Richmond Family Updates

(Written by John)

Tomorrow morning, we have an appointment with a well-regarded oncologist in our area for a second opinion. Will you please pray for wisdom as we discuss our situation and possible further tests and treatment options?

Also, Chris’ bloodwork results are late which has held up the individualized recommendations we were expecting Friday from the integrated (homeopathic) doctor. He has now left the country for a month to teach a class abroad but has promised to email us his recommendations for Chris’ diet, supplements and other alternative strategies. We are waiting on this to determine starting a weekly IV of high-dose vitamin C and another weekly IV of mistletoe. Chris is due to start sessions in an infra-red sauna tomorrow, as well, to produce a fever-like state which cancer cells don’t tolerate.

We’ll keep you updated. Thanks for your continued prayers.

(Written by Becky)

I’m flying back to England later today and it’s so hard to leave. And although it doesn’t take all the pain away, it helps a bit to bring this with me. At family dinner last night, Dad presented all of us with these necklaces of a family tree to wear every day to remind us that we are in this fight together. On the back of the family tree, it’s inscribed “A Family’s love is nature’s masterpiece.” We all committed to wearing this necklace every day until Mom gets better. (Yep, Dad’s wearing a necklace now!)

Please keep praying for my family. I don’t think we’ve actually processed this nightmare – it’s still so hard to believe.

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P.S. Added later: here we are for one last photo before I go to the airport: Mom, Dad, Johnny4 and Johnny5 and me.

As you pray for me today, please pray that I would be able to continually run into the arms of my loving God and know that He is GOOD, all the time.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, all fear is gone.    His mercies are new every morning.

My life is in His hands….and I know that MY redeemer lives.

Thank you for your continuing to hold me in your prayers.   We serve an AWESOME God and I believe He will receive GLORY as we see His AMAZING MIGHTY POWER at work in many lives.

Love,

Chris

(Written by John)

Chris just told me a few minutes ago that today was a good day. Her sister Kathy and husband Carl came for a visit and we all worked together to clean our enclosed porch from top to bottom to make it a “resting sanctuary” (as opposed to “winter storage”) for Chris to sit and rest in and get fresh air. Our deck is all set up with flowers and herbs, as well. She loves being outside.

After lunch, I went golfing with my son Johnny and brother-in-law Carl while Chris, Kathy and Becky relaxed on the porch. Kathy is a foot reflexologist and gave Chris a foot-rub, which she always enjoys.

We had a nice dinner on the deck together before Kathy and Carl left. Here we are with Becky and Johnny.

After dinner, Chris and Becky went for a walk (she needs 30 minutes a day, so walking buddies welcome!) while I made more oxygenated water.

Our spirits are high today and we are still grateful for our upcoming appointment at Sloan Kettering on May 24th.

Today was a good day.

SO MANY wonderful friends have sent cards, emails, flowers, fruit baskets, posts on this blog, etc…..forgive me for the “mass thank you”….I love and appreciate each of you and thank God for the support He is providing each step of this journey.  HUNDREDS all over the world are praying for me,  joining their faith to mine – MY GOD IS MY HEALER!

I have been following the Hallelujah Diet (check out hallelujahacres.com) for close to 3 weeks now, and I am feeling so much more energy, the cough and pain in my chest that brought me to the dr in first place is almost gone.  I told John if I felt like I do now, I would not have gone to the doctor.   I believe HEALING is ALREADY taking place in my body.  My GOD IS MIGHTY to SAVE and to HEAL.  I believe MANY will see the GOODNESS of God when I stand and shout from the rooftop, “THE GREAT PHYSICIAN HAS HEALED ME”.   I look forward to going to Sloan, (they will re-do the PET scan) and I believe the doctors will be “puzzled”.

On Saturday, I had to go to blood lab for more blood to be drawn (didn’t know there were so many tests they could do).   In conversation with the dear lady who took my blood, I found out she was a Christian, she told me to trust God, she’s seen Him heal “many times”.   She then prayed for me before she took my blood, – a very powerful prayer of faith and victory.  With tears in her eyes, she promised to kneel at her bed every night and pray for me.

God is GOOD,  ALL THE TIME.  I am running into HIS arms each day, clinging to HIM.  He loves me and will NEVER let me go.

THANK YOU for your prayers.

Love,

Chris (and family)

(Written by Becky)

Mom had a second consultation this morning with the integrated doctor we met with last Friday. Although her bloodwork wasn’t in yet so we weren’t able to get the tailored treatment plan which it determines, the doctor is emailing it to us this Friday. He will give diet and supplement recommendations specific to levels of 6 things he’s looking at her blood.  For example, one of the things he’s looking for is the level of copper in her blood. If it’s high, we need to get it lowered and there are ways to do that. Cancer cells thrive in high-copper environments.

After this meeting, she had a 90minute acupuncture and aromatherapy session which is meant to relieve stress and anxiety (another proven state that cancer thrives in) and raise her metabolic energy levels so her body has more energy to fight the cancer.

The highlight of our day was news from the integrated doctor that he spoke with an oncologist at Sloan Kettering in NYC who was very eager to meet Mom. This doctor already has Mom’s records and has reviewed them. She was very optimistic that Mom will be eligible for a few choices because she is so healthy now. Also, Mom is a rare case. We have heard that 99.9% of people that have Mom’s type of cancer are smokers. She’s never smoked and Sloan Kettering are very eager to meet with her. So, we called and now have an appointment in 13 days on May 24th… the waiting time for our first appointment (3 weeks) has been cut in half! We are very glad for this. They have requested all Mom’s reports to be sent and our primary doctor did that right away, so they already have all the information needed and we are ready to go at a moment’s notice if they have a cancellation. Mom’s appointment is at the Sleepy Hollow campus of Sloan and this first one requires only a day trip. However, if you know someone that could house them for future visits, would you please let us know?

The integrated doctor also set up a consultation with a local oncologist for next Monday the 16th who is very highly regarded in this area. We are grateful for that, as well.

The four of us (Mom, Dad, Becky and Johnny4*) had a nice lunch together in the sun and then Mom rested this afternoon while Dad and I worked on de-cluttering the enclosed porch to make it into a “resting sanctuary” instead of “winter storage.” Johnny4* spent some time this afternoon researching and ordering an infra-red sauna for the house for Mom to spend 30 minutes a day in as there has been much success in fighting cancer with almost “fever-like” states because the cancer cells can’t stand the heat.

Later this afternoon, Mom and Dad had a few visitors come for a time of prayer and it really lifted Mom’s spirits.

All in all, today was a good day. Mom’s energy level was good and her spirits are high.

Everyone in our family has received more kind words of encouragement than we can count, for which we are very thankful. Sometimes, they are what keeps us going! Because we are either busy with appointments, resting or just a bit emotional, we can’t respond to every message. We hope that you understand and keep them coming! It is an amazing thing to have messages waiting for us every time we look at our computers or phones. Each and every message really does mean alot to us – please know that even if we don’t respond right away.

We are so thankful for our friends and family and don’t  know what we’d do without them!

Now, I’m off to make some more carrot juice!

*For clarification: there are so many Johns in our family that we’ve resorted to numbering them. My brother is Johnny4 and my nephew is Johnny5.

(Written by Becky)

We’re just about switched to organic foods, glass containers (no plastic) and special oxygenated water in the Richmond household!

Mom and I went to a Whole Foods store today and Mom was so excited at all the choices.

You’ll have to ask Dad about the oxygenated and energized water because I don’t understand it. All I need to do is make carrot juice a few times a day.

We’re still waiting on a few phone calls to Sloan Kettering for an appointment sooner than the one we have in three weeks. Please continue to pray we get a consultation there soon.

I will exalt you, O Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me.

O Lord My God, I called to you for help and you healed me.

O Lord,You brought me up from the grave; you spared me from going down into the pit.

Sing to the Lord, you saints of His; praise His Holy name.

For his anger lasts only amoment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.   Psalm 30:1-5

God is my refuge and strong Tower – in HIM am I trusting.

~Chris

(Written by John)

We are trying to get an appointment at Sloan Kettering in New York City. Actually, we have one in three weeks. However, we are trying to get it pushed forward. Would you please pray with us that we get an appointment sooner? We feel we need this appointment before making a decision about pursuing chemotherapy.

In the meantime, Chris is still adhering to a strict diet. She had blood drawn today for the integrated doctor to help determine an individually tailored treatment plan including diet, supplement and other recommendations that could include an IV of high dose vitamin C twice a week. She also has an acupuncture appointment after our meeting with the integrated doctor on Wednesday. We are waiting for an MRI to be scheduled and are praying about the timing of a port to be surgically implanted to aid in all IV’s and blood withdrawals.

We are so grateful for your prayers. We would appreciate a concentrated focus in your prayers over the next few days for this Sloan Kettering appointment we need.

Today, I choose faith instead of fear.  Perfect love casts out fear, and my heavenly Father has PERFECT love for me.   Mother’s day was very special with my husband,  my kids and grandkids.  I am feeling great…(actually better this week than I’ve felt in a long time).   I am believing God is hearing the cries of many on my behalf.    My grandson (Johnny, age 6)  told me that when they asked people to come up for prayer this am in his church, he went forward and asked the church to pray for his Nana and the “whole church prayed, even the kids”.   

MANY people in many places are interceeding on my behalf and soon there will be shouts of praise all over the world to give our GOD the glory for the GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE.

This battle is great, and the victory will be GREAT!  Thank you for daily seeking God on my behalf and my family.

~Chris