My family is so grateful to have experienced an outpouring
of love and support over this past year. My dad was diagnosed with Brain Cancer
last February/March. It began with severe headaches that were unbearable and
led to surgery to remove the tumor and also biopsy it so that we could see
exactly what it was that we were dealing with. When the results came back, the
absolute worst-case scenario was realized… my dad had stage 4 gleoblastoma, it
was advanced and would continue to spread quickly. My family shed a lot of
tears, said a lot of prayers, and looked for ways to enjoy the precious life
that my dad had left.
About this time, I was recently engaged to the man of my
dreams. It seemed like such a difficult task to try to plan a wedding while I
was so worried about my Dad’s health. The doctors had said that with this
advanced cancer he would have somewhat of 12-18 months of life left. For those
that know me at all, know how dearly I cherish my relationship with my Dad. He
is my best friend and I could not even begin to imagine a life lived without
him in it. The wedding day came and it truly was the most beautiful day of my
life; Daniel and I were sealed in the Seattle Temple for time and all eternity
and that sealing ceremony reminded me of the wonderful blessing that my family
had to be sealed to my father forever. (In the LDS church, we believe that
through the restored gospel and priesthood authority and through marriage in a
temple that a man and woman can be married not just till death do them part, but
forever as both spouses keep the commandments and live the gospel of Jesus
Christ.) I knew that although death would separate us for a time, if we all
lived the gospel and did our best, we would one day be reunited as a family.
(During our Daddy-Daughter Dance at my Wedding)
My father has spent this past year being the amazing man
that he is. He knew that his time was short and so he, being the dreamer that
he is, decided to create a bucket list and live out his dreams. My Dad is not a
man to be pushed down so easily, he is happy and he makes life the best that it
can be. My dad loves golf, and so he decided that he would take the boys to
Pebble Beach, a PGA Tour Course, and there they spent a wonderful weekend and
had the time of their lives.
(The Boys at Pebble Beach)
The next event on his bucket list was to go with my Mom and
Aunt Linda and Uncle Lance to go on a middle eastern tour. My dad is a history
buff and we have spent countless hours sitting together watching the history
channel. For him, this trip was an experience of a lifetime and he was so happy
to have spent it with the love of his life, and his two best friends.
(Lance, Linda, Mommy, & Daddy in Jerusalem)
Throughout this entire time, my dad has continued to
struggle with headaches and pains, and the tumor has continued to grow. He lost
his eyesight in his left eye and was unable to drive to the loss in vision, yet
my dad has been the most optimistic man who has continued to make it his
mission to bring a smile to everyone else’s face.
Over the course of the past few months I have watched my
dad’s mind slowly be taken over by this tumor. He would get confused, almost
childlike in the way that he would react to various situations and yet no
matter what the tumor seemed to do to his mind, he was always optimistic and he
has always been so sweet and loving.
My dad has taught me many many things, I have been so
blessed to have him as my Father, to love and protect me, to teach me right
from wrong, to laugh with me and to cry with me. We have had such a special and
unique friendship, we have become as close as a father and daughter could ever
become. In absolute honesty, I have been devastated at the thought of loosing
him. I have cried more than I thought a person could cry in one year, I have
been mourning the inevitable of the day that I would actually have to say
goodbye to this amazing man.
I think that above all, My dad has taught me how the man I chose to marry should treat me. My Dad has loved and cherished my mom above all else and I am so blessed to have witnessed such a wonderful and a pure love. Even now in his last days, he lights up when he hears my mom's voice and perks up to give her sweet kisses. He can barely talk but is able to whisper the sweet words, "I love you."
(My mom and dad in Jerusalem)
My dad is in his last days of life. As sad as I am, my family
and I feel at peace. Like I said previously, that although death will separate us
for now, we will be together again and I look forward to that day when I will
have my Daddy again. When we can talk and laugh and enjoy all of our blessings
together. I have been so blessed to have this amazing father for the first 24
years of my life, and all the years afterward I will live in a way that will
make him proud and in a way that will allow us to be together again. Although I
grieve now, it is for the loss that I feel from temporarily loosing my best
friend and from seeing the pain that he has had to endure. He currently is
unresponsive and very peaceful and soon will be called home to meet his maker.
I know that many of you know my Dad and have been close friends of family and I
wanted to let you know of what has been going on, but I am to much of a wreck
to do so in any other way than writing. We love you all and have felt of your
prayers, thank you for continuing to do so at this time.
(The whole family at my wedding)
My family has been the greatest blessing to me in my life. I attribute all that I am to my wonderful parents who have taught me and sacrificed so much for me. I feel that my family is uniquely close because my parents have made that a priority, we are so lucky to have one another and we will be so happy to one day be reunited in Heaven.
