Dear Family and Friends,

It brings us joy, peace, and comfort this holiday season to share with you the results of James recent CT scan.  The two small remaining pieces of the tumor have not grown since the surgery in April! The doctors assure us were on the right track J James will undergo another scan in June 2013 for continued follow up.

BEFORE 4-10-2012

AFTER 12-17-2012



We feel the lord’s love and are so very blessed to have each of you in our lives! Thank you for the prayers and acts of love you have given to our family during this very difficult time. Your support gave us strength and hope!

We wish everyone a happy holiday season and a healthy, prosperous new year!

Much Love

~James, Sydney, Jesse and Mason



This was my opening message to the board of director's from our Les Olson Board Meeting held in August.

 

Positive Influence:

For me, this year has been filled with many exciting milestones and extreme challenges. I have learned many lessons from these experiences. We cannot call back time that is past… we cannot stop time that now is… and we cannot experience the future in our present state…

Time is a gift… a treasure not to be put aside for the future but to be used wisely in the present.

Things go wrong… We suffer… Misfortune can cripple our bodies, frazzle our emotions or fog our intellects. Sometimes life looks so bleak to us that we think we may never recover our former health and happiness. At times like these, empathy and support from others can be not only a comfort but a stimulus toward healing.  

I witnessed first-hand the power and importance of being a positive influence and the impact it had in my recovery. Positive influence can be likened to a liquid that flows into and out of all of us. The character of what flows into us directly affects our internal state and affects what flows out of us, inevitably impacting what gets into others around us.

People, places and experiences that provide positive influence are those that help us move nearer to our desired results and help us to be better today than we were yesterday. Many if not all of us can recall times of positive change in our thinking that enabled us to move well beyond what we initially anticipated.

In working to immerse ourselves in positive environments and become good influences for others, we must continually be on the lookout for these four inputs that will:                                                                                    One- Inspire… by expanding our vision to encompass a better future than previously thought possible.

Two- Challenge… by creating a demand to be, do and have greater than what presently exists.

Three- Encourage… by providing an external “You Can Do This!” such that it becomes the recipient’s permanent internal “I Can Do This!”                    

and Four- Motivate… by instilling or helping to discover a sense of purpose and “Why” that becomes a driving force for achievement.

Organizations are relatively simple systems. What makes them complex is that they are also intricate webs of human relationships. We need to be able to work well with our boss, our colleagues and our subordinates to accomplish the results we want. This is not an option but rather a basic requirement.

Influencing skills are about working successfully with others. They are a range of behaviors that you can utilize to get the job done and at the same time build or maintain good relationships.  Sometimes it’s easier to get the job done by walking all over others, but this destroys the relationship for the next time. Sometimes it’s easier to give way to other’s demands and maintain the relationship, but you don’t achieve the outcome you want.

Being an effective leader means being able to positively influence others.  Here are some examples of behavior that has a positive impact on others:

·       Being supportive.

·       Challenging others to be the best they can be.

·       Modeling positive behavior for others.

·       Noticing and promoting skills that motivate others.

·       Acknowledging and appreciating individuals’ skills and talents.

·       Listening to others.

·       Giving time to others.

·       Setting an example by continuing to work on yourself.

Broadening and developing your range of influencing skills will help you:

·       Build trust.

·       Bring people together around a common vision.

·       Be assertive without being aggressive.

·       Learn to listen without being perceived as passive.

·       Manage conflict to achieve positive outcomes.

·       Get things done with difficult people.

·       Know when to be strategic and when to be tactical in your influence attempts.

·       Understand the difference between compliance and commitment and have the skill to achieve both.

·       Give helpful feedback.

·       Match your impact with intention.

·       Build good, long-lasting working relationships.

You never know who’s watching you... And someone always is… whether your child, your co-worker, your spouse, your friend, a customer, or even a stranger in another car on the road. Emotions and inner life states are transmitted like viruses along the vectors of our words and actions, even from the quietest and smallest.

Nothing can encourage us like someone else’s good example. They are sometimes few and far between- but they’re there if you look for them.

Want to create value with your life? Become a good, positive influence.

~With respect and admiration for all of the positive influences in my life! 

                                       JAMES

 

 

 

We received great news today from the Doctor!


The PET scan of James body was normal, with no signs of the disease anywhere else!!


He is scheduled for another scan in December as they will continue to monitor the remaining tissue for any signs of growth.


We are blessed to have the lord on our side and we truly feel our prayers have been answered. Knowing we were not alone, and with everyone’s love and support that gave us the strength and determination to endure this challenge.


We are so grateful to be surrounded by amazing friends, family and even complete strangers who reached out to support us through this journey.


THANK YOU… WE LOVE YOU!!

James has an upcoming PET Scan on Thursday, June 28th. What is a PET scan? A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is an imaging test that can help reveal how your tissues and organs are functioning. A small amount of radioactive material is necessary to show this activity. The radioactive material will be injected into a vein. More radioactive material accumulates in areas that have higher levels of chemical activity. This often corresponds to areas of disease and shows up as brighter spots on the PET scan. A PET scan is useful in evaluating a variety of conditions — including neurological problems, heart disease and cancer.

We then meet with our Pulmonary Doctor on Monday, July 2nd to discuss the results and determine a schedule of future scans, tests, and doctor visits.

We'll keep everyone updated as we learn more.

We have found the information in these two articles reputable and helpful in answering some of our questions and/or just explaining Castleman Disease. The articles are a bit long but do a good job explaining about the disease. The first one is from the American Cancer Society. The second article is from the International Castleman Disease Organization and is a bit more technical. Hope you find these articles as informative as we have.

Article One from the American Cancer Society: "Castleman disease (CD) is a disease of lymph nodes and related tissues. It was first described by Dr. Benjamin Castleman in Boston in 1956. CD is also known as giant lymph node hyperplasia and angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia. Although not officially a cancer, this disease can act very much like lymphoma (cancer of lymph nodes). In fact, many people with this disease eventually develop lymphomas. This is why it is included in the American Cancer Society’s cancer information database. Instead of being called a cancer, CD is often called a lymphoproliferative disorder. This means there is an abnormal overgrowth of cells of the lymph system that is similar in many ways to lymphomas. Like lymphoma, CD is frequently treated with chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

Lymphoid tissue, also known as lymphatic tissue, is the main part of the immune system. It is formed by different types of cells that work together to resist infections. Lymphoid tissue also has a role in the body's resistance against some forms of cancer. The main cell of lymphoid tissue is the lymphocyte. There are 2 types of lymphocytes: B cells and T cells.

Lymphoid tissue is found in many places throughout the body, including:

• Lymph nodes (bean-sized collections of immune system cells found clustered in the groin and underarm areas, on the sides of the neck, inside the chest, and scattered widely though the body including the abdomen)
• Thymus gland
• Spleen
• Tonsils and adenoids
• Bone marrow

Types of Castleman disease:

CD is separated into 2 groups: localized/unicentric and multicentric/systemic. They affect people very differently.

Localized Castleman disease:

Localized or unicentric CD only affects a single set of lymph nodes. It is not widespread. The lymph nodes in the chest and abdomen are affected most often. CD causes these lymph nodes to enlarge. These abnormally large lymph nodes may press on other organs and tissues inside the chest or abdomen. If they are in the abdomen, the person might feel pain or pressure in that area. Enlarged lymph nodes in the chest can press on the windpipe (trachea) or smaller breathing tubes (bronchi) causing breathing problems. Sometimes the enlarged lymph nodes are in places such as the neck, groin, or underarms and can be felt easily. People with localized CD disease are usually cured when the lymph node is removed with surgery.

Microscopic subtypes of Castleman disease:

Castleman disease can also be classified as either a hyaline vascular type or a plasma cell type based on how the lymph node tissue appears under a microscope (these are called microscopic subtypes). Less often, a combination of both types may occur. The hyaline vascular type is more common and tends to be localized, while the plasma cell type tends to be multicentric, but exceptions to this rule often occur. In choosing treatments, doctors feel that the microscopic type is less important than whether the disease is localized or multicentric.

We don't know how many people are diagnosed with Castleman disease (CD) each year. The National Cancer Institute has a program that keeps track of how many people have each type of cancer. Because CD is not a cancer, it is not included in these records. We do know that CD disease is very rare in healthy people. In fact, 2 of the leading cancer centers in the United States, MD Anderson and Memorial Sloan-Kettering, each see about 2 patients a year.

A risk factor is anything that might change a person's chance of getting a disease. But risk factors don't tell us everything. Having a risk factor, or even several, does not mean that you will get the disease. Having no risk factors doesn't mean you won't get the disease.

Most patients with Castleman disease (CD) have no known risk factors. In general, most people with localized CD disease feel well otherwise.

No one has discovered the cause of this disease, but many doctors suspect a virus is involved.

Doctors suspect that problems with the way a patients immune system is working may contribute to the development of CD. Many people with CD have abnormally high blood levels of certain substances produced by immune system cells.

Some scientists believe that CD occurs when there is too much of a protein called interleukin-6 (IL-6). IL-6 is a protein the body makes to help regulate immune function. Too much IL-6 seems to cause lymphocytes to reproduce excessively.

Treatment of localized (unicentric) Castleman disease:

Surgery is the recommended treatment for people with localized Castleman disease (CD). Removing the abnormal lymph node(s) appears to cure the disease. Symptoms such as fever and fatigue that are caused by the CD go away when the lymph node is removed. Relapses are rare. Radiation can also cure localized disease.

Some patients with localized CD develop secondary amyloidosis, a condition in which abnormal proteins build up in the kidneys, skin, and some other organs. This protein build-up stops once the lymph node affected by CD is removed.

The outlook for localized CD is very good if the affected lymph node can be removed with surgery. But sometimes the surgeon cannot safely remove all the disease. This doesn't necessarily mean it will come back. Even partial removal may help and the disease may not grow back.

Frequent follow-up exams are very important for several years after the treatment for Castleman disease (CD) is finished. The doctors will continue to watch you for signs of recurrent disease."

Article Two from the International Castleman Disease Organization: "Castleman disease is a benign disorder first described by Dr. Benjamin Castleman in 1956. Castleman disease is also referred to as angiofollicular hyperplasia, and is non-clonal disease of the lymphnodes. As the name angiofollicular hyperplasia (1) implies there is a follicular hyperplasia of lymph nodes with abnormally increased interfollicular vascularity. Castleman disease can be classified as a) unicentric vs. multicentric, based on clinical and radiological findings, b) hyaline vascular vs. plasmacytic vs. mixed cellularity variety based on histopathology. 

Unicentric Castleman Disease is usually a slow growing solitary mass typically located in the mediastinium or mesenteries. There are no constitutional symptoms and no elevation of acute phase reactants (Interleukin 6, ESR and CRP).  Symptoms if present are due to a mass effect of bulky lymphadenopathy. In 90-95% cases surgical resection is curative and usually there is no progression to lymphoma or association with other tumors. The prognosis is excellent with a 5 year survival of close to 100%.

The histopathology of hyaline vascular Castleman disease shows that the lymphnode germinal centers are poorly formed with dysplastic/ atrophic CD21+ follicular dendritic cell networks surrounded by an expanded mantle zone consisting of rims of small CD20+ lymphocytes arranged in an onion skin manner.  There is increased interfollicular vascularity with capillary proliferation and endothelial hyperplasia.

Classically it is thought that Unicentric Castleman disease is usually of the hyaline vascular variety and multicentric disease of the plasmacytic type or mixed cellularity variety. These relationships are based on the analysis of the small numbers of patients since Castleman disease is rare. Review of 37 patients with Castleman disease treated at UAMS, which is the largest single institution experience in the world with Castleman Disease. We found that patients with Unicentric Castleman disease indeed have as pathology the hyaline vascular variety. However, the histopathology of multicentric disease can be evenly divided between hyaline vascular variety on one hand and plasmacytic type and mixed cellularity variety on the other hand. Mixed cellularity clinically behaves more like plasmacytic type rather than hyaline vascular disease.

Surgical excision is the preferred treatment in most cases of unicentric Castleman Disease and adjuvant therapy e.g. steroids and/or rituxan before surgery is very useful to shrink bulky or inoperable disease. In some cases, radiotherapy has proven effective.

In most cases of the hyaline-vascular type of Castleman Disease, individuals exhibit no symptoms of this type of the disorder (asymptomatic) or may develop a non-cancerous (benign) growth in the lymph tissue; most frequently in the chest. Symptoms with this type are usually secondary to the size and location of the growth.

The hyaline vascular sub-type accounts for 90% of cases of Castleman disease and patients are generally asymptomatic (58% to 97% of patients are asymptomatic). Most patients come to clinical attention when a solitary middle or posterior mediastinal mass (adenopathy) is detected incidentally on chest radiographs. In order of frequency, the intrathoracic sites involved include the anterior mediastinum, particularly right paratracheal, hilar nodes, and the posterior mediastinum. About 70% of affected patients are less than 30 years old, and males are affected more than females. Symptomatic patients may complain of dry cough, dyspnea, or recurrent infection due to airway compression. The treatment is surgical with a low recurrence rate if the resection is subtotal. Rare cases have been complicated by the development of vascular neoplasms that resemble Kaposi's sarcoma, or Hodgkin's lymphoma .

The exact cause of Castleman Disease is not known. Some researchers speculate that increased production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) may be involved in the development of Castleman Disease. IL-6 is a substance produced by structures within the lymph nodes.

The treatment of Castleman Disease is directed toward the specific symptoms that are apparent in each individual. Specific therapies for the treatment of this disorder are symptomatic and supportive. Surgical removal (excision) of the growth is the preferred treatment in most cases of localized Castleman Disease. In some cases, ionizing radiation (radiotherapy) has proven effective."

I am happy to report my follow up with the surgeon went as planned! 

I was given the okay for next week to slowly start driving again and slowly work my way back into a full day of work. I can't wait! J

We thank the lord for giving us the strength and our doctors the knowledge to diagnose and overcome this obstacle in our way. A few more years of follow up, with hopefully no radiation and we will have successfully put this behind us!

This last weekend our family celebrated the end of a fantastic season of lacrosse with Mason and our Bingham team.

Our family also celebrated Jesse's upcoming graduation next week from Bingham High.

We are so proud of our boys and their accomplishments!!

Our prayers continue to be with those in need. We love you!!





Well, after a rough couple of days I can now say confidently I am on the road to recovery! I am anxious to heal and return to my regular routine, including work! There is absolutely nothing on T.V. during the day :-)
I will follow up with the surgeon in another week and hope to be released then! We will continue to give updates as we see our team of doctors over the next few months.
Thanks to those who have brought our family such delicious meals! We sincerely appreciate everyone reaching out to support us...Thank You...

This is an incredible video of cancer stricken children who exude such strength, determination and courage. This would make any mother proud! This is worth the time to watch.
http://soc.li/OTmy10O

"STRENGTH does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender. THAT IS STRENGTH." -Arnold Schwarzenegger



This is a picture of Mason's legs he tattooed (with a sharpie) for his lacrosse game last Saturday. The team played in honor of James, their coach Brett who married his sweetheart on Monday, and baby Bauer who has overcome cancer. We played Lone Peak High School and beat them in double overtime! GO BINGHAM!!!

Back to the blog... Sorry there have not been a lot of postings since we've been home as time has not permitted. We really appreciate everyone's patience in allowing James some time to begin the healing process. James is recovering slow but steady, stronger day by day. He is ready to welcome your phone calls and would love a visit. We will continue to update the blog with information regarding our upcoming Doctor visits. Our Doctor has also reminded us as we search the Internet for information about Castleman's Disease, that we remember to use some key words that pertain to James' type of the disease as there are many factors to Castleman's disease. Those key words are: Hyaline, Unifocal, and Localized. This will hopefully avoid any misunderstandings or confusion about James' diagnosis.

 

James was able to escape the hospital yesterday afternoon! Woohoo! We were able to get settled and last night he finally got some sound sleep. A few more days of rest and he will be ready for visitors by mid week.

We are finding ourselves in as much shock with this diagnosis as we were when we found out April 2, 2012 that something really serious was wrong... There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the unknowns of this rare disease, although great comfort in knowing the mass is benign. We still have a lot of unanswered questions, that we can hopefully get answered in the coming weeks.

Have a great weekend! Love to all...

My Dear Family and Friends,

We were visited by James team of Doctors this morning. James and his tissue samples were the subject of a medical conference. They have diagnosed him with Castleman's Disease (my type of the disease is Hyaline Unifoacl). In English: a overgrown lymph node. This is a benign mass. At this point he does not have Cancer. The Doctor said he basically had just won the lottery!There were decades of experience at the table and only one Doctor had ever seen a case. Most of them had never even heard of it. This is an extremely rare, and uncommon disease. It is caused by a virus. He most likely got the virus years ago. The treatment is removal of the mass. He will have regular PET Scans ( radioactive contrast scan of lymphatic system) of my whole body, if the tissue they couldn't remove starts to grow again, he will undergo radiation to kill the remaining tissue.  The recurrence in other lymph nodes throughout the body is very low, but possible. This is about all we have been told because they just don't know enough about the disease.  As they get us more information we will share what we know with you. Below is some information from the Mayo Clinic regarding Casstleman's Disease. 

By Mayo Clinic:

Castleman disease is a rare illness that affects your lymph nodes and other immune-cell structures of your body.

Also known as giant lymph node hyperplasia and angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia, Castleman disease is classified as a lymphoproliferative disorder. That means it involves an overgrowth (proliferation) of lymphatic cells. This makes Castleman disease similar to cancers of the lymphatic system (lymphomas), which also are characterized by cell overgrowth. Castleman disease isn't considered a cancer, but it is associated with a higher risk of a type of cancer called lymphoma.

Castleman disease can occur in a localized or a more widespread form. Treatment and outlook depend on which type of Castleman disease you have.

We feel so very blessed, and thankful. We are humbled by the overwhelming show of love, prayers and support on our behalf. There are no words to describe the peace and joy we are feeling now. We are so grateful to have such amazing families, and such incredible friends!

THANK YOU... THANK YOU... THANK YOU...

ALL OUR LOVE~ JAMES, SYDNEY, JESSE AND MASON

 

Today has been a long day, did make some progress though. Had the epidural removed, making the transition to oral pain medication, had a few tubes (A.K.A. leashes) disconnected and was able to walk a lap again. If all goes well the chest tube will be out tomorrow!

The Doctor visited, and Oncology will be discussing me in the big meeting tomorrow. They are sending my slides, and samples to the Mayo Clinic in Arizona for further review and testing. We will be patiently awaiting for results.

"Fall down seven times, Stand up eight" -Japanese Proverb

James night was long and painful. The epidural chest block has started to work it's way out a little making the block ineffective. With two chest tubes in between the ribs for drainage he is quite uncomfortable. They have added an additional IV drip of pain medication to take the edge off. We hope to hear good news today from the chest xray making it possible to remove the chest tubes.

At this time he is still not ready for visitors as we try to manage the pain and keep him resting.

Our family would like to extend our love, well wishes and prayers to be with our special friends and family, Shawna Olson who is valiantly battling her cancer, Colleen Collier who is recovering from a heart attack, Valerie Dicks who started her Chemotherapy treatment today, and John Maak who has been undergoing his Chemotherapy treatment also. Stay determined in your fight to overcome your obstacles! We love you!

James was able to get some sleep last night, he is eating well and had another walk around the hall. The chest tube (for drainage) will come out tomorrow. He's made best friends with the pain pump button!

We have had some updates from the doctor's this morning. The overnight stain is negative for a Thymoma tumor, so we still have no definite answer.

They are scratching their heads at this point. They are now going to need to send this out for review which he said could take two weeks or more. The tumor has some normal cells, which is good but it is behaving like a malignant tumor, with the location, how it's invading other organs, the growing size, among other factors. The tissue samples don't match with other characteristics of the tumor. The doctor said there are going to be others who will want to take a look at this thing. The doctors are hopeful they can eventually put a name and firm diagnosis on the tumor.  

At this point whatever it may be, they feel strongly that it is possibly a low grade malignancy which will respond well to treatment. GOOD NEWS!

We will meet with Oncology in about four weeks once James has healed from the surgery to discuss treatment.

We have faith this will all work out for the good, we are strong and optimistic, we feel all of your prayers and love.

THANK YOU...

Good news! His blood pressure has stabilized, so he has graduated out of ICU into a regular room. He will be ready for visitors in a few days. Thank you for the continued prayers and support! We love you!

This is a picture of James' parents and our dear family friends, Pastor Mack and Carrol Cole. I am forever grateful for the time and energy they put into making the 12 hour drive from Fort Smith, Montana to support our family. God Bless You!

Out for a walk, went well! Blood pressure has been more stable this morning, good news!

James will not be leaving the ICU anytime soon. They have had to work through the night to stabalize his blood pressure, sodium, blood sugar and other levels. If all goes well today, he might leave ICU tonight, but most likely it will be tomorrow morning.

He is alert and in good spirits.  

Family and Friends, 
Surgery today was considered a success. They were able rule out more bad cancer's and they were able to remove about 95% of the tumor. There were two areas they couldn't get. One was by the left airway, the other was on the backside of the heart. This tumor couldn't be more difficult and confusing, including the location and it's makeup. They have tried to diagnose this first with a needle biopsy, that really gave no definite answer other than signs of a Lymphoma Tumor, and now this Thorocotomy with again no definite answer other than some signs of a Lymphoma again, which is malignant, AND signs of a possible Thymoma tumor, which would be benign.... They are testing and sending out samples to pathology again. They hope to have an answer by the end of the week...

He is resting well, gaining strength quickly, and asking for a hamburger!

Surgery went well, he is in ICU, we haven't seen him yet, hopefully within the hour. The doctor was able to remove 95% of the tumor! Now the waiting game begins for the pathology report which could take a couple of days.

Off I go... Steady and Strong...

The surgery is scheduled for 3 hours, the doctor will update us throughout.

All checked into my room!

We have been made aware of a few changes. I am scheduled for a Right Thoracotomy. This procedure involves a large incision that will wrap around my right side, deflate my right lung, possible cutting of some ribs, and give a window of access behind my heart to best reach the tumor. I will be on a breathing machine for 24 hours and in ICU for hopefully only a day then to a regular room for the duration of my stay.

There are no words to express my sincere gratitude for the overwhelming amount of love and support that everyone has shown to me and my family. Thank you...

The Olson Aunts and Uncles have put this together:

We would like to invite all of you and your families and friends that can to join us in a fast for James on Sunday.

With many prayers and fasting in numbers and unison it will bring many blessings of comfort, peace and success for James.

The Lord does many miracles. (See Matthew 17:14-21)

Let us all pray for the wisdom and skill of his doctors as well as the comfort and peace that James will have as he undergoes the operation. Remember Sydney, his wonderful wife and their boys and his parents…..Jim & Debbie and all the rest of their family.

We wanted everyone to be aware of this and  join us if you able.

This is a message that was sent to the Les Olson Company Family:

"There have been several people who have expressed concern for James and his upcoming surgery on Monday morning. Many have also asked if there is something that we can do to collectively support him as he starts this new phase of life. Although James is strong, we want to rally behind him and show him that we love and care about him. Therefore, tomorrow, Friday, April 27^th, as a small outward showing of our love and support, we invite each of you to wear blue (James’ favorite color). It may not seem like much, but it’s the small and simple things that can often times mean the most."

We wanted everyone to be aware of this and join us if your able. 

                                 

Dear Family and Friends,

          For reasons I have yet to understand, and may never know… the lord has chosen me to embark on a new journey.  I have been diagnosed with cancer. I had a dry cough for about two months which led me to the doctor. They did an x-ray first which showed a slight double shadow indicating something abnormal was present.  I then had a CT scan which revealed a large (3” x 4”) mass within my chest. The tumor is inoperable due to the location surrounding my esophagus (hence the cough) and being right by my heart. I have had a needle biopsy which was able to rule out the “nasty” cancers, however was not able to give a final diagnosis, early tests show it is a form of Lymphoma.  The doctors have stated based on their initial findings, this type of Lymphoma responds well to Chemotherapy and Radiation. I am now scheduled for thoracic surgery on Monday April 30, 2012 to retrieve a large tissue biopsy and “de bulk” the tumor. This is a very invasive procedure comparable to open heart surgery. I will be in the hospital for 3-4 days then out of work for 3-4 weeks for recovery. Then I will be meeting with Oncologists to determine the next step in treatment.

The tumor is highlighted in red.

This is a very scary and a giant obstacle for me that I am prepared to fight! I am sorry if you’re hearing of this for the first time as I am not able to contact each of you personally. Please feel free to forward this to any friends or family I may have missed. We have set up a blog page to aide in keeping everyone updated. Our blog page is: http://jrofamily.blogspot.com/

 I want each one of you to know of the true love I have for you and how special you are to me.  I want to express my sincere appreciation to my family and my wife’s family in the support, love and strength they have shown for me, my wife and children. The outpouring of concern and well wishes for me and my family has been overwhelming. Please know they are felt and very much appreciated.  I pray for your continued health and strength as my family may need to lean on you for support.  You all know me… I am not a quitter, I am a fighter! I feel the lord has given me the tools to overcome this challenge.  I promise each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart that I am determined to fight this uphill battle with everything I have!

                   All my love, JRO