Prayer Notice & Brief Update 2/28/2012

an email Lariate sent 2/28/2012

Hello Friends and Family,

We’ve been working through nearly six months (March 10^th will be 6 months) of our intense cancer therapy. Times are busy, but we desire to join in community once again to pray our way through this journey the Lord has us on. If you cannot make it please join us in prayer wherever you are.

Everyone is invited to come for a time of prayer for Lariate and the Wiegel family! We will be meeting at the Bentley’s house.

Date: Saturday, March 3rd
Time: 9:30am

Here is a brief UPDATE:

I had more blood work done last Wednesday and the results should be here this week for us to consult with our doctors soon. This Friday afternoon, I have an ultrasound…the first “picture” so to speak since beginning therapy nearly six months ago. This ultrasound will be the same one I had done in August that revealed the “staging” of my cancer. If you remember, it revealed a T3 penetration, meaning the cancer was into the colon wall but not yet penetrated thru (which would be a T4). Anyway this will be the first “picturing” we will have since starting therapy. Upon the results we receive Friday and consulting with our team of doctors, we will decide upon which subsequent picture would be most beneficial (whether a colonoscopy or perhaps a PET scan of the body) to track this cancer.

Overall I am feeling well physically… overwhelmed at times…always running behind on therapy demands…scattered with the complexities of managing my therapy needs, being a wife, mother of three little ones, home upkeep, desire for stillness, longing to be set free from this binding regiment, praying for healing, o’ the list goes on. This isn’t the happiest of seasons in our life but we are trusting in a mighty God.

With the “long-haul” of therapy setting in we are asking for Friday’s appointment to bring us encouragement. We ask that this picture would reveal encouraging progress. Please pray for this.

Dhondi and I are weary. We need respite. We have discussed and are now looking into hiring some aspects of our complex needs so that the tensions we have been bearing for nearly six months may be better managed and bring some peace and rest to our home and marriage…we still have a year and a half to go and want to bear thru this well and remain connected and purposeful together as a family rather than frazzled, disconnected and tired. Please pray for this as well. Specifically for wisdom, workers, financial provision and rest.

With Grace,

Lariate (& Dhondi)

A time for Cancer?

This year, I started reading through the book of Ecclesiastes and the Holy Spirit has been speaking in a Fatherly tone as I listen to the words of Solomon giving wisdom about living and enjoying life in all of it’s seasons.  Solomon says that there is a time for everything and each season of life has it’s purpose. 

Like many of you, there are seasons that I’m eager to quickly move past (AZ summers, diaper changing, the flu) and others that I wish I could float in for eternity (my wedding day, watching my son build with excitement, a good wine).  Solomon goes on to say that everything God has made is beautiful in its time and that “nothing is better then to rejoice and to do good in our lives.”  (Ecc 3:11ff). 

I have a confession for 2011.  I don’t like that my wife has cancer.  Cancer is an unwelcomed season in my home and in my marriage and in my family.  Before her diagnosis, it never dawned on me that cancer would become a part of our lives.  Once the diagnosis came, I was heartbroken that the world we lived in (the one where 35 year old women DON’T get cancer) was not the real world and that the real world was not as safe as I thought.  The truth is - right now - I don't particularly care for this season of life. 

As 2012 dawns, I’m finding encouragement from the words of Solomon to enjoy this season rather than ignoring the reality (and possibly the beauty) of what it means to live with cancer.  I’ll continue to share updates on the status of my wife’s health as well as personal reflections on our experience.

So, what does this season of cancer look like presently?  It’s a lot of busy routine.  The day begins at 7AM with coffee and ends at 7PM with a Green Juice.  Lariate is a trooper and is firmly committed to the demanding rigors of Gerson Therapy.  With the help of our support team, she is enjoying 12 daily juices, three square meals, and all the prep and planning that goes into making it happen.  We have been blessed to have such a great network of friends and family who have served in our home at all hours with everything from veggie washing to house cleaning.  We have also been blessed to have Sprouts Famer’s Market join Team Lariate by providing all of our organic produce in a convenient weekly pickup. 

We have had three visits with our Dr’s in Arizona and two phone consults with our Dr’s in Mexico.  So far, there is little or no change.  My wife still has cancer.  It does not seem to have grown or spread.  I suppose this is good news.

In the midst of the rigorous demands of Gerson, we are finding ways to enjoy time together.  Lariate and I attended the GTN vision banquet in October and the family headed up to Williams after Christmas to take a trip on the Polar Express. This was a fun memory maker for the boys and David still talks about Santa Claus with me each morning while I sit and read my bible.  The boys are doing well and have ample distractions with their recent Christmas booty.  I look forward to sharing more of this journey with you in 2012.  Please take some time and tell us about your season of life.  You can leave a comment below or send us an email.  We are greatly encouraged by such notes!

Dhondi