A little color from Dad's garden from a Memorial Day get
together yesterday. Update from my sister Sarah below:

Just a quick update to fill you in on the latest. Dad finished radiation last Thursday! He has one more chemo (rituxan) treatment this Thursday. I'm not sure when, but they will do a scan eventually to see if the tumor is gone! Please keep PRAYING, PRAYING, PRAYING that these test will show no more signs of the tumor! That's the biggest pray concern right now! It's a week to week thing at Richland. Each week mom gets an insurance letter saying he has been approved for another week. We don't think he will be there too much longer. But, he needs to be there a little while longer for the physical therapy! He is making great improvements. He still has a good ways to go in mobility (which brings me to our next concern.... )

Yesterday, Stuart's family picked dad up from Richland and brought him HOME to his house! Boy- was that good for his soul! He loved being back. He sat on his screened porch listening to the water feature and the sounds of the grandkids running outside. He visited with us all- John commented on how much more 'with it' he was from even Mother's Day. He is definitely getting better. He thoroughly enjoyed his lunch and ended it with a serving of fudge pie and two helpings of homemade vanilla ice cream... he LOVES homemade ice cream! This is where it got tricky! Dad decided he wanted some coffee. Instead of asking for help, he decided he'd get it on his own. Before any of us realized what he was doing and could get him back in his seat, he lost his footing, tripped over his wheel chair and fell hard. He hit his head on the china cabinet and landed on the hardwood floor. We called an ambulance b/c we knew we didn't need to try to move him. The police and paramedics arrived soon. Dad was lucid the entire time. He answered questions he was asked. The first thing he said was "This was the dumbest thing I've done". A ambulance ride to Baptist, a ct scan and 12 stitches later... he was headed back to Richland. The scan showed no damage to the skull or brain from the fall. He didn't break any bones either- which to hear the fall, this was completely God's hand breaking the fall! The stitches will be in for 7-8 days. Pray that he will heal without infection issues. I'm sure today he will be a little bruised and sore. But the fact that he only had to have stitches and NO CASTS is a complete God thing! Your prayers have seen us through this entire process. They have helped dad heal and regain strength. Now we are praying he will continue to gain strength and that the tumor will be gone after the treatment ends. Dad really wants a beach trip... and we would like to all take one together. He needs to get stronger. God has brought him a long way-and we see him improving daily. Pray he continues to gain strength and also remembers that he can't walk on his own just yet to avoid any future falls!