Thursday, September 4, 2008
Wally's Obituary
Walter John Carruthers III was born in Seattle on January 31, 1956 to Walter and Betty (Dolores) Carruthers. He graduated from Bothell High School and went on to study electronics at DeVry University in Phoenix, AZ. He was raised on Cottage Lake in Woodinville where he lived until his death. He leaves behind his much beloved wife, Sheri, of 20 years who will miss him tremendously and his incredible children, John (Amy), Reed, Rebecca, Taylor, and Matthew, who made him proud to be their father. Wally started his own business, Pro-Tech Services, Inc. in 1987 which became the premier medical device company specializing in sleep disorders. Wally always said, “If you love your job, you never have to work.” In that case, Wally never worked. He loved his job but more importantly, he loved the people who worked for him and with him. He also leaves behind his mother, Dolores, and siblings Randy (Eileen), Bambi Rehder (Rick), Kim Morrow (Dave) and nephew Joshua, along with many other nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Walter and siblings, Leonard, Wendy and Laura Leigh. Wally will best be remembered by his warmth, his smile, the sparkle in his eye, his wink, his hugs and his incredible generosity but most importantly, his faith in his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Pancreatic cancer took him from us early in this life but he is living eternally with his Savior in Heaven. A memorial service will be held at 1:00 on Saturday, September 13, 2008. The service will be at Northshore Baptist Church located at 10301 NE 145th Street, Bothell. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to either Exile Facilities Fund, Exile Presbyterian Church, PMB #132, 14241 NE Woodinville-Duvall Road, Woodinville, WA 98072 or the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, 2141 Rosecrans Ave., Suite 7000, El Segundo, CA 90245.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Goodbye to Wally
Posted for Sheri...
Dear Family and Friends,
This is to let you know that Wally has passed away quietly at home this evening at 5:17 p.m. surrounded by his family. We will all miss him but are so thankful that he is in his eternal home with his Lord. Our family continues to covet your prayers. When I have more info regarding his memorial, I will send out another email. You may forward this to whoever you think might desire to know.
Thank you again for your love and support,
Sheri
Dear Family and Friends,
This is to let you know that Wally has passed away quietly at home this evening at 5:17 p.m. surrounded by his family. We will all miss him but are so thankful that he is in his eternal home with his Lord. Our family continues to covet your prayers. When I have more info regarding his memorial, I will send out another email. You may forward this to whoever you think might desire to know.
Thank you again for your love and support,
Sheri
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Dear Family and Friends
Posted for Sheri...
Dear Family and Friends,
Wally has now been home under hospice care for 4 weeks. I am amazed at the human body, what it can endure. As Psalm 139:14 says, "I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made..." How can the human body function on no nutrition and little hydration for almost 6 weeks? To watch the human body try and heal itself and accommodate for the parts that stop functioning is truly miraculous.
Wally is very tired, very weak, and very 'foggy' in his head. He decided on Monday to stop the IV hydration so his body is slowly shutting itself down. It wasn't the easiest of decisions and one I couldn't make for him but I did remind him that his days have already been ordained by God and that the Lord would bring him home on that appointed day. The Scriptures have brought him tremendous comfort during these last days. I am so thankful that he has not been in a lot of pain. He will get some spasms of pain but they only last a few moments.
I am able to get him dressed every morning - he doesn't want to wear sweats, only his jeans because he doesn't want to look like he's laying around in his pajamas all day!
He still has his smile and his sense of humor and of course I still tease him when at all possible. He can sometimes get a little crotchety and I certainly don't blame him but I do remind him that I kind of have the upper hand here and he needs to remember to be nice to me :)
I don't think he will be able to last more than a week so please keep us all in your prayers. Pray that the Lord would give us that peace which passes all understanding (Phil 4:7), strength from His Word (Ps. 119:28) and as the children and I grieve and mourn the loss of a wonderful husband and father, pray that like the Psalmist, we can have the same heart - "Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me; O Lord, be Thou my helper. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; Thou hast loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness; That my soul may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to Thee forever." Psalm 30:10-12
Again, thank you all for your support and prayers. I am able to read the blog responses to him and any emails I receive.
Sheri
Dear Family and Friends,
Wally has now been home under hospice care for 4 weeks. I am amazed at the human body, what it can endure. As Psalm 139:14 says, "I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made..." How can the human body function on no nutrition and little hydration for almost 6 weeks? To watch the human body try and heal itself and accommodate for the parts that stop functioning is truly miraculous.
Wally is very tired, very weak, and very 'foggy' in his head. He decided on Monday to stop the IV hydration so his body is slowly shutting itself down. It wasn't the easiest of decisions and one I couldn't make for him but I did remind him that his days have already been ordained by God and that the Lord would bring him home on that appointed day. The Scriptures have brought him tremendous comfort during these last days. I am so thankful that he has not been in a lot of pain. He will get some spasms of pain but they only last a few moments.
I am able to get him dressed every morning - he doesn't want to wear sweats, only his jeans because he doesn't want to look like he's laying around in his pajamas all day!
He still has his smile and his sense of humor and of course I still tease him when at all possible. He can sometimes get a little crotchety and I certainly don't blame him but I do remind him that I kind of have the upper hand here and he needs to remember to be nice to me :)
I don't think he will be able to last more than a week so please keep us all in your prayers. Pray that the Lord would give us that peace which passes all understanding (Phil 4:7), strength from His Word (Ps. 119:28) and as the children and I grieve and mourn the loss of a wonderful husband and father, pray that like the Psalmist, we can have the same heart - "Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me; O Lord, be Thou my helper. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; Thou hast loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness; That my soul may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to Thee forever." Psalm 30:10-12
Again, thank you all for your support and prayers. I am able to read the blog responses to him and any emails I receive.
Sheri
Friday, August 15, 2008
Dear Family and Friends
Posted for Sheri...
Hello Dear Family and Friends,
I figured it was time for an update and since I found a minute, I thought I should fill you all in. Wally has been home for about 14 days now under hospice care. His nurse comes once a week to check on him and replace the line to his port. Two weeks ago, he had his drainage tube to his liver removed and for some reason was craving a good ol' PP&J sandwich. He insisted on making it himself since he wanted just the right amount of peanut butter and jelly - yes, he is even a perfectionist about his PP&J's:) We quickly learned what flows easily through his stomach tube and what doesn't - PP&J's don't! He moved on to slurpees, about 3 or 4 large ones a day! Do you know how much sugary syrup is in a slurpee? He has moved on to root beer floats or milk shakes now along with a lot of juice, soda and ice water. He can consume more liquid than anyone I have ever seen. It just goes in his mouth and through his tube and into his bag so he enjoys the taste of things but doesn't get any nutrition from what he puts in his mouth. Needless to say, he has lost quite a bit of weight so I took the scale away from him so he can't weigh himself anymore! His blood pressure and heart rate are perfect but he gets dizzy standing up due to lack of nutrition.
My sister-in-law, Kim, has been here every day playing nurse. For those of you who know me, nursing would probably be my last profession - ask my kids. Kim's good at hooking him up to his IV at night and unhooking him in the morning and not panicking when we "screw up".
He is looking forward to Heaven now and I think is sometimes disappointed when he wakes up in the morning and sees me instead of Jesus! I certainly can't compete with God so I try not to take offense that he isn't overly pleased to see me like he used to be. His heart and mind are focused on eternity right now so I just try to keep him comfortable and his glass full of whatever he seems to be craving at the moment.
Thank you for your continued prayers for our family.
Love,
Sheri
2 Corinthians 5:1-8
"Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord."
Hello Dear Family and Friends,
I figured it was time for an update and since I found a minute, I thought I should fill you all in. Wally has been home for about 14 days now under hospice care. His nurse comes once a week to check on him and replace the line to his port. Two weeks ago, he had his drainage tube to his liver removed and for some reason was craving a good ol' PP&J sandwich. He insisted on making it himself since he wanted just the right amount of peanut butter and jelly - yes, he is even a perfectionist about his PP&J's:) We quickly learned what flows easily through his stomach tube and what doesn't - PP&J's don't! He moved on to slurpees, about 3 or 4 large ones a day! Do you know how much sugary syrup is in a slurpee? He has moved on to root beer floats or milk shakes now along with a lot of juice, soda and ice water. He can consume more liquid than anyone I have ever seen. It just goes in his mouth and through his tube and into his bag so he enjoys the taste of things but doesn't get any nutrition from what he puts in his mouth. Needless to say, he has lost quite a bit of weight so I took the scale away from him so he can't weigh himself anymore! His blood pressure and heart rate are perfect but he gets dizzy standing up due to lack of nutrition.
My sister-in-law, Kim, has been here every day playing nurse. For those of you who know me, nursing would probably be my last profession - ask my kids. Kim's good at hooking him up to his IV at night and unhooking him in the morning and not panicking when we "screw up".
He is looking forward to Heaven now and I think is sometimes disappointed when he wakes up in the morning and sees me instead of Jesus! I certainly can't compete with God so I try not to take offense that he isn't overly pleased to see me like he used to be. His heart and mind are focused on eternity right now so I just try to keep him comfortable and his glass full of whatever he seems to be craving at the moment.
Thank you for your continued prayers for our family.
Love,
Sheri
2 Corinthians 5:1-8
"Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord."
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Weekend Update
Posted for Sheri...
Dearest Friends and Family,
Thank you once again for all of your encouragement and prayers. I brought Wally home on Wednesday afternoon from the hospital. It was a MUCH longer stay than anticipated - 9 days to be exact. We really thought that Wally would just need his stent replaced and be in the hospital for 2 or 3 days then back home doing the things Wally does. Unfortunately, his stomach wasn't cooperating. It's hard to sustain life when your stomach won't absorb any nutrients and IV feedings could make things worse for cancer patients. Therefore, he made the decision to stop his chemo treatments and come home to be comfortable and surrounded by his family who so deeply loves him during his remaining days. We have been so blessed as a family as we look back at the tremendous life God has allowed us to live together. Wally is very much at peace knowing that God is in control of all things and he is looking forward to seeing His Lord and Savior. This is a difficult time - long good-byes are so hard and yet we are also thankful that we have the opportunity to say good-bye.
We were comforted by the Scripture from II Corinthians 4:16-18 which some friends shared with us. "Therefore do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
Wally desires that we all know that peace which he has. He is not suffering in pain but is awaiting the final day the Lord brings him home to eternity.
He so deeply loves his family and his many friends. Please remember the sparkle in his eyes, the winks and hugs but mostly his faith in God who made him who he was.
Sheri
Dearest Friends and Family,
Thank you once again for all of your encouragement and prayers. I brought Wally home on Wednesday afternoon from the hospital. It was a MUCH longer stay than anticipated - 9 days to be exact. We really thought that Wally would just need his stent replaced and be in the hospital for 2 or 3 days then back home doing the things Wally does. Unfortunately, his stomach wasn't cooperating. It's hard to sustain life when your stomach won't absorb any nutrients and IV feedings could make things worse for cancer patients. Therefore, he made the decision to stop his chemo treatments and come home to be comfortable and surrounded by his family who so deeply loves him during his remaining days. We have been so blessed as a family as we look back at the tremendous life God has allowed us to live together. Wally is very much at peace knowing that God is in control of all things and he is looking forward to seeing His Lord and Savior. This is a difficult time - long good-byes are so hard and yet we are also thankful that we have the opportunity to say good-bye.
We were comforted by the Scripture from II Corinthians 4:16-18 which some friends shared with us. "Therefore do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
Wally desires that we all know that peace which he has. He is not suffering in pain but is awaiting the final day the Lord brings him home to eternity.
He so deeply loves his family and his many friends. Please remember the sparkle in his eyes, the winks and hugs but mostly his faith in God who made him who he was.
Sheri
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Tuesday Update
Posted for Sheri...
Hi All,
Sorry I haven’t updated for a few days but everything has been moving so quickly for our family and not in a way that we had anticipated. Wally’s cancer has affected his stomach nerves which means his stomach isn’t working. This morning they took him in for his last procedure which is a venting peg for his stomach. He again hasn’t been able to eat but his body is producing a lot of bile which ends up just sitting in his stomach and making him nauseous. This drainage tube should help with the nauseous feeling so that he can be comfortable. He still has the drainage tube also in his liver to drain the infection. The goal is to go home tomorrow morning. We will be having hospice services come in to help us. Wally has decided that it is time to stop the chemo and to just stay comfortable at home with his family until the Lord takes him home. Although this is a very tough time for our family and the emotions and pain of missing one another is strong, our faith is stronger in our Lord Jesus Christ knowing that He makes no mistakes and that He is glorified in both life and death. Please continue to pray for strength for our family as we band together to give Wally all of the love and support that he needs at this time.
I will try and keep you updated as things progress. Thank you again for all of you prayers and concerns for our family. You are all very special to us.
Sheri
Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Hi All,
Sorry I haven’t updated for a few days but everything has been moving so quickly for our family and not in a way that we had anticipated. Wally’s cancer has affected his stomach nerves which means his stomach isn’t working. This morning they took him in for his last procedure which is a venting peg for his stomach. He again hasn’t been able to eat but his body is producing a lot of bile which ends up just sitting in his stomach and making him nauseous. This drainage tube should help with the nauseous feeling so that he can be comfortable. He still has the drainage tube also in his liver to drain the infection. The goal is to go home tomorrow morning. We will be having hospice services come in to help us. Wally has decided that it is time to stop the chemo and to just stay comfortable at home with his family until the Lord takes him home. Although this is a very tough time for our family and the emotions and pain of missing one another is strong, our faith is stronger in our Lord Jesus Christ knowing that He makes no mistakes and that He is glorified in both life and death. Please continue to pray for strength for our family as we band together to give Wally all of the love and support that he needs at this time.
I will try and keep you updated as things progress. Thank you again for all of you prayers and concerns for our family. You are all very special to us.
Sheri
Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Saturday Update
Posted for Sheri...
Hi All,
Well, this roller coaster ride hasn’t been enjoyable for any of us. Unfortunately today wasn’t a very good day for Wally. After yesterday I was really looking forward to seeing him bounce back to feeling good. He had some cream of wheat for breakfast and chicken noodle soup for lunch but basically only ate because he didn’t want to face the wrath of Sheri :o He was feeling nauseated again today and has a lack of energy. He is basically feeling like he did when I brought him in on Monday – minus the fever. He hates being in the hospital and the fact that he is not feeling much better after 5 days here can get kind of depressing. They will do the CT scan later tomorrow and then the ERCP on Monday. Hopefully the doctors can pinpoint what is going on in his system and fix it. I remember the first day back in September when we came to Virginia Mason for his surgery, he put on the little white board next to his bed where it’s posted “Goals Today:” - “Fix Wally”. It’s very hard not to have expectations and yet I know we need to take each day as it comes.
Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Until tomorrow,
Sheri
Hi All,
Well, this roller coaster ride hasn’t been enjoyable for any of us. Unfortunately today wasn’t a very good day for Wally. After yesterday I was really looking forward to seeing him bounce back to feeling good. He had some cream of wheat for breakfast and chicken noodle soup for lunch but basically only ate because he didn’t want to face the wrath of Sheri :o He was feeling nauseated again today and has a lack of energy. He is basically feeling like he did when I brought him in on Monday – minus the fever. He hates being in the hospital and the fact that he is not feeling much better after 5 days here can get kind of depressing. They will do the CT scan later tomorrow and then the ERCP on Monday. Hopefully the doctors can pinpoint what is going on in his system and fix it. I remember the first day back in September when we came to Virginia Mason for his surgery, he put on the little white board next to his bed where it’s posted “Goals Today:” - “Fix Wally”. It’s very hard not to have expectations and yet I know we need to take each day as it comes.
Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Until tomorrow,
Sheri
Friday, July 25, 2008
The Gadget Man Lives!
Posted for Sheri...
Wally is obviously feeling much better today since he had me bring some of his new gadgets to the hospital which he had previously ordered so he could “play”. He has actually been awake most of the day, was able to shower and we even walked the halls without him being worn out. Of course he researched more gadgets on his computer and is thinking of “new projects” for when he gets out of the hospital and feels stronger. My question is, “Can we finish the projects we’ve already started?”
I am so thankful that he is feeling good enough to eat – he had 3 meals today! This is the first time he has eaten three meals in several weeks. The doctors are actually finally on the same page. The plan is that he will have to stay in the hospital until Tuesday or Wednesday – he is quite bummed about that news. He won’t have any new tests or procedures until Monday. They want him to rest, receive his antibiotics intravenously and be sure that he eats regularly and gets some nutrition in his body. They will then give him a CT scan and an ERCP to be sure there isn’t any blockage anywhere on Monday and then decide if he needs any other things taken care of.
Thank you all for your responses to the blog, emails, phone calls, etc. We love hearing from you!
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow. Today has been a tremendous blessing!
Until tomorrow,
Sheri
Wally is obviously feeling much better today since he had me bring some of his new gadgets to the hospital which he had previously ordered so he could “play”. He has actually been awake most of the day, was able to shower and we even walked the halls without him being worn out. Of course he researched more gadgets on his computer and is thinking of “new projects” for when he gets out of the hospital and feels stronger. My question is, “Can we finish the projects we’ve already started?”
I am so thankful that he is feeling good enough to eat – he had 3 meals today! This is the first time he has eaten three meals in several weeks. The doctors are actually finally on the same page. The plan is that he will have to stay in the hospital until Tuesday or Wednesday – he is quite bummed about that news. He won’t have any new tests or procedures until Monday. They want him to rest, receive his antibiotics intravenously and be sure that he eats regularly and gets some nutrition in his body. They will then give him a CT scan and an ERCP to be sure there isn’t any blockage anywhere on Monday and then decide if he needs any other things taken care of.
Thank you all for your responses to the blog, emails, phone calls, etc. We love hearing from you!
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow. Today has been a tremendous blessing!
Until tomorrow,
Sheri
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Thursday’s Update
Posted for Sheri...
I’m sitting here tonight by Wally’s bedside while he receives his very first blood transfusion. I got here early this morning hoping that he would be going in for his liver drainage procedure but that didn’t happen until almost noon. He got back to his room at about 3:00 with the drainage bag hooked to him. It seemed to go well – he said it seemed like he blinked his eyes and it was done. I’m very thankful that he hasn’t had any pain so far but his energy level is still very low and often times feels as if he is in a fog. The “fog” effect was explained as pertaining to some malnutrition and the drugs he is ingesting plus everything else that is playing havoc in his body right now. He was supposed to have another procedure tomorrow – an ERCP which is a specific type of endoscope. Unfortunately, we were told that they were going to hold off on that procedure for now. I’m not sure what the reasoning is - it’s hard to get answers. There are so many different doctors who need to communicate with each other and I think that by the time the information gets to us, it’s been watered down or “lost in translation”.
He still doesn’t have an appetite and yet the only program he watches on the hospital TV is the Food Network Channel! I haven’t figured that one out yet. I did get him to eat a few canned pears and a few bites of cream of potato soup today. I’m going to be quite upset with him if his waistline becomes smaller than mine! He will probably be here at least a few more days. I wish I had a clear picture of exactly what was going on but the doctors are still all trying to figure him out (I’ve been trying for 20 years – I hope they can do it much quicker)!
I will update tomorrow hopefully with some new news.
Please pray that this infection leaves his body quickly and that they “figure him out” very soon.
We love and appreciate you all,
Sheri
I’m sitting here tonight by Wally’s bedside while he receives his very first blood transfusion. I got here early this morning hoping that he would be going in for his liver drainage procedure but that didn’t happen until almost noon. He got back to his room at about 3:00 with the drainage bag hooked to him. It seemed to go well – he said it seemed like he blinked his eyes and it was done. I’m very thankful that he hasn’t had any pain so far but his energy level is still very low and often times feels as if he is in a fog. The “fog” effect was explained as pertaining to some malnutrition and the drugs he is ingesting plus everything else that is playing havoc in his body right now. He was supposed to have another procedure tomorrow – an ERCP which is a specific type of endoscope. Unfortunately, we were told that they were going to hold off on that procedure for now. I’m not sure what the reasoning is - it’s hard to get answers. There are so many different doctors who need to communicate with each other and I think that by the time the information gets to us, it’s been watered down or “lost in translation”.
He still doesn’t have an appetite and yet the only program he watches on the hospital TV is the Food Network Channel! I haven’t figured that one out yet. I did get him to eat a few canned pears and a few bites of cream of potato soup today. I’m going to be quite upset with him if his waistline becomes smaller than mine! He will probably be here at least a few more days. I wish I had a clear picture of exactly what was going on but the doctors are still all trying to figure him out (I’ve been trying for 20 years – I hope they can do it much quicker)!
I will update tomorrow hopefully with some new news.
Please pray that this infection leaves his body quickly and that they “figure him out” very soon.
We love and appreciate you all,
Sheri
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Where's Wally?
Posted for Sheri...
I know it’s been a while and you’re probably wondering, “Where’s Wally?” Well, Wally has landed himself back at Virginia Mason Hospital – room 1575 to be exact. I guess I better start from about a month ago...
June 18, Wally had his chemo treatment. As I stated before, he has been feeling more nauseated and tired but we chalked it up to the good ol’ accumulative effect of the chemo and were just anxious to start our vacation cruising the Caribbean. We left for Florida on the 19th with 7 bags - yes, it sounds like a lot but with 5 of us and our dinner dress clothes, suitcases fill up quickly! Anyway, only 3 bags made it that evening so Wally, Matt and I slept in our clothes. The next morning we received 3 more bags, unfortunately Wally’s bag was on it’s way to Nicaragua – oops! I was hoping he could just relax and enjoy the day we had in Miami but he hopped in a cab and found a Target to purchase “basics” just in case his bag didn’t make it to the ship. He just loves shopping – NOT! Thankfully his bag made it so now he has plenty of underwear :) He was a good sport even though he still wasn’t feeling well.
We boarded the ship on the 22nd with our friends and set out for the Caribbean, visiting Haiti, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. So much food and so much to do on the ship, yet Wally lost weight and slept a lot. I watched for things to turn around a little but he never really got his energy back. We flew back home on the 29th and he had chemo again on July 3rd. We mentioned symptoms to the doctors but they were not too concerned. He was prescribed a new anti-nausea drug called marinol which is synthetic pill derived from marijuana. Thankfully we have insurance because this is one expensive drug – I guess I understand why people end up ingesting the real stuff, it’s much cheaper! To make a long story short, that didn’t work either.
Wally had completely lost his appetite and didn’t want to eat or drink anything – he lost 20 pounds within 6 weeks and just had no energy. He had chemo again this past Thursday and the doctor instructed him to take his pills a little differently and if that didn’t work then he would need to come in to the hospital on Monday for some tests and to call first thing Monday morning. Well, we called ALL of Monday and it wasn’t until he started running a fever that they finally had me bring him in to Emergency. Right now they say he has an infection in his liver which they will drain tomorrow (Thursday). He has had a CT scan and endoscopy and may have another test either tomorrow or Friday. He is resting now but food and drink still don’t work well for him so they will continue to run diagnostic tests to try and figure out what is happening in his gut.
We seem to be back on the roller coaster ride we were on in the beginning of this “adventure”. We covet your prayers and know that our God is faithful and good and makes no mistakes. As the old hymn says, “My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus’ blood and righteousness... On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” We continue to try and look at the eternal and not dwell on the now.
Hopefully I can update this in a few days,
Sheri
I know it’s been a while and you’re probably wondering, “Where’s Wally?” Well, Wally has landed himself back at Virginia Mason Hospital – room 1575 to be exact. I guess I better start from about a month ago...
June 18, Wally had his chemo treatment. As I stated before, he has been feeling more nauseated and tired but we chalked it up to the good ol’ accumulative effect of the chemo and were just anxious to start our vacation cruising the Caribbean. We left for Florida on the 19th with 7 bags - yes, it sounds like a lot but with 5 of us and our dinner dress clothes, suitcases fill up quickly! Anyway, only 3 bags made it that evening so Wally, Matt and I slept in our clothes. The next morning we received 3 more bags, unfortunately Wally’s bag was on it’s way to Nicaragua – oops! I was hoping he could just relax and enjoy the day we had in Miami but he hopped in a cab and found a Target to purchase “basics” just in case his bag didn’t make it to the ship. He just loves shopping – NOT! Thankfully his bag made it so now he has plenty of underwear :) He was a good sport even though he still wasn’t feeling well.
We boarded the ship on the 22nd with our friends and set out for the Caribbean, visiting Haiti, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. So much food and so much to do on the ship, yet Wally lost weight and slept a lot. I watched for things to turn around a little but he never really got his energy back. We flew back home on the 29th and he had chemo again on July 3rd. We mentioned symptoms to the doctors but they were not too concerned. He was prescribed a new anti-nausea drug called marinol which is synthetic pill derived from marijuana. Thankfully we have insurance because this is one expensive drug – I guess I understand why people end up ingesting the real stuff, it’s much cheaper! To make a long story short, that didn’t work either.
Wally had completely lost his appetite and didn’t want to eat or drink anything – he lost 20 pounds within 6 weeks and just had no energy. He had chemo again this past Thursday and the doctor instructed him to take his pills a little differently and if that didn’t work then he would need to come in to the hospital on Monday for some tests and to call first thing Monday morning. Well, we called ALL of Monday and it wasn’t until he started running a fever that they finally had me bring him in to Emergency. Right now they say he has an infection in his liver which they will drain tomorrow (Thursday). He has had a CT scan and endoscopy and may have another test either tomorrow or Friday. He is resting now but food and drink still don’t work well for him so they will continue to run diagnostic tests to try and figure out what is happening in his gut.
We seem to be back on the roller coaster ride we were on in the beginning of this “adventure”. We covet your prayers and know that our God is faithful and good and makes no mistakes. As the old hymn says, “My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus’ blood and righteousness... On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” We continue to try and look at the eternal and not dwell on the now.
Hopefully I can update this in a few days,
Sheri
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Smaller is better, as far as tumors go
Posted for Sheri...
Hi All,
As I write this, I am sitting at Virginia Mason Hospital with Wally as he receives his chemo. I decided I would wait to update you once we received the results from his CT scan, chest x-ray and blood work which he had done yesterday.
The good news is that it looks as if the tumor has shrunk! The doctor said that they had a hard time getting a good picture of it but from what they could tell, they believe it went from 30mm to 16mm (if I have my measurements correct). All of his numbers look good so they are calling him stable – I, of course, might argue that statement :) The only negative thing that was said was that there might be a few more sites on his abdominal wall but the doctor didn’t seem too concerned with that and was actually quite pleased with his progress.
He feels more tired these days, especially the first week after his chemo. This is very common with the other patients undergoing this treatment. It sounds like the accumulation of the chemo just starts to tire you for a longer period of time. He thinks he’s being lazy because he’s so used to going, going, going and has a hard time taking it easy. Of course with the schedule we have been keeping, I’m exhausted too and I’m the healthy one! Within the last 2 months, he’s been to Atlanta, California twice and will be leaving Sunday to go to Baltimore for the yearly Sleep Show! Then we are off cruising with the family and friends on June 20th and a 4th of July party to prepare for when we get home, not to mention the many home improvement projects he has planned for the summer – yes, we did just build a NEW home.
He has learned how to actually read a book cover to cover and enjoy it – he was always a ‘skimmer’. Although please make a mental note that he is not reading a book that has actual paper pages, he had to find some electronic gadget which he can download the books onto. I can see it in his mind that he is already making changes to this gadget and is sure it can be improved upon. Therefore, Reed already has dibs on this latest gadget knowing full well that Wally will get the new version as soon as it hits the shelves!
Wally and I have always been planners for our future together and yet the scripture from James 4:13-15 keeps coming to my mind and reminding us how we should really be living day to day. “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
We are thankful for all of you and continue to covet your prayers as we continue to live day by day in a way that would please our Lord.
Until next time,
Sheri
Hi All,
As I write this, I am sitting at Virginia Mason Hospital with Wally as he receives his chemo. I decided I would wait to update you once we received the results from his CT scan, chest x-ray and blood work which he had done yesterday.
The good news is that it looks as if the tumor has shrunk! The doctor said that they had a hard time getting a good picture of it but from what they could tell, they believe it went from 30mm to 16mm (if I have my measurements correct). All of his numbers look good so they are calling him stable – I, of course, might argue that statement :) The only negative thing that was said was that there might be a few more sites on his abdominal wall but the doctor didn’t seem too concerned with that and was actually quite pleased with his progress.
He feels more tired these days, especially the first week after his chemo. This is very common with the other patients undergoing this treatment. It sounds like the accumulation of the chemo just starts to tire you for a longer period of time. He thinks he’s being lazy because he’s so used to going, going, going and has a hard time taking it easy. Of course with the schedule we have been keeping, I’m exhausted too and I’m the healthy one! Within the last 2 months, he’s been to Atlanta, California twice and will be leaving Sunday to go to Baltimore for the yearly Sleep Show! Then we are off cruising with the family and friends on June 20th and a 4th of July party to prepare for when we get home, not to mention the many home improvement projects he has planned for the summer – yes, we did just build a NEW home.
He has learned how to actually read a book cover to cover and enjoy it – he was always a ‘skimmer’. Although please make a mental note that he is not reading a book that has actual paper pages, he had to find some electronic gadget which he can download the books onto. I can see it in his mind that he is already making changes to this gadget and is sure it can be improved upon. Therefore, Reed already has dibs on this latest gadget knowing full well that Wally will get the new version as soon as it hits the shelves!
Wally and I have always been planners for our future together and yet the scripture from James 4:13-15 keeps coming to my mind and reminding us how we should really be living day to day. “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
We are thankful for all of you and continue to covet your prayers as we continue to live day by day in a way that would please our Lord.
Until next time,
Sheri
Monday, April 7, 2008
Man Cave, Flying & Home Theater
Posted for Sheri...
Hi Everyone,
I figured since there have been so many phone calls wondering how Wally was doing, I thought I better get on the ball and update this blog.
Well, you can't keep Wally down, especially when he had an offer to go to sunny Las Vegas for a few days with a friend. He had a great time seeing shows, eating and taking a ride over to Hoover Dam in a convertible in the SUN! (Yes, I'm jealous!) He has been actually feeling exceptionally well these days so if you see him in person and ask how he is doing, he will probably flash you his T-shirt which he got from the Las Vegas show of "Spamalot". It reads, "I'm Not Dead Yet".
God has been truly gracious to him since he really hasn't had too hard of a time with his chemo these last 3 times. He had his CT scan, x-ray, and blood draws last week and was very relieved to hear that all looked good. The cancer has not spread and the tumor has not grown so he has stayed stable and can continue with the treatment.
We have hit the six month mark. I can't figure out if it feels like forever or just yesterday that he was diagnosed with cancer. I suppose it depends on the day. He has six more months to go with this particular treatment and then the doctor and Wally will evaluate the situation and come up with some sort of maintenance plan.
Wally finally gave in and had a port put into his chest last Thursday so that the nurses can more readily administer the chemo and draw blood without having to continue to stick the veins in his arm. We'll see how it works in a few days when he goes in for his next treatment.
He continues to stay busy with projects such as our wine cellar (or man cave, dungeon, retreat - it has many names), figuring out where to put a garage, contemplating flying lessons - yes, FLYING, as in an airplane, still involved with Sleep-X, many lunches with the guys (more than any women I know), updating our entertainment room (we've been here almost 2 years so it was obviously very technologically outdated - I'm still trying to figure out how to use the old remote controls!).
I still make Wally drink his "cancer" tea which I'm sure he does strictly to appease me or he just doesn't want to hear me nag at him:) He is very much at peace with this trial God has placed before him and his latest favorite verse which brings him much peace is from Matthew 6:27 "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" He continues to be joyful as he lives the life God has given him and desires to serve Him in whatever capacity that may be.
Thank you all again for your prayers, emails, phone calls, cards, visits, etc. We both appreciate them so very much.
Until next time,
Sheri
Hi Everyone,
I figured since there have been so many phone calls wondering how Wally was doing, I thought I better get on the ball and update this blog.
Well, you can't keep Wally down, especially when he had an offer to go to sunny Las Vegas for a few days with a friend. He had a great time seeing shows, eating and taking a ride over to Hoover Dam in a convertible in the SUN! (Yes, I'm jealous!) He has been actually feeling exceptionally well these days so if you see him in person and ask how he is doing, he will probably flash you his T-shirt which he got from the Las Vegas show of "Spamalot". It reads, "I'm Not Dead Yet".
God has been truly gracious to him since he really hasn't had too hard of a time with his chemo these last 3 times. He had his CT scan, x-ray, and blood draws last week and was very relieved to hear that all looked good. The cancer has not spread and the tumor has not grown so he has stayed stable and can continue with the treatment.
We have hit the six month mark. I can't figure out if it feels like forever or just yesterday that he was diagnosed with cancer. I suppose it depends on the day. He has six more months to go with this particular treatment and then the doctor and Wally will evaluate the situation and come up with some sort of maintenance plan.
Wally finally gave in and had a port put into his chest last Thursday so that the nurses can more readily administer the chemo and draw blood without having to continue to stick the veins in his arm. We'll see how it works in a few days when he goes in for his next treatment.
He continues to stay busy with projects such as our wine cellar (or man cave, dungeon, retreat - it has many names), figuring out where to put a garage, contemplating flying lessons - yes, FLYING, as in an airplane, still involved with Sleep-X, many lunches with the guys (more than any women I know), updating our entertainment room (we've been here almost 2 years so it was obviously very technologically outdated - I'm still trying to figure out how to use the old remote controls!).
I still make Wally drink his "cancer" tea which I'm sure he does strictly to appease me or he just doesn't want to hear me nag at him:) He is very much at peace with this trial God has placed before him and his latest favorite verse which brings him much peace is from Matthew 6:27 "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" He continues to be joyful as he lives the life God has given him and desires to serve Him in whatever capacity that may be.
Thank you all again for your prayers, emails, phone calls, cards, visits, etc. We both appreciate them so very much.
Until next time,
Sheri
Monday, March 3, 2008
Good News
Posted for Sheri...
Hi Everyone,
Yes, I know I have been lax in keeping you updated. Just remember that no news is good news! Wally's chemo session on Feb 14 - Valentines Day, was "sweet". (Sorry for the pun) He was a little fearful that it was going to be a difficult treatment but it went very smooth and he was able to sleep. His red blood cell count was up to 35 and his CT scan and X-ray all looked good. He actually only experienced "chemo flu" for about a day and a half! He has been experiencing a little more pain in his stomach, hence the discovery of "Vicodin". Wally is not much of a drug man so when I mentioned that it is addictive, he decided that maybe he should only take it when absolutely necessary, not a few here and a few there for precautionary measures!
His chemo session on the 28th also went extremely smooth. We were in and out of the hospital in record time - 5 1/2 hours! I was a little concerned since he was flying out to Washington DC on Sunday for business and he usually gets hit with the "chemo flu" on Saturday but I spoke with him tonight and he hasn't been hit with it at all! Prayers are definitely being answered.
He continues to be "Project Man" and always has something brewing in his head. I continue to try and keep up with him but he seems to always be ahead of me by several steps.
We are learning how to schedule our time and food around his chemo. We save the fun things and the good, flavorful food for the week after chemo.
Please continue to keep him and our family in your prayers.
Sheri
Hi Everyone,
Yes, I know I have been lax in keeping you updated. Just remember that no news is good news! Wally's chemo session on Feb 14 - Valentines Day, was "sweet". (Sorry for the pun) He was a little fearful that it was going to be a difficult treatment but it went very smooth and he was able to sleep. His red blood cell count was up to 35 and his CT scan and X-ray all looked good. He actually only experienced "chemo flu" for about a day and a half! He has been experiencing a little more pain in his stomach, hence the discovery of "Vicodin". Wally is not much of a drug man so when I mentioned that it is addictive, he decided that maybe he should only take it when absolutely necessary, not a few here and a few there for precautionary measures!
His chemo session on the 28th also went extremely smooth. We were in and out of the hospital in record time - 5 1/2 hours! I was a little concerned since he was flying out to Washington DC on Sunday for business and he usually gets hit with the "chemo flu" on Saturday but I spoke with him tonight and he hasn't been hit with it at all! Prayers are definitely being answered.
He continues to be "Project Man" and always has something brewing in his head. I continue to try and keep up with him but he seems to always be ahead of me by several steps.
We are learning how to schedule our time and food around his chemo. We save the fun things and the good, flavorful food for the week after chemo.
Please continue to keep him and our family in your prayers.
Sheri
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Jackhammers and wine
Posted for Sheri...
Hi Everyone,
Just a quick update on Wally's latest chemo session last Thursday. First, we are very thankful that his liver function numbers are back to normal due to the new stent. Secondly, his red blood cell count is on the rise - yeah! He is now at 32, up 4 points from the week before. Normal levels for a man are between 39 and 50. The chemo session itself was pretty uneventful. Again we were there for a little over 6 hours while he had a full treatment. He hadn't had a full dose since December 20th due to high liver function numbers or being admitted to the hospital for his stent replacement. Unfortunately, this last session was probably his most difficult. "Chemo flu" set in a little earlier than normal and knocked him off of his feet. He still tries to keep busy and I still keep trying to tell him to relax a little. He is in the process of working on the wine cellar, or man-cave as some like to call it (thankfully we have others to do the hard messy stuff especially since I put my foot down on the jack-hammering!). We also met with a naturopath at the hospital who gave us some good guidelines and advice on what things his body needs at this time. I am now juicing kale and carrots and mixing it with organic apple juice which he definitely prefers over beet juice:) Please continue to pray for his health. We are thankful that he has been sustained this far without too much pain.
Until next time,
Sheri
Hi Everyone,
Just a quick update on Wally's latest chemo session last Thursday. First, we are very thankful that his liver function numbers are back to normal due to the new stent. Secondly, his red blood cell count is on the rise - yeah! He is now at 32, up 4 points from the week before. Normal levels for a man are between 39 and 50. The chemo session itself was pretty uneventful. Again we were there for a little over 6 hours while he had a full treatment. He hadn't had a full dose since December 20th due to high liver function numbers or being admitted to the hospital for his stent replacement. Unfortunately, this last session was probably his most difficult. "Chemo flu" set in a little earlier than normal and knocked him off of his feet. He still tries to keep busy and I still keep trying to tell him to relax a little. He is in the process of working on the wine cellar, or man-cave as some like to call it (thankfully we have others to do the hard messy stuff especially since I put my foot down on the jack-hammering!). We also met with a naturopath at the hospital who gave us some good guidelines and advice on what things his body needs at this time. I am now juicing kale and carrots and mixing it with organic apple juice which he definitely prefers over beet juice:) Please continue to pray for his health. We are thankful that he has been sustained this far without too much pain.
Until next time,
Sheri
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Posted for Sheri...
Hi All,
Just thought I would give you a quick update on what is going on with Wally. As you know, he was admitted to the hospital last Thursday to have a new stent put in since the tumor was blocking the old one. His liver function numbers were rising and his red cell blood count was dropping. The doctors allowed him to come home on Friday with some iron and vitamin C in hopes of raising his red blood cell count. We went to the clinic on Tuesday for a blood draw and are very thankful that his liver function is dropping to more normal levels due to the new stent but his red blood cell count has remained the same. That being said, he tends to tire a little easier and I would say could use a suntan to bring some color to his cheeks:) Of course, Wally being Wally, he doesn't allow much to slow him down. He has many 'toys' and needs to play with them, such as his new jack-hammer! So how many people do you know own their own jack-hammer? Needless to say, he received a verbal tongue lashing from me (I feel like the mother of 6, not 5!) for not only the jack-hammering event but the next day, he decided to move around some logs! I know that he wants to stay busy and active but if any of you have ideas that might be more suitable to his condition i.e.. nothing that will strain or jiggle his insides, it would be very much appreciated:)
His next chemo will be next Thursday the 31st (his birthday) then again on Valentines Day. I think there is something wrong with this picture!
Thank you all again for your prayers, thoughts, cards, and emails. We are all hanging in and riding this thing together.
Until next time,
Sheri
P.S. Here's a short video of Wally coming to the rescue to help his next door neighbor remove a pipe from his lawn.
Hi All,
Just thought I would give you a quick update on what is going on with Wally. As you know, he was admitted to the hospital last Thursday to have a new stent put in since the tumor was blocking the old one. His liver function numbers were rising and his red cell blood count was dropping. The doctors allowed him to come home on Friday with some iron and vitamin C in hopes of raising his red blood cell count. We went to the clinic on Tuesday for a blood draw and are very thankful that his liver function is dropping to more normal levels due to the new stent but his red blood cell count has remained the same. That being said, he tends to tire a little easier and I would say could use a suntan to bring some color to his cheeks:) Of course, Wally being Wally, he doesn't allow much to slow him down. He has many 'toys' and needs to play with them, such as his new jack-hammer! So how many people do you know own their own jack-hammer? Needless to say, he received a verbal tongue lashing from me (I feel like the mother of 6, not 5!) for not only the jack-hammering event but the next day, he decided to move around some logs! I know that he wants to stay busy and active but if any of you have ideas that might be more suitable to his condition i.e.. nothing that will strain or jiggle his insides, it would be very much appreciated:)
His next chemo will be next Thursday the 31st (his birthday) then again on Valentines Day. I think there is something wrong with this picture!
Thank you all again for your prayers, thoughts, cards, and emails. We are all hanging in and riding this thing together.
Until next time,
Sheri
P.S. Here's a short video of Wally coming to the rescue to help his next door neighbor remove a pipe from his lawn.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Latest Update
Posted for Sheri...
Hi All,
It's Sheri again to finally update you on Wally's condition. His chemo session on the 4th was pretty uneventful except that his liver function numbers were higher than normal - we assumed it was due to a little bit of the bubbly to ring in the new year:) Therefore, the doctor said no alcohol. We were planning a 5 day cruise to Mexico 4 days after chemo and Wally was a little bummed that pina coladas were off limits for the cruise. He was certain that this tropical slushy drink was the new rainbow sherbet to cure all cancers! The first 3 days of the cruise, he wasn't feeling too peppy and slept a lot which is what this cruise was all about - RELAXING! By the 4th day, he perked up and was in true "Wally" form. :)
His stomach has been a bit more queasy these days and he has been lower on energy. We assumed it was the accumulative affect of the chemo. He became very sick last night at 2:00 in the morning and was running a high fever. He didn't want to go to the hospital so I gave him some Tylenol and put some cold compresses on his head. I finally put my foot down at 3:00 when his fever hadn't gone down enough and said we were going to the hospital anyway. We got up, dressed, warmed up the car and were ready to go when I checked his temperature one last time only to see that it was back to normal. This time he put his foot down (we do a lot of stomping around here) and said he wanted to just wait until his 9:00 appointment. Needless to say, his liver function numbers were higher, even without the pina coladas, and his billiruben number was up. The doctor determined that his stent was blocked and needed to be "unblocked" so he did not receive chemo today but instead was admitted to the hospital for another ERCP. The procedure was successful and he should be able to come home sometime tomorrow.
Wally continues to be be very much at peace with this cancer. He has a very strong faith knowing that God has numbered his days before the foundations of the earth.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support for Wally and our whole family.
Sheri
Hi All,
It's Sheri again to finally update you on Wally's condition. His chemo session on the 4th was pretty uneventful except that his liver function numbers were higher than normal - we assumed it was due to a little bit of the bubbly to ring in the new year:) Therefore, the doctor said no alcohol. We were planning a 5 day cruise to Mexico 4 days after chemo and Wally was a little bummed that pina coladas were off limits for the cruise. He was certain that this tropical slushy drink was the new rainbow sherbet to cure all cancers! The first 3 days of the cruise, he wasn't feeling too peppy and slept a lot which is what this cruise was all about - RELAXING! By the 4th day, he perked up and was in true "Wally" form. :)
His stomach has been a bit more queasy these days and he has been lower on energy. We assumed it was the accumulative affect of the chemo. He became very sick last night at 2:00 in the morning and was running a high fever. He didn't want to go to the hospital so I gave him some Tylenol and put some cold compresses on his head. I finally put my foot down at 3:00 when his fever hadn't gone down enough and said we were going to the hospital anyway. We got up, dressed, warmed up the car and were ready to go when I checked his temperature one last time only to see that it was back to normal. This time he put his foot down (we do a lot of stomping around here) and said he wanted to just wait until his 9:00 appointment. Needless to say, his liver function numbers were higher, even without the pina coladas, and his billiruben number was up. The doctor determined that his stent was blocked and needed to be "unblocked" so he did not receive chemo today but instead was admitted to the hospital for another ERCP. The procedure was successful and he should be able to come home sometime tomorrow.
Wally continues to be be very much at peace with this cancer. He has a very strong faith knowing that God has numbered his days before the foundations of the earth.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support for Wally and our whole family.
Sheri
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