03/12/10 p.m.
We spoke Bri at lunchtime, today. She’s feeling fine. She didn’t experience a physical crash after the steroid pack was removed on Wed. – no extreme fatigue or nausea. That’s great!
The chemo cocktail is exactly the same as that with which she was treated last year.
After further evaluation of her Monday PET scan, the oncologist is satisfied the small spot in the pelvic area and the small spot on her sternum were the only evidences of cancer in her torso. They’re both so small he and the chemotherapy specialist are confident that chemo treatments will kill them. The only remaining unknown from the dr.s’ perspective is the cancer on the brain. Again, 5 small tumors on the brain were left without radiation treatment and they’ll be used as a guide to help the drs. determine if the chemotherapy is crossing the blood barrier, moving into and killing any cancer in the brain.
Bri’s next chemo treatment will be Mon., Mar. 22.
Rick
Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but the number of moments that take your breath away.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
A Father’s Thoughts to his Daughter
Wed., Mar.10, 2010
This morning, after we completed initiatory work in the Mesa Temple, and as I waited for Mom in the foyer. I picked up a Book of Mormon and turned to Mormon 9. I was impressed to study more regarding God’s miracles in all dispensations of time.
Mormon 9:
15 And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.
16 Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous works of God?
17 Who shall say that it was not a miracle that by his word the heaven and the earth should be; and by the power of his word man was created of the cdust of the earth; and by the power of his word have miracles been wrought?
18 And who shall say that Jesus Christ did not do many mighty miracles? And there were many mighty miracles wrought by the hands of the apostles.
19 And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.
20 And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust.
21 Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing whatsoever, he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.
22 For behold, thus said Jesus Christ, the Son of God, unto his disciples who should tarry, yea, and also to all his disciples, in the hearing of the multitude: Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature;
23 And he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned;
24 And these signs shall follow them that believe-in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover;
25 And whosoever shall believe in my name, doubting nothing, unto him will I confirm all my words, even unto the ends of the earth.
26 And now, behold, who can stand against the works of the Lord? Who can deny his sayings? Who will rise up against the almighty power of the Lord? Who will despise the works of the Lord? Who will despise the children of Christ? Behold, all ye who are despisers of the works of the Lord, for ye shall wonder and perish.
27 O then despise not, and wonder not, but hearken unto the words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need. Doubt not, but be believing, and begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him.
I believe it’s significant that within 7 verses (21-27) the Lord reiterates profound, truths of hope and comfort. Always remembering where much is given, much is expected.
The conditions -
21) . . . whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing . . .
25) . . . whosoever shall believe in my name, doubting nothing
27) . . . despise not, and wonder not, doubt not, be believing . . . come unto the Lord with all your cheart . . .
The divine promises -
21) . . . whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him . . .
24) . . . they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. . . .
25) . . . unto him will I confirm all my words . . .
27) . . . ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need . . .
The conditions and promises apply to whom?
21) . . . this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.
24) . . . these signs shall follow them that believe . . .
25) . . . even unto the ends of the earth.
In your recent poetic composition, “A Prayer of Healing,” you wrote a moving line, “I pray for nothing short of miracles – to assault this cancer – full attack!”
Dear Bri, my beloved daughter, please know that what you ask is possible; it’s a request He wants to grant; it’s a blessing He can grant. He’s performed the same miracle before. He changeth not. He has not ceased to be God.
Worthy priesthood bearers, inspired by Him have pronounced the miracle upon you at various times over the past 18 months. May you and all who seek to support you be found worthy, qualified, full of faith, doubting nothing, thus meeting the conditions He has so plainly set forth. It’s true . . .
“I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say . . .” (D&C 82:10).
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (Rev 3:20)
Remain faithful. Christ is our hope. As the God spoken of in scripture, He knows you. He knows what you feel.
“And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.” (Alma 7:12)
Great blessings are yet to come into your life. The miracle continues.
“Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; . . . God shall be with you forever and ever.” (D&C 122:9)
I love you,
Dad
"Faith in God requires faith in His timing."
Neal A. Maxwell
This morning, after we completed initiatory work in the Mesa Temple, and as I waited for Mom in the foyer. I picked up a Book of Mormon and turned to Mormon 9. I was impressed to study more regarding God’s miracles in all dispensations of time.
Mormon 9:
15 And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.
16 Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous works of God?
17 Who shall say that it was not a miracle that by his word the heaven and the earth should be; and by the power of his word man was created of the cdust of the earth; and by the power of his word have miracles been wrought?
18 And who shall say that Jesus Christ did not do many mighty miracles? And there were many mighty miracles wrought by the hands of the apostles.
19 And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.
20 And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust.
21 Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing whatsoever, he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.
22 For behold, thus said Jesus Christ, the Son of God, unto his disciples who should tarry, yea, and also to all his disciples, in the hearing of the multitude: Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature;
23 And he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned;
24 And these signs shall follow them that believe-in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover;
25 And whosoever shall believe in my name, doubting nothing, unto him will I confirm all my words, even unto the ends of the earth.
26 And now, behold, who can stand against the works of the Lord? Who can deny his sayings? Who will rise up against the almighty power of the Lord? Who will despise the works of the Lord? Who will despise the children of Christ? Behold, all ye who are despisers of the works of the Lord, for ye shall wonder and perish.
27 O then despise not, and wonder not, but hearken unto the words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need. Doubt not, but be believing, and begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him.
I believe it’s significant that within 7 verses (21-27) the Lord reiterates profound, truths of hope and comfort. Always remembering where much is given, much is expected.
The conditions -
21) . . . whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing . . .
25) . . . whosoever shall believe in my name, doubting nothing
27) . . . despise not, and wonder not, doubt not, be believing . . . come unto the Lord with all your cheart . . .
The divine promises -
21) . . . whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him . . .
24) . . . they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover. . . .
25) . . . unto him will I confirm all my words . . .
27) . . . ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need . . .
The conditions and promises apply to whom?
21) . . . this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.
24) . . . these signs shall follow them that believe . . .
25) . . . even unto the ends of the earth.
In your recent poetic composition, “A Prayer of Healing,” you wrote a moving line, “I pray for nothing short of miracles – to assault this cancer – full attack!”
Dear Bri, my beloved daughter, please know that what you ask is possible; it’s a request He wants to grant; it’s a blessing He can grant. He’s performed the same miracle before. He changeth not. He has not ceased to be God.
Worthy priesthood bearers, inspired by Him have pronounced the miracle upon you at various times over the past 18 months. May you and all who seek to support you be found worthy, qualified, full of faith, doubting nothing, thus meeting the conditions He has so plainly set forth. It’s true . . .
“I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say . . .” (D&C 82:10).
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (Rev 3:20)
Remain faithful. Christ is our hope. As the God spoken of in scripture, He knows you. He knows what you feel.
“And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.” (Alma 7:12)
Great blessings are yet to come into your life. The miracle continues.
“Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; . . . God shall be with you forever and ever.” (D&C 122:9)
I love you,
Dad
"Faith in God requires faith in His timing."
Neal A. Maxwell
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Update on Briana
03/08/10 7:00 p.m. (AZ time)
Bri just called. She’s very tired this evening, but doing well. She apologizes for not taking phone calls, but today was a physically and emotionally taxing day.
We didn’t know until this morning that last Fri., Mar. 5, the dr.s conducted the PET scan to check for any cancer anywhere in her body. She received some preliminary results today. Her oncologist still needs more time to compare the scan results with her previous scan (Dec. 22, 2009).
Preliminarily, the oncologist told her there is a small spot on her sternum and a spot in the pelvic area. It appears the liver is showing some signs of inflammation, not cancer.
As the chemo specialist administered today’s chemotherapy he consulted with her and said that her body’s previous response to chemo was so good that he felt highly confident that any new discoveries would be eliminated very efficiently.
Again, the oncologist won’t have a final determination based on last week’s PET scan until later this week.
The plan is to conduct chemotherapy sessions every other week for the next 10 weeks (5 treatments) . . . today was #1. After the 5th treatment the dr.s will conduct another PET scan of the entire body.
The remaining 5 tumors on the brain are so small the dr.s don’t want to administer new pinpoint radiation treatments at this time. Because the efficacy of chemotherapy is questionable for control of tumors on the brain, the dr.s need to leave the few small tumors for the time being to provide a standard against which they can compare the results of chemotherapy treatments over the next 10 weeks.
The steroids Bri has been taking to control fluid and swelling of the brain have made it nearly impossible for her to sleep more than a couple of hours every night over the past month. Her oncologist told her today that for every hour of sleep she loses, it take her body up to 10 hours of rest to recover. At the rate she’s going, she’ll never catch up. Yes, she’s suffering tremendous sleep deprivation!
The oncologist told her to take over-the-counter Benadryl to aid in sleeping. If the Benadryl doesn’t allow her to sleep, the dr. will prescribe a stronger sedative. Bri resists taking medications because she doesn’t want to become dependent on them, yet she knows that restful sleep is a priority that will help her body heal.
Even having taken the Benadryl, which worked well for her last year, Bri is finding it difficult to relax this evening. Steroids are part of the chemotherapy cocktail and she’s also wearing a pack that pumps steroids into her for the next 48 hrs. She’ll return on Wed. to have the pack removed. If her body reacts as it did last year, Wed. evening and Thurs. will be the days she’s susceptible to a physical crash (fatigue and possible nausea) as she comes off the steroids. If she crashes, hopefully she’ll be back to her normal self on Fri.
In many ways this has been a challenging day, yet Bri is grateful that she’s back on a treatment regimen that worked so well for her in the past. We pray for the Lord’s richest blessings to attend her, to cleanse and support her. We invite everyone to refrain from calling her tomorrow as she needs to get as much rest as possible.
Teri is prepared to travel to CA on a moment’s notice. Bri said she’d like to see how well she can cope with the help of family and friends in her area, but she assured us that she’d call and allow Teri to come if there was a need.
Admittedly, patience isn’t my strongest character trait at this time when my little girl is waging a mighty battle. Dads are supposed to fix things, you know.
Faith in every footstep! We all move forward. We know the Lord will acknowledge the many fastings and prayers that have been offered on Bri’s behalf.
Rick
Faith is not believing that God can . . .
it's knowing that He will.
Bri just called. She’s very tired this evening, but doing well. She apologizes for not taking phone calls, but today was a physically and emotionally taxing day.
We didn’t know until this morning that last Fri., Mar. 5, the dr.s conducted the PET scan to check for any cancer anywhere in her body. She received some preliminary results today. Her oncologist still needs more time to compare the scan results with her previous scan (Dec. 22, 2009).
Preliminarily, the oncologist told her there is a small spot on her sternum and a spot in the pelvic area. It appears the liver is showing some signs of inflammation, not cancer.
As the chemo specialist administered today’s chemotherapy he consulted with her and said that her body’s previous response to chemo was so good that he felt highly confident that any new discoveries would be eliminated very efficiently.
Again, the oncologist won’t have a final determination based on last week’s PET scan until later this week.
The plan is to conduct chemotherapy sessions every other week for the next 10 weeks (5 treatments) . . . today was #1. After the 5th treatment the dr.s will conduct another PET scan of the entire body.
The remaining 5 tumors on the brain are so small the dr.s don’t want to administer new pinpoint radiation treatments at this time. Because the efficacy of chemotherapy is questionable for control of tumors on the brain, the dr.s need to leave the few small tumors for the time being to provide a standard against which they can compare the results of chemotherapy treatments over the next 10 weeks.
The steroids Bri has been taking to control fluid and swelling of the brain have made it nearly impossible for her to sleep more than a couple of hours every night over the past month. Her oncologist told her today that for every hour of sleep she loses, it take her body up to 10 hours of rest to recover. At the rate she’s going, she’ll never catch up. Yes, she’s suffering tremendous sleep deprivation!
The oncologist told her to take over-the-counter Benadryl to aid in sleeping. If the Benadryl doesn’t allow her to sleep, the dr. will prescribe a stronger sedative. Bri resists taking medications because she doesn’t want to become dependent on them, yet she knows that restful sleep is a priority that will help her body heal.
Even having taken the Benadryl, which worked well for her last year, Bri is finding it difficult to relax this evening. Steroids are part of the chemotherapy cocktail and she’s also wearing a pack that pumps steroids into her for the next 48 hrs. She’ll return on Wed. to have the pack removed. If her body reacts as it did last year, Wed. evening and Thurs. will be the days she’s susceptible to a physical crash (fatigue and possible nausea) as she comes off the steroids. If she crashes, hopefully she’ll be back to her normal self on Fri.
In many ways this has been a challenging day, yet Bri is grateful that she’s back on a treatment regimen that worked so well for her in the past. We pray for the Lord’s richest blessings to attend her, to cleanse and support her. We invite everyone to refrain from calling her tomorrow as she needs to get as much rest as possible.
Teri is prepared to travel to CA on a moment’s notice. Bri said she’d like to see how well she can cope with the help of family and friends in her area, but she assured us that she’d call and allow Teri to come if there was a need.
Admittedly, patience isn’t my strongest character trait at this time when my little girl is waging a mighty battle. Dads are supposed to fix things, you know.
Faith in every footstep! We all move forward. We know the Lord will acknowledge the many fastings and prayers that have been offered on Bri’s behalf.
Rick
Faith is not believing that God can . . .
it's knowing that He will.
From Briana
After Bri received the email Rick sent out last night, she sat down and responded. It touched me – and wanted to share it with each of you as well.
I spoke with Bri this morning and she said she doesn’t go in for her chemo treatment today until 10:30 – and she expects it to last for at least 4 hours. I asked her if she would like me to come out and she responded that she wanted to wait until after this treatment to see how it goes. Because it’s a different cocktail then before, she is very hopeful that she won’t get as sick this time.
Thank you for keeping her in your thoughts and prayers as she undergoes her treatment – we truly feel your continued support for her.
Love you all,
Teri
__________________________________________________
Your words have me sobbing today. In trying to bury my head and focus on what needs to be done so that I don’t “lose it” I’ve compartmentalized my thinking for weeks and not really allowed myself to just freely cry. Today it’s all caught up with me. The ward had a fast on behalf of our family today, and I guarantee you that those ministering angels you are praying for are surrounding us. I’m blessed to feel the presence of angels both seen and unseen. The Spirit of today’s prayers and fasts has been so overwhelming, especially when I add your poignant thoughts to the mix.
Last night Eric and I were discussing the very same thoughts your shared – the blessings that are promised to the children of Abraham, and why some people like Laman & Lemuel just “don’t get it.” At a time in my life when my faith carries me through every minute of every day, offering purpose and understanding, I’ve had friends who have told me they’ve left the church because they just don’t have the faith anymore. It boggles my mind, and I jump at the opportunity to share with them my testimony. If I can’t do at least that, what can I do?
I am uplifted and edified by your words, as always. You offer me so much strength. I’m learning a little bit about the heavenly characteristics of time and space. I think of you and mom in the temple and can imagine me sitting right alongside you, knowing that we’re together even if separated by hundreds of miles. The physical separation is almost non-existent, I can feel your presence and support that strongly.
I’m so honored to be your daughter!
I love you,
Bri
I spoke with Bri this morning and she said she doesn’t go in for her chemo treatment today until 10:30 – and she expects it to last for at least 4 hours. I asked her if she would like me to come out and she responded that she wanted to wait until after this treatment to see how it goes. Because it’s a different cocktail then before, she is very hopeful that she won’t get as sick this time.
Thank you for keeping her in your thoughts and prayers as she undergoes her treatment – we truly feel your continued support for her.
Love you all,
Teri
__________________________________________________
Your words have me sobbing today. In trying to bury my head and focus on what needs to be done so that I don’t “lose it” I’ve compartmentalized my thinking for weeks and not really allowed myself to just freely cry. Today it’s all caught up with me. The ward had a fast on behalf of our family today, and I guarantee you that those ministering angels you are praying for are surrounding us. I’m blessed to feel the presence of angels both seen and unseen. The Spirit of today’s prayers and fasts has been so overwhelming, especially when I add your poignant thoughts to the mix.
Last night Eric and I were discussing the very same thoughts your shared – the blessings that are promised to the children of Abraham, and why some people like Laman & Lemuel just “don’t get it.” At a time in my life when my faith carries me through every minute of every day, offering purpose and understanding, I’ve had friends who have told me they’ve left the church because they just don’t have the faith anymore. It boggles my mind, and I jump at the opportunity to share with them my testimony. If I can’t do at least that, what can I do?
I am uplifted and edified by your words, as always. You offer me so much strength. I’m learning a little bit about the heavenly characteristics of time and space. I think of you and mom in the temple and can imagine me sitting right alongside you, knowing that we’re together even if separated by hundreds of miles. The physical separation is almost non-existent, I can feel your presence and support that strongly.
I’m so honored to be your daughter!
I love you,
Bri
A Father’s Thoughts to his Daughter
Sun., Mar. 7, 2010
Bri,
I feel impressed to share three stories from the Old Testament that have been great sources of power, comfort and faith since I first read them as a young boy in grade school . . .
1 Kings 18:17-39 . . . Elijah and the 450 “prophets of Baal”
17 ¶ And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that aAhab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?
18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have aforsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.
19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the aprophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table.
20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the aprophets together unto mount Carmel.
21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between atwo opinions? if the Lord be God, bfollow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:
24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.
25 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your agods, but put no fire under.
26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.
27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is apursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.
28 And they cried aloud, and acut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.
29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.
30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.
31 And Elijah took atwelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, bIsrael shall be thy name:
32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four abarrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.
34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.
35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.
36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the aevening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.
37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know athat thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their bheart back again.
38 Then the afire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.
1 Kings 19:11-13 . . . Elijah and the “still small voice”
11 And he [the word of the Lord] said [to Elijah], Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:
12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a astill small bvoice.
13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. . . .
2 Kings 6:8-17 . . . Elisha - “they that be with us are more than they that be with them”
8 ¶ Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.
9 And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.
10 And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.
11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?
12 And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.
13 ¶ And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.
14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.
15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
17 And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his aeyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and bchariots of fire round about Elisha.
We’ve been taught that “faith precedes the miracle;” that miracles are not so much for the benefit of unbelievers, but to strengthen the faith and testimony of believers. The teaching that came clearly from Elijah’s miracle - calling down the fire from heaven that consumed his drenched sacrifice - was the reality and power of the God of Israel.
The power of God doesn’t require large ostentatious displays such as earthquakes or fires. The power of God can be as effectively displayed and comprehended “in a still small voice.” In the case of Laman and Lemuel, they had seen many of the same miraculous manifestations as Nephi but their faith, testimonies and hearts remained untouched because they “were past feeling” (1 Ne 17:45). In the days of Mormon, as he looked upon the destruction of his people, he told his son, Moroni, their destruction was assured because they were “without principle and past feeling” (Mormon 9:20).
The simple yet profound truths sung by Primary children, encouraging faithful saints to search, ponder and pray leads to the thought . . . “Make time for quiet moments, because God whispers and the world is loud.”
Finally, Bri, regardless of the apparent odds stacked against us, as Elisha taught his servant, if the eyes of our understanding were opened and we could see and comprehend the vast number of loving family and friends, on both sides of the veil, who petition Heaven in fasting, prayer and temple worship on our behalf we would more fully appreciate “they that be with us are greater than they that be with them [the enemy or those things that would cause us harm].”
God remains a God of miracles.
Morm. 9: 10-11, 15, 19
10 And now, if ye have imagined up unto yourselves a god who doth vary, and in whom there is shadow of changing, then have ye imagined up unto yourselves a god who is not a God of miracles.
11 But behold, I will show unto you a God of amiracles, even the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and it is that same bGod who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are.
• • •
15 And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do ano miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.
• • •
19 And if there were amiracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he bchangeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.
Priesthood holders aren’t fortune tellers. Their responsibility is to know and pronounce the mind and will of the Lord as Christ would do if he were personally administering to those in need. On various occasions, worthy priesthood holders have pronounced solemn blessings of cleansing, healing, recovery and health. Those blessings are yours.
As you know from your Patriarchal Blessing, Heavenly Father has a special relationship with you. He’s made special, solemn promises to you. He will not fail you.
Mom and I are so blessed to have you as ours. Your experiences over the past month with radiation treatments and the halo have brought vividly powerful, yet poignant reminders and insight into the Atonement. It has been heart-wrenchingly difficult to be unable to do much to help. Just as the Father wasn’t with His Son and sent ministering angels to support him in Gethsemane, Mom and I continually invoke the blessings of heaven on your behalf as we attend the temple and pray for ministering and attending angels to be with and support you in your many difficult moments. We feel the Spirit and blessings of the temple have allowed us to be close to you as possible, even though we’re still hundreds of miles away.
Hold to your faith, Sweetheart. May your eyes be opened and your understanding illuminated with divine, celestial power emanating from loving, heavenly parents. May the spiritual gift . . . faith to be healed (as noted below in D&C 46) . . . be yours in abundance. You will be healed.
We love you,
Dad
“Just because it is . . . doesn’t mean it should be.”
(quote from the 2008 movie, “Australia”)
Bri,
I feel impressed to share three stories from the Old Testament that have been great sources of power, comfort and faith since I first read them as a young boy in grade school . . .
1 Kings 18:17-39 . . . Elijah and the 450 “prophets of Baal”
17 ¶ And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that aAhab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?
18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have aforsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.
19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the aprophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table.
20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the aprophets together unto mount Carmel.
21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between atwo opinions? if the Lord be God, bfollow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:
24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.
25 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your agods, but put no fire under.
26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.
27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is apursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.
28 And they cried aloud, and acut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.
29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.
30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.
31 And Elijah took atwelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, bIsrael shall be thy name:
32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four abarrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.
34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.
35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.
36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the aevening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.
37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know athat thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their bheart back again.
38 Then the afire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.
1 Kings 19:11-13 . . . Elijah and the “still small voice”
11 And he [the word of the Lord] said [to Elijah], Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:
12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a astill small bvoice.
13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. . . .
2 Kings 6:8-17 . . . Elisha - “they that be with us are more than they that be with them”
8 ¶ Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.
9 And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.
10 And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.
11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?
12 And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.
13 ¶ And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.
14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.
15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
17 And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his aeyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and bchariots of fire round about Elisha.
We’ve been taught that “faith precedes the miracle;” that miracles are not so much for the benefit of unbelievers, but to strengthen the faith and testimony of believers. The teaching that came clearly from Elijah’s miracle - calling down the fire from heaven that consumed his drenched sacrifice - was the reality and power of the God of Israel.
The power of God doesn’t require large ostentatious displays such as earthquakes or fires. The power of God can be as effectively displayed and comprehended “in a still small voice.” In the case of Laman and Lemuel, they had seen many of the same miraculous manifestations as Nephi but their faith, testimonies and hearts remained untouched because they “were past feeling” (1 Ne 17:45). In the days of Mormon, as he looked upon the destruction of his people, he told his son, Moroni, their destruction was assured because they were “without principle and past feeling” (Mormon 9:20).
The simple yet profound truths sung by Primary children, encouraging faithful saints to search, ponder and pray leads to the thought . . . “Make time for quiet moments, because God whispers and the world is loud.”
Finally, Bri, regardless of the apparent odds stacked against us, as Elisha taught his servant, if the eyes of our understanding were opened and we could see and comprehend the vast number of loving family and friends, on both sides of the veil, who petition Heaven in fasting, prayer and temple worship on our behalf we would more fully appreciate “they that be with us are greater than they that be with them [the enemy or those things that would cause us harm].”
God remains a God of miracles.
Morm. 9: 10-11, 15, 19
10 And now, if ye have imagined up unto yourselves a god who doth vary, and in whom there is shadow of changing, then have ye imagined up unto yourselves a god who is not a God of miracles.
11 But behold, I will show unto you a God of amiracles, even the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and it is that same bGod who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are.
• • •
15 And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do ano miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.
• • •
19 And if there were amiracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he bchangeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.
Priesthood holders aren’t fortune tellers. Their responsibility is to know and pronounce the mind and will of the Lord as Christ would do if he were personally administering to those in need. On various occasions, worthy priesthood holders have pronounced solemn blessings of cleansing, healing, recovery and health. Those blessings are yours.
As you know from your Patriarchal Blessing, Heavenly Father has a special relationship with you. He’s made special, solemn promises to you. He will not fail you.
Mom and I are so blessed to have you as ours. Your experiences over the past month with radiation treatments and the halo have brought vividly powerful, yet poignant reminders and insight into the Atonement. It has been heart-wrenchingly difficult to be unable to do much to help. Just as the Father wasn’t with His Son and sent ministering angels to support him in Gethsemane, Mom and I continually invoke the blessings of heaven on your behalf as we attend the temple and pray for ministering and attending angels to be with and support you in your many difficult moments. We feel the Spirit and blessings of the temple have allowed us to be close to you as possible, even though we’re still hundreds of miles away.
Hold to your faith, Sweetheart. May your eyes be opened and your understanding illuminated with divine, celestial power emanating from loving, heavenly parents. May the spiritual gift . . . faith to be healed (as noted below in D&C 46) . . . be yours in abundance. You will be healed.
We love you,
Dad
“Just because it is . . . doesn’t mean it should be.”
(quote from the 2008 movie, “Australia”)
Update on Briana
03/04/10 p.m.
Bri experienced an “interesting day,” today. After installing the halo, the medical team realized it had been improperly positioned. They had to remove the halo, drill new holes and reinstall it in the correct position. As the second set of holes was drilled, the team ruptured a couple of blood vessels. It took a while to stop the bleeding. Bri reports that when she finally returned home, her hair was matted with dried blood.
The radiologist examined the 4 tumors that were radiated last week. He told Bri what he saw was amazing . . . all 4 tumors showed definite signs of dying. He told Bri that patients seldom show such a quick, positive response to the treatment.
I reminded her that priesthood blessings, and the blessings of fasting and prayers by numerous family and friends, and temple worship with her in mind were being manifest before her eyes.
Today the dr. radiated 4 more tumors. She mentioned that solid tumors typically respond to radiation much better than soft, liquid-filled tumors. Of the 4 that were zapped today, one was a liquid-filled tumor. It was a relatively larger tumor that has been affecting the vision in her right eye (seeing spots and floaters). The dr. told her the results of the radiation treatment might not be clearly evident for awhile because the efficacy of the treatment on the liquid-filled tumor was often difficult to determine right away.
This evening, Bri is feeling tired, but she’s doing well. She has a full schedule of activities planned for tomorrow and this weekend as her oldest, Kaden, will be celebrating his 9th birthday on Sat., Mar. 6.
Sunday, Bri’s ward is having a special day of fasting and prayer for Briana Stephen. Very nice! Much appreciated! It will bring wonderful blessings to her life and the lives of those who participate and witness the continuing miracle.
Mon., Mar. 8, Bri will begin chemotherapy . . . yes, chemotherapy. The original plan was to hold-off on chemo until after all radiation treatments had been completed. However, today, while consulting with her radiologist, Bri suggested that if there was concern about any cancer spreading elsewhere in her body, including more in the brain, perhaps it would be good to begin chemotherapy as soon as possible as a preventive measure. The radiologist agreed saying, “That’s what I’d do if it were me.”
So, the plan is to go to her dr. (I don’t know which one) Mon. morning at 10:30. He’ll do a full-body PET scan, including the head, to determine if there’s cancer anywhere in her body. Based on the results, the chemo specialist will determine what mixture (cocktail) of medications will be administered to combat whatever they find.
Chemo treatments will continue throughout the month of Mar. and the first week of Apr. She’ll undergo another full-body PET scan on Apr. 7. If the chemo has stopped or reversed any cancer, the radiologist will then decide if he needs to continue pinpoint radiation for any remaining brain tumors.
Her spirits are high. Her head is sore . . . no kidding. Her love and appreciation for all is overflowing.
Your ongoing faith, fasting, prayers and temple worship are witnessed in blessings that are visibly manifest in Bri’s physical improvement.
I have some thoughts that I’ll be sharing with Bri this weekend. I’ll share them with you, too.
Until then, take care.
We love you,
Rick
Faith is not believing that God can . . .
it's knowing that He will.
Bri experienced an “interesting day,” today. After installing the halo, the medical team realized it had been improperly positioned. They had to remove the halo, drill new holes and reinstall it in the correct position. As the second set of holes was drilled, the team ruptured a couple of blood vessels. It took a while to stop the bleeding. Bri reports that when she finally returned home, her hair was matted with dried blood.
The radiologist examined the 4 tumors that were radiated last week. He told Bri what he saw was amazing . . . all 4 tumors showed definite signs of dying. He told Bri that patients seldom show such a quick, positive response to the treatment.
I reminded her that priesthood blessings, and the blessings of fasting and prayers by numerous family and friends, and temple worship with her in mind were being manifest before her eyes.
Today the dr. radiated 4 more tumors. She mentioned that solid tumors typically respond to radiation much better than soft, liquid-filled tumors. Of the 4 that were zapped today, one was a liquid-filled tumor. It was a relatively larger tumor that has been affecting the vision in her right eye (seeing spots and floaters). The dr. told her the results of the radiation treatment might not be clearly evident for awhile because the efficacy of the treatment on the liquid-filled tumor was often difficult to determine right away.
This evening, Bri is feeling tired, but she’s doing well. She has a full schedule of activities planned for tomorrow and this weekend as her oldest, Kaden, will be celebrating his 9th birthday on Sat., Mar. 6.
Sunday, Bri’s ward is having a special day of fasting and prayer for Briana Stephen. Very nice! Much appreciated! It will bring wonderful blessings to her life and the lives of those who participate and witness the continuing miracle.
Mon., Mar. 8, Bri will begin chemotherapy . . . yes, chemotherapy. The original plan was to hold-off on chemo until after all radiation treatments had been completed. However, today, while consulting with her radiologist, Bri suggested that if there was concern about any cancer spreading elsewhere in her body, including more in the brain, perhaps it would be good to begin chemotherapy as soon as possible as a preventive measure. The radiologist agreed saying, “That’s what I’d do if it were me.”
So, the plan is to go to her dr. (I don’t know which one) Mon. morning at 10:30. He’ll do a full-body PET scan, including the head, to determine if there’s cancer anywhere in her body. Based on the results, the chemo specialist will determine what mixture (cocktail) of medications will be administered to combat whatever they find.
Chemo treatments will continue throughout the month of Mar. and the first week of Apr. She’ll undergo another full-body PET scan on Apr. 7. If the chemo has stopped or reversed any cancer, the radiologist will then decide if he needs to continue pinpoint radiation for any remaining brain tumors.
Her spirits are high. Her head is sore . . . no kidding. Her love and appreciation for all is overflowing.
Your ongoing faith, fasting, prayers and temple worship are witnessed in blessings that are visibly manifest in Bri’s physical improvement.
I have some thoughts that I’ll be sharing with Bri this weekend. I’ll share them with you, too.
Until then, take care.
We love you,
Rick
Faith is not believing that God can . . .
it's knowing that He will.
Update on Briana
03/03/10 p.m.
Teri just spoke with Bri. She’s doing very well except for the fact that her steroid medication continues to result in swelling all over her body. Her puffy appearance is a big downer for her.
Bri will undergo her second pinpoint radiation treatment tomorrow morning . . . same schedule as last week . . . report for installation of the halo at 6:30 a.m. Go across the parking lot to the treatment center. Hopefully be done with everything – treatment and removal of the halo by approx. 1:30 p.m. CA time.
Bri’s had no side-effects from last week’s treatment. The steroids don’t allow her to sleep, so she’s very tired, but aside from lack of sleep, she’s doing well.
Teri and I will be in the temple early tomorrow morning so we can be as close to her as possible, even though we’re still hundreds of miles away.
Pray always, trust in the Lord, have confidence in the blessings that have been pronounced and expect the miracles to continue. They will.
Rick
Prayer - it's hard to stumble when you're on your knees.
Teri just spoke with Bri. She’s doing very well except for the fact that her steroid medication continues to result in swelling all over her body. Her puffy appearance is a big downer for her.
Bri will undergo her second pinpoint radiation treatment tomorrow morning . . . same schedule as last week . . . report for installation of the halo at 6:30 a.m. Go across the parking lot to the treatment center. Hopefully be done with everything – treatment and removal of the halo by approx. 1:30 p.m. CA time.
Bri’s had no side-effects from last week’s treatment. The steroids don’t allow her to sleep, so she’s very tired, but aside from lack of sleep, she’s doing well.
Teri and I will be in the temple early tomorrow morning so we can be as close to her as possible, even though we’re still hundreds of miles away.
Pray always, trust in the Lord, have confidence in the blessings that have been pronounced and expect the miracles to continue. They will.
Rick
Prayer - it's hard to stumble when you're on your knees.
Update on Briana
02/26/10 2:30 p.m. AZ time
Bri just called to let us know the treatment plan coming out of her consultation with the chemotherapy dr.
· Continue with the pinpoint radiation . . . 2 or possibly 3 more sessions.
· A couple of weeks after the final pinpoint treatment, tests will be run to determine if there’s any cancer growing anywhere in her body, including the head.
· If cancer is detected, chemotherapy will resume, similar to last year’s protocol. The chemo dr. said any cancer in the brain will require a modification to the mixture of drugs (cocktail) that would be administered. Treatment of cancer in the brain is more trial and error than cancers elsewhere in the body.
· Lots of monitoring and testing are anticipated over the next couple of years.
The chemo dr. told Bri that resumption of chemo treatments would result in side-effects similar to those she experienced last year – nausea, chills, neuropathy, fatigue. Not the most exciting outlook, but Bri and the dr. prefer the side-effects of chemotherapy over those of full radiation of the brain. Full radiation would cause hair loss and possible cognitive impairment within 1 yr. It’s unknown whether such impairment would be temporary or permanent. No one wants to gamble with brain cells.
Bri will return to the radiologist next Thurs., Mar. 4, for an evaluation. She might have her next pinpoint radiation treatment on the 4th or it might be scheduled for the next week.
This morning Bri felt great. Her head was a little tender . . . understandably so, but overall she felt wonderful. She was feeling no detectable side-effects from yesterday’s pinpoint radiation treatment.
She’s on steroids to control swelling of the brain. The steroids hype her up and make it nearly impossible for her to sleep, but she tries to cope as best she can, sleeping when her body will allow. We don’t know how long she’ll be required to continue taking steroids.
Teri is available to travel and stay with Bri and the family for any period of time, at any time.
Eric’s parents, Larry & Joan Stephen, are with the children. They encouraged Bri & Eric to get away for the weekend. Bri & Eric are currently traveling north to Merced, CA to visit with some dear friends.
Please keep Eric in mind as you remember Bri. His employment is stable at this time, but we know he’s concerned about any potential loss of employment and loss of health insurance. His employer and the employer’s health insurance carrier have been wonderful. Loss of good health insurance would be catastrophic.
We have absolute faith and confidence in the Lord and the blessings that have been pronounced for her complete recovery, nevertheless, your ongoing faith, prayers, fasting (when you can) and temple worship with her in mind are needed and deeply appreciated. Since radiation and chemotherapy are both traumatic and destructive to the body, we pray and expect that any such treatments will be short-lived, that her health will be fully restored in the very near future.
Rick
Today's test is tomorrow's testimony.
Bri just called to let us know the treatment plan coming out of her consultation with the chemotherapy dr.
· Continue with the pinpoint radiation . . . 2 or possibly 3 more sessions.
· A couple of weeks after the final pinpoint treatment, tests will be run to determine if there’s any cancer growing anywhere in her body, including the head.
· If cancer is detected, chemotherapy will resume, similar to last year’s protocol. The chemo dr. said any cancer in the brain will require a modification to the mixture of drugs (cocktail) that would be administered. Treatment of cancer in the brain is more trial and error than cancers elsewhere in the body.
· Lots of monitoring and testing are anticipated over the next couple of years.
The chemo dr. told Bri that resumption of chemo treatments would result in side-effects similar to those she experienced last year – nausea, chills, neuropathy, fatigue. Not the most exciting outlook, but Bri and the dr. prefer the side-effects of chemotherapy over those of full radiation of the brain. Full radiation would cause hair loss and possible cognitive impairment within 1 yr. It’s unknown whether such impairment would be temporary or permanent. No one wants to gamble with brain cells.
Bri will return to the radiologist next Thurs., Mar. 4, for an evaluation. She might have her next pinpoint radiation treatment on the 4th or it might be scheduled for the next week.
This morning Bri felt great. Her head was a little tender . . . understandably so, but overall she felt wonderful. She was feeling no detectable side-effects from yesterday’s pinpoint radiation treatment.
She’s on steroids to control swelling of the brain. The steroids hype her up and make it nearly impossible for her to sleep, but she tries to cope as best she can, sleeping when her body will allow. We don’t know how long she’ll be required to continue taking steroids.
Teri is available to travel and stay with Bri and the family for any period of time, at any time.
Eric’s parents, Larry & Joan Stephen, are with the children. They encouraged Bri & Eric to get away for the weekend. Bri & Eric are currently traveling north to Merced, CA to visit with some dear friends.
Please keep Eric in mind as you remember Bri. His employment is stable at this time, but we know he’s concerned about any potential loss of employment and loss of health insurance. His employer and the employer’s health insurance carrier have been wonderful. Loss of good health insurance would be catastrophic.
We have absolute faith and confidence in the Lord and the blessings that have been pronounced for her complete recovery, nevertheless, your ongoing faith, prayers, fasting (when you can) and temple worship with her in mind are needed and deeply appreciated. Since radiation and chemotherapy are both traumatic and destructive to the body, we pray and expect that any such treatments will be short-lived, that her health will be fully restored in the very near future.
Rick
Today's test is tomorrow's testimony.
Update on Briana
02/25/10 - 2:30 p.m. AZ time
Bri just called. She and Eric were driving home after they had stopped to get something to eat. She sounded great and was in very good spirits.
The radiation treatment went well today. Bri reported the dr. had successfully treated the 4 largest tumors. He confirmed she had a total of 13 tumors. Because she has so many small tumors, the dr. is concerned about more becoming evident over time. He’d like to stop the formation of any additional tumors so tomorrow, 10:00 a.m., Bri will consult with her chemotherapy dr. to discuss possible chemo treatments that might stop the formation of any additional tumors in the brain. She’ll let us know the outcome of that consultation tomorrow.
After treatment, the halo was removed. Next time the halo will be installed in new penetration points. She said the halo has sharp pins that penetrate the skin and enter the skull only enough to ensure the halo and head are secured. When the halo is removed she has some marks like pinholes in the skin . . . not large screw holes. The dr. gave her some Tylenol to relieve any discomfort she might feel.
Bri is understandably nervous about more chemotherapy treatments of any kind. Last year’s treatments made her very weak and ill for several days following each session. Supposedly, the chemo dr. will discuss some newer options that might include the possibility of an oral treatment. We’ll update you as we learn more tomorrow.
Keep the faith. He lives! If faith the size of a mustard seed can move a mountain, it can certainly kill some rogue cancer cells.
Rick
Bri just called. She and Eric were driving home after they had stopped to get something to eat. She sounded great and was in very good spirits.
The radiation treatment went well today. Bri reported the dr. had successfully treated the 4 largest tumors. He confirmed she had a total of 13 tumors. Because she has so many small tumors, the dr. is concerned about more becoming evident over time. He’d like to stop the formation of any additional tumors so tomorrow, 10:00 a.m., Bri will consult with her chemotherapy dr. to discuss possible chemo treatments that might stop the formation of any additional tumors in the brain. She’ll let us know the outcome of that consultation tomorrow.
After treatment, the halo was removed. Next time the halo will be installed in new penetration points. She said the halo has sharp pins that penetrate the skin and enter the skull only enough to ensure the halo and head are secured. When the halo is removed she has some marks like pinholes in the skin . . . not large screw holes. The dr. gave her some Tylenol to relieve any discomfort she might feel.
Bri is understandably nervous about more chemotherapy treatments of any kind. Last year’s treatments made her very weak and ill for several days following each session. Supposedly, the chemo dr. will discuss some newer options that might include the possibility of an oral treatment. We’ll update you as we learn more tomorrow.
Keep the faith. He lives! If faith the size of a mustard seed can move a mountain, it can certainly kill some rogue cancer cells.
Rick
Update on Briana
Teri and I spoke with Bri at noon, today. She was in very good spirits.
Bri’s been on steroids for 10 days . . . since the dr. diagnosed the brain tumors. She reports that headaches which she had suffered throughout the month of Jan. and early Feb. are completely gone . . . that’s good, but the steroids are causing her cheeks to swell . . . that’s not good.
One of Heather’s friends, Natalie Montez, a professional photographer, has made arrangements to fly from the Phoenix area to CA to shoot family portraits for Bri and her family on Mar. 10. Right now, Bri’s understandably anxious about the prospect of family photos while she’s experiencing the puffy side-effects of the steroid protocol. It’s still too early to determine how much longer she’ll require steroid treatment.
Initially, Bri thought her first pin-point radiation treatment would happen on Wed., Feb. 24. It will actually happen this Thurs., Feb. 25. She‘s scheduled to report to the treatment facility at 6:30 a.m. on the 25th. The dr. told her the treatment would last 4-5 hrs. during which time he anticipated treating 4-5 tumors. Most of the time is required for locating, determining coordinates, depth and positioning, not radiating.
Your ongoing thoughts and support are needed and appreciated. Keep the faith . . . priesthood blessings and the confirmation that we’ve all received in our hearts – that her healing will be complete, that miracles will continue -- still stand.
By the way, for those who may not have heard, Bri’s daughter, Leyna (3 yr. old), recently completed her wedding plans. Her first thought was to get married on a boat, but after discussing the issue with her mother, she decided to get married in the temple and then go on a boat for her honeymoon. When Teri asked her the name of the lucky young man who’d have the pleasure of being her husband, Leyna promptly responded, “Prince Eric.” Bri tells us Prince Eric is a character in the mover, “The Little Mermaid.” Leyna’s always wanted to marry her dad, Eric, but someone told her she couldn’t marry him; so she’s opted for the next best choice . . . Prince Eric.
Rick
Bri’s been on steroids for 10 days . . . since the dr. diagnosed the brain tumors. She reports that headaches which she had suffered throughout the month of Jan. and early Feb. are completely gone . . . that’s good, but the steroids are causing her cheeks to swell . . . that’s not good.
One of Heather’s friends, Natalie Montez, a professional photographer, has made arrangements to fly from the Phoenix area to CA to shoot family portraits for Bri and her family on Mar. 10. Right now, Bri’s understandably anxious about the prospect of family photos while she’s experiencing the puffy side-effects of the steroid protocol. It’s still too early to determine how much longer she’ll require steroid treatment.
Initially, Bri thought her first pin-point radiation treatment would happen on Wed., Feb. 24. It will actually happen this Thurs., Feb. 25. She‘s scheduled to report to the treatment facility at 6:30 a.m. on the 25th. The dr. told her the treatment would last 4-5 hrs. during which time he anticipated treating 4-5 tumors. Most of the time is required for locating, determining coordinates, depth and positioning, not radiating.
Your ongoing thoughts and support are needed and appreciated. Keep the faith . . . priesthood blessings and the confirmation that we’ve all received in our hearts – that her healing will be complete, that miracles will continue -- still stand.
By the way, for those who may not have heard, Bri’s daughter, Leyna (3 yr. old), recently completed her wedding plans. Her first thought was to get married on a boat, but after discussing the issue with her mother, she decided to get married in the temple and then go on a boat for her honeymoon. When Teri asked her the name of the lucky young man who’d have the pleasure of being her husband, Leyna promptly responded, “Prince Eric.” Bri tells us Prince Eric is a character in the mover, “The Little Mermaid.” Leyna’s always wanted to marry her dad, Eric, but someone told her she couldn’t marry him; so she’s opted for the next best choice . . . Prince Eric.
Rick
A Father’s Thoughts to his Daughter
Tues., Feb. 16, 2010
This morning, although you might not have realized it, you and Eric we’re with Mom and me in the Mesa Temple. As initiatory workers laid their hands upon our heads and pronounced sacred blessings, we were filled with peace and reassurance that all will be well with you . . . that as was pronounced in the administration you recently received through Richard and Gary Raymond, the miracles will continue in your life, that you will be healed. I was impressed with some of the blessings that were pronounced in the temple, this morning:
· Physically from head to toe, your body will function properly;
· Your mind (intellect and understanding) will be clear;
· You will be strengthened, enabling you to shoulder the challenges you face;
· You will witness and rejoice in the blessings of your posterity.
With a certainty, always remember the entire family, immediate and extended, and friends are with you. You’re constantly in our thoughts and hearts as we pray, fast and participate in temple worship.
We go forward, “doubting nothing.”
Mormon 9:21
Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.
I love you,
Dad
Faith is not believing that God can... it's knowing that He will.
D&C 46:8, 19-21, 26
Seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given; to some it is given to have faith to be healed, to some it is given to have faith to heal, to some is given the working of miracles. And all these gifts come from God, for the benefit of the children of God.
This morning, although you might not have realized it, you and Eric we’re with Mom and me in the Mesa Temple. As initiatory workers laid their hands upon our heads and pronounced sacred blessings, we were filled with peace and reassurance that all will be well with you . . . that as was pronounced in the administration you recently received through Richard and Gary Raymond, the miracles will continue in your life, that you will be healed. I was impressed with some of the blessings that were pronounced in the temple, this morning:
· Physically from head to toe, your body will function properly;
· Your mind (intellect and understanding) will be clear;
· You will be strengthened, enabling you to shoulder the challenges you face;
· You will witness and rejoice in the blessings of your posterity.
With a certainty, always remember the entire family, immediate and extended, and friends are with you. You’re constantly in our thoughts and hearts as we pray, fast and participate in temple worship.
We go forward, “doubting nothing.”
Mormon 9:21
Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.
I love you,
Dad
Faith is not believing that God can... it's knowing that He will.
D&C 46:8, 19-21, 26
Seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given; to some it is given to have faith to be healed, to some it is given to have faith to heal, to some is given the working of miracles. And all these gifts come from God, for the benefit of the children of God.
Update on Briana
This is not the kind of e-mail message I wanted to write nor is it what you’ve wanted to receive. It is important that we all maintain faith and seek the Lord’s blessings for Bri.
Dec. 22, 2009, Bri was told that all tests and scans showed she was cancer-free.
Over the past month, she’s been having severe migraine headaches. Extensive testing over the past 3 weeks showed that her physical condition was excellent. Dr.s couldn’t understand why she was having headaches. As she thought about the possible causes, she concluded the headaches might be a reaction to a Milk Thistle supplement that she’d been taking since early Jan. She stopped the supplement about 10 days ago. The migraine headaches have gone, but “normal” headaches have persisted.
Yesterday, Bri spoke with Mom and thought she had identified the cause of the headaches as perhaps being pinched nerves in her neck because they seemed to come and go as she moved her head at various angles/positions.
Yesterday evening, Bri’s dr. performed an MRI on her head, “just to be safe.”
Bri called (2:30 p.m., AZ time) and told Mom the MRI revealed 5 tumors on her brain. We don’t know about their size, location or characteristics. There will be additional follow-up consultation and analysis this evening after her kids return home from school and others can help with them at home. She was told the dr. would begin radiation treatment immediately. Eric is currently in AZ for a bicycle race. He’s emotionally distraught that he’s not with her. She told him to stay in AZ until she finds out more information regarding her condition.
Please don’t call or e-mail Bri until she or we let you know she’s up to communicating. At this point she’s still understandably numb from the shock of this finding.
We request your fervent prayers, fasting and participation in temple worship as another miracle is needed.
We’ll stay in touch.
Dad
Dec. 22, 2009, Bri was told that all tests and scans showed she was cancer-free.
Over the past month, she’s been having severe migraine headaches. Extensive testing over the past 3 weeks showed that her physical condition was excellent. Dr.s couldn’t understand why she was having headaches. As she thought about the possible causes, she concluded the headaches might be a reaction to a Milk Thistle supplement that she’d been taking since early Jan. She stopped the supplement about 10 days ago. The migraine headaches have gone, but “normal” headaches have persisted.
Yesterday, Bri spoke with Mom and thought she had identified the cause of the headaches as perhaps being pinched nerves in her neck because they seemed to come and go as she moved her head at various angles/positions.
Yesterday evening, Bri’s dr. performed an MRI on her head, “just to be safe.”
Bri called (2:30 p.m., AZ time) and told Mom the MRI revealed 5 tumors on her brain. We don’t know about their size, location or characteristics. There will be additional follow-up consultation and analysis this evening after her kids return home from school and others can help with them at home. She was told the dr. would begin radiation treatment immediately. Eric is currently in AZ for a bicycle race. He’s emotionally distraught that he’s not with her. She told him to stay in AZ until she finds out more information regarding her condition.
Please don’t call or e-mail Bri until she or we let you know she’s up to communicating. At this point she’s still understandably numb from the shock of this finding.
We request your fervent prayers, fasting and participation in temple worship as another miracle is needed.
We’ll stay in touch.
Dad
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