Maria had just given birth to little Dave a month before... as we were wrapping up John's 6 weeks of radiation as we stayed at their house each night.
There have been 3 new grandchildren since this taken 2 years ago... two are in heaven and one is with us, and two new ones are on the way...
So pretty!!!!!!!! I think this was just before we headed to Rochester knowing that we would possibly be there for up to 2 months with John's stem cell transplant. Tomorrow is John's second birthday - the tests were over, the collection of stem cells was done, the chemo was wrapping up today, tomorrow we checked in and the very BIG occassion happened - John's stem cells came into the room in a small innocent looking bag... along with 3 nurses! This was a big deal! This was the rebirth of John! So many prayers were being prayed that day!
This morning I was curious to go back to caringbridge and remember the kind of day we had - getting mentally and spiritually and physically prepared for our stem cell the next day! Pat was there too! I cut and pasted our entry for the 26th...
"It is a different day... Pat took John in this morning for his usual check up. It is nice to have a day off from the running, and Pat takes the role of the caregiver today. John continues to feel well, and ate a good breakfast along with the numerous antibiotics and antifungals that he takes morning and night. He is as of this morning off of steroids once again, so his energy level will drop along with the increasing damage to his cells from the chemo... so far we are enjoying the "good" days with him.
Pat will also be here in the morning... when we head in at 5a for the stem cell transplant... His new birtday arrives bright and early... I have a bunch of birthday candles in the cupboard for a week from now... but I might have to break out a few for tomorrow! Please prayer warriors ...we need you with us tomorrow for the big day of "resurrection"!
John prayed for all of you this morning; "Bless all the people praying for me. Give them the graces that I have been blessed with along this journey." Those graces include: HUMILITY, compassion, gentleness, humor, acceptance, courage, trust, loving attitude, calm, peace, willingness, strength.....
Once again morning prayer was shared by the three of us sitting in our comfortable living room after breakfast... after the guys had read an article about the Twins on line...
The morning meditation titled... How to do the Will of God by Dom Augustin Guillerand, O Cart. (1945) - a French Carthusian monk and a revered spiritual author.
"Be calm, infinitely calm, both in soul and in body. Do not attempt too much, but what you do, do well and gently....We must make use of all that Divine Providence sends us: reverses, falls even; bearing always in mind the good that the Holy Spirit wants to draw from these things.... The Holy Spirit also makes use of reverses to correct our faults and set us on our way again. Use everything, then, with this end in view; in all weathers, keep your compass pointing to God; make Him your aim."
The last day of John's radiation - he had rung the bell marking the end of his daily radiation of his brain and was gifted(?) with the personalized mask he wore so that he wouldn't move and get the affected areas with the radiation!
Continuing with the entry from caringbridge - Jan 26, 2010...
"The "storms" of life toss us around, O Lord. You are there walking across the water to us... calming the storm... teaching us to trust in You... no matter what... our faith becomes stronger at these times of trial and "reversals" from the path of life we think we are going down and then it all changes... So many graces comes to us as we follow you into the dark valley. "If you want us to... we will follow you there." Jesus, we trust in You! Bless-bless, Pat, Barb and John Verly... the Three Muskateers.... united we stand in Rochester!John and Pat just walked in the door... His WBC's are down from yesterday... dropping from 2.9 (normal is 3) to 1.6 today... It shows that the chemo is at work... Prayer needs to be mixed in for it to work at its optimum and protection for John. Everything else is going along OK... John is resting on the couch... resting on this day of rest!
Thanks Marcia and all you prayer warriors back from Guatemala... John went there with a group of youth from Marshall the summer before his senior year... mentioning your "prayers on the mountaintop"... brings back for him the beauty and simplicity of life in Guatemala. Thank you and blessings! "
Our family Christmas was around New Years that year due to all the weather and treatments etc!!!!!! But it was a memorable one with the fun crowns made by Nancy and John. Little did we know that it was a party for NO Cancer ever again!
Lord, it is so good to look back to this very huge time in our family - the final step in John's healing and defeating the giant once and for all! We were forever changed by the Cross called cancer/healing, and there were so many that shared the power of prayer with us! How we depended upon all of those that prayed us to healing! John came to know you through this journey - he is the new and different John and is now willing to share his light as the Gospel of today - Jesus said to his disciples, "Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing secret except to come to light. Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear." How I love when you speak to us, O Lord! Your words have the key to everylasting LIFE! Thank you for the JOY and HOPE of this anniversary of John's resurrection to new life! We hold it close to our hearts and souls - knowing that you have great ways that John will be used in this world. Looking at how his cancer journey alone and healing touched so many - most especially his family! Jesus, we trust in you! Amen and Halleluia!
Bless-bless, Barb"I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?' 'Here I am,' I said; 'send me!' " Isaiah 6:8
St Timothy and Titus pray for us on this your feastday! We love and need all the amazing prayers we can get! We rely on them and they are the air that we breath and the wind beneath our wings!
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