Category Archives: Grandparenting

Nelson’s journal 3/13/22    

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Nelson isn’t feeling like his regular self these days, and symptoms of “sickness,” as he calls it, seem to be increasing. The only thing to do is start visiting doctors to find out what’s wrong.

Baby is 11 days overdue, but that doesn’t seem worrisome.

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March 13, 2022    

I’ve had this sickness for the past couple weeks, and it doesn’t get any better. I stopped exercising altogether because I’m trying to listen to my body so it gets better. Not like anything I’ve had before. Just lingers on, lots of symptoms, just generally feel “sick.” Lots of aches and pains.

Maybe I have this sickness so I’ll spend more time here at the house with Mom and Annso, instead of working. It seems to be fairly spiritual. I did a bunch of blood work yesterday so we’ll see what comes back from the doc about that.

Anyway, I’m preaching next Sunday, and it’s probably going to be one of the last times. We will probably turn the church over to the people who own the property, which means we won’t even be going there anymore—not a partial thing, but nothing.

For some reason, I don’t have a problem with it and actually feel quite relieved, like there is a burden off my shoulders. I think Mom and Annso hold onto it more than I do. It’s been 6 years.

Mom is here for the birth of our little baby boy, but he’s taking his sweet time. Almost 2 weeks overdue. People ask constantly, but all we can tell them is “nothing yet.” It’s like we are celebrities and people are all over us about the details of our lives. But those same people are the ones who’ve given us so many gifts that we have no need whatsoever.

We haven’t spent anything at all on our baby except the fee for the midwife. Funny, the birth would have been free if we went to the hospital because we have the insurance that covers it. But we are doing it this way at home because we want it to be more peaceful. I’ve never been through it, but I’ll make an assessment once we’re on the other side of it.

Doors open and close. I was thinking I would work for Tim, the electrician, and preach at the church as a bi-vocational pastor, but now I’m leaning the other way and just going with the thing God seems to keep calling me back to, a full time YWAMer. Annso and I like “YWAM Days” and in that calling, you don’t have the “Sunday Scaries” as Klaus [brother] called them last night, where people dread going back to work for the week. I guess I should go with the thing I’ve always gone with. A job is always there and always waiting. I learned that with Tim. If you work hard, you have nothing to worry about. It will always be waiting for you.

Thank you Lord for the life we have here and for the baby boy who is about to be born. I pray against fear and sickness that tries to invade our lives constantly. Thank you for Mom being here and how we were able to hang out yesterday and shop and talk about stuff. I pray we can make the most of the 2 weeks we have here together.

I pray for the service this morning, that we can meet with you, praise you, worship you, and do the best we can at the end of the Little Red Church, as we know it, as it changes hands.

What is next? I pray for Hans [brother] as he is trying to make the decision about being a pastor or not. I pray you would show me what to do for him if there is anything you would like me to do in the way of encouragement or anything. Please direct our steps today. Amen.

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“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” (Proverbs 19:21)

Surprises–Good and Bad

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Christmas time is full of surprises, most of them good. But 48 hours ago Nelson got a surprise none of us would want. After an exhausting day of appointments at Mayo Clinic there in Minnesota, he found himself being admitted to the hospital—his absolute last choice of things to do at Christmas—or any time.

He’s had new breathing struggles with his lung cancer, and on top of that, he’s been suffering severely from what appears to be breaking bones. It began with a neck bone, which finally healed after about six weeks of misery, followed by breaks in a rib, a back vertebrae, his pelvis, hip, and most recently, his knee. Each of these has been accompanied by relentless sharp pain, though Nelson has done a stellar job of remaining on his feet with the assistance of a cane, and staying as active as he can be.

Last week doctors intensified their testing of the bones and learned that the cancer cells have been doing their dirty work on the marrow, weakening the bones to the point of fractures. The doctor said he shouldn’t be putting any weight on his right leg where most of the pain is, because x-rays showed his femur had dangerously thinned and in some places was actually paper-thin. This is when they admitted him to the hospital.

Doctors weren’t sure he could withstand surgery because of his many risk factors, especially his breathing issues, but there wasn’t much choice. So yesterday they operated, putting a long rod into his thigh and stabilizing his hip so it won’t fully break. Nelson did great after the surgery, and Ann Sophie has been in there fighting for her husband’s welfare at every turn, morning, noon and night.

It’s not a surprise that Nelson is angling to get discharged ASAP, but doctors have found a puzzling white substance on the wall of one lung and believe that whatever it is, this is what’s causing his new breathing troubles. So of course they won’t let him go home until they can figure that out.

Meanwhile, little Will just turned nine months and is enjoying his first sled ride. Ann Sophie’s mom and dad, a couple of very hearty grandparents, are working hard on the home front to make everything run smoothly. I marvel at how their cheerful spirits and big smiles never end. Surely their heavenly crowns will be loaded with jewels!

Nelson’s repaired leg can now bear his weight, and he can walk, with the stabilizing support of his cane. His immuno-chemo pills have been temporarily set aside while he recovers from surgery. And yesterday, the cancer itself got a surprise. While the surgeon was inside Nelson’s leg, he zapped all the cancer cells with radiation. At least those cells won’t have their way with Nelson.

We all thank you greatly for your prayers as you battle this terrible disease shoulder-to-shoulder with us. Those prayers are the best Christmas gift ever!

“Answer [us] when [we] call to you, [our] righteous God. Give [Nelson] relief from [his] distress; have mercy on [him] and hear [our] prayers.” (Psalm 4:1)

Happy Encounters

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Last week little Will’s grandpa got to meet his first grandchild, who is almost five months old.

When Ralph arrived from Germany, he also got to be reunited with his wife Astrid, his daughter Ann Sophie, and his son-in-law Nelson. It’s difficult to understand what’s happening in the little apartment in Rochester, Minnesota, from 4300 miles away in Europe.

But now Ralph has adjusted to the medically-oriented lives of his loved ones and how things work at the Mayo Clinic. Like the rest of us, he’s learning that by the process of elimination, doctors figure out what something isn’t, before they determine what it is. And this process can be frustrating for all of us.

Last week, Nelson’s vomiting and diarrhea had increased to epic proportions. Doctors thought it might be a response to trace remnants of the chemotherapy drugs mixing with the new immunotherapy drugs. Or it might have been Nelson’s reaction to the new immunotherapy as his system tried to switch from chemo to that.

They drew blood again (almost a daily occurrence) and finally discovered he had a bacterial infection of his digestive track, which was evidencing itself in the vomiting and diarrhea. Several days after he began antibiotics, though, the vomiting and diarrhea began decreasing—much to everyone’s relief, especially Nelson’s.

Throughout this time, he’s been taking the two pills daily that make up the targeted immunotherapy, and yesterday he spent time with the head oncologist on his case and another doctor. They were both pleased about where he is with the new therapy but will keep it at a half-dose for a while longer.

In meeting with pulmonology, they learned that about 150 milliliters of fluid are still “caught” in pockets at the bottom of his right lung. Though they tried to drain it out, the regular suction method failed. They may try to get it with a needle.

If they succeed, then they’ll also remove the catheter on that side and close up the wound. The left lung still needs draining daily, and Ann Sophie does that with excellence. It remains a mystery why the right lung had initially produced lots of fluid and now has dried up, while the left lung, which hadn’t produced much for many weeks, now has more.

But that’s the way it is in the world of medicine. One issue gets sorted, but then another one appears. But we have faith in the doctors we’ve worked with thus far and have seen their expertise and determination in action. Their goal is to resolve Nelson’s cancer symptoms and the side effects from drugs until the immunotherapy and his own immune system can overwhelm the cancer. And what a happy day that will be!

“My Child, never forget the things I (the Lord) have taught you. Store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying.” (Proverbs 3:1-2)