Thank You for the Blanket

Mom and dad would like to say thank you to the person who sent this quilt, so if it was you, please let them know. Mom and dad have the best support system!

If you didn't know, these are dad's favorite colors. Although I don't think that comes as a shock to anyone. I don't think he owns a t-shirt or sweatshirt that is anything but Virginia Tech colors, despite all my efforts to get him into some of that beautiful Tennessee orange.

And it is no wonder that maroon and orange are dad's favorite colors. I did a little digging for fun and found out some fun facts about the colors associated with your dreams according to www.dreammoods.com. According to their site, maroon "is symbolic of courage, bravery, heroism, and strength." My dad is one of the bravest and strongest men I know in regards to both his most recent battle and with the way that he lives his life. He chooses the harder right before the easier wrong and that is true strength to me. Plus, he's definitely a hero to our family. The orange "denotes hope, friendliness, courtesy, generosity, liveliness, sociability, and an out-going nature" From the start of dad's treatments, he has been a shining beacon of hope. He makes it easy for the rest of us to be strong and positive. I might give the out-going nature part to mom though.

More on dad though. He is doing well. When we spoke with him tonight, mom was shaving his face. And no, not with the electric kind, but a good ol' fashioned razor. She also washed his hair to which he told us that he now understands why it is our favorite part of getting a haircut. I guess that's how much you love and trust one another after almost 37 years of marriage on top of 6 years of dating. Or maybe he's helping mom prep for her next job at a salon.

Ruth 1:8    ...May the Lord reward you for your kindness...

Prayers Needed for Stomach Wound Healing

Family and friends, we are asking for healing prayers for dad's stomach wound. Right now, chemo is on hold so that he can heal and get better. The would also needs to heal in case dad needs surgery for the cancer. So we ask for prayers that the wound heal and that dad gets stronger.

The wound is looking better today, but it is still a long way to go. They will continue to do radiation, but would like to get a second round of chemo and be able to do the surgery. They could do the surgery after just 1 round of chemo, but would really like to do 2 rounds.

Proverbs 3:5-6    Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

An Internal Battle Begins

We are asking for renewed/continued prayers for dad.  As we mentioned previously, he had surgery to clear up his blockage.  He needs the stomach wound from that surgery to heal while he is undergoing radiation and chemo.  One is working against the other and he needs all of it to work together.

Please pray the Lord gives the doctors the wisdom they need to work all this out and that dad's body responds well so he can continue to be made well and restored to great health. Mom and dad are meeting with the doctors today to find out next steps.


He is still in the hospital and has not gotten to go home as of yet. The nursing staff and doctors are taking good care of him and he tells us that he is getting stronger every day.


He is grateful for all the visitors he's had and for the continued messages of support. He's gotten to watch Josh and Ashley (Gretchen and Ben's kids) go skiing and playing basketball through the wonders of modern technology.

We also ask that you keep the Bethea's in your prayers for their daughter Kelley that she recover quickly and fully. I also ask that you keep the Blake Family (for their son Ronan for continued healing) and the Duffy Family (for dad/husband Sheldon for complete healing as he battles leukemia) in your prayers.

Isaiah 40:31  but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. 

Case of the Rotating Rooms

Yesterday I said that Dad was moving out of the ICU tonight and into a lesser care room just as soon as they get the room ready for him! One more step in the right direction!

Well, today Dad is once again moving to a lesser care room! That's 2 rooms in 2 days! He's also been up and walking without his "wheels." They are stopping feeding him by IV and are now solely feeding him through his tube. Prayers and positive thoughts that dad does well with the absorption of nutrients so he can go home this weekend.

Radiation Continues

GOOD NEWS!!! Dad continues with his cancer treatment today. He goes in for radiation and will continue on his current path. Halfway to victory!

He is still in the ICU. We are not sure when he is coming home, but the good thing about the hospital is that he is getting good "food" and fluids.

Update on Dad 2/16

I am sharing an email from my Aunt Lyn as she was able to speak with my Aunt Barbara about how dad was doing. Here is her email below:
It was great to hear the update from Barb today - excellent progress! (Dignity just flies out the window when the whole family rejoices over the workings of your GI system :-) ). I know Sid had been feeling discouraged about his lack of progress but, between the fluid build up and pressure, the effects of anesthesia and intestinal surgery, these things do take time!

So glad they started the TPN and lipids a few days ago. I was hoping they would so that he can get some good nutrition while he is hospitalized. It will go a long way towards helping his healing and strength. Glad PT and you (now that the nurses know not to fuss at you!) are working with him to get moving and regain strength. So good for both mental and physical outlook when you can get up and about! 

Saw the pic on FB and wondered, since Ashley was visiting, if he in a regular room now or if they are allowing her to visit in CCU.  She's obviously good therapy - Sid looks good in the pic!
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Just wanted to share a couple of notes on how dad is doing. Mom and dad were able to spend Valentine's Day together. It was in the hospital, but at least they were together. Dad is getting some good nutrition while there and they are keeping their sense of humor up. We joked that dad was having steak, potatoes, and green beans for dinner.

Gretchen and her family have been able to come spend lots of time with grandpa at the hospital, which helps to cheer up his spirits. They played Uno the other day. As usual, there were no "kid gloves" on and dad lost every hand.

Dad is now finally up and walking again. He hadn't been up and moving since last Sunday. He now has a new VT colored wheelie to help him get around while he regains his strength.

Dad is making progress and he greatly appreciates all the messages, visitors, and calls. He is in good hands at the hospital and mom is getting good rest while spending lots of time with him during the day.

Philippians 4:6-7     Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Surgery Went Well

My Dad is out of surgery and everything went well. The surgeon (yesterday) was concerned that the reason for the blockage was because of cancer in the intestines. My mom, ever so lovingly, told the doctor that this was NOT a possibility. We were confident that it was something else and to move on.

Today, she was validated. NO cancer in the intestines. So more prayers answered! My dad will remain in the hospital for about a week recovering. He is in the ICU tonight so they can continue to monitor his blood pressure and pulse. During his recovery he will not have radiation or chemo. The recovery could last around 5 weeks. They aren't sure what this means for the treatment going forward, do they start over or do they keep going, but that is something we will deal with next week.

For now we are just grateful that everything is all cleaned out and it isn't more cancer. Thanks for all the prayers this afternoon...If you are in the Annapolis area and want to go visit let us know and we can get you my Dad's room number. Good thing the Olympics are on TV!!

One Prayer Answered, A Couple to Go

Before I begin, I wanted to share an email that I received from my Aunt Barbara. We initially found out yesterday that dad will be having a filter put in his leg because of blood clots and then on Tuesday he will need surgery to repair the blockage in his intestine. He feels confident that all will be okay. Aunt Barbara spent some time with mom and dad at the hospital yesterday and shared this scripture with them:
Your Dad asked me to forward this scripture to you. It is one that God gave me this evening after the emotional roller coaster of the afternoon that your parents have experienced.

The entire scripture is from II Chronicles 20: 1-23. It describes a time when the Hebrew children were under siege with enemies attacking from all sides and no chance of victory in human terms. The people prayed to God in verse 12, declaring that they were powerless against their enemies, didn’t know what to do, but their eyes were on God. In verse 15 they receive their answer from God, “Thus says the Lord to you, Fear not and be not dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours but God’s.” Verse 17 continues, “You will not need to fight in this battle; take your position, stand still, and see the victory of the Lord on your behalf…Fear not and be not dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.” They began to praise the Lord and thank Him for His victory before the battle began. Verse 21-22 says that the people sang and praised the Lord saying, “Give thanks to the Lord, for His steadfast love endures forever. And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men” (who were their enemies). What actually happened was that the enemies each came from a different direction and ended up fighting and killing each other and the Hebrews didn’t have to do anything but stand on the hillside and watch.

Your Dad and Mom have never stopped thanking and praising God for the victory that He will give them in this battle. God would not give me peace until I shared this with them and your Dad asked me to share it with you. You and Gretchen and your families remain in our prayers also at this hard time.


I shared this with you because it is fitting for a couple of reasons. The first reason is simple, it is a lesson we could all hear. Second is that we have had one prayer answered in that dad no longer has to get the filter put in for the blood clots in his leg.

We ask for continued prayers for dad as he will have surgery this afternoon to have the intestinal blockage cleared. In simple terms, we pray that God heals dad so he can go #2. A strange thing to pray for, but much needed.

Mom and dad are doing well otherwise. Dad is ready to get out of the hospital bed, but he's thankful for the visitors he's had. He and mom are watching the Olympics and doing their daily readings while there. Gretchen and her family stopped by last night to bring mom dinner from PF Chang's and to visit with dad.

We thank you all for your continued prayers, thoughts, and well wishes. This too shall pass, and we believe dad will be healed of all.

Glo Run Registration Coming Soon

Hello all!
I just wanted to remind everyone that the Glo Run is on August 2, 2014 and that registration begins on February 11. This is the race that we are going to do to celebrate life with the whole family. I will be waking up as soon as registration opens to sign up and sign up our team name.

To register, go to http://theglorun.com/washingtondc/index.html and click on "tap here to register." Fill in the required blanks. Under Group/Team, click Select Group/Team. A pop-up window will appear and you'll be able to scroll through to find our team, "Don't Stop Believing." There is no limit on the number of people each team can have so we'd love to have you all on our team!

Early registration is $40 per person. They may have specials that they announce on Facebook or on their web page so look for those as well.

Hilarity Ensued in ER Room 52

Well, yesterday was a very interesting day. Adam, the kids, and I decided to drive down to Annapolis on Thursday morning to help mom out for a little bit and to see dad. The time together started out great and promising. Payton got to go stay with her Aunt Gretchen, Uncle Ben, and cousins so that I could wake up with dad to let mom sleep, and Adam took care of Austin. We even got to go see Gretchen tend bar for the Piney Orchard Relay for Life Team. She did a great job and they had so many amazing friends come out to support the cause. Next time, she may need to study up on her drinks!

Gretchen posing behind the bar before her first shift....and yes, she wore the high heels!

All appeared to be smooth sailing, but then God threw us a curve ball. While there were times yesterday that we lost our patience a bit, on the whole, we had a lot of fun and a lot of laughs. I wanted to share some of the stories below; some I will not share on here, sorry. We even managed to get a mini-Sid Oaksmith Look (SOL), something that we have actually been missing seeing. But dad was smiling a lot yesterday and that made it a good day.


On Friday morning, I went with mom and dad to dad's appointments. The day started out as usual with taking dad to his 0850 radiation appointment. Dad got zapped and we proceeded to his next appointment with the surgeon to get his feeding tube tightened and to find out why his stomach was so distended (swollen due to pressure from the inside; bloated). After waiting for a while, the surgeon came in and told us that he wanted us to go to the ER and get X-rays and fluid. This is where the hilarity begins.

Mom helping dad down the hallway to his second appointment of the morning

 Mom got a wheelchair because dad was a little too tired and weak to walk and began pushing him over to the ER. At one point, we went outside and dad mentioned how nice it felt outside. Mom took that to mean that dad wanted to be pushed outside the whole way. If you've never been to Anne Arundel Medical Center, it is a rather large facility with a lot of buildings and parking garages. Well, the only way mom knew how to get to the ER was by following the main road in and going around the parking garage and up the hill. While they started out on the sidewalk, they got to a point where the curb was too high to get dad up and so mom just decided to take off up the road. There were cars passing by them, and as we now know, a couple crazy thoughts about those two wacky people. We laughed about that off and on all day long. I'm so glad I got this photo when I did with mom pushing dad up the road with the speed limit sign in it. Did I mention that for a woman with short legs, she walks ridiculously fast.

Mom pushing dad to the ER

Now to the crazy thoughts. One of the ER nurses was a long-time friend of dad's. Mary Lou was on duty in the ER rooms. When I showed her the photo, she just started laughing. She said that she drove past us and was wondering who those crazy people were. She thought it was some patient who REALLY needed a cigarette (you can't smoke on the medical campus).

After being checked in and seen, we found out that dad has a mechanical blockage in his smaller bowels, basically he has a kink in his hose. The surgeon came in to speak with us and told us that he was going to admit dad to the general surgery unit to simply watch him with the hopes that the problem resolves itself. We had the TV on mute at this point (not much else to do in the ER while you are waiting but watch TV). Right after the surgeon left, I flipped the channel and the first channel it landed on was the home shopping network advertising a drain cleaning product. Without skipping a beat, I told mom and dad that they should order that for just 3 easy payments of $39.95. Mom and I busted out in laughter. Unfortunately, dad missed the joke and asked us why we were laughing so hard. So we had to tell him again, which got a smile out of him.

Dad was hooked up to an IV drip for hydration and got one 1000mL bag "sucked down," and then had another one hooked up. It was set at 150 mL per hour. Mom did the math and realized that it would take about 6 hours to get all of that fluid in him. She asked the nurse if the rate was correct. He said that the doctor wanted him on a slow flow. Little did we know at the time that we still had time to kill in the ER and that he would get through that bag, but then start another!

Up to this point, dad wasn't really allowed to drink anything and could really only occasionally suck on some ice chips. The nurse gave him some sponge pops that he could dip in a cup of water and rub along the inside of his mouth. Dad was wearing a face mask since his immune system is compromised and there are a lot of sick people in the hospital. Well, dad kept lifting his face mask up to the top of his head every time he wanted the sponge pop and sucking on it. At one point, when Mary Lou was in the room, dad had his mask completely covering his eyes and was just sucking away. He was a sight to see, and gave mom and me some laughs.

Dad with his mask on his forehead, just sucking away on his sponge pop

Once dad made it up to his room (around 2300), the nurse went through the whole series of questions to check him in. Once again, dad's accidental comedic timing was impeccable (or we were punch drunk from being at the hospital since 0840). The nurse asked dad if he wore a hearing aid. His immediate response was a simple, "huh." I couldn't help but start laughing which caused mom and the nurse to start laughing - poor dad and his artillery ears.

By the end of the day, we had a lot of laughs and so many more stories. Mom beat 4 more levels of Candy Crush and surprised me with her preparedness for the day by having a phone charger in her bag. Thank you so much to Gretchen for bringing us lunch, Adam for taking care of the kids all day, and to Mary Lou for checking in on us throughout the day. Dad will be in the hospital until the situation either corrects itself on its own or he has to have an alternate procedure done to unblock him. While hospital beds are not fun, he no longer has to worry about getting dehydrated since he is constantly hooked up to an IV drip.

Please pray for the blockage to clear up on his own so that dad can get back to eating and getting in all the calories he needs. Dad will be able to continue with his radiation treatments, which is wonderful. He has completed 3 weeks of radiation and 1 week of chemo, so we are halfway there. His last round of chemo will begin the week of February 17.

Please also keep Jim and Barbara Smith (dad's brother-in-law and sister) in your prayers for healing, and the Greenwells, Pettys, and McMillians in your prayers with the loss of loved ones. I also ask that you keep a high school friend's mom in your prayers as she goes through her own battle with cancer.

Proverbs 17:22   A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

A Laugh can be a Good Thing

Mom and dad are learning how to best take care of dad with each passing day.  They have learned that he feels better after his saline infusions, which he gets three times per week.  So they are trying hard to keep him hydrated in between infusions.  Mom and dad have set the alarms on their phones so that they can wake up during the night to give dad fluids at 11:30 pm, 2:30 am, and 5:30 am.  It is like going back to Gretchen and me as babies with the late-night feedings. I can neither confirm nor deny that both people who are now waking up actually woke up during the baby days, though dad may argue otherwise.

The current need is to keep dad's calories up so he does not lose too much weight.  Mom doesn't want him to have to wear her clothes!  The one doctor said it was good he was a "little " heavier so dad does have some weight to lose.  With those words, mom's new excuse for dieting is that she need extra pounds for old age with 60 coming soon!

In Church last week, we learned about the power of laughter, and how healing it can be to laugh. I think mom and dad are definitely showing us how good laughter is and can be.

Jobs 8:21  He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.