So Thankful for Thanksgiving!

It’s been over seven months since Curt’s cancer diagnosis, and we are indeed grateful for tomorrow’s Thanksgiving celebration! We're also thankful that lately things have been blessedly uneventful as Curt has been undergoing his monthly rounds of chemotherapy. He is on a schedule of 5 days on, 23 days off (for each 28-day cycle), and has just completed his third cycle this past weekend.

We have a pretty good system down now to get through the chemo days...

● Take an anti-nausea pill in the late afternoon.
● Take another one hour before the nightly chemo pills.
● Above all, always take the chemo on a completely empty stomach!

This regimen has so far prevented a repeat of the gnarly first chemo cycle, which was like a bad flu times 100. Definitely a few nights we would like to forget!

Curt’s been doing well through all of this, I feel. (His oncologist says he’s amazing!) The main obstacles are fatigue and nausea, especially during the week immediately following the chemo. Just the thought of food is enough to make him feel like upchucking (even though he doesn’t). We’re still experimenting with menus for this time of the month…any suggestions from those with experience would be greatly appreciated!

I think the most exciting thing that happened recently was a couple of weeks ago when Curt asked me “do you want to go to the gym this morning?” I almost did cartwheels! Well, not quite... Actually, to give you some history, Curt is the most disciplined guy I know when it comes to exercise. He’s been going to the gym faithfully several times a week for over 40 years. Wild horses couldn't keep him away. But he just hasn’t had the energy to go since he got sick, so this was a major milestone. He’s been exercising several times a week since that morning…it’s hard, but he’s doing it!

He’s also going into work at Hope every day. Although he doesn’t have the stamina to stay all day, you can almost always find him at church from the morning through the early afternoon. He monitors his email and phone calls from home as well.

We don’t know what God has in store for us in the future, but right now we are trusting Him and enjoying the privilege of living every day with a new appreciation for each other, our family and our friends. The chemo is scheduled to continue for at least six months, so we’ll keep you posted…

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
Patti

The Gamma Knife treatment went well, everyone! Curt’s radiation oncologist was happy to report that Friday’s MRI showed no growth in those small tumors since the last scan was taken a month ago!

Everything went very smoothly…Curt checked in about noon and proceeded to have some prepping done by one of the nurses. Then his neurologist arrived to attach the head frame with screws – OUCH!! Curt next went for some MRI and CT scans, followed by the development of the computerized treatment plan by the team (based on the scans they had just taken).

The picture of Curt (above) was taken soon after the completion of the treatment plan…he was in a wheelchair on his way to the Gamma Knife treatment. (And yes, he told me to post this pic...I'm not sure if it he just wanted to gross everybody out, or if it's just to get some sympathy...probably the former, knowing Curt...lol!)

The actual radiation treatment was painless and took less than an hour. They wanted us spend the night on Oahu in case the whole thing went long, but as it was we could have come home the same day. Isn’t modern medicine amazing? (We tried changing our reservations to an evening flight but everything was sold out…for the sake of our economy I hope they were all tourists on their way to Maui!)

Thanks again for your prayers for the procedure…it went as well as we could ever have hoped for! Now our prayer is for those tumors to be completely dissolved by the radiation they received, and for Curt’s chemotherapy regimen that is coming up soon to be well-tolerated.

God bless,
Patti

Latest Update

Curt had a good month’s break from treatments after the first round of chemo and radiation ended. He has gained almost all of his weight back, which is just wonderful. His energy level is still not where it was before, which is to be expected, but he is in good spirits and he still keeps us laughing!

A follow-up MRI showed several small spots that the doctors have decided to treat with a process called Gamma Knife Radiosurgery on Oahu. It's not actually surgery, but a specialized type of radiation that targets small tumors. We are very grateful that he was approved for this treatment, and were just notified today that they have scheduled it for this Friday, September 17th.

The Gamma Knife procedure is able to accurately direct many beams of high-intensity radiation to converge on one spot. Each individual beam is relatively low-energy, so the radiation has little effect on surrounding brain tissue and is concentrated only at the tumor itself.

It’s a one-day procedure that will start about noon on Friday. The actual treatment itself is pretty short, but there are quite a few hours of planning that take place beforehand. Please pray for the accuracy and precision of the physicist and doctors who will be developing the treatment plan. We’ll be spending the night on Oahu and coming back on Saturday.

Later this month, Curt’s second round of chemo will begin, when he will start a series of 5 days of chemo (in pill form), followed by a break for 23 days. This will continue for at least six months. They will use the same medication that he took during the initial round, but in a stronger dose.

Again we would like to express our gratitude for all your support as we “keep a keepin',” as my grandmother used to say (translation: keep on going, continue, persevere, don’t give up). Your kind words of encouragement and faithful prayers have helped to give us welcome energy boosts along the way. Thank you for persevering in this with us…we love you guys!!
Patti

First round of chemo/radiation completed!

Today is a happy day...Curt went to his last radiation treatment, and finished his first round of chemotherapy! These last six weeks have been far from easy, and we are extremely grateful and excited to have come through it to the other side! Curt has gained a very welcome 20 pounds since he came home from the hospital (for the third time) seven weeks ago. Fatigue has been an ever-present factor, but the nausea for the most part never got to the point of not being able to keep food down. Thank you, Lord!

We are looking forward now to a month's break in treatment, and then he will begin monthly rounds of chemotherapy (5 days on, 23 days off). He is following the normal protocol for this type of cancer.

Curt thankfully has not been experiencing any headaches, and we are continuing to pray for God's mercy and healing. We're also praying for this next month to be healthy and restorative, for his body to continue to gain strength, and for his blood levels to all return to normal (from the negative effects of the chemo).

Thank you to everyone for the incredible covering of prayer you have provided...we know it has greatly helped to sustain us through those moments of discouragement and frustration we've encountered during these last few months. God bless you guys!!

Good test results today

Thank you Lord for the good blood test results today! Curt's liver levels are a little elevated, but they say that is to be expected with chemo (as the liver is the organ that processes and expels the toxins from your body). He's half-way done with his radiation treatments and the initial round of chemotherapy. What a blessing to be on the home stretch...just three weeks to go. He does feel it more by the end of the week, so the weekends are a reprieve and a chance for his body to build back up for the following week.

So far his appetite is holding steady, and he's eating well...no big problems with nausea or vomiting (another BIG thank you, Lord!).

He still needs to avoid crowds as much as possible, and we're continuing to pray for protection from any illnesses. He's in good spirits, even though his low energy levels are a real challenge for him. There's so much he wants to do...but he runs out of steam before he gets it done! On Sunday he experienced a lot of joint pain in his knees again (like he did on Saturday the week before), and he's also had some foot cramps at night, so that's another little prayer request.

Thank you so much for walking through this with us. It's such an encouragement to know that you are praying for Curt, and it is definitely helping to hold us up as we navigate through each new day!

Love you guys,
Patti

Happy 4th of July!

Hope you all had a great 4th of July weekend! It was nice for us, especially since Curt had a break from radiation today as they were closed due to the holiday. Over this past week we have experienced good days and bad days, but we're excited that we are 1/3 of the way through the six weeks of treatments!

We spoke with Curt's mom today, and she has just four days left to go in her radiation sessions. She sounded great, and said so far she hasn't experienced much in the way of side effects. In her case, the chemo will come later, and we were happy to hear how well it has been going for her.

There's really not too much else to report, but we'll keep you posted on the progress. We're praying for good blood test results again later this week.

Curt and I took a drive this evening to Ma'alaea Harbor and had fun reminiscing about the times we would take the family fishing by the Coast Guard station. The kids all loved it...endlessly baiting hooks, catching little (or not so little) fish, and going to the old Ma'alaea Store for snacks. It was such a neat store...we were sad to see it close several years ago. Established in the 1920's, it had a well-stocked fishing supply aisle...our son Jim was like a kid in a candy store! His brothers and sisters weren't too interested in fishing supplies though...they usually went for the manapua (the best manapua ever!) or real candy.

We are both so grateful to have had many times over these past couple of months to reflect on what a great life we have had together, and what a wonderful family (and extended church family) God has blessed us with. We already have so many good memories...and there have been so many significant spiritual markers along the way. We are confident that whatever is to come, He will give us strength enough for it, just as He gave us the strength to raise all those rambunctious kids!

Isaiah 43:2 reminds us of this:

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you walk though the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
For I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior."

Take care, and may God's blessings be upon you and your loved ones!
Patti

So far, so good!

We’re 1/4 of the way through the six-week course of radiation and chemotherapy treatments, and so far it’s been pretty manageable. Curt has experienced a lot of fatigue (which is to be expected) and also some nausea, but nothing too severe. He has still been able to eat fairly normally, although he doesn’t have a big appetite and says he really doesn't get hungry. He hasn’t lost any weight, and has thankfully gained more than five pounds since he returned home from the hospital 2 1/2 weeks ago. PTL!

He doesn't complain when we keep the meals and snacks coming even when he's looking a bit "green around the gills," although he admits he's starting to burn out on the fruit smoothies and says if he has to eat another papaya he's going to throw up! Weird how certain things make him nauseous...like the smell of olive oil heating in the pan...that's one of the worst.

Lately he has been going into his office at Hope as much as he can, then heads to his radiation appointment at 3 pm M-F. Chemotherapy is in the form of pills that he takes at bedtime (to minimize the nausea).

We’re praying that things continue on this way, and that he is able to steer clear of any illnesses during this time. The doctors are monitoring his white blood count weekly, as well as checking his hemoglobin and platelet levels. Please pray for good test results!

God bless,
Patti and family

Going Into Battle!

Curt was so happy to see many of you at church on Sunday! It was wonderful to worship again with our church family at Hope. We had a great Father’s day, and hope all of you dads were totally spoiled yesterday by your loved ones!

Today is the first day of Curt’s chemo and radiation…we’re declaring WAR on this nasty tumor! His first radiation session went fine this morning, and the chemo, in the form of pills, will be taken once a day in the evening.

We’re so excited that you are joining with us to fight this fight in the heavenly realms, persevering in prayer for this battle over the next six weeks. Please pray that whatever is left of the tumor (after this last surgery) is beaten back into remission through the treatments. Please also pray for great precision and accuracy for the doctors, and for strength and protection from infection for Curt’s body.

Thank you for all of your support and prayer during these last nine weeks…so much has happened, and we have already seen God work in mighty ways!

With our love and gratitude,
Patti and family

Back to Maui

We're on our way home! It's been a good past couple of days...pretty uneventful. Lots of rest and healing. The nurse is coming to give us our discharge instructions, and Curt is in great spirits.

We'll miss our little animal friends outside the window...the little mongoose family that comes several times daily for the tidbits that we feed them, and all the little birds that fly down to eat and then back up to the trees to sing throughout the day. It's quite the menagerie! There's even a calico kitty that the momma mongoose is always watching for on high alert.

We'll see you all soon...I've got to sign off now and listen to the nurse's instructions...

Love you!!

Patti

Another good day!

Curt is making great progress toward going home! They had him walking again today and climbing stairs. As of this morning he is on a regular diet- he enjoyed a nice omelette this morning, and spaghetti for dinner. It was a very busy day with doctor visits, nurses coming in and out all day...in fact, the last doctor left just a few minutes ago (7 pm).

The test results came back today and indicated that the mass is the same type of tumor as the original one...it is not an infection (abscess). The oncologist was upbeat and positive, saying that the end result of all this is that we have been able to "roll back the clock" and can now start over the way it all should have gone in the first place, with radiation and chemo starting within 2 weeks of the operation. If it had been an abscess, then treatment would have been delayed for many more weeks, as he would have had to be on long-term antibiotics.

We're looking forward to coming home in a couple of days! Thanks for following along with us in this journey, and for supporting us so faithfully in prayer.

See you soon!

Patti

First day after surgery

We had a very good day today! Curt spent the first night in ICU (just like he did for the first surgery) and today about noon was moved down to a regular room. No monitors or IV's - hooray! He doesn't like being hooked up to all that stuff. We're so grateful to have a private room (for nice, quiet times of rest) that looks out over a greenbelt of trees and Moanalua valley. Heaven! There's even a window that opens and lets a little breeze into the room. Not your usual hospital experience. Thank you Lord for the little things that bless so extraordinarily!

Curt's starting with liquids to make sure all his systems start up again correctly, so for lunch we smuggled in a Jamba Juice and miso soup. That was a hit!

He was awake quite awhile this afternoon, and he and Jim watched a movie while I went back to the hotel for a nap. I will take the night shift...they have been letting me spend the night in the room (another blessing). We are praying for an uneventful few days of recuperation until he is released to fly back to Maui No Ka Oi. We miss you guys!!

Love you,
Patti

Curt status update- 6pm

Hi All,

Curt is awake, talking and cracking jokes! They gave him some medicine for pain, but he's in good spirits. All his fingers and toes work =). He and Jim are talking story... Thank you Lord for bringing Curt through the operation safely! Thank you all again for walking through this with us. Your encouraging comments are loving reminders of how we are so well covered in prayer. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Love,
Patti and family

Surgery Success

Hi All,

Dr Liem came out to the waiting room on the 4th floor at about 4:45pm to let us know that the surgery went well and Curt is in recovery. We are heading up to see him now. The doctor still wouldn't commit to what the growth was, but he said that it is pointing to tumor regrowth more than to a brain abscess. They will send it to the lab for analysis. Thank you so much for praying us through these last few hours! Love you guys!!

Patti and family

Surgery Today!

Dear All,

Thank you for your continued and fervent prayers- they mean so much, especially while we're over here on Oahu, far from family and home. We couldn't have made it this far without your outpouring of love, prayer, and support!

Dad had a good night, and his pain has been manageable... it comes in waves, but it's not nearly as bad as it has been the last few days. He was up for part of the morning, talking with us and watching TV, and napping in between. It's great to see him so strong and 'normal'- amazing considering we were just here 6 weeks ago, and there have been two surgeries and almost 3 weeks of hospital stay in between!

It is 2:00 pm and Dad just went in to begin the surgery- we found out late this morning that surgery was to be scheduled for 4:50 pm today, but an operating room suddenly opened up early. Dr. Liem, chief of neurosurgery, will be the one performing the operation again. It will take 3-4 hours, and they will be going in the exact same way as the first surgery.

Please pray for guidance and clarity for the surgeon and supporting doctors, that there would be no complications (however minor) from the procedure, and that there would be a clear diagnosis and strong treatment after the surgery. Thank you for standing with us!

I Peter 5:6-7, 10-11 "Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you... After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen."

Love,
Jim, Patti, and family

Surgery Monday

Curt's neurosurgeon met with us today and told us the only way to know for sure what is happening is to do another surgery. Curt's headaches are getting worse and on the MRI images the mass is actually larger than it was originally. He is on three different IV antibiotics to cover the possibility of this mass being a brain abscess rather than regrowth of the tumor. Dr. Liem said that his recommendation was for the surgery, and that this is the choice he would make if it were him.

They are scheduling him for surgery sometime on Monday, and we don't have a time yet. We probably won't know until right before it's time to go. Please pray with us for wisdom, precision and accuracy for Dr. Liem and his team, and for strength and safety for Curt's physical body. We take great peace in knowing that his spiritual safety is already guaranteed in the hands of our loving heavenly Father. And the fact is that there can be no bad outcome to this operation...it's a win-win for Curt either way! Nevertheless, we are praying that God, in his infinite mercy, will allow us to have him here with us for a season longer, so thank you for keeping Curt in prayer today. We will try to post another message as soon as we know the time he is going.

Take care,

Patti and Family

Back in the hospital

Hi Everyone,

Curt is back in the hospital at Kaiser Moanalua (on Oahu). He is on IV antibiotics to cover the possibility of a brain abscess, and as of this evening they still have not made a definitive diagnosis. We are awaiting the neurosurgeon's visit tomorrow morning to discuss treatment options. (He will be the same doctor who performed Curt's first surgery...we are very happy he was the one on call this weekend.)

Please pray with us for the decisions that have to be made tomorrow. Please also pray that if they do surgery, he will be kept safe throughout the procedure, and that it will have another successful outcome.

Sending our love from Honolulu,

Patti and family

Please pray!

For the past several days, Curt has been running a fever and having pretty bad headaches. (Prior to this, he has had no headaches at all since they did the surgery to remove the tumor.) The doctors have been trying to determine where the fever is coming from, as there are no other symptoms that would indicate a cold or the flu, etc. They have been doing blood work over the past few days to determine the type and source of infection that might be causing the fever and accompanying fatigue. They did an MRI this afternoon, and we got some disappointing news...they discovered a mass growing in the original tumor bed.

There are two things that this mass could be: a recurrence of the tumor or a brain abscess. Differentiating between brain abscesses and high-grade brain tumors (such as Curt’s) is often difficult, even with an MRI. This evening (Thursday) he was put on IV antibiotics at the outpatient Kaiser clinic in case it is an abscess, and then we came home. (The three different antibiotics they gave him were the same that would have been given at the hospital to treat a brain abscess.) Tomorrow (Friday) morning, the neurosurgeon on Oahu will be consulted to get a diagnosis and determine a course of action.

Please pray for an accurate diagnosis of Curt’s condition, as this is the most important thing at this point in time. Everything that will be done stems from this diagnosis, so please pray for the doctors to have supernatural insight and wisdom as they view the MRI images and review the blood work.

If it is determined that the mass is a tumor, there is talk of starting the radiation and chemo immediately (they were scheduled to start on June 7th). There is a new drug that has been showing good success in recent studies in shrinking tumors and surrounding swelling. (We were hoping to be able to have this type of chemo right off the bat, but it is only approved for recurrent tumors.) Please pray that if this treatment is right for him, that it will be approved.

Thank you so much for supporting us in prayer as we face this next challenge. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:8, “we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing…” We trust that God will guide us through these deep waters! Please pray with us for Curt’s recovery, and for strength and perseverance in the days ahead.

Love you all,
Patti

The Next Steps

Today makes two weeks home from the hospital, and Curt is getting stronger each day. The doctors say that gaining all his weight back right away is not something that we should worry about…to the contrary, they don’t want to see a rapid weight gain. (This would mean a gain of water weight, which is not a good thing.) So one or two pounds per week is a good goal.

We met with the doctor at the radiation center yesterday, and we left very impressed and encouraged. The Pacific Cancer Institute, right next to Maui Memorial Hospital, is very up-to-date with their technology. Our son Jim has done a lot of research and is amazed at how cutting-edge they are, right here on our little island! We are very comfortable with the chemo and radiation regimen that the doctor recommended. Curt will go in this coming Tuesday to do all the preliminaries for the radiation, and then begin treatment about week later.

There will be six weeks of treatments, five days a week. The actual radiation sessions are very short…just about 15 minutes long. The doctor works with their full-time nuclear physicist on staff to map a 3-D image of the tumor bed. They will be doing Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), which is an advanced mode of high-precision radiotherapy. In IMRT, very small beams, or beamlets, are aimed at the tumor bed from many angles. During treatment, the radiation intensity of each beamlet is controlled, and the beam shape changes hundreds of times during each treatment. As a result, the radiation dose bends around important healthy tissues in a way that is impossible with other techniques. Because of the complexity of these motions, physicians use special high-speed computers, treatment-planning software, diagnostic imaging and patient-positioning devices to plan treatments and control the radiation dose during therapy. Chemotherapy will be done at the same time as the radiation therapy.

Thank you again for all of your prayers over the past five weeks! The next couple of months will be challenging in terms of the side effects of the chemo and radiation (fatigue and nausea, etc.). We would greatly appreciate your continued prayer for Curt as he goes through these treatment sessions. Mahalo!!

Love,
Patti and Family

We're home!!!

Hi All,

Just wanted to let everyone know that we're finally home!! I've never seen Curt happier than he was this afternoon...the sun was shining, the flowers were so bright and colorful, the birds were chirping...it was such a beautiful day when we arrived home from the hospital. We felt such gratitude and wonder as we returned to all things familiar - the place where our kids grew up - 22 years of driving down the same driveway...never before did we appreciate coming home more than today!

I could see that Curt's spirits were instantly lifted even higher than they were when we were preparing to leave the hospital. As we walked inside, the refreshing trades were blowing through the house and he sat down on the couch and said, "oh, this feels so good!" He said "there were times when I seriously wondered if I was going to be able to see all this again...the sunshine, our home..."

We are so thankful for all your prayers for Curt's recovery. And we are so grateful to our Lord for His mercy and grace in protecting him through these last three weeks in the hospital, both here and on Oahu. We are looking forward to what the future holds and we are continuing to pray for a great outcome. In the meantime, we are going to be "fattening" Curt up...he lost 20 more pounds in the hospital! And as soon as he gets more of his strength back, he is looking forward to seeing everyone at church!

Love you,
Patti

Friday update

Hi Everyone,

We’ve had a busy morning here at the hospital, as usual. Lots of visits from the nurses, and the surgeon came by and removed the drain from Curt’s abdomen (ouch!!). Yesterday he said he wanted to keep him another day to make sure the drain was absolutely not needed any longer, and that he would probably be going home on Saturday.) Today he said it still looks like Saturday, but the nurses say you never know until he actually writes the discharge orders to spring him from the hospital. Curt can’t wait to get home to his own bed!

He’s slowly getting stronger every day, and he can walk laps now rather than just up and down the hall in the early morning. It will still be a process of regaining weight and strength…it is amazing how much weight and muscle tone you lose in just three weeks of lying in bed. We figured out that two of those weeks were in a state of total fasting…no food, and only a few days with water or clear liquids. He lived on IV saline solution!

We’ve been bringing in homemade fruit smoothies and good nutritious meals to help fatten him up. As comfortable as this room is, and as helpful as the nurses are, the hospital food is still…well, just hospital food!!

We’ll keep you posted with any new developments…

Take care,
Patti

Wednesday Morning Update

Hi everyone,

Curt is making steady progress toward going home! He tried some solid food (spinach omelette) this morning, and so far, so good. The pain is much, much better, and he had a good morning (including a walk down the hall). He doesn't like the way the pain medicine makes him feel, so he has gone without it for about 24 hours and the pain is bearable.

He said his first shower this morning made him feel like a new man! (The things we take for granted, right?) Activity still takes a lot out of him, as up to this morning he's only been having juices or broth, oatmeal, etc. They call it a "full liquid" diet, and for him milk products are not included so it really limits the menu. I think when he gets back to a regular diet and starts having more protein intake we'll see him gain a lot of strength. We're trying to let him sleep as much as possible without interruptions- it seems to be refreshing and healing.

The surgeon says he should be able to go home on Friday, so that was good news as well. Thank you so much again for all of the prayers that you have offered up for Curt during these last two and a half weeks. We have walked through so many crisis moments, and it was your faithful prayers that helped to carry us through. We are forever grateful!!

Love you,
Patti

Monday Night Update

Today was a better day than yesterday! Recovering from GI surgery is a painful process, and Curt was just barely recovering from the first surgery when he was hit a week later with the second. This seems to be making things happen more slowly than they might otherwise. For instance, he started on clear liquids Saturday, but had to revert back to only water on Sunday. One step forward…two steps back. Today we’re back to clear liquids, and they changed his pain medication to one that doesn’t give him bad cramps or makes him feel nauseous all day.

This has been quite a learning experience, and it definitely gives you a better understanding of what people often are going through while they are in the hospital. When they feel like they have been run over by a Mack truck (several times), they are just trying to hold it together to get through the day ahead of them. It’s all they can do to converse, even with family members.

As difficult it is to watch him going through this, Curt is always the one trying to encourage us! (He’s is one of the most optimistic and positive people I know, and even in the midst of the pain it’s endearing to see him be so nice to the nurses…they are all so sweet and helpful here.)

Please pray for steady progress back to solid foods, and for the pain to improve so he doesn’t have to take as much medication (which also slows the digestive system down). Please also pray that he’ll feel more like walking, which he’s only done twice since the surgery.

We’d like to wait at bit more before having visitors- thanks to all for your understanding.

Thank you again for keeping us in prayer…we can feel all the support and the covering it is giving us!

Love you,
Patti and family

Saturday Update

Good news this morning...the doctor is starting Curt on clear liquids! On the 6th day of no food or water, this is a milestone...we're stoked! Please pray there's no nausea.

Physical recovery is slowly moving forward...abdominal surgery is extremely painful. More walking today, etc. Getting in and out of bed with the incision through the stomach muscles is a challenging feat, to say the least!

Curt is still not up to having visitors, so we're asking people to please hold off on coming to the hospital. Thank you so much!!

Patti and Family

Friday morning update

Hi everyone,

This morning has been better for Curt. The pain from the surgery is lessening, and for the first time he actually felt like watching the news on tv (we’ve been keeping it quiet in the room since the surgery at his request). The doctor came by and is pleased with his progress, and the infection appears to be under control…his temp was just 99 during the night. They had him up and walking yesterday, but it was torturous! More of the same today, I’m afraid…no mercy around here…hahaha!

Seriously though, the sooner they have you up and around, the sooner the digestive system will kick back in and you can being to eat again…five days with no food does wonders for the figure! Please pray for increasing intestinal activity so the doctor is able to give the go ahead for the food to begin.

Back from a quick break – the nurse just had Curt up and walking down the hall. The pain was much better than yesterday – yay! The nurses are wonderful here…they are so caring and encouraging, and very informative. It’s a beautiful day in Kahului…our room gets the morning sun, which is a cheerful reminder that the “Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, His compassions never fail. They are new every morning!”

Thanks again for your prayer support through everything! In times like this we realize just how precious our church family is to us!

Love you,
Patti and Family

Emergency Surgery Update

Thank you Lord! And thank you all so much for praying!

For those who may not have heard, Curt was experiencing some abdominal pain after the surgery, and when they couldn't find the source of the pain, they re-admitted him to the hospital to do some more tests. They did a CT scan at 4pm yesterday and it showed a perforation in the bowel, which is a very serious situation that requires emergency surgery. The surgeon was not very encouraging when he spoke to us just minutes before they took Curt into the operating room a little before 6:00. He said "It doesn't look very good... I'll do my best." Three hours later he met with us in the waiting room and said he couldn't believe how good it looked when he got in there, compared to what he saw on the scan. He said the small intestine had actually "reached over" and sealed off the perforation in the large intestine. As a result, there was very little spillage into the abdominal cavity. He cautioned us that we are not out of the woods yet, and that the next 5 days are critical.

Our admitting nurse just stopped by to see how Curt is doing, and she said she asked the surgeon today how the operation went. He told her that in all his years as a doctor (he's close to retiring) he has never seen anything like it. The small intestine actually compensated for the defect in the large intestine. He said "That guy is a fighter! His body really fought that thing."

Of course, we all know who did the fighting, and who directed that healing!! Your prayers were heard, and we are all so grateful for God's power and His mercy.

Thank you again for faithfully praying over this last week, and please stand with us in prayer especially over these next few days as Curt recovers from this surgery. He is in a lot of pain, but his body is strong. He definitely is a fighter...he's getting through this.

We're still trying to limit his visitors - pretty much to family. He needs all of his energy to help him heal right now (it really takes a lot out of you to carry on conversations when you're dealing with pain, it can be pretty draining). Overall he is doing well, and we hope to have him home soon. We thank you all for your support and prayers!

With our love and gratitude,
Patti and Family

Emergency Prayer Chain Request

This is an emergency prayer request sent out late yesterday to the prayer chain...we're so sorry it didn't make it to the blog before now. There has been so much going on!

"Hi Everyone. We're back on Maui and Curt is so glad to be home! He is experiencing some complications from surgery today. They are going to do a CT scan at 4:00 to see if there might be a possible blockage in the intestines. Please pray the scan is free of obstructions and that they are able to clear everything up quickly! He's also running a low-grade fever and the doctor thinks he has a little infection at his IV site which they will treat with antibiotics. He's not up for visitors just yet, but hopefully he will soon be over this hurdle.

Thanks so much again for all your prayers and support!!

Thank you,
Patti and Family

The lab results are back

Well, we got the news today and it was not what we had hoped. The doctor told us that the tumor is a gliosarcoma, which is a rare and very aggressive form of brain cancer. Statistically, life expectancy with this type of cancer is 6 months to 5 years. Curt is in great physical condition and there are a number of treatment options available, so we are hoping and praying for a good outcome. We have peace in knowing that God's plans for us are loving and sovereign, and that He is in complete and total control.

We are so thankful to all of you for praying for us during this emotion-filled week. As we move forward, please pray for wisdom for the doctors in developing a course of treatment. Please also pray with us for the cancer to go into complete remission and for Curt to be healed, for we know with our God all things are possible!!


Patti

A Post About Curt Franks

My name is Amy Dopart and my parents and I live here in Northern California but had a place in Kihei for many yrs at Kihei Kai Nani across from Kam II. I've grown up summer & holidays on Maui and we'd go to Hope Chapel when we visited the island.I am now 36 yrs old and wanted to share with everyone that I was in Maui on 10/11/08 for my honeymoon. I had only been married for a few days when my husband (31yrs) had a massive stroke in Kihei & was rush to Maui Memorial. By the time we arrived at the hospital he had full facial disfiguration, full left side paralysis, blindness & going completely unconscious. At that point I was faced with so many unimaginable decisions to help save my husbands life and I felt terrified & alone.

A nurse called me aside and said that there was someone in the emergency room waiting area to see me. I was all alone on the island. I couldn't think of who could be in the waiting area for me. I walked out and there was Pastor Curt!! What a warm & wonderful face to see. I felt a calm come over me that I could not explain. (I did not know my mom had called Hope Chapel on my way to the hospital while I was in the ambulance and Pastor Curt had arrives in minutes!) He hugged me and we sat in the emergency room and he prayed with me. He, at that point, was my family, part of my christian family to help in any way he could to sit and listen, pray and just hold my hand. I know that I was probably in shock, but I just remember his kind face. I never forgot it!!

That night in ICU was the longest night of my life! Not knowing if my husband would live or die, if he would ever be able to speak again or even give him a hug, but I would just go over in my mind the prayer Pastor Curt said.

My husband awoke from his coma a few days later & we spent the next few weeks at Maui Memorial. Weeks later he was cleared to fly home in a wheelchair, but unfortunately 3 days later had 2 more strokes and we spent the next 2 months at John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek, CA.

Through the power of prayer and our family so diligently taking him to speech, occupational & physical therapy for months along with doctor appts, coumadin, etc. in August my husband, Dae Kim, made a full physical recovery. Even his doctors were baffled. He was a real testament on how the Lord heals.

I am writing to tell Pastor Curt that I think of him so often and how he helped me through one of the most difficult days of my life. After he prayed with me, I was able to go back in that emergency room and make important medial decisions calmly and with the Lord's help. I had to signs the papers decide what medicine to give to him and that he needed to be put on a ventilator because he was slipping into a coma.

When I heard the news of Pastor Curt, I wanted to let him know, that I too am praying for his recovery and I wanted him to know that out of all his life's work, he touched my life and I know the Lord has the ability to heal. I just saw his picture on his blog and that wonderful smiling face and it brought a HUGE tear to my eye. I prayed for him all last night and today and I am so glad to hear the surgery went well. He gave me hope in Maui and now I wanted to pass that hope back on to him. It brings new meaning to the words "Hope Chapel".

I figured since he in in the hospital, emails might not reach him.If you could please tell him again how appreciative I am and how blessed I feel to have had him there at the crutial point in my life & for praying with me for just those few minutes. I am eternally grateful.

I will continue to pray for Pastor Curt and your whole church family.

Your sister in Christ,
Amy Dopart

A little update

Dr. Liem just stopped by to give us an update. The follow-up MRI this morning came back clear, they do not see any part of the tumors left. Praise God! We are still waiting on the pathology results. Dr. Liem is very pleased with dad's progress, and said that at this rate should be able to go home before too long.

Craig and Joe were such a blessing yesterday during Curt's surgery. This would be so hard without our church family, you have all supported us so much and we are forever thankful for it.

Thank you for your continued prayers. Dad loves the Certs picture, you guys are something else =)



John

We Love You, Curt!

[click photo for larger view]

We just want you to know that we are all in this together! We are praying for you, and we love you guys so very much!

With love from the Hope Chapel staff, interns, and volunteers: Chris, Ben, Steven, Glenn, Chris, Brandon, Lisa, Christy, Starr, Vanessa, Jena, and Janis.

Surgery Complete!

The surgery was a success! Both of the tumors in the brain were completely removed. There were no signs of tendrils from the tumors. Dr. Liem also said that the tumors originated in the brain and did not come from another location. The tumors have been sent off to a lab for testing. This is when we will learn if the masses are cancerous or benign. We expect the results in a week or so.

Curt even cracked a joke to Jeffrey 45 minutes after getting out of surgery.

We are all very thankful and encouraged by your support. Before the surgery Patti was reading all of your comments posted on this blog to Curt and it really lifted both their spirits.

Please continue to pray for the lab results. These results are crucial in the next steps towards recovery.

The night before

Curt, prepping for the surgery on Tuesday. The "Certs" (not really Certs) on his forehead will help guide the surgeon to the exact placement of the tumor with millimeter precision using the MRI during surgery.

Surgery Tuesday, April 20th at 1:00pm

Curt's surgery is scheduled for Tuesday at 1:00pm. Dr. Liem said that it will take 3 to 4 hours. Please pray for God to guide the surgeon and his team's hands and minds during the operation, and that they will be able to remove both tumors completely without harm to Curt's brain. Also, please pray that the tumors are benign, and that Curt will not have to go through chemotherapy or radiation treatments. Thank you all so much for your prayers, we are very blessed to have such a dedicated church family at Hope!

Love,

The Franks

Sunday Morning Update

Hi Everyone,

We just met with the neurologist, Dr. Liem, who is chief of neurosurgery at Queen's Medical Center. He will be the one who will perform Curt's surgery. We were very impressed with the doctor. He is from MIT and was chief of neurology at Tripler Hospital for years before Queen's.

Dr. Liem is also an expert in Gamma Knife Surgery, which is a procedure that pinpoints very thin rays of radiation directly into small tumors, thus protecting the brain from larger doses of radiation. The doctor had reviewed the MRI and says that this could be anything, and that biopsy is the only way to confirm the diagnosis. He said that the tumor being in the frontal lobe places it in a favorable location for the surgery, as there are no important functions located there (i.e. speech, motor, vision etc.) The tumor is also very accessible.

He recommends doing the surgery as soon as possible, and to bypass the biopsy process altogether. They will go in and get out as much of the tumor as possible, with the use of interactive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during the surgery, which will help them to pinpoint exactly where the tumor is as they operate. The surgery should be scheduled in the next couple of days. Then it will be diagnosed with the use of the tissue recovered from the surgery.

They have Curt scheduled for a CT scan of the abdomen/pelvis and chest, to rule out any other possible cancer sites. He does this at 11:30 this morning. He's been on "nothing by mouth" since 12 midnight last night...they gave him some ice chips to eat a little while ago. He just had to drink a big bottle of something in preparation for the scan.

He's in very good spirits...no headache whatsoever because of the steroids they are giving him for the swelling. He and John have been watching the golfers right outside the hospital room window...the room overlooks a golf course...that's been a little bright spot in the morning!

So, all in all, we are encouraged very much from where we have been the last couple of days. Please pray that the surgery goes smoothly and safely, that they are able to get most or all of the tumor, that they are able to make an accurate diagnosis. Please also pray for wisdom as they develop the after-surgery treatment plan. Thank you all so much ... we love you!!


Patti Franks

Reviewing the Tests

The doctor just visited. He said that after reviewing Curt’s tests it looks positive that they will be able to remove the tumors without having any huge side effects. Curt is currently scheduled for a CT at 11 this morning. They still don’t know much about the tumors, but are sounding optimistic that this will have a good turn out.

Thanks for your prayers. We aren’t out of the woods yet, so please keep on praying.

Megan

Update

The physician stopped in and gave us an update. There are two masses, one larger than the other. The neurosurgeon looked at the films this morning, and he wants to do a biopsy. They are going to put Curt on some medication to reduce the swelling, and will do the biopsy tomorrow.

We won't know more until they have some tissue to examine. Dad is still in good spirits. The physician was very cheerful and said there is a chance that the masses could be something less serious than cancer. One good sign, she said, is that there were no nausea or other side effects that came with the headaches, although fatigue did follow.

I will post again when we know more. Thank you for your prayers, we are blessed to have such a strong church family. The outflow of love and prayers has been amazing!



John

Catching Up

Hi Everyone,

My name is Megan Franks, wife to John Franks, daughter-in-law to Curt and Patti. I’m going to do my best to keep this blog updated with the current facts and prayer requests.

To catch you up, yesterday Curt Franks had an MRI. His test revealed a tumor in the left portion of his brain approximately 3cm in size. We do not know if it’s benign or not. We have been told both. He was checked into Maui Memorial Hospital last night. At this time, Curt is in the process of being MedVac over to Oahu. There he will get a biopsy, which will reveal better information as to what this tumor is. Patti and John will be on Oahu with Curt.

We ask for your prayers as we know they have the power to move mountains. Pray that Curt receives the proper care and good information as to what this tumor is. Pray that the Lord guide the minds and the hands of Curt’s doctors. Pray for peace for the family.

Curt is in good spirits. Making jokes with all and being his typical self.

First Prayer Request

This prayer request was emailed by Hope Chapel senior pastor, Craig Englert.

I just got a call from Patti and Curt. Because of all his migraines the doctors had him do an MRI this afternoon. Sad to say they discovered a brain tumor. They want Curt to check into Maui Memorial tonight and run some more tests to get a better look at what it is, and if it's cancerous or benign. Please pray for Curt and his family, and of course for God to totally deliver him from this affliction.