here in Hampstead are always concerned and asking about my father, even though many of them haven't even met him! I am so grateful for the immense love I have felt though this trial. 

This experience has been a faith builder for all of us. Each day is still a struggle for my dad, so prayers are welcome and very much appreciated. Love to all of you!!