Richmond Family Updates

(Written by Becky)

“We’ve just been handed a miracle.” This was the title of an email Dad sent me yesterday after a chaotic exchange of phone calls back and forth between Michigan, New York and London.

Remember a few weeks ago, we mentioned that the doctors needed to test tissue matter from Mom’s biopsy for a mutation? Well, they did and we have the results. She does have this mutation. And that’s a good thing. Actually, it’s GREAT.

It’s called Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor, EFGR for short. I’ve attached a few links to some more clinical explanations, but here’s my “translation,” simple as it may be: There’s a specific genetic mutation in the tumor that is common in people in four categories: 1) never-smokers, 2) women, 3) people from Japan, and 4) people who’s cancer is an adenocarcinoma. Mom is in all categories except the third. People that are EFGR positive, like Mom, respond better to a different type of treatment. In a pill form (as opposed to chemo being delivered via an IV), this treatment targets this mutation specifically (like a sniper gun) instead of the machine-gun approach that wipes out good cells along with the bad ones. I know, I know. All you doctors out there are rolling your eyes – but bear with us “common folk.” Other advantages of this pill are the significant (and I mean very significant) reduction of the nasty side effects that are known to come along with conventional chemo.

And here’s the kicker: EGFR positive patients have shown an impressive 60% response rate which exceeds the response rate for conventional chemotherapy. If Mom were to take conventional chemotherapy, the predicted response rate for her type of cancer, and the stage that it’s in, is around 20%.

I’ve waded through tons of articles and sites and research summaries to act as a filter for you. If you are interested in this concise and clear summary with more details on EFGR, please check out this article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/03/050309102313.htm

I talked to Mom yesterday on the phone after she got this news and, like the rest of us, she’s so grateful for this second major ray of sunshine in this storm. (The first being the news that the cancer has not spread to her brain.) At her retreat, she met someone that did the diet she’s on and this pill for her same type of cancer and they saw results within 8 weeks. Needless to say, we are all very teary and distracted yesterday and today with this news… it has brought us a bit more HOPE.

Please, God. Heal my Mom.

(Written by Becky)

I just talked to Mom who is still in the hospital in Michigan. She’s going back to her retreat in a few hours and is just waiting for the doctor to make his rounds and sign-off on her discharge from the hospital. She says the pain in her leg and the swelling and redness have gone done and she’s feeling good.

On a side note, Dad is using his phone with a vengeance from his bed at home, so if you’re on his list, watch out! There isn’t any stopping him and he’ll never stop working for YFC. His surgery for pins/screws in his foot was supposed to be this Friday, but looks like it’s pushed back a week. I’m not sure why, yet.

I’ll post more when I know more. Thanks for praying with us!

(Written by Becky)

I just talked to both Mom and Dad for quite some time. They asked me to update you, our family and friends.

Mom is still in the hospital in Michigan. She was disappointed to be missing the classes at the retreat she’s on but they have offered for her to stay next week for free. She’s still thinking about it because she misses Dad terribly, but she also needs a great deal of help which Dad can’t do right now. People from the retreat are visiting her in the hospital several times a day and bringing her special diet right to her. She’s also had several visits from local YFC people there coming to pray with her and bring her some books. Her spirits are high and she’s full of excitement and faith. Excitement about all the stuff she’s learning about nutrition and faith that God is healing her. We had a nice chat and prayed together on the phone.

Dad is home and settled into his new bedroom in the family room. Friends and family have hooked him up with a refrigerator close by stocked with snacks and have a schedule of people coming by so he’s never alone. The guys are even sleeping there overnight. He’s still in a great deal of pain, but ok when he rests. He’s the typical John Richmond, though… already making plans for working from the bed tomorrow and has a list of phone calls to make for various YFC projects. Typical! He goes back this Friday for another surgery to get some screws inserted into his foot.

There’s no way our family could be surviving right now without the help and prayers of our family and friends. You are extensions of God’s hands and feet and we are so grateful for you.

Will you please keep praying fervently? Mom asked me to ask you to pray against spiritual warfare. She is astounded at how many people are praying for our family and she’s certain that Dad’s accident and her hospitalization are an attack from the enemy.

(Written by Becky)

Dad just called me from his hospital bed (read below if you’re just joining us) to tell me that Mom was just taken to the Emergency Room in Michigan where she’s at a 10-day retreat with a blood-clot in her leg. She’s there right now and this is all we know right now. We’ll post more as soon as we know. Because both Mom and Dad are now in the hospital, will you please direct questions to my brother Johnny or my Uncle Jay so not to overwhelm them with phone calls? We will post information here as soon as we know anything.

Please pray hard.

(Written by Becky)

Hi again,

Please see yesterday’s post for more details. Dad is still in alot of pain, but told me this morning that he slept very good last night. He sounded MUCH better on the phone this morning. Friends and family are really rallying around to prepare for his move home tomorrow.

1. MEALS: Kate, a friend from YFC is organizing meals with an online meal-scheduler. If you live locally, please sign up for a day to deliver a meal! If you are interested in this, please email Kate at litofworld@aol.com for the log-in information to the meal scheduler. When you email her, try to tell her a bit about how you know John since she’s doing her best to screen out strangers.

2. COMPANY: YFC friends are moving a bed to the family room where there is a bathroom close by. For the first few days, Dad needs lots of company because he can’t do the stairs. Just company and errands… watch tv with him and get him a drink, put in a load of laundry, go upstairs to his bedroom and get fresh clothes for him. Maybe run to the grocery store for him. Don’t worry, you don’t have to take him to the bathroom, he’ll be able to do that. Anyone can do this, so if you are interested in spending a few hours with Dad, please let me know and I will pass along your information to Cherie and Steve at YFC who are organizing this.

3. GENERAL HELP: If you can help around the house, laundry, yard work, taking care of the cats or cleaning the pool or other things like that, please let me know and I will pass along your information to my brother Johnny who is organizing this.

DOES ANYONE HAVE A SMALL (College-size) REFRIGERATOR WE CAN BORROW TO PUT NEAR DAD’S BED FOR DRINKS AND SNACKS?

(written by Becky)

… the mice go out and play!

Dad crushed his foot last night in a motorcycle mis-hap and had surgery on it already. He’s in the hospital until Monday and is in a great deal of pain, so much he can’t sleep well. He’s also very nauseous from the pain medication and not eating. They are managing the pain with morphine in the hospital, but I’m worried about when he’s home alone with Mom away on her retreat.

Can you please pray for Dad? We don’t know how long his foot will take to heal. (And he does so much for Mom when she’s home, which will be nearly impossible now.) Doctors are saying that he may never run or play sports again. He goes back this Friday for another surgery to insert screws.

Friends from YFC are organizing a meal drop-off schedule for Dad. If you haven’t heard from them and live in the area, would you please let me know here and I’ll pass it along to them? He could use a daily main meal and then some odds and ends, like his favorite Tropicana fresh-squeezed orange juice and some snacks like his old time favorite: chips and salsa.  These meal drops offs could continue past next week when Mom returns so he doesn’t have to focus on his meals as well as hers. She’s on a strict diet, but Dad loves anything that doesn’t have olives, sardines, anchovies or liver!

(Written by Becky)

Mom asked me to write a quick update to let you know that she’s made it safe and sound to the 10-day retreat that she’s on.  She arrived yesterday afternoon and sounded very excited on the phone to be there. Dad also just told me that they had several miracles getting Mom’s things through security at the airport, such as a powder mix of proteins Mom drinks not going through the x-ray machine and also her gel-ice pack.

She also asked me to ask you if you could limit messages to her (which she really loves!) to her email, facebook or this blog so she can check them at appropriate times. Messages on her phone may be distracting during this retreat because she can’t control when she receives them.

Here are things to pray for:

1. Mom has been experiencing some pretty bad “Charlie Horse” muscle cramps. We don’t know if it’s related to cancer or what… She had one in her neck a few weeks ago, then one in her arm last week. Right now, she’s got a bad one in her calf muscle and it’s really hard for her to walk.

2. Pray that Mom experiences true peace during this retreat. The retreat center itself is focuses nutrition and diet, but she also brought her iPod full of praise music and several books to read. She plans on spending a great deal of quiet time each day with her and God.

3. Pray for Dad that he doesn’t get lonely (or hungry!) while Mom is gone and also gets some good rest. He’s been so busy since we found out and is very weary.

4. Please keep praying for Keith’s visa to happen quickly!

5. Continue to pray for me and my brother, Johnny. We still haven’t processed this nightmare and it’s very painful.

Again, we don’t know what we’d do without our army of prayer warriors and friends. Your messages keep us going… literally. Please keep them coming.

We love you.

(Written by Becky)

I can’t stop thinking about a poem my Gramp taught me called “America for me!” by Henry Van Dyke. Look it up! It’s about living in Europe and coming home.

Keith and I are moving home. As soon as possible. We want our family to be together during this difficult time. We want to support each other while we support Mom.

We need your prayers, especially for Keith’s visa to go through quickly.

But we aren’t worried. We have had so many blessings during this decision-making process and God has opened some very obvious doors, such as the following:

1. My job contract requires a 3 month notice period and they are being so gracious and letting me out with a 5 week notice period. Although it’s hard to think about leaving this job that I really love and a team of ladies that I love even more, they’ve been so incredibly supportive through this.

2. Keith works for an American company and had already begun discussions about getting transferred to the States in the future. When Keith talked to his boss’s, they didn’t hesitate to do anything they could to keep him with the company. They started the transfer right away and their team of lawyers are working on Keith’s work visa. They even gave him a promotion and a raise!

3. Because of Keith’s job security, promotion and raise, I won’t have to work in New York. I can spend my days with Mom.

4. Our landlord is an amazing woman. Like family, actually. She’s so understanding and didn’t hesitate to give her blessing of us leaving our apartment.

5. Keith’s parents were scheduled to visit in August and have graciously moved their trip forward so we can see them before we leave.

6. About a year ago, we started saving much more diligently and now have freedom to move without finances being something that tie us down. I think God started opening this door even before we knew we’d need it. It feels so amazing to be debt-free and have a small nest-egg for emergencies like this.

Our hoped-for timeline:

1. Becky’s job ends on July 1st.

2. We both fly to the States for a two week vacation (previously planned). We are very much looking forward to creating memories with the family while camping.

3. We both fly back here on July 16th. Keith’s parents visit us from July 18th – July 28th. Keith will work some of these days and I’ll show them around a bit while he works and we’ll spend evenings together. We’ll have a big goodbye picnic with all our friends while they are here, too, on July 23rd.

4. We’ll let go of our apartment at the end of July and come back to New York with a one-way ticket on August 1st.! If Keith’s visa isn’t sorted out yet, he may have to stay here with some friends for a few weeks.

Will you please pray for the following? (In order of importance, we think.)

1. That Keith’s visa happens FAST! (I mean miraculously fast!)

2. That the things we need to get rid of sell quickly and easily. Everything from our cars to t.v. to dishes. We only want to ship sentimental stuff.

3. That we have no problems closing things down: phone contracts, bills, cars, taxes, etc.

4. Once in the States, that we can secure a very small apartment, preferably a studio/one-room (so we can keep saving money) and within walking distance to Mom and Dad’s house. Also that we can find hand-me-down / inexpensive furniture and a car so we can keep saving money and not accumulate too much and live simply.

In every season of my life, there is still a reason to sing.

Thank you for your prayers.

Love

Chris

I’m going to a retreat for 10 days!  I found a 10 day program for health renewal, detox, immune system support – raw foods, juice, wheat grass, etc.   The kind woman I talked with on the phone is a Christian, and she told me also the Director is as well.  He also is a stage IV cancer survivor. I’ll be going next Thursday, June 2, and staying until Monday, June 13th.  John will stay home to “hold down the fort” (probably would appreciate some company and offer for meals :).   The place I’m going is called  Creative Health Institute.  www.creativehealthinstitute.com.   Look at the section on Articles, then click on Healing Music and see the list of songs they post.

As I go here and learn more about creating the best environment in my body to heal from within, we will be waiting for the DNA test results from tissue samples, to determine what the best course of chemo would be offered for my type of cancer.  I have a followup appointment set with the oncologist (who doesn’t think diet makes a difference) when I return.

However, I am believing  that I won’t need chemo – they will need to do another scan before starting any treatment and I am asking God to reveal HIS miracle to the doctors!  Please pray with me that the 10 day retreat will be physically, emotionally and spiritually refreshing.   I read this am in Mark 11:24.  “Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” I have cried out to my Abba father, along with MANY others around the world who are praying for  healing.  I am standing on the promises of His Word – that “all the promises of God find their YES in him. This is why we utter our AMEN to God for HIS glory“.   2 Corinthians 1:20.

Prayer Requests:

1.  Continued wisdom each day for decisions that we need to make.

2.  Peace for my family as they trust God to take care of their wife/mother.

3.  God’s complete Healing…that MANY would see His Goodness and be drawn closer to Him as they watch this miracle unfold.  I am especially praying for the doctors and nurses that I’ve already had interaction with, that this would be a witness to them, and as Isaiah 35 says, “Then the eyes of the blind will be opened “. (35:5)

I thank each of you for your cards, emails, flowers  – the many expressions of love that you are pouring out to me and my family.  As soon as I can, I want to write you each a personal note….but until then, please accept this thank you and keep on praying!

Our God is an AWESOME God!

Love,

Chris