Our family needs your prayers please....

[April of K & A FARMS]

Our family needs your prayers please....


Tonight I am in need of prayers for my dear uncle. He is my mother's oldest sister's husband of whom was diagnosed with CLL (Chronic Lymphoma Leukemia) 14 yrs ago. They told him then he would not live longer than a year. Well he proved them very wrong. But he is beginning the stages of dying now. Just this past weekend, they all (5 sisters and one brother and all spouses) spent a well deserved weekend together. I was lucky enough to experience a few hours of their time together Sat. morning b/c I was staying a mom's during the day to sleep. She lives only 6-8 min. from my third shift job whereas I live a good 50 min. from there. Anyway, she has that really nice place on the lake (pic included) and also the one that needs prayers has a lake home as well, so they all did the weekend slumber party (what I am calling it) together. Ok so, when I see him, he is on oxygen. Now when I say O2 he is on 5 liters and his saturation levels are only in the upper 70s low 80s. Very seldom will it get in the 80s. How on earth this man is surviving? I haven't a clue. I lost a resident and I also think another one has died this morning as well after I sent him to the hospital, they were in the same boat as oxygen sats as my uncle. I just am amazed with it all. It is breaking my heart. Let me tell you why I am so close to this man. When I was 13 yrs old, I was his mother's weekend caregiver. I did this on and off until I was 16 yrs old when they had to put her in the nursing home. Well of course, she passed some time ago and was buried next to his dad. He is the only child they had. He paid me so good as a teen that had better things to have been doing, but I enjoyed my time with Lena. Then I also was on a different time just in 2002 my cousin's (of whom is a general surgeon) wife died of breast cancer, I was her 24/7 caregiver while I was in nursing school under hospice. Now he has stated to me that he may need me to be his private nurse soon. I am sorry if I am rambling on, but I feel I must explain the need for these prayers. I am not praying for healing. I am wanting prayers for God's will whatever it may be. This man has 5 grandchildren, all but one in college. The other one is a junior in high school this coming year. Only one is a boy, and he plays college football for my uncle's son's former college that he also played for. He injured his knee their and now is a College ref for many teams. Anyway, We are a very close knit family, we still have thanksgiving and Christmas together. THis would include about 60 family members or more. Can not remember the count as of right now.
As we have lost family members in the past ten years, 3 to be exact, it is always hard to lose one. First a cousin (the only brother's son of whom is a name sake to this family) was killed along side his half brother in a horrific car wreck almost 11 yrs ago, then the cousin's wife, and then my grandfather. As most knows that has lost family members, it never gets easy.
Let me continue on why this man is special to me. I sing. When I went to college the first time in 1990, I was a voice major. One Sunday morning in church, he passed me a note, (this man is in his 70s btw) saying I want you to learn these three songs. All I could say is why and of course I would. He never stated why, but in my heart I knew why. This was approx. 6-7 yrs ago when he did this. Guys, I just don't know if I will be capable of singing at his funeral. I will totally break down. But I do not want him to be disappointed in me.
Ok another reason why he is special, just this morning I called him and asked him how he was feeling. Short of breath (somewhat sounded like Chris Reeves talking) he replied that he appreciated what I have done with my life. If you all only knew what I have done, you would understand. NO drugs or alcohol but let's just say I was not a proper lady back in the day when I was not married. Anyway, he always would encourage me and try to get me to be something. I rememeber when I told him that I was starting nursing school, he just smiled. When I finished and graduated, He looked at me and said I knew you could do it. Even though I am a smiler, I was not always that way. He always would say to me turn that frown upside down, you look prettier smiling even if you are not smiling inside. It is killing me to see this man die like this. He is suffering. And I hate that. He is a very religous man as all our family is. I just can not stand to see him suffer in such a way.
Please remember me and our family as we go through this time with him. Please, as I asked before, if you all would pray for him that God's will be done for him whatever it may be. I really thank you all for your time reading this. I really needed to put it into words.

(picture is of my mom and dad's place on the lake. The pointed roof house is their home and then the other one to the right of it is a garage with an apt. on the second floor. Then the open green grass area is where they are going to start a condo development soon. Visit thecoveonweisslake.net or thecoveonweisslake.com to see more about it.

Zoomed in view
i70.photobucket.com/albums/i87/thecoveonweisslake/LibertyDay7-1-0630crop.jpg

Zoomed out view
i70.photobucket.com/albums/i87/thecoveonweisslake/LibertyDay7-1-0629.jpg


A slideshow of their place
s70.photobucket.com/albums/i87/thecoveonweisslake/?action=view¤t=thecove_0004.flv

[MaryKansas]

*HUGS* to you April and the rest of your family. Death is never an easy thing to experience, even if it is expected. I'm so glad to know that your family was able to get together.

Might I suggest a book for you to read? It has helped me out tremendously over the years, I lost my copy, and just yesterday I found another copy on eBay and cant wait to read it again, its called Embraced by the Light by Betty Eadie. I have recommended this book to many families as I sat beside thier loved ones who were dying, (I'm sure you can relate to this April) and many came back to Thank me for suggesting the book.

I pray that God's will be done and that He spares your uncle any unneeded pain during his passing, and He holds each and every member of your family in His comforting arms.

Do your uncle proud and sing the songs he wanted you to learn, sing loud...in his honor. It may be hard, but I know you can do it...for him!

[h2opony]

Praying that God will speed to you and your family.

I am so sorry you are loosing him, and you are right it never gets easier. I lost my best friend's dad (who was like my dad, as i am not close to my own dad) three years ago to cancer at the age of 33. We did everything together and he was a hard working wonderful man that took us fishing every weekend, went in to the doctor for migranes to find out he had a softball size tumor in his brain. We lost him two months later and watching him suffer those last two weeks was awful! I hated seeing that man that loved to be outdoors with the horses and animals inside a hospice depending on others to live.

I am praying for you and your family in this time of hardship. Sing your heart out girl, god gave you a gift and he wants to hear you sing on that day!
God Bless

[redmustangwoman1]

Aww I feel for ya..... Death isn't easy I know for I lost my beautiful Mother 4 yrs ago then my dear Father 6 mo later and 20 days after that my kewl older brother died...But God helped me pull through...Sing loudly my dear...Prayers headed your way now and forever for you and family..God bless and hold you close.....

[April of K & A FARMS]

Thank you all for these much needed prayers. Also thanks for your encouragement in singing for him.
h2opony-I too have a best friend that lost her father several years back and he was like a dad to me as well. So I am sorry that you had to go through that. Thanks for the prayers.

[Chero]

Warms huggsss and soft heartfelt prayers for your Uncle and the entire family .....

God Bless you all!

[Claire]

April, I will be keeping you and your family in my thoughts. Big hugs to you from all your Marestare friends.

[saddlebredlover]

April,

I will keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers. I'm going through the same thing myself right now. My Uncle was just diagnosed with terminal cancer that has invaded his liver, and has 6 months to a year to live. He's doing well now, but how long that will last, we just don't know... He started chemotherapy yesterday. It really hasn't sunken in for me yet. But, I know it's all part of God's greater plan, and we'll see him again someday.

[LandLRanch]

prayers being sent..hugs

[Linda]

I feel your pain April, I also am going through the same thing now with my favorite Uncle. He has lost most of his memory and is going down hill fast. I will pray for a gentle end for your Uncle. I have been chosen by friends and some family members to also be their caretaker in the final days. I was there also when my dear Father passed away in 1999. What I have always done when I see the time comes, is to tell them it's OK to go now. We will be alright, and we know you will be waiting there to greet us when our time comes. That has always seemed to help them let go and not feel that they are leaving loved ones behind that he has to worry about. God Bless you my friend, and as said before, you keep singing. It sounds like you have a wonderful family. You have been blessed. I will keep you and your family in my prayers.
God Bless, Linda in Arkansas

[April of K & A FARMS]

Update: Today they will decide to do dialysis or not. I say do, b/c he has not very much of a kidney function right now and has major edema and ascites. He is still hanging in there but still needs prayers. I do appreciate the prayers that have already been sent up.

[Melanie]

Prayers are being sent to you April and your entire family. I'm so sorry that such a horrible illness has to attack those we love so dearly. I know what you are going thru. I lost my dear father-n-law to cancer 4 years ago. Then my grandmother just last June. Then as if we hadn't been thru enough. 3 weeks later, My sweet sister-n-law, Mary, died very unsudden. She was 35 years old and pregnant with her 1st child. A daughter to be named Sarah Grace. We are still deeply greiving our losses. It takes time. But I do want to say. My sister-n-law, Mary, who is the one that passed away just last year was also a singer. She sang at her Dad's funeral (my father-n-law). She struggled thru it but was able to sing his favorite hymns. Be strong and you can do it.