Carin's Current UpdateThank you for reading Carin's Updates! To contact Carin please email her at: May 01, 2008 Happy May Day everyone. As you may have noticed, I'm not posting updates every day. This is due to Carin's relatively stable condition. Today, however, is a little different. Yesterday Carin awoke to discover that her central line had pulled out of her body about 4 to 6 inches. This will cause the nutritional fluid to enter her veins instead of her heart. This in turn means that today we are going to Royal Columbian Hospital so that she can have her central line replaced. She is not experiencing any discomfort, she is just bummed out about having to go back to the hospital. It should be a fairly simple procedure and they promised her more sedation this time around. Carin's vomiting has subsided considerably and she continues to eat more every day. Her prosthetic leg should also be finished it's retrofitting on Monday which will give Carin more mobility and independence. Onward and upward! Hello again. Things have been rather static around here lately. Carin had gone almost 2 weeks without throwing up. Yesterday the record came to an end. Her pain levels are well under control though and she has become increasingly active. Tuesday we went into New Westminster to have her prosthetic leg adjusted and we are going in again this coming Tuesday to pick it up. Carin has lost so much weight that her leg was simply falling off. Once she is back on two feet she should be even more active and she can then regain some of her strength with everyday activities. Socially things are still going well with visits from Des, Lorraine and others. We also received some super home made cards from Mitchell, Braedan and Sean, (our nephews in Alberta) to help lift our spirits. Today we will be going to the BC Bio offices to have blood tests for the 3rd week in a row. Only 1 more visit before these test go from weekly to monthly. And that's about it. If anyone has more specific questions on how things are going, please feel free to call or you can e-mail Carin at endcml at gmail dot com. Thanks for checking in. Apr. 15, 2008 O.K. here it is, the much over-due update. There is reason to rejoice! We have eliminated one of Carin's pain medications and she has not thrown-up in over 4 days! In addition to this, Carin is eating a little bit more every day. We are still avoiding the fiber rich foods as instructed by the low residue diet but we are becoming more confident that she will eventually be able to eat EVERYTHING again eventually. Until then it's all kraft dinner, ice cream, chocolate, chips, corn pops, etc. (poor girl 8-) She is also doing about 90% of the TPN procedures on her own. Yes, her independence is returning! The new laminate floors have made her ambulation a lot easier. Carin is also beginning to prepare her own foods and snacks. In general Carin is feeling better and more willing to get out of the apartment more often. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and we can get some fresh air more often. We have had some great visiting time with family and friends which is always good for mood enhancement. One of the things we are looking forward to is going back to the doctors for checkups. We want to see the surprised expressions when they see how well Carin is doing and are wondering how long it will take before one of them suggests Carin be freed from the TPN system. Until then, patience. How's that Rosie? Apr. 09, 2008 Today Carin had a wonderful treat. One of her former co-workers decided to play around with her video camera and computer and produced a beautiful mini movie just for Carin. It consisted of Carin's former workmates giving brief get well soon messages and other tidbits. It was very cool. Thanks Susanne, you made our day. You too Eunice. Carin also had a surprise visit with Gill which was a great way to start the day. We look forward to seeing more of you tomorrow Gill. We also took a drive down to the hospital for Carin's dressing change which was quick and painless. Next we went to fulfill a prescription, make a stop at the bank and picked up my laundry. Thanks Mom (blush :-) Carin had some minor nausea all day but other than that, she is doing pretty well. We both seem to be sleeping better these days too. It's great to see little improvements every day and we hope that her healing will be complete soon. And that's all he wrote! Apr. 08, 2008 It's amazing what a good nights sleep will do for a person. Ahhh... Tessa has gone to her new home and it sounds like she will have some new friends too. The lady who came to get Tessa also raises sugar gliders (squirrels), possums and skunks. Even with the loss of her little prickly friend, Carin managed to have a pretty good day. No nausea or pain or any negative effects. She even made lunch for herself which means her independence is returning. Tomorrow we will visit ambulatory day care to have Carin's CVC dressing changed and then off to E.A. for coffee with the FreshWind family. It's great to see Carin getting more used to her TPN system. It doesn't seem nearly as intimidating as it did just 10 days ago. And that's about it for today. I hate to write boring updates but I sure am glad there's nothing "exciting" to write about 8-) Apr. 07, 2008 Tonight we listen to Tessa run on her wheel for the last night. Apparently a hedgehog can run 5 miles during the night and we can vouch for that after listening to her run for hours. Run little rodent, run! I'm sure she'll be better off at the rescue habitat ans we will also be able to check up on her online, or so we're told. As for Carin, today she was nauseas for most of the day. She did throw-up but it wasn't much which is a sign of progress to me. We mostly just relaxed in between phone calls and making medical appointments. On the bright side, she seems to be sleeping much better. I, on the other hand, finally fell asleep around 5 am and got up about 9 am. I'm not sure how I've managed to stay awake all this time but enough about me. Sweet dreams all. Apr. 06, 2008 Carin seemed much more like her old self today. The day started off well with our return to FreshWind where we got reacquainted with many of our friends. As a bonus, Darren and Julia were our surprise visitors of the day. Good to see you guys again! Following church we went to Carin's parents for a belated Easter dinner. Carin was very thankful (as was I, of course) for the opportunity to see our nieces and nephew again. They all saw an improvement in the way Carin looked. Rosier cheeks, more smiley, etc. Further good news is that Carin is slowly cutting the amount of pain killers! This should help with her G.I. tract. We are still expecting her to make a full recovery and to eventually be taken off the TPN and with more days as good as this one, it may be very soon. G'night Apr. 05, 2008 Yesterday was not a very good day. Carin experienced an overwhelming sadness that just couldn't be overcome. Fortunately, today is a better day. We are still getting used to the home TPN program. It seems to be easy enough but it can become time consuming and it's a constant reminder that not all is well. Sleep is sporadic which doesn't make the daylight hours any easier. I think we may have to schedule some daytime cat-naps. I'm sure Bailey can teach us how these work. That's it for now. Thanks again. Apr. 03, 2008 Hi all. Today seemed extremely ordinary. Carin and I teamed up on the TPN setup and cut our time in half. This also seems to be a good way for us to learn together. It will take a while until we learn how to do all of this strictly from memory. Bob, Carin's landlord, came in to continue work on the new flooring. One more day and it should be all finished. Bob gave us a little history on the apartment building and we had a nice little chat over coffee. Tessa will probably have a nice new home on Tuesday. We phoned a lady named Barb who runs a rescue operation for animals and she seems interested in adopting Tessa. Apparently we will be able to keep tabs on her via this ladies website. I'll try to give details when I learn more. One sure sign of Carin's recovery... today she wanted McDonalds! If anything will move through a digestive system, it's McDonalds. It's a little late but I want to send a big Thank-you to the Funkinators, namely Carrie, Kylee, Abbey and Jesse for all their hard work during Carin's apartment renovation. Carrie made a wonderful Welcome Home message on the fire place that I think will stay up forever! You guys are FANTASTIC! Thanks again all! Apr. 02, 2008 Sorry about missing the update yesterday but we were kinda busy. We are now home (in Abbotsford) and settling in. It's nice to be home! Carin was greatly surprised by her renovated apartment. It makes ambulating in a wheelchair a lot easier. We are now performing all the TPN duties without supervision and it can be a bit nerve racking. No worries though, we just take it slow and make sure it's done correctly. There are other things that take some getting used to but we will make the best of every situation. Some really great news: Carin had 2 days without throwing up! The streak ended last night but it was a great run and we'll attempt to break that record. Carin also seems to be hungrier than ever before and is constantly thinking about food. Unfortunamtely there are few things that she is allowed to eat so we are limited in our choices. Carin's pain levels seem to have decreased as well and she is asking for less and less pain meds and naseau meds. Thanks for your patience all. Mar. 31, 2008 The rumors are true, this is not an April Fools joke. Carin is coming home tomorrow! Yippee! I don't know what else to tell you, Carin had a relatively good day and we can smell sweet freedom! (No ofence to St. Paul's) We look forward to spending time with friends and just settling back into life. And with that, I'm going to bed early. Goodnight. Mar. 30, 2008 Hmmm... Carin's foot wasn't swollen today and although she had an upset stomach, she didn't vomit more than a small mouthful (sorry about the vivid image but most of the time it's 500 to 900 ml.) Could it be that she's on the mend? :) We are SO looking forward to going home on Tuesday. I can't wait to see the look on her face when she sees her renovated apartment! To us this renovation is much more than an updated living space or even a sterile environment. It's a sign of the love that people have for her. How many landlords would agree to do this much work with the help of the renter's parents? Carin hasn't spent much time with her landlords but she must have made quite an impression within those "hallway conversations." Rumor has it that there were many more people that wanted to help but couldn't because there wasn't enough room in the apartment for everyone to lend a hand at one time! Wow! One interesting note, pay attention Freshwindies, Carin's landlord has a cousin who is a G.I. specialist at St. Paul's Hospital! Hmmm... We are going to try to meet him tomorrow. Not sure what could come of it but we think it could be important. Carin is still having difficulty coming to grips the the thought of "never being able to enjoy food again" but as you all know, I firmly believe that this TPN situation is just temporary. I wonder how I would react. Our words can only console her to a point. I guess she will have to work this one out for herself. I ran into a student from UBC on the bus this morning and I was surprised that it brought about a feeling of longing to return to work. I knew that I wanted to return to work but seeing the student and hearing a little bit about what's happening there brought on a stronger sense of loss than I expected. I really miss my friends and co-workers at UBC. Interesting... Thanks for tuning in folks. Mar. 29, 2008 Today the snow actually stuck to the ground in downtown Vancouver. Happy Spring everyone! I like the snow. To me it represents a sign that I am going to have what I want most. Can you guess what that is? The last time it snowed (early February in Abbotsford) Carin was released from the MSA Hospital so... I like the snow! Carin had a wee bit better of a day today. Her chest still hurts a bit from the CVC but I guess that is to be expected. I'm sure coming home to a renovated apartment will make her feel a lot better. Today I found out that Carin's landlords are also replacing the living room carpet with laminate and painting 1 or more of the rooms! Shhh... don't tell Carin, it's a surprise! I'd just like to take this moment to thank all of you that have been e-mailing your support our way. Thanks also for understanding that I can't respond to each and every one. We still think of you all often and are thankful that we have so many people who love us. Lara and Barb, you are awesome! Mom, thanks for helping us with Tessa and everything else. Oma & Opa, Carin and I are blessed to have your support. Kudos to everyone with a heart for Carin! We are SO looking forward to coming back to FreshWind when Carin is feeling up to it! Till then, (((HUGS))) Mar. 28, 2008 Fresh flowers and faces today. Gill, Jacquie, Geoff and Naomi, thank-you. Today turned out to be "V-Day" or I guess it should be "CVC-Day". It took a couple of hours but it's finally in. Now it looks like we'll be home by Tuesday. Fingers crossed. Carin had quite a battle with her emotions today. She really misses food and is still struggling a bit with pain control. Not much else to say today. I left Carin to sleep beneath a small canopy of beautiful purple and yellow irises. G'night. Mar. 27, 2008 Anybody want a hedgehog? Tessa is looking for a good home. It is with tremendous sadness that Carin has decided to part with her beloved hedgehog and we need her to go to a good home. We would prefer a mature and responsible person that will love Tessa as much as we have. Who could love a prickly rodent you ask? Well, if you spend enough time with a hedgehog and interact with them properly, they can become good little pets like gerbils or guinea pigs. They really do have cute faces too. Go ahead and Google "Hedgehog pictures." In other news, there has still been nothing confirmed in regards to Carin receiving her CVC. I would say that it has been frustrating but I haven't expected much from schedules, plans or best intentions so I'm not emotionally involved. All I care about is Carin getting the best information and treatment. If we need to spend another week in St. Paul's then so be it. (Don't tell Carin I said that.) Things will happen when they happen and that's that. One bright note is that Carin's FANTASTIC landlords have offered to put laminate flooring in a portion of her apartment to help with the necessary "clean & sterile" conditions needed to cope with her TPN. Thanks Bob & Dolly!!! Today went fairly smoothly and Carin's mom is spending the night with her so that means that I get to come home early and do some very much needed housework. (Who am I kidding, I'm going to bed early!) We did go for a short visit to the 4th floor patio and got some fresh (cold) air. That was nice. How are you enjoying your snow Abbotsford? (snicker) I'm getting punchy again so I'll say adieu and go to bed. Good n i g h t r a b b i t. (obscure Looney Tunes reference) Mar. 26, 2008 It seems like things at St. Paul's are coming to an end. Some of the staff have talked of Carin getting discharged as early as Friday but she still hasn't received her CVC. If we have learned anything when dealing with hospitals it's this: You can't believe everything that your told. Carin and I still need more training on TPN procedures and she is not going to be comfortable going home with a PICC line when she has been expecting a CVC. No matter what happens or when, we will both be glad to get home and begin adjusting to our new "lifestyle." Carin is missing Bailey (our cat) and I'm sure Bailey is wondering where Carin has been all this time. Today Carin's cheeks had more color and fullness which I think is a good sign. Her energy seems to have increased a tiny bit too. GO CARIN! Her biggest struggle today stemmed from her over abundance of emotions. We are not sure if it's due to hormones, drugs or what have you but she is sad in a safe kind of way. By that I mean that she is no danger to herself. I guess she just misses her independence and especially, she misses her community. We love you guys and can't wait to have fellowship again. 2008. Buckle up folks, it's starting to get interesting! Mar. 25, 2008 It was another hard day for Carin but not quite as bad as yesterday. She did get her "all-in-one" TPN solution today and tomorrow I get to perform the detachment for my TPN training. This means that today she went to bed with only 2 tubes dangling from her arm. Progress eh? Tonight's movie was "Juno" and I have to say, it wasn't bad. But the important thing was that Carin was relaxed by the time the movie was over and I had to go home. Hospitals can get very boring when you stare at the same 3 walls day after day after... well, you get the point. I think Carin and I will start taking more trips to the 4th floor patio to get some fresh air. Not a Mexico Vacation but it's what we got for now. Anyways, Mar. 24, 2008 Few people can relate with the helpless feeling you get when someone you love is suffering extreme pain and you can do nothing about it. Welcome to the club Lorraine. I'm sorry I missed your visit but I'm sure glad that you were there to be with Carin as she had another pain attack. (I found a vase for the beautiful flowers too :) Carin needed a shot of morphine for pain and an Ativan for anxiety which made her extremely groggy for the rest of the day. At least she got some peaceful sleep. Sorry it had to be during our visiting hours folks but she needs to take it when she can get it. Another X-ray, more pills, another TPN feeding, vitals taken, yup, it's just another day. I'm still looking at it as another day closer to Carin returning home. It helps keep me sane. As a wise pig once said,That's all Folks! Mar. 23, 2008 Yesterday I forgot to mention that Carin had an infusion of two units of blood. Sorry about the omission. Her hemoglobin (part of the red blood cell that contains iron and distributes oxygen) levels were low. Carin's Dad came in early this morning to visit with her and this afternoon we went for a short spin in the wheelchair and accidentally got locked outside. No problem though, we just circled the block until we got to the Emergency entrance and strolled back in. And that, my friends, was Carin's day. Not too exciting but hey, what can ya' do? The biggest frustration today was the fact that Carin isn't "allowed" to have solid foods. This coupled with the fact that she will be connected to TPN for an indeterminate period of time really dampened her spirits. She is wondering if she will ever get to enjoy food again. Take a moment to consider what it would feel like to never enjoy food again. Sure, you could chew it and spit it out but how satisfying is that really? Ahhh, poor girl. My opinion is that, by the grace of God, Carin is going to beat all the odds and have a full recovery! You will enjoy food again my dear! And when that day comes, you will have any food you want, even if I have to get it from another country! Congratulations Sandy, wish we could have been there. Mar. 22, 2008 There are some cracks showing in Carin's demeanor as of late. I'm surprised it took this long for her to start breaking down but if you know Carin, it's shouldn't be shocking. She always has been strong and hesitant to show "weakness" but circumstances are what they are and no one can blame her for being fatigued. Our family and friends give us strength and we are so grateful for them all. Thanks Barb for all the e-mail support, Kylee, Jesse, Carrie, Abbey... we can't wait to see you again. And for the rest of you including SALA and Menno Travel et cetera, we are thankful for you folks too. Carin is still planning on getting out of the hospital as early as possible and is hoping to have her Central Venus Catheter installed early this coming week (the CVC is the device that will hook her up to her TPN.) She has an amazing amount of personal drive in any situation eh? Today's highlight was watching a movie called "The God's Must Be Crazy II" or at least the first hour of it. After that it was beddy-bye time for my sweet girl. We'll definately watch the rest tommorow. Happy Easter All!!! Mar. 21, 2008 Well, we got a little more bad news today. Turns out Carin has some small clots in her lungs that could become problematic. She is now receiving "Low Molecular Weight Heparin" which should, when combined with some physical exercise, take care of them. On the bright side, Carin had a good day and looked as good as possible despite what may be going on inside her body. She had a bath today which always makes her feel a little more human too. Even the nurses are commenting about her seeming to have more energy and spirit. So another day passes and we lament the fact that Easter will not be a family affair as it should be. My thinking is that if we have to miss this Easter so that we may enjoy future Easters, then so be it! Missing friends and family is one of the hard parts. Carin can only handle so many visitors but we long to get back to a normal routine. Ha ha ha, normal. Normal is going to be something else all together when Carin gets out of the hospital but hey, this is the Carin that most of you readers know is anything but normal, or ordinary! So goodnight all, for tomorrow we do it all over again but get one step closer to "NORMAL"!!! (As Duane leaves the computer laughing maniacally) Mar. 20, 2008 Despite being poked and prodded more today than any other day, it still turned out to be one of Carin's better ones.4 x-rays, 2 doctors visits, ECG, TPN training and a CT scan that never happened. And she still had the energy to stay awake all day without complaint. There was also some sort of mix up with her TPN as both bags dripped at 6.3 ml/h when one of them should have been infusing at a rate of 109 ml/h! We are wondering if this was one of the reasons for her discomfort last night. Carin is still anxious to get back to her own apartment and resume "normal life." I mean REALLY, REALLY anxious. It's hard for her to be away from her family and community. She misses you all so much! (oh yeah, me too) Today we had a surprise visit with Lyle and Carin's parents came out again. They come almost every day from Abbotsford to make sure Carin is doing OK. Carin's mom is even spending the night with her in the hospital room. Have fun girls! Mar. 19, 2008 Unfortunately, today was as bad a day as we've ever had. Carin had a severe pain attack tonight around 7 o'clock. She was given pain meds and an anxiety pill but it wasn't until she threw-up that she felt at least a little better. What a helpless feeling it is to watch the one you love suffer and not be able to do a damn thing about it. The pain subsided for about half an hour before she started to feel it come back. This time we were able to cope a little bit better and things didn't escalate like the first time. I guess I need to sit back and remind myself of the positive things that we are thankful for... private room, friends and family, no financial pressure due to a fantastic work place... O.K. that made me feel better. Tomorrow is another day and that means one day closer to Carin's recovery. Never give up, NEVER GIVE UP! Mar. 18, 2008 Our first TPN training day. I guess it went well. We were able to see and touch the equipment. It really is quite amazing to see what can be done for a person when they need something as drastic as this. I guess the idea is simple enough but it really does seem "alien." Again there were lots of visitors and little time for Carin to nap. Her pain levels were quite high today and her swelling is still a big problem. Have you ever wished that you could take some else's place, if just for a little while, to relieve their pain? That was me today. So... today, I'm thankful for the support of friends and family. How do people go through this kind of thing when they don't have what we do? What happens in lesser developed countries? How are Carin and I going to be changed through this experience and what will that look like? Excuse me while I zone out for a while... Time to count my blessings again. They include YOU. Mar. 17, 2008 Welcome home Gill! You were dearly missed and your visit today was a bright spot in Carin's day. For those of you who don't know, Gill used to come in to the M.S.A. Hospital at 6:00 am to pray and spend time with Carin. She has recently come back from Israel and while she was there she put a prayer request for Carin in the Wailing wall! Thank-you. Another thanks to Oma and Aunt Elfreida for your visit while I went out for a much needed breakfast! Carin's swelling remains but on the bright side, there are definite signs of her strength returning! If things go as planned, and they seldom do (ha ha), Carin and I will be scheduling T.P.N. training so that we can learn how to properly handle the "feeding system" for when Carin gets home from St. Paul's Hospital. Thanks again from the bottom of our hearts! Mar. 16, 2008 Lotsa visitors today! Thanks all. Carin didn't throw up today! She did have some swelling in her leg though. I guess it's a trade off for today so we'll take it. We are also bummed that with Carin in the hospital and a potential mumps outbreak in Chilliwack, we may not get to have Easter as a whole family. That's all for tonight folks, short & sweet. God bless Monty, R.I.P. Mar. 15, 2008 Carin was allowed to go on a "full fluids" diet today which means that she is allowed to have cream soups instead of just broths. It's a small victory and to celebrate, I snuck her some "solids" when no one was looking. Just a couple of potato chips. Here's is something to think about... Carin's blood count was low on red blood cells, borderline on white blood cells and completely normal on platelets. This is strange because due to the CML her platelets are normally astronomical compared to a "healthy" person's. Hmmmm.... Other than that, it was a pretty "normal" day. (lots of "quotes" today for some reason. We watched Wild Wild West starring Will Smith on the laptop and basically that's it. We also had a visit from her parents and my Mom. Thanks for the phone calls and e-mails. They really mean a lot and are very much appreciated. Mar. 14, 2008 The P.I.C. line went in early this morning and at 7:00 pm Carin started T.P.N. again. I know that she is getting stronger because she is getting feistier. The monotony of every day is beginning to wear on her and that's a sign of her strength returning. She is also craving food since she has been put on a clear fluid diet. It's revealing to see the joy that a person can get from a single popsicle or a bite of solid food. I don't mean to harp on the subject but I find myself discovering more and more that I take for granted. The bright side to all this is the fact that Carin doesn't seem to be complaining of pain very much these days. Sure, she's constantly uncomfortable but her pain seems to have diminished. If you would like to send Carin and email you may do so at endcml at gmail dot com. Thanks for all the prayers and support. Mar. 13, 2008 It appears that Carin will be getting a P.I.C. line in her arm for her Total Parenteral Nutrition tomorrow or so we've been told. Dates aren't always accurate as we've discovered so we'll just wait and see. Carin was quite groggy again today but, trooper that she is, she managed to hold it all together yet again. She did throw-up quite a bit today so she has been taken off all food and drink until the T.P.N. is in place. Hopefully this will be very soon as she is now craving just about everything! Carin is a bit nervous about the P.I.C. line procedure. She has no memory of the first time she received one. I explained how well the procedure went the first time at M.S.A. Hospital so I hope this eased her anxiety. She will be given a mild sedative before hand so I don't expect her to remember much of it this time either. Carin also worries about how this type of "feeding" is going to affect her daily life. She does tend to obsess a little bit but once she has the protocol under her control, I'm sure she'll feel a lot better. She is missing her friends in Abbotsford VERY much. We did have a nice visit with Bill and Jaime today. Thanks you guys! Missing You All. Mar. 12, 2008 In the middle of last night, the Head Nurse on Carin's floor of St. Paul's Hospital woke up and thought of Carin. She had this thought of putting Carin in a private room that was just made available so... Today, Carin was moved into a PRIVATE ROOM!!!This felt like winning the lottery! It's amazing how we take so much for granted like our health, our privacy and so much other stuff. Please take a moment to be thankful for a handful of things that you take for granted. The best part of the private room is that now Carin has her own bathroom! No more having to suffer through using a bathroom where 2 other male patients take target practice. POORLY! I don't mean to be cruel it's just the facts. This bathroom also gives Carin her own TUB & SHOWER!!! Needless to say that we are so very, very thankful! Carin was quite groggy today. I think it's her anti-nausea drug that makes her loopy. Oh well, no one will complain today! We also had a visit from the T.P.N. training nurse. She told us how there is a 20 hour training course that Carin & I will need to take in order for us to manage Carin's home care needs. Apparently there is a company in Burnaby that will deliver Carin's nutrients as well as a small fridge and a pump when the time comes. Of course we are hoping for complete healing before the T.P.N. is necessary but hey, that's what happened today. I forgot to mention that we met a Pastoral Care Worker named Liz yesterday that totally reminded us of Gill Mac. What's important about this is that I had just talked to Carin about Gill Mac only moments beforehand. Liz even had a British accent! Can anybody else see where all this is leading? We also decided to bring in some Campbells Gardenay cream soups specifically for Carin. The poor girl can only stand so much strained mushroom soup that the hospital seems so fond of providing. (Carin wouldn't eat mushroom soup BEFORE she went into the hospital) I'd like to take this opportunity to praise the staff that we have encountered at St. Paul's Hospital. The nurses and everyone have been so great! I think it takes a very special calling on one's life to do the things that these nurses do, especially when they have to deal with some less than grateful patients. YOU FOLKS ARE AWESOME! Thank-you. Duane has left the updates. Mar. 11, 2008 It seems like Carin's T.P.N. doctor is trying to gather all the facts about her case before deciding what to do next. That's a good thing but we thought a decision would have been made by now. O.K. so we need to be more patient. We can do that. Carin had a hard time coming to grips with the fact that today is the 11th day of March already. It seems like so much of this year has passed her by due to medical issues. It reminded me of how often we take our health for granted and of people who spend even more time, years and years, dealing with medical issues. I'm going to pause here and be thankful... O.K. I'm back. Tomorrow Carin's doctor is going to discuss more tests to find out if Carin has a blockage or an adhesion or whatever. Please pray for the doctor's team to have wisdom and for a super simple solution to be found. Better yet, how about another miraculous healing?!?! Remember that 7.5 cm. tumor? Goodnight all. Mar. 10, 2008 Time for a slumber party! Tonight Carin's mom is going to stay with her overnight which means I get home early enough to do some much needed housework. As you already know, Carin has moved into the four person room and now has three room mates to cope with. It's not like they interact at all but there is one gentleman who is seemingly in the early stage of dementia. Unfortunately he lends a very negative tone to the whole room. I feel for Carin as she must listen to this man's negativity and I hope that she will not be affected by it as she is on her healing journey. Tomorrow will mark two months of my absence from work. I am so grateful that UBC has such a great stress leave policy. If it were not for this benefit Carin's and my stress and discomfort would be... well, I don't want to think of where we'd be. Thanks UBC! I very much look forward to coming back! I guess I should tell of Carin's day at some point eh? Today she vomited approximately two liters of "stuff." This is kind of strange since she doesn't take in two liters worth of food or drink. (sorry if the details are disgusting but this IS Carin's daily update, gory details and all.) Other than that, things were pretty quiet and she had a couple of really good naps. She really is putting forth a brave front and fighting with all she's got. She always has inspired me with her strength and determination. We hope that we hear from her doctors tomorrow as to what is going to happen next. I'm not sure if they know what to do or if they're stalling to see where Carin goes from here. It could be that they are waiting for her to regain some strength before anything happens. That seems to make sense to me. Thanks for reading this far in today's update. I'll end it here with a big THANK-YOU for all your prayers and support. We couldn't have made it this far without YOU! Much Love. Mar. 09, 2008 Did anyone else miss Daylight Savings Time clock adjustments? I had a hard time trying to figure out why my clock radio and cell phone were at odds with each other this morning! Oh well, no harm done. Carin was very lucid today and we had good visiting time with friends and family. She also moved from a 2 person room to a four person room. Dang! I hope she can manage to sleep tonight as two of her room mates are quite vocal. We hope to have some details come to light tomorrow as she should be receiving a visit from the T.P.N. doctor. Thanks again for the prayers and support. Mar. 08, 2008 Not much to report today. Carin spent much of the day "out of touch with reality." Her phosphate and potassium levels are increasing which is good. Her potassium levels were critically low when she was admitted to Emergency. Carin's parents came out for a visit which made Carin smile. Although her parents kept telling her to relax and sleep, Carin couldn't help but be as alert a hostess as possible. Carin spends lots of time in a world of her own and sometime verbalizes it which can make for some pretty funny vocalizations. I would love to be able to see what's going on inside her head at these times. Fortunately it all seems to be benign and without any scariness. Sorry to say we won't make it to Freshwind tomorrow but we'll be there in spirit. Love to all. Mar. 07, 2008 Today's good news is that Carin was moved from Emergency to a room on the 7th floor with only 1 room mate. She is resting as comfortably as she can. She has started throwing up again and this seems to be the most painful part for her. She usually gets some nasty stomach cramps which heralds the eventual expulsion of her stomach contents. We don't expect much to happen until Monday now as the week end is upon us. On the bright side, I'm learning how to use the bus system. Not as difficult as I thought. As always your prayers are welcome as we trundle through this next phase of Carin's healing journey. Yes, I used the word "trundle". (Wow, I need a nap!) Good night all. Mar. 06, 2008 So... Carin is now at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver. She was admitted quickly to the Emergency ward after her visit with her pain specialist. I don't feel there's need to panic but I am still disappointed that this journey is turning into something epic. Carin will be receiving a new T.P.N. line that the doctors say will be permanent. We'll see about that! The plan is for her to be in the hospital for at least 2 weeks in order to regain some of the weight she has lost. She is handling the situation remarkably well. Sure she cried a bit but then again, who wouldn't? Looks like I'll be doing daily updates again. Mar. 05, 2008 Tonight we head back to Vancouver for a visit to the BC Cancer Agency tomorrow. The throwing-up has gone on too long and Carin has lost too much weight. Carin is scheduled for a 3 way X-ray as I understand it to check for an additional blockage or whatever else is in there. If necessary she will be admitted to the agency until this problem is sorted out. More later. Mar. 03, 2008 Wow! Has it been that long since I've updated this information? I guess it just doesn't seem like a long time. Everyday seems to be pretty much like the one before. A typical schedule goes something like this: Yeah, it gets monotonous. We really need to find out why Carin has started throwing-up again and what to do about it. She gets nauseated very easily and therefor isn't eating much and losing weight. Thanks for checking back folks. Feb. 25, 2008 Hello again. Things are continuing along on our end. There have been a couple of things that have concerned us but all in all, there seems to be slow improvement. Our main concern right now is that Carin has thrown up every day for the last five days. I find it odd that if someone throws up often enough, it becomes... well, common place. I used to get totally grossed out but now it's just a part of our day. Weird huh? Pain seems to be under control with meds but energy levels are low. Fortunately sleeping is no problem. Today Gill Mac came over for a visit to lift Carin's spirits. Thanks Gill and have fun in Israel! Another nice addition to Carin's recovery has been the super weather we've had lately. We have even opened the windows to let some fresh air in. Thanks again for the continuous support and prayers. Feb. 20, 2008 With the introduction of some new medications, Carin has had a fairly good couple of days. There has been a new annoying development though. When she swallows food or drink she feels like a large bubble of air is being swallowed at the same time. I think we've all had a similar feeling at one point or another and can agree how uncomfortable it is. In other news, we returned to church this past Sunday and a wonderful time being "loved on" by all our friends! It felt great to "be home." Today Carin's appetite increased as well as some of her strength. Tomorrow will be telling though as we discover how much today's activities took out of her. Special thanks to the E.A. group today for lifting us up and sharing the smiles! Feb. 14, 2008 Sorry about not having an update for yesterday folks but I think today's update will make up for it. "The previously seen 7.5 cm large mesenteric mass has entirely resolved." This was the exact quote on Carin's latest Diagnostic Imaging Chart report! Translated into English it means that the tumor that was radiated over last Summer has completely disappeared! Not only that but another tumor has shrunk from 1.5 to 1.2 cm! Hallelujah! Now I need to ask, is it normal for a tumor to completely disappear after radiation therapy? Further investigation shall commence! Please continue praying as we still have pain to deal with as well as the disappearance of the rest of the tumors. We also pray for complete healing of the Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. We cannot thank all of you enough for your amazing support! I will continue to update this site but I may not do it every day. Thanks again everyone. Feb. 12, 2008 Great day today. Last night Carin threw up again but as it is, she always has a better day after this happens. We expect tomorrow to be a great one too. Carin had enough energy for a bath and she ate a good portion of solid food which means her appetite has increased. Add to this a visit from Opa and we arrive at a great day! We hope that this situation can be accelerated (without the throwing-up part of course!) Your (and our) prayers are being answered so Thank-you very much and please continue. Feb. 11, 2008 What is it about Carin that makes people love her upon first meeting her? Today I met two ladies from the first floor of her apartment building who basically offered to change their schedules to help Carin in any way they could. I'm sure that Carin has only made small talk with these ladies as they pass each other in the hallways. Whatever you got Carin, you need to bottle and sell it! Today Carin had to deal with a bit more pain than usual but we did receive a phone call that reassured us that everything is progressing normally. We also had a surprise visit with Lorie and Eden which set a bright mood for the rest of the day. Thanks you two! I do have one correction to make from yesterday's post though. It was Rosie that put up the FaceBook page so... you get big hugs too. (Jill, you can keep your hugs and Carin sends a few more just in case your running low) Actually we'd like to send hugs to so many people. Bill, Jamie, Barb, Fi, Phyllis, Francesca, Lara, The Funks, Opa, Oma, Granny, The Parzens, Andy, Jacquie, Gill, Jill, The Elliots, Brad, Eden, and so many others! We love you all and thank-you so much! Feb. 10, 2008 I guess a boring day is preferable to an "exciting" day. Although today was boring, it was also very restful. Carin is trying to eat more but her appetite is just not very strong. On the other hand, her pain has been well under control today. Carin wants to send a big hug to Jill for her facebook prayer page. (I just discovered it, I'm not on facebook you see) I know, I know 8-( We wish we could have been at FreshWind today but energy levels just weren't there today. We are missing you all very much. Thanks for continuing to read the updates and praying for us. If you would like to send Carin a note, please email us at:endcml at gmail dot com. Feb. 9, 2008 Not much to report today. Carin is still fighting fatigue and abdominal pain. She does seem to be eating more as her appetite increases. Today we found another ally in our fight. It's name is "Pepto Bismol." Those stupid, annoying commercials actually paid off as this was the first product we thought of to ease Carin's tummy. Go figure! Carin wants me to thank all of you again for the continuous prayer and e-mail support. That's all for tonight! Feb. 8, 2008 Sorry about the late update folks but I have good news! Carin's oncologist reports that the C.T. scan shows the tumors have shrunk! We're not sure exactly how much they have shrunk but at least they have! Now my question is, How long until they've shrunk down to nothing? I have asked for copies of the C.T. scan and have been told they will be mailed to me. I'm not sure if the results will come in the form of pictures or a recording of the findings but whatever it is, I'll try to put it on the website for all to see. More good news is that Carin is eating more food and more frequently. She is having trouble sleeping though due to abdominal pain. Maybe the increase in food is causing her stomach to work more than it's used to. Spirits are high and optimism is increasing! Thanks again. If you would like to send Carin a note, please email us at:endcml at gmail dot com. Feb. 7, 2008 Hello all. Today, some success and some... well, not success.Good news is that Carin's body is behaving "normal" again in some aspects. Bad news is that she also threw up again. My view is that the success over rules the bad stuff. Her doctor appointment went well and we received more helpful information from her pain specialist, Doctor Hawley. She also had her C.T. scan and I think we'll get the result tomorrow when we visit with her oncologist. The best part of the day for me though has been having the time to simply relax with her and have good conversation. Tonight we will be praying for a solid sleep cycle, no pain and increased appetite. Thanks again for the e-mails and phone calls. Lastly, Tina, you are precious and we love you. (All of you actually) To anyone who doesn't already know about the army of support, you are all so important in this struggle and we will be victorious! If you would like to send Carin a note, please email us at:endcml at gmail dot com. Feb. 6, 2008 Todays update comes to you from Kitsilano. Carin & I have come to my apartment in Kits. because she has Dr.s appointments Tomorrow and Friday. Tomorrow she is scheduled for a C.T. scan and an appointment with her pain specialist. Today Carin seemed to be feeling a bit more "normal" but still sleeping a lot. We still find encouragement from all your e-mails, thank-you. Lara, thanks for the phone call, Carin was touched. Please pray for more energy and a bigger appetite. If you would like to send Carin a note, please email us at:endcml at gmail dot com. Feb. 5, 2008 Have you ever heard someone's tummy rumble? Have you ever heard someone's tummy rumble, from the next room over? Carin's insides sound like they're hosting a Nascar event! I'm going to take this as a good sign. Unfortunately she is still having lots of abdominal pain which seems to be alleviated by burping. Go Carin Go. She is still very low on energy but trying her best to eat as much as possible. She still gets very tired and winded just walking down the hallway. Tomorrow night we will be heading to Vancouver and staying in my apartment due to doctor's visits on the following two days. Please pray for pain relief and miraculous test results as we continue down this road. Bob... Thanks brother. If you would like to send Carin a note, please email us at:endcml at gmail dot com. Feb. 4, 2008 11:59 pm: What can I say? It's great to have Carin back at home. We have only a couple of concerns. 1. Carin's energy levels are very low and simply moving from room to room can be draining. 2. Pain control. While Carin has medications to combat pain it is disconcerting that she has enough pain to warrant such medication. On the very bright side... There will be no noisy room mates to contend with or nurses interrupting our nocturnal slumber! Now if I can only get Carin to eat more... hmmm... 4:45 pm: Carin is HOME! She is exhausted and resting. More later. 9:30 am: I just received a phone call from Carin to let me know that she is coming home today! The doctors are going to "cap her PIC line" and discharge her! This is great news but I'm still nervous about how we are going to deal with her pain. I'm hoping that her oral meds will be as effective as her injected meds. Fingers crossed... Feb. 3, 2008 It's hard to fathom the fact that Carin has now been in the hospital for over three weeks. The fact that she is still there is a good thing though because... about two weeks ago there was little hope that Carin would survive another night. Her doctor had come in and told her parents that "it's a miracle that Carin is still with us." I've delayed this information because Carin herself had not known that her life had been in that much jeopardy. Now that she has been told, you can be as well. Miracle. Thanks to your prayers and support, Carin is still alive today. And once again I say, "THANK-YOU." It makes Carin and I wonder what will come next. We believe that God has kept her alive for a greater purpose and we are eagerly anticipating what that might be. This is at least the third time that Carin has outlived her expectations, at least from a human view-point. Thank-you God! We still have hurdles to overcome though. The most important one seems to be her stomach pain when-ever she tries to eat certain foods. Until we have that sorted out Carin must stick to some grain and dairy products. When she has tried eating meat or vegetables her stomach cramps up in excruciating pain that requires additional pain killer medications. We don't know how long it will take to solve this part of the puzzle but we grow more confident every day that she, by the grace of God, will overcome. Thank-you once again. If you would like to send Carin a note, please email us at:endcml at gmail dot com. Feb. 2, 2008 Today was a bit on the rough side for Carin. Her abdominal pain became a bit more problematic. This may be due to a reduction in her pain medications. We are hopeful that her tummy pains will disappear very soon and forever! Carin spent a good portion of today sleeping and sweating. The last time this happened it lasted about two and a half days. Afterwards she experienced 4 or 5 good days of recovery. I believe that when she is sleeping and sweating, her body is making much needed "repairs." Her spirit remains good and I hope she rests well tonight. Sleeping isn't always easy as she has three other ladies in the room. One of them whines in pain, one whimpers and the last one snores loudly. Yeesh! Thank-you again for all your prayers and support. If you would like to send Carin a note, please email us at:endcml at gmail dot com. Feb. 1, 2008 More good stuff today. It looks like things are still moving in the right direction. Everyone is commenting on how much better Carin is looking compared to just a week ago. Today Carin realized just how serious her condition has been. She actually doesn't remember much, if anything, about her first two weeks in the hospital. That's probably a good thing. There was talk yesterday about discharging Carin in 7 to 10 days. Today there is talk about discharging her even sooner. I would like to get my hopes up but things always seem to be in a constant state of flux in the hospital so we'll just patiently wait until Carin's discharge time is confirmed. Wouldn't it be great if she could be released in time to attend the Redding conference on the 8th? This is a bit of a diversions but I would like to take this opportunity to thank a few people. First of all, "An-GILL McPherson" Gill has been coming in at 6:00 am to pray for Carin whether Carin is awake or asleep. Gill's dedication has been such an incredible blessing. Gill, you blow us away and we can't thank you enough. Secondly, the Funkinators, Jesse, Kylee, Carrie, and Abbie (oh, you too Stan & Rosie 8-) Your visits and glove puppets always put a huge smile on Auntie's face and a big lump of joy in her heart. Thank-you. Lastly, everyone else. All of Carin's visitors have been very understanding and willing to keep visits short as Carin's energy levels are unpredictable and often short. We also appreciate the people who choose to give Carin lots of space and would prefer to visit when we return to FreshWind. Yes, WE WILL RETURN and very soon! Tonight we had the chance to watch last Sunday's service that was recorded and brought to us. A huge thank-you to all involved in it's production and delivery. Thanks also to those who included personal messages! Ruth, your story and dance are just... awesome. FreshWind is blessed to have you in our family. There is so much more to tell but that will have to wait until the time is right. I don't mean to keep you in suspense but... If you would like to send Carin a note, please email us at:endcml at gmail dot com. Jan. 31, 2008 I wish I could respond to each e-mail persoanlly but the truth is that I don't spend much time in front of a computer at all any more. You are all so encouraging and we are very grateful. Nothing negative to report today! All good stuff. 1. Carin is back on her oral medication for the leukemia. She had not taken it for weeks due to the fact that she would always vomit it up again. These pills can easily upset her tummy when she is feeling good! Her blood report came back with tales of concentrated immature platelets. We absolutely need Carin's blood counts to have just the right number of healthy red and white blood cells as well as platelets. 2. Carin was awake all day without taking a nap! We think this is due to the reduction of her pain medication. We expect a deep sleep tonight and hope that it will be pain free. 3. Carin went a little further on her daily walk today. She still gets winded easily but she is determined to make improvements. 4. Carin is on a solid food diet now and there is talk about removing her T.P.N. in just a few days. YEAH!!! 5. We have both been touched with the number of visitors and reports of people who want to visit but also wish to give Carin space and time to heal without being overwhelmed. Thank-you all. That's all for tonight. Thanks for reading! If you would like to send Carin a note, please email us at:endcml at gmail dot com. Jan. 30, 2008 What is Carin most upset about while being in the M.S.A. Hospital? One might think that it's a constant pain in her abdomen. One might think that it's sickness or even cancer that has her down. Nope. The thing that Carin is most upset about is the fact that she NEEDS to be at the hospital in the first place! If you know Carin, you know that she is very independent and does not like to be "hemmed in." She would much rather suffer pain and illness in the comfort of her own home and surroundings. This tells us one thing. CARIN IS ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY. We still want to make sure that everything she eats makes the complete circuit through her system and we would like reassurance that her body is working as God intended. Please pray that she will have the patience to complete the whole healing process and not rush into a false sense of well-being. In my eyes, Carin seems to be making good progress every day. Carin however... well, she has a more difficult time seeing it that way. For example, a parent probably doesn't see the changes with their child on a day by day basis but an aunt or uncle that doesn't see the child every day will always comment "how much change has occurred" since tha last visit. Do you know what I mean? Prayers are being answered as Carin's pain medications are being reduced and more normal bodily functions are manifesting. On a less positive note, Carin called me at 2:00 am and then again at 3:30 am in a confused state of mind. She actually removed one of her sub-cutaneous butterfly thingies (yes that is the official term) in the midst of one of these episodes. We hope that the reduction of her medications will allow a more peaceful sleep and a clearer mind in the future. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for being so understanding with the vistation circumstances. It means a lot to both of us. Lastly, Andy & Brad, thank-you. You know what I mean. If you would like to send Carin a note, please email us at:endcml at gmail dot com. Jan. 29, 2008 Lots of walking today. Oxygen levels need to increase. Normally Carin should have an O2 level between 92 and 96 but it seems to be around 88 so... A couple of nights ago Carin had a nasty experience of throwing up in the middle of the night. Tonight she had another similar experience but not quite as bad. The amount that she expelled seemed to be only about half of what she took in so I'm guessing that some of the food is actually working it's way through her system and that's a good thing. Since I post these updates late at night my "writing skills" are probably suffering. Please let me know if something is unclear or if I have made spelling mistakes or typos. Thank-you all for the encouraging e-mails! They are all printed out and read to Carin as soon as possible. They always put a smile on her face and remind her that she is deeply loved! Please continue to pray for continued healing (of course) but also for things like mental clarity. Often when she awakes from a nap she is confused and this scares her a little bit. She could also use prayer to combat anxiety. That's all I have for tonight so I'm off to bed. Much love! If you would like to send Carin a note, please email us at:endcml at gmail dot com. Jan. 28, 2008 Good news to report again. Some things are moving as they should and that's great! A bit of a hiccup though is that Carin's oxygen level (in the blood I think) drops below 90 and then she needs to wear the oxygen nostril tubing. Carin was asked by her doctor to try walking with the aid of a walker so... down the hallway we went. Needless to say this pretty much exhausted her energy level for a few hours. Now if we could only get her to digest food properly. It seems that whatever liquid she swallows simply sits in her stomach until it's pumped out through the N.G. tube. Please pray for this to be remedied soon. She also sent me a text message at 3:30am asking for prayer because she was having more pain. Fortunately I was having sporadic sleep (and was awake when the text message arrived) so I phoned her to calm and reassure her. Thank-you all for your prayers and support. Thank-you for pouring your love into Carin and me. If you have any specific questions please feel free to e-mail us and ask. If you would like to send Carin a note, please email us at:endcml at gmail dot com. Jan. 27, 2008 A banner day as things go for Carin. She spent much more of the day awake and had some visitors. Not too many mentions of being in pain either which is also a good sign. The biggest surprise came in the form of a phone call from Henry & Nelly in Germany! Thanks guys! That was a treat! Carin's parents brought me BBQ chicken for supper tonight which was super but... at some point, Carin ended up with my plate of BBQ chicken in front of her and I was holding her broth! What's up with that? 8-) Needless to say, she had a few bites of chicken and thoroughly enjoyed it. Looks like her appetite is making a comeback. If you would like to send Carin a note, please email us at:endcml at gmail dot com. Jan. 26, 2008 Another sleepy day. I'm sure that Carin's nutrition from the T.P.N. is having a healing effect on her body. I think that her body is using most of her energy for conversion of the nutrients and thus causing her to sleep so much. I see that she is stronger by the way she pushes herself upright in bed whenever she needs to where before she would always stretch a hand upwards for help. Jim, Ginny, Phyllis, Julia, Darren, Uncle Ari and Tante Gudrum, thank-you for your e-mails. I'll be sure Carin gets them tomorrow. Last night was a bit rough on Carin because she threw up and had a bit of an anxiety attack. There was also an elderly patient in her room that passed away and I think that might have had something to do with her anxiety. She also had some scary dreams which didn't help her situation. She knows that she can call either me or her parents at any time during the night but if you know how independent Carin is... 'nuff said. So I go to sleep tonight knowing that Carin is doing well with high hopes of a complete recovery and expectation of a great testimony when this is over. Thank-you dear friends for all your support and prayers. If you would like to send Carin a note, please email us at:endcml at gmail dot com. Jan. 25, 2008 A big day for sleeping. Carin has been "feeding" through the T.P.N. device for over 24 hours now and I suspect that she's experiencing what we all do after Thanks Giving dinner. I know that I always crave a nap afterwards. I'm sitting in her corner of this 4 person room in the MSA Hospital and watching her as she tries to get in a nap before bedtime. Yes, that's right, a nap before bedtime. It was another day towards healing with visitations and further poking and prodding. She keeps a brave face on for visitors and quickly nods off to sleep when it's just the two of us. I'm O.K. with that of course, I know that it's during the sleep cycle when the body is most actively healing. Pain has been a bit more manageable today or so it seems and the e-mail from Cindy and her daughter Bethanie put a bright smile on Carin's face. Your right Bethanie, Carin is a Princess! Carin has also decided to leave her N.G. tube in for another night. The N.G. tube is used to remove whatver is in her stomach in case she gets nauseous and it goes through her nostril and into her stomach. It's a really uncomfortable thing to have in place and even more uncomfortable to have inserted! In other news, blessings continue to pour in from friends, family and my place of employment, U.B.C. Thanks so much everyone! I'd like to take a moment to remind all who are reading this to also pray for Bill & Jaime, Bob & Donna, Kevin & Heidi and everyone else that you know who are going through trying times. Tomorrow WILL be an even better day! If you would like to send Carin a note, please email us at:endcml at gmail dot com. Today is January 24, 2008 and Carin has been in the hospital for almost 2 weeks now. There have been some scary times but Carin, as you probably all know, is incredibly determined and resilient. Even in the hospital she is ministering to those around her as we try to minister to her. Yesterday she had a T.P.N. line put in her arm which is basically a super thin tube that goes in her arm, just above the elbow, and is slid through a vein into her heart or somewhere close to it. (I'll get more on this when I have more time to research and am less tired) This tube is used to transport nutrients and fats directly into her system. Today they started using this tube to "feed" her so that she can regain her strength. Due to her high pain levels she is being given lots of pain killer medication which can play havoc on her emotions and state of mind. She is often very tired and takes lots of naps. We have had to limit visitors so that she can rest when necessary. The visitor limitation is hard to enforce because Carin has so many people that love her dearly and want to support and pray for her. We are so blessed to have all of you as friends and family! We cannot even begin to express our gratitude! Today we had 3 dear FreshWind friends come all at once but didn't get a chance to see her. Carin had just woken up and was a bit confused and distraught. I thought I'd take a picture of them together so that I could show it to Carin when she had regained her composure. When I did show her the picture she broke into tears. These tears were due to a deep sadness at not being able to enjoy their company due to the situation. Fi, Francesca, Phyllis... I'm sorry about the non-visit with Carin but she really appreciated the effort and misses you all very much. Thank-you for understanding and supporting us both in these trying times. (If I have spelled your names incorrectly please let me know and I'll fix it) Here is the picture I snapped
I'll try to update this page as time allows. If you would like to send Carin a note, please email us at: endcml at gmail dot com. (I'm sure you can decipher that code :-) It helps keep spammers at bay. Please also include where you are located as we understand that we have people praying from various countries. Love and Blessings,
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