Monday, February 08, 2010
Enduring Hard Times
Background – This story begins a decade ago in the year 2000. Having worked for Vought Aircraft Company since graduating from Poly High School in 1959, I had just taken early retirement from a 40 year career in aerospace engineering. Jan and I had spent the prior ten years working with the missions’ ministry of the Richland Hills Church of Christ (RHCC), experiencing those amazing years where new missionary teams were being sent worldwide by the faithfulness of God and the generosity of our church. We were looking forward to being free to engage in ministry, travel to visit missionaries, share in family adventures and enjoy farm retreats during those golden years of retirement. In the first year we traveled together to visit missionaries in Moscow and St. Petersburg enjoying many adventures including visiting the Kremlin and riding an overnight train ride between the two cities. Additionally I was able to visit missionaries in many countries of Africa, Japan, the Philippines and Central America.
God’s Provisions – By the next year my modest retirement pay began to limit our travel expenditures and other expenses, so I readily accepted an offer to work for Lockheed Martin in development of the F-35 aircraft in the Joint Strike Fighter program. Soon I was traveling to aerodynamic test sites all over the country for weeks-long test programs, and Jan came many times to stay with me to share experiences in Tennessee, Georgia, New York and California. We took our oldest grandson Ryan on a trip to Dayton and Detroit as a special birthday trip when he became 10 years old. We were also able to visit our son and his family occasionally in the Atlanta area. The Lord always provided our needs, but at the time I did not realize how faithful He was in advance by providing a job, a flexible employer, insurance and funds to cover the hard times that were on the horizon.
Discovery – However, at that time we could not comprehend the personal challenges that were lying before us. In the following year, Jan went for a routine visit with an ENT doctor to investigate a breathing issue. While there, the doctor noticed a lump on her neck and recommended removal, portraying the surgery as an out-patient operation that could be accomplished in a few hours. While disturbed that she would need surgery, she took it without extreme anxiety and we went ahead with a planned family trip to a resort near San Antonio in the week before the scheduled operation.
Hard Times – During the ensuing surgery my daughter Kellye and other family members stayed with me in the waiting room. My daughter Julie and her family were still in San Antonio, but were on the way back, and my son Chris was still in Atlanta. The mood was jovial, not suspecting anything was going wrong. But after several hours in the operating room, no word on her progress was forthcoming. Finally after eight hours, the surgeon came out with a haggard look on his face and informed me that the surgery had become very complicated and was still incomplete. During removal of the lump he had inadvertently cut into her esophagus so that a tracheotomy had to be performed for her to breathe. The lump was intertwined with her thyroid gland and they were uncertain just how to proceed. I was shocked, but we surrounded the surgeon with fervent prayers before he returned to the operating team with renewed spirit. After several more hours she was taken to the CCU in critical condition, having endured a collapsed lung, a trache-tube in her neck for breathing, and a gastronomical tube in her stomach for feeding liquid formula. It was determined that she had papillary carcinoma, a form of thyroid cancer, and that they were unable to remove it all.
Blessings – Many ministers, friends and family came to the hospital and prayed for several days as her life was held in the balance. Finally her vital signs leveled out, but full recovery was still uncertain and the path forward was uncharted. I still remember the moment that she was finally able to break into a sweet smile and silently mouth the words “I love you”.
Challenges – I can hardly stand to recount all the trauma and emergency room visits that occurred after she was dismissed to our home for the ensuing three years of her life. However, there were also many blessings and a sense of purpose that accompanied the trials. Initially we had some home health care nurses provided to perform difficult tasks such as trache-tube suctioning for removal of congestion allowing her to breath, feeding her through a funnel into her stomach g-tube for nourishment, and assuring she had plenty of oxygen. The trache-tube was only the size of a soda straw, so any blockage would cause her to choke. She was unable to talk, so communication was via an ever-present chalk board for her to write on.
Emergencies – After a few days the home health care available was very limited, thus we had to learn to do many of these complex things ourselves. My daughters and I took up shifts to ensure she had constant help with her needs. A few weeks later her trache-tube became blocked and she could not breathe at all, thus 911 was called by a frantic Kellye, who was with her at the time. Jan turned blue before the medics arrived but she finally became unblocked on the way to the hospital. I went into the emergency room with the doctor then and several times later while he removed and replaced the tube. A new type of tube was provided that had a larger passageway and was easier to maintain. She learned to simulate talking with it by holding her finger over the opening and using resonant sounds. Additionally her g-tube sometimes came out of her stomach, thus trips to various emergency rooms were required to surgically reinstall it. I became an “expert” in how to do this since one hospital was unfamiliar with the procedure and asked me to stay in the room with them to communicate the procedure.
Endurance – Weeks turned into months as we worked shifts to give her constant care as necessary. There was some hope that her remaining cancer could be defeated using radioactive iodine (IR-131) treatments to attack the residual thyroid cancer. This treatment normally requires swallowing a large pill, which she was unable to do since swallowing was not an option with her damaged esophagus. A liquid form of IR-131 was available at a special hospital unit in Dallas, administered through the g-tube. Many months of IR-131 treatments, radiation, and chemotherapy were required before tests confirmed successful results two years later.
No Complaints! – During that time Jan learned to feed her liquid formula herself and even do her own trache care. This allowed us all to return to more normal lives for a season. In fact we went to church, spent time with friends and took several trips to family events, requiring emergency room trips on occasion. We loaded up the van with all her gear (oxygen, suction pumps, formula, supplies, etc.) and did whatever necessary to make her comfortable on the trips. We even drove our second grandson Cade to a family wedding and on to watch the Chicago Cubs play baseball when he became 10 years old. Jan’s courage throughout this time was truly amazing. Some of the sweetest memories of this period are of her standing during congregational singing, holding her arms up in praise to the Father, even though she could not speak.
Trials – In late 2005 it was finally time to perform needed surgery described as a “stomach pull-up” to replace her hardened esophagus while permanently removing her thorax, in hopes of her being able to eat again and breathe without a tube in her neck. The surgery initially seemed successful and she was able for the first time to sip through a straw. However the stitches did not hold, so additional “flap” surgery was performed weeks later to rebuild the neck area. I remember how hard it was to hear her question: “Do you think I will ever get better?” My answer was always “yes my dear one”. Our family Christmas celebration was shared at a special care facility during her time between surgeries. With the story still out as to the success of the procedures, she was released to go home in early 2006.
New Courts – Our old house of 35 years had been purchased by TXDOT for highway right-of-way. We brought her by to view our newly purchased house in North Richland Hills and surprised her with the results of extensive renovation work managed by daughters Julie & Kellye. She was joyfully overwhelmed with the results, raising her hands in celebration as she entered the house in a wheelchair. During the next few weeks the girls handled all details of the move to Carston Court. We were in the new house only two days before the final 911 call was made. On February 20 2006, her frail body surrendered and God called her to a new home in His own Heavenly Courts.
Jan’s Legacy – This story does not end for those that remain here on this earth. The memory of Jan’s faith, courage and legacy still impacts my life and those of friends and family. I believe that we loved each other the dearest during these struggles and our relationship was the closest in those last three years of her life.
Enduring Adversity – God gave our Minister Rick Atchley great insight in his 2003 studies of the complexities of physical and spiritual healing and the whole church was blessed by his Summit series. The highlight of the study for me was four points on how to endure great physical infirmity. My dear family, friends, Jan and I learned and put them into practice to endure the long ordeal:
1. Try not to complain – Jan, myself, and my family accepted and seldom complained about the tough circumstances.
2. Keep the home bright – My family and I made sure her surroundings were bright, clean and cheerful. We also received many cards, letters, flowers, offers of help and encouragement from many friends.
3. Look for blessings in it – God provides! Prayers were offered by hundreds of people around the world. People were helpful at hospitals, with home health care, and during our TXDOT dealings. Insurance and needed funds were provided by my employer. The RHCC shepherds and ministers were faithful in visits, encouragement and prayers.
4. Find purpose in it – I am better able to understand hard times and help others in similar circumstances. I am blessed to continue working with the shepherds of this church as we seek God’s vision for RHCC while growing followers of Jesus in worship, community and service.
God’s Provisions – By the next year my modest retirement pay began to limit our travel expenditures and other expenses, so I readily accepted an offer to work for Lockheed Martin in development of the F-35 aircraft in the Joint Strike Fighter program. Soon I was traveling to aerodynamic test sites all over the country for weeks-long test programs, and Jan came many times to stay with me to share experiences in Tennessee, Georgia, New York and California. We took our oldest grandson Ryan on a trip to Dayton and Detroit as a special birthday trip when he became 10 years old. We were also able to visit our son and his family occasionally in the Atlanta area. The Lord always provided our needs, but at the time I did not realize how faithful He was in advance by providing a job, a flexible employer, insurance and funds to cover the hard times that were on the horizon.
Discovery – However, at that time we could not comprehend the personal challenges that were lying before us. In the following year, Jan went for a routine visit with an ENT doctor to investigate a breathing issue. While there, the doctor noticed a lump on her neck and recommended removal, portraying the surgery as an out-patient operation that could be accomplished in a few hours. While disturbed that she would need surgery, she took it without extreme anxiety and we went ahead with a planned family trip to a resort near San Antonio in the week before the scheduled operation.
Hard Times – During the ensuing surgery my daughter Kellye and other family members stayed with me in the waiting room. My daughter Julie and her family were still in San Antonio, but were on the way back, and my son Chris was still in Atlanta. The mood was jovial, not suspecting anything was going wrong. But after several hours in the operating room, no word on her progress was forthcoming. Finally after eight hours, the surgeon came out with a haggard look on his face and informed me that the surgery had become very complicated and was still incomplete. During removal of the lump he had inadvertently cut into her esophagus so that a tracheotomy had to be performed for her to breathe. The lump was intertwined with her thyroid gland and they were uncertain just how to proceed. I was shocked, but we surrounded the surgeon with fervent prayers before he returned to the operating team with renewed spirit. After several more hours she was taken to the CCU in critical condition, having endured a collapsed lung, a trache-tube in her neck for breathing, and a gastronomical tube in her stomach for feeding liquid formula. It was determined that she had papillary carcinoma, a form of thyroid cancer, and that they were unable to remove it all.
Blessings – Many ministers, friends and family came to the hospital and prayed for several days as her life was held in the balance. Finally her vital signs leveled out, but full recovery was still uncertain and the path forward was uncharted. I still remember the moment that she was finally able to break into a sweet smile and silently mouth the words “I love you”.
Challenges – I can hardly stand to recount all the trauma and emergency room visits that occurred after she was dismissed to our home for the ensuing three years of her life. However, there were also many blessings and a sense of purpose that accompanied the trials. Initially we had some home health care nurses provided to perform difficult tasks such as trache-tube suctioning for removal of congestion allowing her to breath, feeding her through a funnel into her stomach g-tube for nourishment, and assuring she had plenty of oxygen. The trache-tube was only the size of a soda straw, so any blockage would cause her to choke. She was unable to talk, so communication was via an ever-present chalk board for her to write on.
Emergencies – After a few days the home health care available was very limited, thus we had to learn to do many of these complex things ourselves. My daughters and I took up shifts to ensure she had constant help with her needs. A few weeks later her trache-tube became blocked and she could not breathe at all, thus 911 was called by a frantic Kellye, who was with her at the time. Jan turned blue before the medics arrived but she finally became unblocked on the way to the hospital. I went into the emergency room with the doctor then and several times later while he removed and replaced the tube. A new type of tube was provided that had a larger passageway and was easier to maintain. She learned to simulate talking with it by holding her finger over the opening and using resonant sounds. Additionally her g-tube sometimes came out of her stomach, thus trips to various emergency rooms were required to surgically reinstall it. I became an “expert” in how to do this since one hospital was unfamiliar with the procedure and asked me to stay in the room with them to communicate the procedure.
Endurance – Weeks turned into months as we worked shifts to give her constant care as necessary. There was some hope that her remaining cancer could be defeated using radioactive iodine (IR-131) treatments to attack the residual thyroid cancer. This treatment normally requires swallowing a large pill, which she was unable to do since swallowing was not an option with her damaged esophagus. A liquid form of IR-131 was available at a special hospital unit in Dallas, administered through the g-tube. Many months of IR-131 treatments, radiation, and chemotherapy were required before tests confirmed successful results two years later.
No Complaints! – During that time Jan learned to feed her liquid formula herself and even do her own trache care. This allowed us all to return to more normal lives for a season. In fact we went to church, spent time with friends and took several trips to family events, requiring emergency room trips on occasion. We loaded up the van with all her gear (oxygen, suction pumps, formula, supplies, etc.) and did whatever necessary to make her comfortable on the trips. We even drove our second grandson Cade to a family wedding and on to watch the Chicago Cubs play baseball when he became 10 years old. Jan’s courage throughout this time was truly amazing. Some of the sweetest memories of this period are of her standing during congregational singing, holding her arms up in praise to the Father, even though she could not speak.
Trials – In late 2005 it was finally time to perform needed surgery described as a “stomach pull-up” to replace her hardened esophagus while permanently removing her thorax, in hopes of her being able to eat again and breathe without a tube in her neck. The surgery initially seemed successful and she was able for the first time to sip through a straw. However the stitches did not hold, so additional “flap” surgery was performed weeks later to rebuild the neck area. I remember how hard it was to hear her question: “Do you think I will ever get better?” My answer was always “yes my dear one”. Our family Christmas celebration was shared at a special care facility during her time between surgeries. With the story still out as to the success of the procedures, she was released to go home in early 2006.
New Courts – Our old house of 35 years had been purchased by TXDOT for highway right-of-way. We brought her by to view our newly purchased house in North Richland Hills and surprised her with the results of extensive renovation work managed by daughters Julie & Kellye. She was joyfully overwhelmed with the results, raising her hands in celebration as she entered the house in a wheelchair. During the next few weeks the girls handled all details of the move to Carston Court. We were in the new house only two days before the final 911 call was made. On February 20 2006, her frail body surrendered and God called her to a new home in His own Heavenly Courts.
Jan’s Legacy – This story does not end for those that remain here on this earth. The memory of Jan’s faith, courage and legacy still impacts my life and those of friends and family. I believe that we loved each other the dearest during these struggles and our relationship was the closest in those last three years of her life.
Enduring Adversity – God gave our Minister Rick Atchley great insight in his 2003 studies of the complexities of physical and spiritual healing and the whole church was blessed by his Summit series. The highlight of the study for me was four points on how to endure great physical infirmity. My dear family, friends, Jan and I learned and put them into practice to endure the long ordeal:
1. Try not to complain – Jan, myself, and my family accepted and seldom complained about the tough circumstances.
2. Keep the home bright – My family and I made sure her surroundings were bright, clean and cheerful. We also received many cards, letters, flowers, offers of help and encouragement from many friends.
3. Look for blessings in it – God provides! Prayers were offered by hundreds of people around the world. People were helpful at hospitals, with home health care, and during our TXDOT dealings. Insurance and needed funds were provided by my employer. The RHCC shepherds and ministers were faithful in visits, encouragement and prayers.
4. Find purpose in it – I am better able to understand hard times and help others in similar circumstances. I am blessed to continue working with the shepherds of this church as we seek God’s vision for RHCC while growing followers of Jesus in worship, community and service.
