Love and Support

I am still overwhelmed by all the love and support that everyone has shown us, not just this week, but over the last 4 1/2 years.  Thank you to everyone who came out yesterday to Laura's memorial service.  It meant so much to me for all of you to share in our sorrow and remember the beautiful person that she was.  Run in peace Laura!!

The location of the Celebration for Laura in California has been changed.  It will now be held at:

Carmichael Community Clubhouse
5750 Grant Avenue
Carmichael, CA 95608

Saturday, August 13, from 4:30-7:30.

Celebration

Thank you everyone for all your love and support the last couple days. 

Services for Laura will be held Monday, August 1st at 1pm at Buckhead Church.  For directions please  go to  www.buckheadchurch.org/directions

 
A Celebration of Laura will also be held Saturday, August 13 from 4-8 at the home of Pat Stillwell located at 7632 Woodland Lane, Fair Oaks, CA 95628

The finish line...

Laura lived for 41 years and inspired us all with her courage, beauty and grace. She came in and went out on this beautiful day and was loved by all. She has loving arms around her now in heaven and we will see her again the way we remember her. Love always.

Barfy day

Day started off nauseous. Then got a bright smile. Had to say goodbye to one of my dearest friends of all times. Got a great,Fabulous massage from someone who specializes in oncology. Had an enema and foot massage. Also a fun friend who made me laugh. She read a sweet letter from a neighbor the letter was wonderful and made us both cry. Continuing to violently barf through the day. But in between I have had lots of good laughs and smiles.

Our temple is our body

The Body is a Temple

“It is not good to eat much honey, nor is it glory to search out one’s own glory.” Proverbs 25:27 - Proverbs 25:27

Christianity teaches that the body is the temple of God’s spirit and that we are to take care of our bodies. But gluttony and obesity in America are at epidemic levels, as are eating disorders.

The original intent of those who suffer from eating disorders, mainly teenage girls, is to take control of their bodies by eating less. But, over time, they can become obsessed by controlling their food intake in a way that is similar to gluttony, but with the opposite effect.

There are three main types of these eating disorders:

Anorexia—eating too little or being rigidly obsessed with avoiding perceived unhealthy foods.

Bulimia—binge eating and then throwing up or taking laxatives to avoid weight gain.

Exercise Bulimia—an obsession with exercise without enough caloric intake to replace the caloric output.

Each of these can bring great harm to the body. And like all addictions, whether food, booze, drugs, or sex, the addictions are substitutes for the place of God in the addicted person’s life.

If you suffer from an addiction that harms your body, seek God’s forgiveness and His help. Then, find others who can assist you in achieving victory over the unhealthy addiction.

I read all this and totally agree I just have to say withmy time benign limited all I can think about at this moment is a huge warm roll from a donut chain. I would be so sammy

Timing is everything....

The Greatest Evidence of Life After Life

"Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord..." - John 20:18

All through the ages, man has speculated about life after life. Dante's Divine Comedy seeks to describe it. Modern medical science has added to the speculation with its study of near-death experiences. Now all kinds of religions offer their theories.

But, the greatest evidence of life after life is in the historical evidence that Jesus rose from the dead. Christianity is the only faith founded by a man who died and came back to life. No other religion makes that claim.

Historical accounts of His appearances to His disciples, and over 500 people at one time, were written within twenty years of the event. His disciples faced martyrs' deaths for refusing to quit preaching of His death and resurrection.
People don't willingly die for something they know is a hoax.

The one thing that would have stopped Christianity in its tracks would have been for Rome or religious authorities to produce the dead body of Jesus. They never did. The best evidence of life after life is the historical evidence of Jesus' resurrection.

Huge News

I weigh myself every single day. I have been loosing significant amounts every single day, and today no weight loss at all. Today we have a big reason to sing and dance like Footloose, Footlooses, kick of your Sunday shoe...

SO SO EXCITED

Decent day

We made some big decisions today and I know they made me feel better and I think Travis too. I have actually had so much going through my head I can't sleep and for the most part DeLaura is not quite as influential. Had lots of visitor the last few days, that has been fun and exhausting. My mom got here Friday and leaves Friday and we are enjoying our time thus far. It is a ton of work for her not just taking care of me, dealing with my precious daddy at home, also.

Sammy is off at sleep-away camp and her parting words were, please don't die while I'm gone and she skipped out with her beautiful smile. After last Wednesday she had no idea how impactful those words were.

We are hopeful for a better week with a lot less drama. We are talking with a company tomorrow who offers more 24/7 medical care so I can skip the normal ER and mormal course of action. But can still keep my current nurses for some stuff but they carry the umbrellas behind me until I need them opened and then they do their stuff.

Anyways I'm going to slumber, have a great Tuesday

Happy 4th of July

What Nathan Hale Did For America

“It was for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” - Galatians 5:1

In 1776, George Washington gathered his troops together and told them he needed someone for a highly secret mission behind enemy lines. A young twenty-one year old soldier from Yale volunteered for the mission. It seemed he was going to be successful, but as he returned with the battle plans of the British, they were tipped off and he was arrested and sentenced to be hanged. The next morning, as he was facing execution, he uttered these poignant words: “My only regret is that I have but one life to lose for my country.”

Gives me amazing new hope

"I wanted to let you know I am praying for you and your family. My dear friend lost her husband to cancer after a 9 year fight...they have 3 kids. 2 years after her husband lost his fight, her daughter was diagnosed and she lost hers too. She is an amazing woman, by God's grace and so were her husband and daughter. You have an amazing spirit too! Look her up on the CaringBridge website under Hope Herman if you want. Amazing family, as I see yours is too. Knowing her and reading your story has given me perspective and encouragement that I'm so thankful for.
:)"

Just when I have a day that makes me think life is to hard, I read about something like this. This women reminded me I can stil fight and nothing is to hard.I welcome tomorrow.

The latest and not so greatest...

It has been a rollercoaster as usual in the Vickers household lately.  In the last two weeks we have had to drain Laura's stomach 4 times due to fluid accumulation.  Last Tuesday it got so bad we took an ambulance to the ER and stayed up all night until her appt the next day.  Last Friday she got a Pleurx Catheter installed in her abdomen.  We now drain fluid at home every couple of days.  Laura continues to lose weight and is having trouble eating.  We are trying to "fatten her up" before next Wednesday so she can hopefully get on some chemo, which will reduce some of the inflammation, which will let her reduce the amount of delaudid she is taking every day.  The delaudid has created a new version of Laura consisting of "sleepy talk" and murmuring which I have deemed DeLaura.  She is having some fun in her parallel universe meeting Danny Bonaduce, floating on a raft at her high school reunion, and watching a band, whose members were all herself, sing.  We are still ever hopeful and feel the chemo right now is the best bet for her to start getting back to being herself. 

Thanks to all our wonderful friends for banding together and helping out throughout each day.  We couldnt do it without you!  Keep the prayers coming!!!

This goes out to everyone

Going the Extra Mile

"Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two." - Matthew 5:41

There's a new popular show on television called, Undercover Boss." The premise is the head of a corporation goes undercover and works in the different areas of their company to see what's really going on - how they treat the customers, utilized their skills, work ethics, etc. My wife and I were staying in a nice hotel for a special occasion. One day we went to the pool, and before we could get seated, attendants brought us towels and ice water. When I went jogging, as I came back into the lobby, a bellman gave me a bottle of water. They kept surprising us with unexpected extra mile service for our entire stay. I think an undercover boss would have been proud of his employees!

I really believe that any corporation, organization, or ministry, where extra mile service is a part of the culture, will have a greater impact for good. Extra mile service goes beyond what is expected.

Do you know who originated the idea? Jesus Christ. He said, "Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two." Rome ruled their culture, and it was legal for any Roman soldier to ask a civilian to help them carry their armor for one mile at any time. The people greatly resented it. So what Jesus taught, shocked them. But following Jesus calls for extra mile service. Even if you don't follow Him, that service is always appreciated.

The Devil Made Me Do It

Monday, Jun. 27, 2011
The Devil Made Me Do It!

"Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD' - and you forgave the guilt of my sin." - King David from Psalm 32:5

Notice Adam's response when asked about his actions: "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate." So, the man blames the woman, and he also blames God - after all, He was the one who brought Eve into his life! Eve's defense? "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." (Here we have the first example of "The-Devil-Made-Me-Do-It" excuse.)

Well, the excuse is just as rampant in today's culture. We see feminists who blame men for trouble and men who blame all their problems on women. We see blacks who blame whites for the trouble in their life, and whites who blame blacks for trouble they're dealing with. Republicans blame Democrats, and Democrats blame Republicans. We have an entire industry, the media, where success seems to be measured by how many people they have adequately blamed. And so many criminals actually defend their actions by blaming the victim for the crime: "She wouldn't give up her purse, so I had to stab her." Or "She was asking for it by the way she was dressed." Our culture features this out-of-control blame game mindset. "It's not my fault! It's her fault! It's his fault! It wouldn't have happened without her; without him; without the snake!" Since the dawn of mankind, that is a classic unrepentant mindset of man when it comes to our sin.

Do you blame others for your mistakes and sins or do you confess your actions? The first step to forgiveness from God is acknowledgement of responsibility. Can you take that first step in acknowledging your own sinful deeds to the One who offers unlimited forgiveness? It will help you move away from the blame game to a life of maturity.

Another crazy week.

We had plans to go the beach this week with our friends. As the week progressed, fluid and air were in a race to see who could fill up my belly the fastest. That was fun in the morning to see them compete over space in my abdomen. By Wednesday we knew we had to drain the fluid and got it scheduled first thing Thursday.  We decided we couldn't wait until 9 AM and took an ambulance around 1:30 AM instead. After an xray, ct scan and bloodwork, they drained 3 liters and I felt a littel better.  It worked out well since I also ended up getting everything in order for the drainage thing I'm having put in tomorrow.  Dr Bowen in my new best friend at Emory and is willing to come hold my hand during during my sedated procedure. They will permanently put a drainage system in my abdomen so I don't have to keep having drainage drained.

Next week we are piecemeal-ing the support. So if you are interested check out my blog

If you would like to help...

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HELPER LOGON
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The HELPER logon is used by family and friends
that would like to sign-up to help a loved one.

To access Laura Vickers's personal CareCalendar site,
visit http://carecalendar.org/logon/78710 and enter
the following information in the appropriate spaces:

     CALENDAR ID      :   78710
     SECURITY CODE :   5286

This weekend

This weekend had it's ups & downs. Laura Stilwell came on Thursday and went home yesterday evening in tears because we were not sure what was wrong with me. Since Friday evening I have been having severe abdominal pain. My abdomin is so hard we thought I was going to need it drained agin. All I new is that I did not want to go back to the hospital even at times I thought we would have to call an ambulance. After brain storming with several of my care providers we elimated the horrible and worked our way down the list. After about 2 hours we concluded that we are dealing with gas pains. I have never dealt with pains like this and it definitely helped deal with the pain better since I new where it was coming from. Not sure how to get ride of it and I am very immobile since it is excruciating to get up, I limit my trips but I actually feel better walking around. The bad part about that is I get dizzy, tired and nauseous when I do this. Hopefully we can turn down the drug. My goal is to get off the drugs so I can get ride of the terrible side effects.

So say a little prayer that we can get all this worked out. Thanks Aunt Jo for coming and taking care of me this week.

Dr. Liu

Stilwell and I went to see a Chinese medicine doctor. He is a licensed MD in china but not here. At this rate I'm willing to try anything. It was just like you see in the movies. We went into the back door and there were mushrooms in jars everywhere. He looked at my hands and before I could tell him anything he said my liver has "many, many problems"

Then we went from there. I got anchient mushrooms from China that I make tea with and 3 other things that strengthen my liver and get the fluid working correctly. I can already tell a difference so I'm very encouraged.

Not to mention the guy who sent me there was dying from liver cancer and after 2 years is 95 percent better. Were going to do this for a month and then regroup.

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Look at the top write and I think if you plug in your email address it will notify you when I post something new. Hope this works!

Good Day

After yesterday I am so grateful to God that I am having a good day. Woke up with usual nausea and pain but Trav got my meds early so by the time I had to get up I could do it with few issues going on. My sister-in-law was our driver for the day and Sammy and I got to get some fun in with her too. Thank you K. I have a friend bringing me some love this afternoon, church friends bringing us dinner and Sammy gets a Beta fish and G gets Starwars undies. So good day All around at the Vickers house.

Emory...what a day

Went in for my 2nd Paracentesis and wow what a different experience. I should really listen to my instincts. First the nurse stuck me where I told her not to so I have 3 sticks and one infiltrated. Then the OR nurses seemed like they just graduated from kindergarden and I had to pull my own IV out. All three people were trying to do something on me at the same time and I had to raise my voice to get anyone to listen. They could not find a large pocket of fluid but we all agreed that getting out even a litter would give me that much more relief. So they stick the lidocaine in and I should have known there was a problem cause I didn't hurt like before. He starts the proceedure and I was yelling it hurt so bad and had my knees up to my chest. I kept asking why it hurts so much more than last time. After three tries he said when their is not a lot of fluid it hurts more. I felt like I was having lipo or an abortion done. Not that i have had eother, but the cramping was unbelievable. I finally just screamed at the doctor that this is not life threatening and i need him to stop now. He thought I was crazy. Then I asked if they got any fluid and the nurse told me not to worry my pretty little head about how much. On my way home to rest and praying this cramping will go away sooner rather than later so I can make it to Sammys last swim meet. On to a better day tomorrow.