Update on my Father-in-Law

Hi there ~ an update on my Father-in-Law…I apologize, first, if this seems to be a change from the last update I wrote about him. What seemed to be a “typical” fight against Colon Cancer that includes treatment and such actually seems now to be a bit more serious than I was lead to believe.

Pete will be going through Radiation and Chemotherapy starting next week. From what Scott has told me, he will have 6 weeks of treatment, followed by surgery, and then approximately 6 weeks of recovery. Although the Doctors are acting calmly in the face of the storm that continues to surprise us all, I am seeing that they are not messing around or procrastinating in any way, shape or form in the treatment of this cancer. I’ll be including Pete’s e-mail update from a few days ago at the end of this e-mail, and in it you will see that it’s been around for approximately 2 years. You can guess that it may be a bit farther along than we had originally thought.

I would ask for prayers in a number of different areas:
1) Prayer for healing in Pete’s body. He was also diagnosed with skin cancer earlier in the year, but thought he had kicked the cancer “thing” through the surgery he had in that area. As early as August they had found another spot and were watching it….

2) Prayer for all the changes this has brought about in Pete & Cathy’s lives. Pete took an early retirement just last January, and already they’ve enjoyed living the dream they had of traveling once he retired. Please pray that their faith would remain strong, and that in the midst of it all they would see, feel and know God’s Hands are carrying them through. Pray especially that they would each be able to surrender their anger, their fear and their doubts to Him…and that they would in turn be strengthened in their faith in the midst of it all. Pray that satan’s lies would be garbled in their ears and that the truth of God’s ever-present, never-failing love would be shouted into their hearts and minds.

3) I guess, really, pray that (#2) for the entire family. What I love about being a Foskett is that I entered a family unit much like the one I grew up in that is close and loves each other dearly. Please pray for Jileen & Steve and their daughters, Peyton & Sydney ~ they live in Apple Valley nearby Pete & Cathy and are the ones really feeling the brunt of the care and stress of the situation. Jileen also was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer earlier in the year ~ she will be having her second full-body scan November 12th to make sure it hasn’t come back. Please pray for wisdom as she proceeds with her own treatment. When she has a body-scan done she has to go completely off her thyroid medication. You can imagine the stress of taking care of two very active, amazing little girls is hard enough at times like these ~ she is blessed to be able to rely on Cathy & Pete’s help to care for her and her family as she goes through these times. Now that help will be pulled back quite a bit, I imagine. Please pray that God would work a miracle in her body during this time ~ that He would give her energy to care for her family and energy left over to feel healthy and strong even without her medication. Pray, too, for wisdom as she makes decisions on how to proceed.

4) Pray also for Jeff & Alison. They live in Southern California too, but are a bit farther away. Alison has had some health issues of her own this past Summer, and continues to heal her own body. Jeff is in a place of having to make some decisions regarding his employment, and the stress of their own situations is great already…Please pray that they would seek God’s face and know His peace in every situation. Pray that God would continue to heal Alison, and that there would be a joy and a peace that emphasizes their love for Christ in all things.

5) Pray for us as a family. We are planning a vacation over Thanksgiving to Southern California. We’re looking very forward to being able to not only see Scott’s side of the family, but my parents are planning on meeting us out there as well. Mom & Dad are concerned over the visit being an additional strain on Pete & Cathy, but we are all seeing it as a wonderful opportunity to spend some time together as a complete family over an appropriate holiday to do so. Please pray that South Dakota and the areas between there and Southern California wouldn’t get too much snow until Mom & Dad are able to make it BACK home again as they have decided to drive out. Pray, too, for peace in the journey for them ~ I’m realizing I, personally, really need it to work out that they are able to make it.

5a) It dawned on me tonight as Scott & I were praying on the phone that when we arrive in Southern California Pete will be in the middle of his treatments. Knowing the impact Radiation and Chemotherapy have on a body I am concerned for how the boys will react seeing their Papa looking very different from when they saw him just last month. Please pray for wisdom in how Scott & I can prepare them for what they’ll see without scaring them too much about the battle Pete is fighting. We realize cancer, illness and disease can’t be hidden, but when we don’t see each other very often, the initial impact of the change will be great….please pray for wisdom and words.

6) Finally, I ask most of all that you would pray that above all else God would be glorified in each and every word, thought and deed that is a part of this time of our lives. Scott and I have seen Him do amazing things in our own home over the last year ~ pray that we would all continue to SEEK and to SEE His hand in all things. In Isaiah 53 we read of Jesus Christ ~ the One who “took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows…” Please pray that we could rest in the beauty of knowing He not only heals, but He loves us with an unending love that never lets go. Pray for acceptance of His plan knowing we can trust His hand.

Thank you so much for praying ~ I cannot express how much it means to be able to share these requests knowing prayers will be going up all over the world. God bless you all ~ and thank you again.

Trayc