Finally…an update from NC!
Dear Friends,
I am sorry it has been so long since you have heard from us!! I have wanted to sit down and write you so many times over the past few weeks, but for one reason or another, it just didn’t happen!
As you know, we packed up our household in Oak Brook, IL and moved back to Cornelius, NC a few weeks ago. Just two days before we left, as Sam was packing the garage, he noticed a pain in his back that shot down his left leg. He felt like all the packing had aggravated a disc, which was causing the pain. By the time we drove to NC and began unpacking on this end, it became apparent it was more than we had previously thought. The pain became very intense and walking became an enormous effort for Sam.
An MRI revealed that the pain was a result of one of the metastasis tumors on his spine pressing on a nerve. The only alternative was to receive 14 radiation treatments to try to shrink the tumor, thus relieving the pressure on the nerve. He just completed his treatments this past Friday, and they are hoping to see improvement over the next two weeks. He is still experiencing a lot of pain in his leg and is walking short distances v-e-r-y slowly (and carefully) with a cane. Other than the pain in his lower back and leg, he feels good and does not have any of the ‘typical’ lung cancer symptoms at all! (A bone scan taken last week does not show any new growth. . . a huge praise.)
Once again, this cancer journey has taken a ‘different turn’ for us. We found ourselves sitting in our house with wall-to-wall boxes and Sam in horrific pain, unable to help at any level with any of the unpacking! Our days have been filled with my trying to get boxes unpacked and bring some sort of ‘normal home life’ set up, DAILY trips for the radiation treatments, trying to make meals that someone who is nauseated and has no appetite would find appealing, and just the overall demands of getting re-established in a new location. It has been overwhelming, stressful, and even depressing at times!! J We have been stretched in every direction . . .and yet . . . we still find ‘His mercies are new every morning’!!
Sam was so excited about working in his brother’s business; however, due to the pain and treatments, he has not been able to work. (Another ‘faith-stretcher’!!). We KNOW that we are exactly where God wants us right now, and obviously, not a day early!! It has been a blessing for us to see Kevin almost everyday.
We truly appreciate your prayers for us . . . we need them! We are walking by faith & trusting God . . . wanting to learn all that He has to teach us on this journey. Thank you for standing in the gap for us . . . some days are long and hard . . . just knowing that you are walking along side of us continues to be such an encouragement and means more than you’ll ever know!!!
Thank you again for taking this journey with us and trusting with us!
In His love,
Ann
New home number: 704 892-8779
Sam’s cell number: 630 364-6370 (please feel free to call & encourage him!)
So good to hear from you! We have been praying and praying for you and I have wondered how the settling in has been going. Mr. Conway, I can’t imagine you being forced to “take it easy” and not get around to see a bunch of people. That must be really tough for you especially. =/ We miss you a lot and you are often in our thoughts! Keep hanging in there!! Love, Mary Kay
We are praying for y’all! Thanks so much for the updates!
You in our thoughts and we shall continue praying for you, as you settle in, go through Doctor appointments, and things like that.
I miss seeing you all. You have been a blessing in my life and in the life of my family!
May the Lord continue to bless you, and guide you on this journey in the unknown.
Karen Wiebe
Sam and Ann,
Thank you sooo much for making time to send out an update! We continue in prayer for Sam’s healing, and for you both, and Kevin, as you walk this path.
You’ve both been such a blessing and delight to us, and we count it a supreme privilege to be able to join you in prayer.
Know that our hearts are with you. We pray that Sam will experience relief from that terrible back pain, and that you, Ann, will know strength and energy that surpasses all human understanding, as you lean completely on God and simply take each step, as God directs. May He be felt as that solid rock upon which your foundations are built!
With much love,
Your brothers and sister in Christ, in Canada,
David, Shelley, Riad and Taylor Hess
Dear Sam and Ann,
Thank you for the update. Wish i was closer to be able to help you unpack, run errands, drive Sam to the dr., whatever is needed. I pray the Lord will send some angels your way for those needs. I pray for your healing Sam. That He will provide relief from this pain for you soon!
In His grace,
Susie
Praying for you both. Miss y’all and wish I could be there to help.
I’ve been thinking of y’all lately… praying for you, and miss you lots. I love you both.
Dear Sam and Ann,
We are praying for you and are glad to hear how the Lord is working in your lives. I hope by now you have gotten more settled in your new home and packing boxes are no longer your new decor. Being near Kevin will be a help and blessing for you.
Thanks for the updates.
Love
Mary Boyd
Dear Sam and Ann,
We have been praying for you and looking to the Lord for His strength for you. I miss talking to you and would love to catch up if you feel up to it sometime. I’m sure being able to watch Keven race is a blessing to you. I’ll look forward to seeing you soon I pray.
Things are still hopping at IBLP
Blessings to you my dear friends.
Bob and Clem Norvell
Dear Sam and Ann,
“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding… being strengthened will all the power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfull.” Colossians 1:9, 11
I pray for you, and I remember you with love.
Dear Sam and Ann,
I check your website every now and then for an update. I am so sorry for your continued struggles, and I continue to pray for you both. I will never forget our day on the airplane coming back from Houston and how we prayed for each other right at the gate when we landed. Sam started by praying for me and my struggle with infertility. And are you ready for this…..? I am now 18 weeks pregnant! It took about 10 years, but God’s timing is absolutely perfect, and I continue to be amazed! Thank you so much for your prayers and encouragement, especially on that day. I will continue to pray with expectation that God will remove every bit of that cancer and pain and restore Sam to his former good health.
In His love,
Susan
Hi Sam & Ann,
I have been praying for you through the ATI prayer chain. I just felt prompted to write to you and tell you that and also tell you about an anti-oxidant juice that my friend and I have been drinking. She had an inopperatable tumor and was given 6 months to a year to live. She started to drink the juice and now she went back and the doctor said the tumor is completely gone. I have had amazing relief of arthitic pain. The juice is Xango made from the mangosteen plant from Asia. If you want more info please let me know. I just think that it’s great that God has made things in His creation that work so amazing. Here is a site you can look at http://www.xango.com/learn/index.html If you buy the juice from a rep it is cheaper than from their site. I won’t feel hurt at all if you don’t do anything with this, I just thought since I’ve seen it work, I would share it and I have many more stories I could tell.
May God bless you and hold you close in this time.
Phyllis Bartel