SOME BUMPS ALONG THE WAY……

When I last reported on my status, I was feeling pain-free without taking any medicine for pain. For the last couple of weeks I’ve had some abdominal pains after I eat and particularly when I lay down. This seems to be just an increase of intestinal mobility after eating (gastro-colic reflex gone amuck) and just results in aching pain. We’re not quite sure why this is occurring and have just been managing it symptomatically with pain pills – waiting to see what evolves. The other adverse effect of the abdominal pain is on my appetite – and I frequently have trouble thinking of anything good to eat!

On the positive side, my bone marrow continues to recover sufficiently for my continued weekly infusions of Gemzar. This week I got the 13th course of this chemo which is the preferred one for pancreatic cancer. And so far the markers indicate that it is reducing my cancer cells. As I’ve mentioned before, the side effects of Gemzar are not severe, but I do sleep long hours especially on the days just following treatment.

Previously I mentioned all the summer’s events – reunions, visits, parties, celebrations – in which Bonnie and I have been able to see and enjoy so many of our family and friends. The wrap up for my summer was a two days of an organized horse trail ride at Mt Diablo – a benefit for the Bay Area Ridge trail. This is an annual event of 100 miles ride over 6 days in the East Bay that I’ve done twice before, but I had not previously done the last two days at Mt Diablo. So when the announcement came in April for this year’s Labor Day weekend ride, I signed up for the two days at Mt Diablo. I had sent in my reservations in April, 3 days before I had the CT scan which first showed my pancreatic mass. Since I was feeling better as the summer progressed, doing the ride has been something to look forward to. This event is “catered” camping with all the meals and horse feed provided on site – not to mention a club house, swimming pool, showers, and nightly entertainment!

Not only was this the first extended ride I’ve done since last Labor Day – it was the first since then for my horse, Jackson as well. Shortly after the East Bay Ride last year, Jackson became lame in the left hind quarter, and after several vet visits and therapeutic trials, I took him to my favorite consultant vet, Dr Noel Muller. Noel’s practice is in Galt, south of Sacramento and near where our son, Drew and family live. Jackson had made a previous trip to Noel about 3 years ago when he had some lameness in the front – which turned out to be severe and chronic laminitis. With Noel’s advice and the tutoring of one of his associated farriers, Jackson has almost completely recovered from what is often a terminal disease. So at Thanksgiving time, Jackson made the trip back to Galt where after a couple of hours of examination and tests he was determined to have broken his pelvis! For those of you who wonder – this was determined after ruling out any problems below the hip, then a pelvic exam – a big “Ah ha!”- and a confirmatory trans-rectal ultrasound. Noel assured me that Jackson would heal if we could restrict his activity for several months. Not a short order for the alpha horse in a pasture of 50 other geldings – the assumption being that he got knocked down by a challenger to his dominate position in the herd. After several more months of trying to progressively limit Jackson’s activity to the point of mending his pelvis, I ended up moving him to a different nearby horse facility where they had a 12 foot square stall with no access to other horses. Between February and April he stayed in that confinement and a small outdoors 20 foot run which we also boarded up so he could not get eye contact with his neighbor horse. And it’s only in the last couple of months that I have slowly begun to exercise and then ride Jackson. Long way to say that the Mt Diablo ride was the first in a year for both me and Jackson – and I was not quite sure that either of us was quite up to it.

Well the ride was great and despite the hot weather, we were able to complete 30 miles or so of trails – had we not been lost a few times it would have been 26 miles! And the only glitch was that Jackson came up lame in the right front during the last hour. Back home we’ve had twice daily soaking in Epson salts and checking for sore spots, I found a small hoof abscess and drained it – a much better diagnosis than return of laminitis! And in the course of squatting down to keep Jackson’s hoof in the hot Epson salts, I now have a sore lumbar spine – makes me walk like Grandpa Wheeler! It’s also a reminder to be more faithful with my exercise routine.

Another very moving experience this week was the celebration/graduation dinner for my class of ruling elders at Menlo Park Pres. The board of elders consists of 24 women and men who are elected for 3 year terms. And we meet weekly with the pastoral staff, usually for an hour at 06:30 am to deal with the business of the church and to pray for common and personal concerns. With all the personal events of our family in the last 3 years, I have been the recipient of very frequent and fervent prayer by this group – known as our Session. In the course of these weekly meetings, along with other departmental work, we become very appreciative of each persons gifts and service and of course good friends! As our senior pastor aptly summarized our graduation event, “It made me grateful for the laughter and fun and for such a remarkable collection of hearts and stories and evident work of God in so many lives and gifts and burdens and journeys.” Well said, indeed!

I began this update by saying that I’ve had some bumps along the way, but the blessing of life continue as well with new events and happenings continually on the horizon. Later today we will be meeting our daughter, Michelle, and her family arriving from London for a visit of 10 days. And of course Drew and his family will be here to see them and us during some of those days, though their girls have full schedules of school and soccer, so theirs will likely be just an overnight with us.

In Lloyd Ogilivie’s GOD’S BEST FOR YOUR LIFE, he used Psalm 40 in this morning’s devotion which was so encouraging. “I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry, He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you. Were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.” We do recount all of God’s blessings and are so thankful. May you claim His Presence also during your times of trials.

PS. Thanks to Linda and Kim for the good pack trip report and great pictures!

Paul Hensleigh with Bonnie's edits