Just two weeks ago, my husband was diagnosed with lung cancer. We were traveling from Sioux Falls to Arizona when the call came. He’d made it clear to his doctors before we left that if results of previous tests were unfavorable, he was thankful for the life God has given him and would not be seeking treatment. He’d made it clear we would be making this month-long trip no matter what. He’d also made it clear that he valued the quality of the days he has left over the number of the days left.

We both are at peace with his decision, and I have felt enveloped by God’s grace these last two weeks as we’ve united with family and friends in New Mexico and Arizona. Clearly, it’s no coincidence that we planned this vacation and these visits before we knew about the diagnosis and that God has placed the folks we have visited in our lives just when we needed them.

I have decided I will be including this experience in the normal flow of my blog at loisroelofs.com. I will not be connecting to Facebook or starting a Caring Bridge site. I am sorry I’ve not been able to notify everyone before you read it here, but I’m sure you understand. If you wish, you are welcome to continue following my blog, subscribe to it, or drop in now and then for updates

Right now we are grateful to have our son and daughter-in-law with us. When we get home in early March, we will see an oncologist to plan for hospice referral and pain management. We’ve been informed the cancer is aggressive and are choosing, as one of his doctors advised, to live life as fully as we can as long as he can.

Just know for now Marv feels good and is running his usual circles around us! And we both thank God for our fifty-five years we’ve had together.