RUTH IS WITH THE LORD!!!

Ruth went to be with the Lord yesterday morning about 7:30. She died peacefully at home in no pain with my dad and I.
We are set on food, we just ask that you spend time with your families and live life to the fullest as Ruth always did. If you think of a friend that you have not spoken to in a long time, give them a call and tell them how much they mean to you.

Thank you so very very much for all of your prayers and support throughout this nearly 5 year journey we couldn't have done it without you.

Bob, Sarah and Ruth in spirit.

UPDATED:

Ruth's Memorial will be on Thursday May 12 at 4pm at the Edwards Interfaith Chapel. For any other information please see her Obit in the Vail Daily on Monday May 9th or see link below:
Ruth's Obit

Update on Ruth- 4/22/11

Once again we are going through a challenging week.

Ruth's blockage is back and she has not had any nourishment for 6-7 days. She is not on any drip other than a measured morphine pump and has chosen not to have the NG tube inserted again. She has no way to eliminate fluids that build up in her stomach other than throwing up. She is most likely below 80lbs now.

She has been home since she left the hospital a few weeks ago and the three of us were able to go to Boulder last weekend to get out of town and returned on Sunday evening as Ruth was not feeling well.

We now have hospice on board with us completely and they are helping us out a ton. Most likely we are looking at a week to 14 days. Her pain is being managed as well as her nausea. At this time she is still coherent but a little loopy with all the medications.

Please know that we appreciate your prayers and support. We are trusting in the Lord in this matter and that he will take her home quickly.

We will keep you posted with any updates on this blog and know that we are trying to spend as much time together as a family during her last days.


Thank you.

Sarah, Ruth and Bob

ANOTHER MIRACLE!!!

Once again we are blessed by God's grace! Ruth had a bowel movement on Friday night and we got the NG tube out of her on Saturday. She has spent the weekend resting and eating smooth foods and will return to work on Monday! Thank you for all of your prayers and support as we know for a fact that prayers work!! Sarah

4/7/11 Update- AM

Yesterday was a big day. Ruth's blood count was higher so they were able to drain 2 more liters out of her belly! She was also released and came home last night. She is walking around the house and enjoying being home. Today we plan to shake her upside down and I am sure she is excited to get on the treadmill. She still has the NG tube down her throat which she is not thrilled about. Home health care is helping us out at the house and my father and I are learning all the ropes for the medications that we will need to be giving her. It is a quick learning curve but I am confident that we will have a better understanding of it all in a couple of days. Thanks so much for your prayers and support. Sarah

Update on Ruth- 4/5/11- not so good

On Sunday my Dad and I brought my mom into the ER in Vail. Ruth had been in severe pain since Saturday afternoon. She has been admitted and a few tests have been done. They were able to determine that there is a blockage caused by the tumor. Her white blood cell count is very low so we are unable to drain any more acites (fluid) out of her belly. Surgery is not an option due to many factors. At this point she is in the hospital working on a pain management plan and getting her white blood cell count up and hoping to come home within the next day or two. She does have that NG tube back down her nose into her stomach. We are overwhelmed by the supportof our friends, family, community during this difficult time. We know that you feel the need to do something however at this time my dad and I are asking for your prayers and support. I will continue to keep the blog updated as I can. Thanks- Sarah

Had my second round of chemo with the drug that has been successful in the past on Feb.7th and that went well. Then on Feb. 10th, I went to Denver to have my belly drained again- removed 4.2 liters and lost 10 lbs! I will get a blood transfusion tomorrow, 2/15, because my white blood cell count is low and I have no energy. Hopefully I will be feeling much better by the end of the week - in time for a week off from school for a "winter" break. Couldn't have timed it better! God is always so faithful in rescuing me. Whenever I feel low and needy, He just steps in and provides for my every need. I am so in tuned with my body and can sense when something isn't right, so I can usually be proactive in my treatment. I will get an echocardiogram before my next chemo on Feb. 28th, and will have a CT scan sometime that following week to see how well the chemo is doing and what changes have taken place since the last one a few months ago. Until then, please continue to remember me in your prayers, as I do believe God honors the prayers of those who love Him. Bob and Sarah need your prayers, too, because they have been dealing with this chronic illness for a very long time and have never complained about anything - not even once! I am indeed blessed!
Love you,
Ruth

It's hard for me to admit to myself and you that this is the first time I have felt well enough to get to my computer and post something on my blog. After getting the ascites (fluid) removed from my belly on Wednesday, I have been in a lot of pain. I was not able to go to school on Thursday or Friday, and felt too sick to get the chemo infusion as planned on Thursday. I rescheduled the chemo for Friday, but my blood draw showed that my red blood cell count was too low to give me the infusion. So, I am now scheduled for 2 units of blood on this Monday, MLK Day, and will hopefully get the chemo on Tuesday. I am greatly discouraged that I am already a week behind where I thought I would be in the process - the fluid is already building back up which is a sign that the cancer remains unchecked by anything I am doing. I am still taking the alternative remedies for my immune system, enzymes, and sticking to the vegan diet because I know they can't hurt, and just might help in the overall scheme of things. That cancer is a tough one to beat! I have had to resort to taking some powerful narcotic pain medication and the side effect for that is constipation which causes even more pain! I feel like an old lady talking about all my aches and pains, but I did want you to know what's going on. I was able to meet with the head doctor of a Phase 1 clinical trial for endometrial patients at the University of Colorado Medical Center that could possibly be something I could participate in down the road if I remain strong in all of my bodily functions. Sarah has left the park, Patagonia Conservacion, and is traveling with her friend Caroline in Argentina. All seems to be above and beyond her wildest dreams. Bob continues to work 12-14 hour days, take care of me, the house, and all the shoveling, and still swims 3 mornings a week and runs 3 days a week. We both pray that God will loan me some of his energy, as I could really use it. Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and phone calls. It is so comforting to know that you are pulling for me and encouraging me to get through these rough days because there are brighter ones ahead! Our Lord is so faithful in meeting our every need, so at times like this, I know to just draw closer to Him. Love you-
Ruth

News from Sarah is all good - sounds like she is enjoying every minute of her experience at Conservacion Patagonica! Bob is glad that finally everything has gotten back to "normal" at the club after the holidays. I'm back at school but have been struggling with a lot of abdomenal pain and overall discomfort due to the fact that the fluid has already come back in my belly. I will be starting chemo again with a drug that I had success with over a year ago but was taken off of because of the danger of congestive heart failure for users over a long period of time. Since I have tried all of the chemo drugs that are on the "approved" list for my kind of cancer according to my insurance company, I really have no other alternative at this time. I hope the doxorubicin (trade name adriamycin) will be as effective as it was previously. My homeopathic physician has been unable to get the enzymes from Germany that he hoped to give me intravenously over the holidays, so that is on hold for now until after I get through a few rounds of the chemo. My oncologist will order an echocardiogram prior to the treatment on Monday or Tuesday of next week, and will infuse me with another drug that helps counteract the negative symptoms that might occur. I have an appointment on Wednesday, Jan. 12, to meet with doctors at University of Colorado Cancer Center in Denver about eligibility for any clinical trials they may have going on for endometrial cancer. I will also get the fluid drained from my belly that afternoon at Presbyterian St. Luke's where I have had it done the past three times. I feel so relieved that we have a plan for my treatment - I felt like we were floundering for the past few months trying different chemos that were ineffective and losing ground rather than making progress. The Lord is in control and He is faithful, so with your continued prayers and support I know that we are on the right track for now. Will keep you posted as any new developments (good or bad) come up.

My Mom and our whole family are rejoicing in God's faithfulness to us once again! His mercies are new each day! The radiologist at Presbyterian St. Lukes in Denver successfully drained 3 liters of fluid from her abdomen yesterday. It flowed freely after only one attempt which is truly an answer to specific prayer. Today she gets a CT scan, meets with her oncologist and will discuss next steps with her homeopathic physician about possible alternative treatment. We will keep you posted. Please continue to pray for discernment and wisdom as we proceed. Thanks for your prayers and good wishes! God hears our prayers!

Good news of God's faithfulness once again. After receiving a letter from my medical insurance company that they would not pay for the chemo drug that I have already received for two treatments because there is no research evidence that it is effective in my kind of cancer, I get the results of my most recent CT scan and it shows that the new lesion in my liver got smaller - from 26mm to 17! The doctors are appealing my case and will use these results to show that the drug is effective in my case. Please pray that they will resolve this matter. The scan results also said that there is no increase in the amount of fluid in my abdomen, nor is there any change in the number or size of the tumors that have been there. So no change is actually good. It's good news that the cancer has not spread to any other organs! In the meantime, the doctors contacted the insurance company that covers my prescriptions and they will cover my taking the same chemo drug orally, so I will begin taking that on Wednesday. We will have to work on the correct dosage as the body usually only absorbs about 40% compared to 100% when given intravenously. I hope and pray that I will respond positively to the oral drug as it will be so much easier to manage than going to get treatment every day for five days in a row as I have been doing. My homeopathic physician returned from a month in Germany where a team of doctors looked at my most recent scans, and he is optimistic that he can dissolve some of these tumors. We will meet to discuss what treatment options are available with him as well. There is no doubt in my mind that God hears our prayers. So many people continue to pray for me and I find great comfort in knowing that. Thank you.

One more "everyday for 5 days" chemo treatment done! Everything went well, though my red and my white blood cell counts are low. I will receive a shot today to build up my immune system a little - can't hurt and might help! I am scheduled for a CT scan on Nov. 8th to see how effective this drug (topotecan) has been. My best hope is that it has actually shrunk some of my tumors, and least is that it has not spread to any of my other organs and that the tumors have not gotten any bigger. This drug is also available in pill form to take orally; however, the insurance company has not authorized payment to receive it orally because there is not enough experimental evidence to support its effectiveness in my kind of cancer. You could be praying about that because I would find it much easier to swallow one pill a day than to have to drive up valley five days in a row to get poked and sit for a hour during the treatment. My oncologist says that it is much harder to get the exact dosage with a drug that is taken orally because the absorption rate varies greatly from one individual to another, but I'd still like to give it a try! God is always so faithful! I have had a normal amount of energy throughout a hectic week of having to stay late at school for parent-teacher conferences and trying to prepare our cars, house, and yard for the winter - just in time, too! We are experiencing a total "white-out" today, with snow falling steadily and accumulating everywhere - another example of God's bountiful provision! Please continue praying for us, as I know that Our Lord hears our prayers and answers them according to His will and purpose. Will keep you posted as I have new information to post. Sarah and Bob continue to be an unbelievable support to me. They are real troopers!

Just completed day four of five of my new chemo drug, Topotecan. This is the first time I have had to get chemo five days in a row, off two weeks, then five days again. It has definitely affected my lifestyle - have had to go in an hour earlier to school each day during treatment to make up for the hour early that I leave school in the afternoon in order to get to the Shaw Clinic in time to get finished before they close at 5 P.M. It has also necessitated finding someone to cover part of my last class each day - not really long enough to warrant getting a "sub", so different people have stepped in to help me out this week. I don't know that I can ask them to continue to do that. I'll have to make other arrangements. The good news is that so far my body has tolerated the drug well with no adverse side effects, for which I am truly grateful! The plan is to have another treatment followed by a CT scan a few weeks later to determine how effective this drug is. At that time we will assess what other options might be available. I would hope to schedule a consultation visit at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale or at MD Anderson in Houston in the near future to see what they recommend in trying to keep the cancer at bay, keep it from spreading, and maintain a long-term maintenance treatment that would afford me a normal lifestyle for as long as possible. I feel certain if there was a "magic bullet" to shrink the tumors dramatically, we would know about it.
I trust that I am getting very good care here, but it never hurts to get another opinion. Thank you for your prayers and continued support and interest in how I am doing. It means so much to all of us. You can pray for Bob's speedy recovery as well - he just had hernia surgery today but seems to be ahead of the curve again. Will keep you posted as new info worth sharing comes up.

After consulting with my oncologist on Thursday, he would like to try another chemo that has been successful with ovarian cancer patients rather than go back to the chemo I had been on previously for a year that was successful, but can have detrimental effects on the heart. So, we will probably begin that regimen on Monday, Sept. 27th. If it becomes necessary to go back to the old one, we would have to monitor the heart activity very closely. In the meantime, we will hold off draining the ascites until we see how well I do on this new drug. I forgot to have my doctor write it down for me, so I don't remember the name, not that you would even want to know! I feel well and do not notice any change in my level of energy or sleep pattern. I am in very little pain, except for the hernia in my navel, but I can certainly live with it. Please keep me in your prayers and I will keep you informed as I continue with my treatment.

My recent CT scan revealed bad news and good news. The bad news is that there is a new spot on my liver. The good news is that the multiple tumors in my abdominal cavity seem to be stable. My oncologist recommends that we drain the fluid in my belly as soon as possible and try to fix the hernia in my navel that is the size of a golf ball. I am waiting to hear if the procedures will be done here or at Presbyterian St.Luke's in Denver where I have had the procedure to drain the ascides done before. I am very disappointed that the cancer has been extremely agressive in the last few months, but we hope to stop it by returning to the old chemo regimen temporarily until we can come up with another one to try. Because the old chemo is hard on my heart, we will have to have a echocardiogram done before every treatment and monitor things very closely. In the big picture, every day that I have been given since I was sent home from the hospital last December to die has been a gift. I am so grateful for every day, the wonderful summer I had, and the great start to another school year! We will continue to treat my cancer as any other chronic disease by being proactive in every way - spiritually, physically, and emotionally. I'm not giving up, nor should you - please continue to pray for discernment and Divine guidence throughout this time when we will have to make important decisions regarding the quality of life that I have while I am still on this planet. God is soverign in my life, and He has indeed been so merciful and good to me. I have never taken for granted your faithfulness in remembering me in your prayers. It is such a blessing knowing that I have your loving support. I'll continue to post updates as I have them.

I received the second dose of Doxal on Monday and all went well. I'm feeling a little tired today after the first day back with children at school, but so are the majority of teachers, many of whom are a lot younger than I am, so I'm not to worried about it. I just might have to go home and take a nap! The kids seem to like my new "hairdo", which is short but a bit different from last year - light brown with gold highlights so I won't look as old as I feel! I'm back full time as long as I have the energy to do my job with enthusiasm. If I have to drop to part-time, a lady who has worked in the library with me for years will job share with me. So far everything is going well, PRAISE GOD! I will get a CT scan next Thursday to determine the growth, or lack of growth, in size and number of tumors, and after reviewing the results, the oncologist will decide whether to stick with this drug or move on to something else. The homeopathic physician is going to the clinic in Germany that he is affiliated with in the latter part of September and will take the disk with my most recent CT scan images to the team of cancer specialists there to see what they recommend. So far we have been unsuccessful in shrinking the tumors significantly. They haven't gotten bigger, but they haven't gotten significantly smaller, either. I am experiencing more fluid accumulating in my abdomenal area as well in that I can't zip up pants that I could wear at the beginning of the summer. That's usually not a good sign either. Sarah is off to Washington, D.C. this week and so is hurricane Earl - hope it misses her and everyone else! Bob is back doing any and all exercise that he feels up to. He is training for a century ride in Boulder in 2 weeks, so he has been spending time in the saddle. I'm so grateful that I feel better than I did at this time last year. I feel that I am making progress and that I am able to enjoy my "normal" life. Your continuing prayers are always needed and cherished. Will give another update after getting the results of the scan.

My new chemo regimen, the drug Doxil, took me down a notch or two, but I am feeling better now. This summer has been so wonderful - I've felt like my old self before I got sick, with loads of energy, no pain, and feeling stronger every day. The treatment this past Monday was the first time with this drug, so I am a little discouraged that it left me feeling so fatigued, with pain in my abdomen, cramping in my hands and feet, and overall operating at about 60% instead of 90%. After a few days of sleeping a lot and not doing much of anything, I am starting to feel better, so I'm hopeful that I will continue to improve. My oncologist would like to keep me on this drug for 3 treatments, given every 28 days and then we will evaluate how effective or ineffective it is in addressing the spread of cancer in my body, as well as in reducing the size of the tumors. So we won't have any tests done until the end of September. Thank you for continuing to pray for me. School starts on Aug. 23rd, so I need all the energy I can possibly have to put in a full work day. Bob and Sarah are doing fine. Sarah will participate in a triathlon this weekend, so she has been training like a maniac! Bob will do a 100 mile bike ride in Boulder in a few weeks, so he's been working out a lot, too. The weather is already turning a little cooler - fall will be here before we know it!

My recent trip to Louisiana to see family and dear friends was truly therapeutic! God blessed me with boundless energy while I was there in spite of the heat and humidity. It was a wonderful 12 days, but I must admit that it does feel good to be home again. I will have my next chemo on August 2nd when we anticipate that we will change to a different chemo drug that works similarly to the one I have been on, but without the negative side effects to the heart. Bob continues to improve after his heart surgery and is back to running, swimming, and biking daily. Sarah is doing well on her exercise regimen and mostly plant-based diet, so I guess you could say as a family we are supporting each other as we try to live a healthy lifestyle so that we can feel good every day! I am enjoying each day of summer vacation before I start back to work on Aug. 23rd in my same position as full-time librarian at the same school I have been in for a while now. I am indeed blessed to be there and am looking forward to another great year! I am so grateful that I feel like my "old" self again - like I am not even sick! God is so good and merciful. I didn't think that I would ever feel this well again. I didn't think I would ever have another beautiful summer in Colorado, so I know that each and every day is truly a gift from Him!

I'm happy to say that my June 21st tests all revealed that not much change for better or worse has taken place since the last battery of tests. The fact that the tumors have not gotten larger, and that the cancer has not spread anywhere else is reason to celebrate! My chemo went well on June 23rd. We decided to stay on the same chemo regimen until after I return from my visit to Louisiana in July. Until then, Bob, Sarah, and I continue to enjoy each and every day in the Colorado mountains and have been keeping a very busy schedule to include all the things we enjoy doing.
Bob celebrated his 64th birthday yesterday and is recovering really well from his heart surgery in May. He is back running, road biking, swimming, and working 12 hour days. Sarah is quite busy at the rec center now that all the kids are out of school on summer vacation. While she is anxious for school to resume, I am thankful that I still have about 6 weeks left before I will return to work. We are so blessed to live in this beautiful place where we have the support of so many wonderful friends. God is so good! My next update will be at the end of July after my next chemo and my trip to Louisiana.

School's out! YEA!!! I can't tell you how relaxed I feel already. Summer in the mountains of Colorado this year is truly a gift from God. I can honestly remember laying in bed at the hospital in the Hospice room, watching the snow falling outside and thinking that I would probably never see a Colorado summer again. So, I plan to make the most of each and every day, doing all the things we enjoy, and savor every moment for what it is - a wonderful gift! I had chemo last Thursday. I am scheduled for a CT scan, an echocardiogram, and a port flow test on June 21st. The oncologist is thinking that we will not schedule another chemo on the 23rd as I would normally have, but rather take some time off, let my body regroup, and see what happens. We will monitor my body closely, and if we think that I need to get back on some kind of chemo, he has a different one in mind to try. The current chemo drug has been very effective in keeping the cancer from spreading, and has actually reduced the size of the big tumor, but it is very hard on my heart. So, we will try a different drug that acts similarly to the one I am on now, but hasn't the drawback of the heart deal, although I'm sure it has its own drawbacks, whatever they are. Last summer when I got off of everything and was just taking my homeopathic remedies and following the RAVE diet, I didn't do so well, so I hope my body is stronger now and will respond to less treatment in a positive way! Bob is doing really well in the monitored cardiac rehab program at the Shaw Center where I receive my treatments. The staff there is very knowledgeable and helpful. On his off days, he does the excercises using his own heart monitor. Sarah just finished a 10K race in Port Angeles, WA, where she was visiting her old roommate from CMC in Steamboat. She has lost 30 pounds over the past year and is feeling so much more energetic and stronger than before. She often rides her bike to and from work now that the days are nice and long, and works in the masters' swim program three times a week, so she is serious about getting into shape. We all feel so blessed to be together and to feel so well after a roller-coaster year. I was asked to give an "inspirational" message at the state Delta Kappa Gamma Conference in Longmont this weekend, and of course I shared my "miracle" story of how God healed me at Christmastime. So many women came up to me afterward to tell me how touched they were by my message, and that they would share it with others they know who are struggling with pain and hopelessness. Many asked me for my contact information so that they could pass it along to a loved one. I was so happy that I was able to offer encouragement to them. Please continue to keep us in your prayers, as I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is faithful in answering them!

This is more of an update on Bob rather than me- I continue to feel amazingly well and have been in Grand Junction with Bob all week while he is recovering from aortic valve replacement surgery. He had several days of intense discomfort in ICU, but since he has been discharged from there, most of the tubes have come out and he is functioning extremely well on his own. He has been walking 4-5 times a day and his vital signs are excellent. We anticipate that we will be able to go home tomorrow - Sunday. We praise Jesus for His mercy and favor during this difficult time. With God's abundant provision, I have no doubt that Bob will continue to improve. Thank you for your prayers and support. My next chemo is on June 3rd, so please continue to keep both of us in your daily prayers.