Update From Mom:

Dad went for his follow up appointment last Wednesday. The Surgeon wasn't able to pull the JP tubes out because they are still draining. We go back in a week and a half.

The oncologist told us that the pathology report showed some positive microscopic margins around the sciatic nerve. She told us it is not part of the tumor but it did show positive so that he will need 8 more treatments of radiation. She is also hoping the radiation to the nerve won't cause any damage to the nerve. Dad wasn't too happy about that. He wants everything to say it's negative! He also only has 10 more days of sick leave and isn't feeling strong enough to do a full day of work. (He wants to and he tries, but he just can't) He is feeling like he has to go back this week full time. We are getting him a wheel chair where he can sit and elevate his leg. That might help him.



During surgery, we all got LIVESTRONG bracelets. We are still wearing them faithfully for Dad and ALL who have cancer. (Notice our bracelets in the picture.)

Update from Dad:

Wow, Wow, Wow.

I am so blessed to have all of you in my life, and especially my dear wife Sayda. I keep thinking how I am so unworthy of such a blessing. Then I remember what deserving people have gotten me down this path. Your prayers and positive energy have really healed me along. One of those blessings is placing brilliant Doctors in my path.

(Thought) Just before they wheeled me down to surgery. I looked at the guy who puts you down to sleep (I can’t spell anesthesiologist), and Doctor Jones and said, “Just checking one more time. You guys have done this before right?" I could see Dr. Jones smiling under the mask. Gotta go with a smile on your face.

I need to be brief. It has taken me 30 minutes to type this. I just needed to thank all of you for making this happen for me and my kido. (Sayda , my wife is kido if you don’t know) . Without her this journey never would have happened. She has been my strength and by my side every step of the way. And none of you know the Hell I have put her through. She has only told you of the ups and has burdened the lows all by herself. She is my tower, she is my life. Ok I will stop now. I can’t see the freaking keyboard. My eyes are full along with my heart my love. Thank you for being ………………everything. And to all of my beautiful children thank you. To my family, extended family, friends all of you even Kellen’s voodoo bones, thanks for getting your prayers answered. Thank you Father above.

Papa Bear

Miracles do Happen!

SURGERY IS OVER! HE SAVED THE SCIATIC NERVE!

AT 3:50, THE SURGEON CAME OUT AND TALKED TO US. AS HE WENT IN TO SURGERY, HE TOLD US THAT THE CHANCES OF SAVING HIS NERVE WERE LESS THAN 5%, AND MOST LIKELY IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN. AFTER SURGERY, HE CAME OUT AND SAID THAT HE WAS ABLE TO SAVE IT. HE REALLY FELT LIKE THIS WAS A MIRACLE.

WHAT IS SO AMAZING, IS THAT UP TO THE VERY LAST MINUTE DICK NEVER LOST HOPE. RIGHT BEFORE THEY WHEELED HIM INTO THE O.R. HE MADE SURE THAT THE SURGEON WOULD TRY TO SAVE THE NERVE. THE DOCTOR MADE IT CLEAR THAT HIS FIRST PRIORITY WAS TO REMOVE THE CANCER, BUT HE WOULD DO ANYTHING HE COULD.

THROUGH DICK'S FAITH AND THE FAITH AND PRAYERS OF ALL OF YOU THIS MIRACLE HAPPENED. HE'LL HAVE A BIT OF A RECOVERY, AND THEY DID REMOVE SOME MUSCLE (NOT TO MENTION AN ENORMOUS TUMOR). HIS INCISION IS ABOUT 1 AND A QUARTER FEET LONG FROM THE BACK OF HIS KNEE TO THE TOP OF HIS THIGH.

WHEN DICK WOKE UP, THE SURGEON TOLD HIM THAT HE WAS ABLE TO SAVE THE NERVE. DICK GROGILY RESPONDED, "CAN I KISS YOU?" THE DOCTOR LAUGHED AND SAID, "NO, I HAVE A MASK."

WE HAVEN'T SEEN HIM YET, BUT WE'LL BE ABLE TO SOON.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! WE CAN'T EXPRESS THE GRATITUDE WE FEEL TO ALL OF OUR FAMILY AND EXTEND FAMILY (THIS INCLUDES YOU!) WHO HAVE BEEN WITH US IN PERSON AND IN SPIRIT THROUGH THIS JOURNEY!

Update from Mom:

Yesterday we arrived in SLC for his pre-op visit. They did some lab, an EKG, and we visited with anesthesia. After that we headed to the hotel. It's only about a mile from Huntsman. Dad and Anson went to look at some El Camino's. (That's the first car Anson wants when he can drive.) Then they went to get Richie and Sissy at the airport. Aubrey and I stayed behind because there was not enough room in the car for all of us.

It was so good to see our older children. I am so glad they came. We went to get a bite for dinner and then hurried back to the hotel to call Kellan. Kellan and Riche gave dad a blessing. It was so neat to see these two great men give dad a blessing. Kellan served a mission with dad in Texas over 30 years ago. Dad has always thought the world of Kellan. We have so many memories of when they were both at Utah State, after their missions. It was so amazing to see my oldest son give his father a blessing. To know that our son is following the teachings of Jesus and is living in accordance means the world to me. It was a beautiful blessing and it really comforted Dick.

Bree and Travis showed up at the hotel this morning at 6:30. We left the hotel at 7:15 am. Dad had to check in the hospital at 7:30 am. They let all of our children come with us to his pre-op room while they admitted him. The surgeon met all of our children and the kids felt good about the man that would be performing the surgery.

Thursday... Pre-op visit

Aubrey went for a swim while dad and Anson went to get the older kids at the airport.
Dad and Richie hugging after the blessing.
Sister's home!!!
Thanks Kellan. We love you!!!
Friday... This morning at the hospital.
Dad was showing them his leg, but instead accidently exposed himself. What can I say... my girls freaked out. You can see little Aubrey's hand to the far left.

Those hospital gowns!
In dad's room. Waiting to be taken to surgery.
Doesn't he look cute?
There goes my sweetheart. He was actually singing... "I love a parade."
We all gave him some great big hugs before they took him. I could tell he was trying to be so brave. When little Aubrey fell apart, his eyes filled up with tears, so did everyone else's eyes.

They told us his surgery would take 6 - 8 hours long, so that we could leave and come back. They took him at 8:30 am. We have all decided to wait here. There is a big computer lab here, so I thought I'd do some blogging to take my mind of what's going on in surgery. Oh how I miss him and have him in my thoughts as I do this. My heart was ripped out of me as he waved good bye and as I saw all my children there trying to be strong.

Update From Papa Bear:

"Well helloooooooooooo laa la laa la laa,

My surgery is scheduled for Friday, April 3rd. Friday is just around the corner, or should I say just a skip down the road. I might as well skip while I can. I’m not in denial; I just don’t see the point of dwelling on it.

So my musical (Chaps) is on schedule. The cast is a lot of fun and Deborah Jones is great. It opens on May 7th. We rehearse every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. It will all take place at the Burley Theater again. I love that old theater!

We just came home from District Speech and the students did great. A couple of 1sts and several qualified for State. State is on April 17th so I need to be ready to travel by April 12th. It is great being back to work. I will miss it again. The time I get to be with Sayda and my kids is what makes this all bearable.

Our dear friend Eileen (Sayda says I should say Dr. Eileen Frelier) has helped us a lot through these tough times. I wish she could be here to be my internist. I am so grateful for everyone’s support and everyone’s prayers."

Family time, good friends, doctors, good news, and bad news.

Posted by Mom:

We went to Utah for two days. Dick had his "yearly diabetic eye exam" on the 17th, St. Patrick's Day. Good news at that doctors office! (NO DIABETIC RETINOPATHY) After the doctors appointment, we went to Golden Corral. Everyone was instructed to get all green food on our first serving. The plate that had the most green would be the winner. (PRIZE: $20.00) I lost because I put some white ranch drsg. on my salad. After a late lunch we headed to The Wagstaff's. We just love this family. They are so hospitable. Edye was so excited about her new Trivial Pursuit Wii game, that she had to play it. While they played, I blogged. That game makes me feel so stupid because I never know the answers. Then Edye played the piano and sang a song just for me. The kids had a great time with Ruby, Vosco, and all the neighborhood friends. I think that it is so neat how all their neighborhood friends know Anson and Aubrey. When they see me they always ask... "When are we going to see Anson and Aubrey again?" We spent the night there and next day we headed to Huntsman.

We were there all day! Dad had some blood work and an MRI. Then he had a chest CT. These almost took all day. We visited with the surgeon that will remove the tumor after he reviewed the MRI. He told us there was some good news and bad news. The good news is that the tumor did shrink a lot and that the spot that was on Dick's lung, when they did the first chest CT had not changed so he was almost positive it had nothing to do with cancer.

The bad news was that the tumor is still wrapped around the sciatic nerve and it didn't release after all the radiation. He told us there was 3 options. 1st option... Amputation from the hip down and that he didn't want to go there. 2nd option... Scraping the cancer off the nerve. He told us that he didn't want to do this, but he would do it if this was the option Dick chose. This would leave him with full use of the leg but the risk of getting cancer back was 60%. If he would get a recurrence of cancer on this leg again, he would have to amputate because the cancer would not be contained in the muscle anymore, it would be all over his leg. 3rd option... To remove the sciatic nerve, which the recurrence of cancer would be less than 10%. With this option, Dick would loose the use of his leg from the knee down and he will have to use a brace for the rest of his life. He will have to go to physical therapy and learn to walk again because he won't have sensation from his knee down. The reason for the brace is that his foot mainly, would just flop because he won't be able to bend it at the ankle without the nerve.

My first thought was Option 3 of course! We will have dad with no cancer!!! Then I looked at dad's face which looked so pale and scared. His eyes were tearing up. Then I thought, boy this wasn't as easy for him to decide right then and now. This is the man that doesn't know how to walk slow. If you're walking by him, you practically have to run so that you can keep up with him. Now, he will have to learn to walk. This is the man that as I write this, has gone bike riding with Aubrey to Ace Hardware because he needs a part to repair something in our home. This is the man that loves to garden. This is the man that both times we've gone to New York, makes me hate New York because he wants to run every where and not miss one thing. I on the other hand, like to take my time. This is the man that can't hold still 5 minutes because he thinks 5 minutes of his life will be wasted. Let alone take 5 minutes to put on a brace so that he can walk. At first he wanted option 2. He wants to keep his sciatic nerve so bad. I think now he has decided on option 3.

After Huntsman we bought some rail round trip tickets to Layton and back to SLC. Every time the train passes by us on the express way, dad always says he wants to ride the train. So... we did!

We timed it just right. After the rail we met up with Kellan Hatch and his family. Lily, his wife fixed a perfect dinner for us. His son played the piano for us too. He played really well. We took Anson ice skating for about an hour and a half. Kellan and Lily went with us. Their sons had tons of homework so they couldn't go with us, since it was a school night for them.
After that, we headed to Idaho.

Update From Mom:

"I sent the camera with dad when he went to Perkins with his students. Well, he didn't take any pictures. He forgot he had the camera with him. I guess if mom doesn't take pictures nobody does. About 12 students showed up. He had a great time with them. He sure misses his students.

Besides church, a nice little nap, and watching the Academy Awards today, he had his monthly scout meeting. The people in the picture, especially Karen Dayley have been running the scout program without dad. Right after dad got called to be the Scout Master he got diagnosed with cancer.

He has treatments Monday-Thursday this week and he's done. (25 radiation treatments!) I guess they will see him back on April 1st for MRI's, testing, scans, whatever. On the 3rd of April (Grandma Chavez birthday) they have scheduled him for surgery."