Come to Jesus by Chris Rice

My uncle (Wilma's Brother) was driving home the other day and this song came on the radio, his eyes filled up with tears, just as mine do every time I hear this song. This song is so hard to listen to, but at the same time it gives me peace and hope as well...Hope it works, please let me know!

God Bless,

With Love in Christ, Alida, Wilma and Family

Thank you for the meals...but one request!

We have truly enjoyed all the meals that people have been bringing to oma's house. They have been fantastic.

However mom with a very sensitive gut must stay away from Corn, and Corn products. This includes corn on the cob, canned corn, cornstarch, cornmeal. Mom asks that if you are going to bring a meal for them to eat, that it needs to be corn free. Again we want to thank all those who have brought meals, even the ones including corn :)

The meals have been a great help to oma, and she is truly thankful. However mom can not have the corn.

Today was a very rough day, mom has been very uncomfortable. This was NOT caused by corn, but corn does seem to aggravate her IBS (Irritable bowel syndrome). Her bowels are not cooperating and this is creating havoc for mom.

I know that it may seem like a ridicoulous request, but mom needs prayer in the Guts department. Her bowels are soooo SLOW, she needs to get that moving better. So this is a specific request that you pray that mom will be able to move the bowels without to much discomfort. Mom was in a fair bit of pain because of the gas that is being stored in her guts.

Time is precious and we would love to have mom have her time here on earth to be comfortable.

It is incrediably hard on our family to see mom in such discomfort, that is uncomfortable to a normal healthy body, with the size of the tumors and its growth, mom's tummy has no room for stored up gunk. Please pray for mom today as we hope for a better day, and pray that she will get a good nights sleep.

Thank you, and God Bless,

Alida, Wilma and Family!

Photo's

The Cat likes to catch a ride with mom, on the walker...lazy feline!

We went for a walk with mom when she was in the hospital, down the path around Glenmore lake
First time meeting baby Tori " Baby Joy"

Sunshine

We all in Calgary are taking in the sunshine. It always brings some life back into people. Mom has had a few good days in a row. Praise the Lord!! However sleeping at night is still not great. Please pray that she will find comfort when she sleeps to get a sound sleep. Mom is so dependent on getting a good night sleep. Yesterday mom was sitting outside in the sun, although cool, the sun is a nice friend to see again. :)

Mom did get her new bed, and we are still waiting for the wheelchair. Us kids and mom are hoping to get to the mountains some time soon, however we make no plans and we just go with the flow.

The last few days when mom does well, the rest of us do well as well. It has been so hard to watch as cancer reeks havoc on mom's body. Mom however is not loosing weight anymore, but she not gaining either. She needs to put on some fat now. Being home from the Hospital has made a difference for mom in the food department. She had one of her favorite meals Rice and Ragu...Curry sauce and she had 2 helpings...GO MOM!!

Please pray for continued strength for mom, and for the rest of us as well. This road is going to be so hard, and have many ups and downs and curves along the way. Who knows what lies ahead. We just pray in the Hope of our Lord, that he will be gracious unto us, and grant us his peace.

God Bless,

Alida, Wilma and Family!

Day in, Day out!

Everyday seems to be different from the one before. Mom is very dependent on her sleep, if she does not sleep well, you can guarantee that it will not be a great day. Mom's antibiotics are making her very green around the gills. Mom has her good days and her not so good days, it is so different from one day to the next. She get tired so easily, from the simplest things. However mom did go for a walk to the end of the block and back!! That is a HUGE accomplishment. She is trying to be active to some degree. Mom will be getting a hospital bed, as well as a custom wheelchair as well. This will hopefully improve comfort for sleeping as well as increase her ability to get out and about.

Mom has been needing lots of naps through out the day to help give her a little boost. If you would like to visit mom, we do ask that you call ahead to my grandparents. 1-403-249-8138. We also ask that if you have a cold or flu or feeling under the weather, that you stay away until you are well. Mom still has a very weak immune system, and can not afford to be ill... Keep your buggies to yourself.... said with all the love in the world!

Tom and I are staying at Mom's(wilma's) house while mom is under the care of Oma and Opa.

We thank all those who are helping with meals, flowers and prayers!! It has been amazing all the support that we are feeling, the empathy as been overwhelming and we are truly grateful, that we are in the prayers of so many people!

Specifics to pray for: That the vomiting and nausea would cease! That the swelling in her feet would decrease.

Also we continue to ask for healing, we pray for time, we pray for the strength to get us through each and everyday. We pray that we who are caring for Wilma will not get burnt out, that we would be able to stay strong together as well.

God Bless,

Alida, Wilma and Family!

Home.

Today mom returned home, with the help of home care, and the pallative team mom is able to return home, she is remaining on the medications that she is on, but all of them are oral, which is a good thing! Mom is still very weak, and very tired most of the time. She is very glad to be home, to sleep in stillness, and to eat REAL food!! Please continue to pray for mom, as the weakness is frustrating. Mom prays for time, for peace, and for healing, please do the same.

God Bless,

Alida, Wilma and family

Laughter is the best medicine...

We often get caught up in our daily lives and forget to laugh. Now that Mom is in the situation that she is now, we love to hear her laugh. It is a sound that I want to treasure, and many other will as well. I often sound like my mom when I laugh and I have always secretly loved it. I am so fond of my mom, she is my best friend, my hero, and was always my security net, and my health adviser. If you have really funny stories to tell, please tell them, if you have a great joke please share it. Spend as much time as you can laughing!!
Mom had another really good day, as far as the cancer it is still advancing, however from the point of the infection that seems to be clearing up. Moms temperature today was normal. They started with a steroid treatment today to help bring the swelling down in the liver. This seems to have made some difference already. Mom was able to eat her whole dinner, this is the first time in quite awhile. The comfort measures seems to be working!! Praise the Lord. Please pray that this all continues to work, as things will change, that is a guarntee. So things may need to be adjusted as time goes on.
Please pray for continued strength and peace. Today mom had physio, more to make plans as to what she may need as far as equipment goes when she is able to come home. Mom will only be coming home if she remains fever free, responds well to the steroid, also only if she is comfortable with the idea of being home and confident that she can be home, with the support of home care and family.
Please pray that Everything will fall into place as far as financially as well for mom, as this is the realilty of the situation. As well as preparing for the future without her, a hard reality to face, however we must plan for this as well. We are still a young family and so things will have to be worked all out, please pray for peace when planning, both the financial reality, but also the personal belongings, and the emotions that all this will bring up. Please pray for us as we deal with this as a family. It is going to be hard for all of us, dealing with the reality is very hard.
We give thanks to our God and King for all the support that our family has recieved and will continue to ask for that support.

God Bless,

Alida, Wilma and family

Where were at...

Mom is at the Rockyview Hospital still, and things are going better, and worse all at the same time. Mom s cancer has spread, it is now through the diaphram and into the right lung, as well as in the abdomin. They are hoping to get mom home hopefully this weekend, barring that she remain fever free the rest of the week. Home care and Pallitive care is being set up so that mom can enjoy what time is left in the comfort of familiar surroundings. She will be staying at Oma and Opas house, for now, other back up plans are also in place, if and when things change.
Mom was up and at em today. She was up and dressed, she is speading time reading Gods word and spending time in prayer and enjoying every day that God is giving her on this earth. She is truly enjoying Baby Tori, and just cant stop smiling when she has Tori in her arms, she talks so highly of her as well, and she glows when people see Tori in her arms and she says this is my first grand baby, Victoria! Makes my heart leap for Joy. Mom calls Tori her baby Joy!
Spending time as a family is so important to us right now. We love to laugh together and we cry together too. There is a song that says...Say what you need to say....so important in the face of terminal cancer.
I asked mom if she felt like she was fighting a loosing battle and she said physically yes, Spiritually no, has it thrown it for a loop for sure, but we will put our hope in the everlasting life that God has promised those who choose to follow him. ( Titus)
As we her family and friends watch helplessly as Cancer takes over her body, we find some moments to be so difficult and we just wish that she would get better. However cancer is part of this world, but so is the support and love of family. Please know that all your thoughts and prayers help us not to feel so alone in this very difficult time as we watch the Mighty mouse, fight for her life, and fight for time, and physical comfort.

Also she does not mind to have visitors, however please plan on keeping your visit fairly short as exhustion is a part of the process, mom tipically has an afternoon nap around 3 pm, and again just after dinner. Moms bulletin board in her room is filling up with cards and Mom loves it!
Mom is in Unit 82, room 8220 Bed #2. She is on the 8th floor.
Keep the prayers coming!!!

God Bless!

With love in Christ,

Alida, Wilma and family!!

Update!!

Yesterday Evening (Friday Sept 3rd) Mom ( Wilma)was admitted to Rockyview Hospital with a fever and what seems to be an infection, and quite severe pain. At this point we do not know where the infection is, but what we do know is that mom is stopping treatments.
This means that mom will be kept as comfortable as possible. She currently getting pain killers and is much more comfortable. I do believe that she is in the ICU.
Her body can not take anymore treatments, now we pray for a miracle.
I recently watched the video of the benefit concert and Mom said to pray for her with With the knowledge that we serve a mighty God who said that if we ask for it and believe we will recieve it. We ask for time, for strength, for pain control, and for peace.

Our Mighty mouse gave it one good fight, now we pray for good days to remain!
We ask for your continued support both financially as well as with prayers and your love. This is a very difficult time for our family and for mom. Please pray that the cause of the infection may be found and doctors will be able to figure out the plan to treat and combat it.
Please pray that mom will remain strong so that Tom and I and baby Tori will make it out there.
My Dad and Grandma are coming to Ontario to visit, and then we will be heading out to Calgary, where our stay will be determined as the days go by. We will be leaving for Calgary before next weekend. Please pray for safety as we travel.

We ask for your continued prayers, and we ask that you lift mom up every time you think of her or anyone else who is fighting against this horrible disease called Cancer!!

I will keep the blog updated as much as I can.

With Love in Christ,

Alida, Wilma and Family