MORE GOOD NEWS!

I think I'm still in shock after receiving a phone call from our realtor telling us we have an offer on the house!  It was a good offer, considering everything we've been through with it.  Will be closing around the 26th of November and signing papers on December 4th.  Such a blessing!  We don't even know who the people are.  It will be interesting to see.  Of course, the papers aren't signed and something unforseen could come up but I am going to think positive thoughts and trust in our Heavenly Father that it will all work out.  Sending much love!

FINALLY, THE GOOD NEWS

After almost two months of waiting and wondering, the pathology report came back yesterday.  The mass is NOT malignant.  I haven't talked with the doctor's office as yet but I was able to read the report on IHC's website.  All the prayers and blessings are the reason for the positive results.  I thank all who prayed, blessed, or put Bob's name in the Temples for the help that most assuredly helped.  We are deeply appreciative and blessed.  Bob still doesn't feel any less pain from the surgery but being Diabetic, it will take time to heal.  He, most likely, will still have some pain in the groin area because of the location of the mass, perhaps all his life but that is manageable and acceptable as long as we know it isn't cancer.

We now have a definite date for our move to Texas even though we haven't sold the house yet.  Mike and Nikki will fly out here on Saturday, November 22, 2014.  I have reserved a truck and car trailer for the move.  We will load the trailer and car (Bob's '57 T-Bird) then Nikki and Mike will drive the truck and our car to Iowa on Sunday and Bob and I will fly out Sunday, November 23, 2014 at 5:00 pm all heading to Tifany's in Iowa for Thanksgiving.  We will fly out of Omaha on Saturday, November 29, 2014 and arrive in Austin, Texas around noon.

Now all I have to do is get everything packed up that we are taking with us and we will be ready to go.  It seems we have been waiting for this day forever but now that it's so close, I'm starting to miss everyone.  It is going to be so good for Bob's health in Texas.  Medicare has approved a motorized wheelchair for him so that will be a huge help in getting him around.  As of now, he is only able to walk a few feet very slowly before he has to stop and rest and get his breath.

Jen's daughter, Brinli, was hit extremely hard yesterday in her soccer game, hit her head hard enough it knocked her out sending her to the ER.  She is feeling a bit better but it makes me angry that referees and those in charge don't take the roughness some teams display more seriously.  Somebody is going to have to be paralyzed or be killed before anyone decides to do anything about it.  It's a sad thing when this type of thing happens in sports that are supposed to teach kids good sportsmanship and fairness in games.

I have two sons-in-law that are having serious back problems.  Mike, Nikki's husband is going to have out-patient surgery on his back on Monday.  He has been unable to work for the past week because of the pain.  Brad, Becky's husband is going to be having surgery on his C-spine because of discs that have completely lost cushioning between each one.  If he doesn't have surgery, he could possibly be paralyzed if he was hit just right.  Pretty scary stuff.  We are praying for their complete recovery.

Here are a few more pictures of the new house with the counter tops installed.

Until next time.......

SURGERY UPDATE

Surgery went well on Tuesday, October 7, 2014 at LDS Hospital.  The surgeon said it kind of threw him for loop because when he went to the area that showed on the CT scan, there was nothing there.  He finally found it lower down and right up again the pelvic wall.  It was sitting next to nerves and blood vessels feeding the right leg.  It apparently looked like part of a blood vessel in a cluster like grapes.  The pathologist said he didn't know what it was but they don't think it's cancerous.  We will know more when the results come back but we are hopeful and relieved.  Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers.

A 3rd BIOPSY??

I was able to see the test results online before I spoke with the doctor's office and knew that the stomach and esophagus biopsies were normal.  The biopsy of the mass said it was nonmalignant but it was not an optimal sample.  Last Thursday I hadn't heard anything from the doctor's office so I called them to see what the next step would be.  They said Dr. Sandhu had spoken with Dr. Kim, the surgeon because they want him to do another biopsy.  What the?  Dr. Kim's office called and asked us to come in for a consult on Friday, October 3, 2014 at 11:45 a.m.  That would work for us because we were planning on going to see Becky and her family in Rexburg, Idaho anyway so we could just go to the appointment at the L.D.S. Hospital Surgical Center and then head to Idaho afterwards.  We were both really impressed with the doctor.  He's young and has a cute sense of humor.  I asked why we couldn't just go in and take the mass out instead of doing another biopsy and he said that's what he planned on doing.  He explained why the previous biopsies were worthless by comparing the mass to a watermelon.  Going through the colon with the tiny needles they have to take a sample would only pierce the skin and perhaps a little of the rind.  If you are looking for some red juicy watermelon, you won't find it.  That's why it's better to take the whole thing out and then send it to be sliced and checked to see what it actually is.  He is not convinced it is not some kind of cancer because it is not supposed to be there.  He called it a Goombah (don't know how that's spelled).  He also said the other Goombah they found down closer to the rectum looked very suspicious, too.  He acknowledged that Bob is high risk for surgery but said we don't have a choice so they will watch him closely and it is possible with his breathing problems, he might end up in ICU until they can wean him off the intubation tube but that was the worse case scenario.  So now he is scheduled for surgery this Tuesday, October 7, 2014.  It sure seems like it has taken a long time to get to this point.  We may actually have a definitive diagnosis within the next two weeks. Here's hoping and praying.

We enjoyed spending Conference Weekend with Becky, Brad, Courtney and Jace.  Jaeden is in college attending BYU Rexburg.  He came home after the first session of conference today.  He has really come out of his shell.  He talked more today than I have ever heard him talk his whole life.  He is growing into a very fine young man.  Loved listening to conference.  All the talks were very inspired and timely.  We ate lunch and then headed home in time to hear the last session on the radio.

I have some more pictures of our Texas house.  It's getting closer each week.

This shows the (dirty) wood floor and the tile floor.

Master closet.

Second bedroom/craft room closet.

Entertainment center shelves before paint.

Trim on the window seat.

Showing more of the floor in the kitchen area.

Next update will be Wednesday or Thursday after Bob's surgery.  Please keep him in your prayers.  Love you all!