Deb and I have a good friend and his name is Uncle Dave, or at least that’s how we’ve always known him. I’m ashamed to admit it, but I don’t know Uncle Dave’s exact age, but it has to be around 67 or 68.

Uncle Dave went to college with another friend of ours, Ronnie, who we knew as Turtle…Deb’s nickname for him. He was labeled this on account of he drove so dern slow. Honestly, when Turtle got out on the highway in his truck the hair on his head wouldn’t move an inch…with the windows rolled…DOWN!!

Turtle was a great guy, but passed about 4 years ago. Stopping now and looking back, it sure doesn’t seem like it’s been that long.

Turtle was survived by his wife Katherine, and their two sons. All of which are good people.

Turtle’s fit here is that he did go to school with Uncle Dave, and after many years apart, Dave moved to Florida from Texas to be nearer Turtle. Moved in right next door, and this is how Deb and I came to know Uncle Dave.

Uncle Dave was well liked by all of us, and we were blessed to get to know him. Red, our son, loved him, and they got pretty close themselves as Dave bought a home across from Red. Red has since moved to St. Cloud, but Uncle Dave’s new home was still near Ronnie and Katherine…right around the corner.

Uncle Dave was a Miami Hurricane fan, and me…I’m a Fla. Gator fan, so don’t think we haven’t been in some heated discussions in regards to college football! But, they were all in fun, and we did it just to aggravate the other one!

We’ve had a bunch of cooks, either down at Ronnie and Katherine’s, or here at our house, and Uncle Dave is just part of “the crew!” If you were cookin, and wanted to throw out an invite, Uncle Dave would 9 out of 10, oblige you.

Uncle Dave is always one of my favorite guests when throwin a cook. The reasoning behind this is very, very simple…he doesn’t eat much!

I don’t know that I’ve ever saw Uncle Dave mad at anyone. Maybe that’s just his nature but unlike me, if I’m mad…you know it! Uncle Dave though, just doesn’t seem to get excited. Sometimes I wish I were more like that…but only sometimes!

I’m a firm believer in not holding your emotions inside, but to let em rip, if need be. Why? I feel you live longer if you release your pent-up feelings, rather than hold them in and dwell on them! LOL! I don’t know how true that statement is, but that’s my story…and I’m stickin to it!!

If you are outside working, Uncle Dave always comes by with a toot of his horn, and a wave of his hand.

He lives by himself, and I really don’t know if he’d have it any other way. I believe he likes his independence, and he cooks and cleans like a dern ole housewife. Seriously, when you go to his home…it’s immaculate.

I swear to you, there’s never a dirty dish, a dirty rug, or anything at all out of place. The color of his carpet throughout his house…white, and I’ve never seen even one dirty spot on it since we’ve known him. To me, that’s amazing!

Well, I believe 3 to 4 months prior to Deb being diagnosed, Uncle Dave was diagnosed with lung cancer. He went through the chemo regime, and for the last 3-4 months has had very, very little quality of life.

He was given morphine and oxycodone (is that how you spell it?), acted like he felt some better, but the poor guy looked wild-eyed. A couple weeks ago Uncle Dave fell and broke his hip, and was put into a hospice home.

He fell off fast and every time we’d go he’d look a little worse. Poor Katherine, Ronnie’s wife, and her son Tommy, and his wife Judi were there most times. All night some times.

Uncle Dave was very close to the whole family, and they loved him as family. He really didn’t have much family of his own, and none were here, but Katherine and them stepped up, and kept him in love. They are again, a fine, fine bunch of people.

Deb and I rode up there Christmas night to see him. He was asleep, but I do believe he’d crack his eyes once in a while. The nurse came in and told us that he could hear us, but was too weak to respond. We stayed a little longer and left for home about 8 pm.

At 3:30 am, the next morning, Uncle Dave went home to be with our Lord. We sure are going to miss him, but we’re ecstatic that his pain is over. We know he’ll be in good hands, and will be looking down upon us.

What a terrible disease this is. We pray daily that someone will figure out the cure. We have lost too many friends this year to this disease, and it breaks our heart with each one.

Please join us and pray for all the people afflicted by this disease, and pray for their families as well. It’s a tough road to hoe, but if you’re stricken with it, it’s a road you must travel. It’s in God’s hands.

We have been so blessed that Deb is doing so well. She still does any and everything, just as she always has. What a tiger she’s been. I’m here to tell you guys, she’s never complained, and there’s not one ounce of her soul that doesn’t believe she’s going to whip this. I’m convinced!

Her positivity should be marketed and sold!

In closing out today, please say a prayer for Uncle Dave, and anyone else with this mess. Keep aware of your own body, and if you see, or feel something that may be out a wack…check it out! Time is a major, major player in regards to cancer. So, the quicker you have it diagnosed, the better it is for you many times.

God Bless you all, and Deb says to keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!

Dub and Deb

As you know, Deb took one chemo treatment, then, opted for alternative treatment. SO, when we hear that her blood tests are again perfect, boy, does that make us feel good. Through these tests, we don’t know how much ground we’re gaining yet, BUT, it lets us know that we sure ain’t losing ground either.

By her blood count tests coming back so well each time, this lets us know that as of right now her body is functioning as it should…

We were going to have a scan done to check her cancer out on Nov. 2, but Deb decided against it. Actually her reasoning for postponing this was a good idea I thought too, after she told me her reasoning behind this decision.

First and foremost, is the simple fact that I’ve resigned myself to…it IS her decision, and her decision only. This is how it’s been since finding out about her cancer. We talk and discuss things periodically, BUT, the final say is Deb’s, and hers alone. To me, this is how it ought to be…no interference.

Secondly, she is finally gotten to the point that the alternative treatments we’re using, and there are several of them, she’s gotten to the point she’s taking all of them now full strength. A couple you have to build yourself up to get to the full recommended dosage, and now she’s been doing them all full strength for a couple months.

So, Deb decided that she’d rather stay on her alternatives for another couple months or so, then, have the scan done at that point. If she would have taken the scan back on the second, she would have had to have gotten off all her alternatives for a few days, so, she decided she’d rather keep her routine as it is rather than stop, and get a scan right yet.

My feelings on this were that simply…it’s your call, you do what you feel in your heart you should do, and that’s good enough for me. I’ll never buck her in these decisions, and honestly, I really have no right to buck her! I’m part of her support team, and that’s what I’ll continue to be. Support her in any and all decisions that she makes in this regard.

As we’re seeing already, I think the decisions that she’s made all have been jam up. She looks good, she feels good, and boy is she motivated. She is an inspiration to me and our family. She doesn’t acknowledge the words of, “you can’t, or just the word no, period!” She is…a go-getter!

Actually, I couldn’t be any prouder of her than I am now. She took the chemo, saw how it took her down, then stopped and re-evaluated her treatment choices. After considering her options, she decided on going with alternatives.

Let me stop here for a minute or two, and go back a month or so…

We had a reader comment a little while back, actually I believe it was the last time I discussed Deb’s personal progress with you guys. I had made a video showing Deb out picking peas, and how well she was doing. In reality, while I was filming her, she had no idea I was doing so.

But, as I watched her, I decided to film her because of how well she was doing, and again I’m so proud of the way she has grabbed this stuff by the horns, and locked up with it. Once more, I personally am so inspired by her work ethic number one, and number two, by her progress to date.

Anyway, the reader commented, and I don’t remember the exact wording, but it was basically “bustin my chops,” stating that I shouldn’t talk so badly about chemo, and that I may be causing people to go another route with their own treatment in regards to cancer.

I gotta tell you guys that this comment did “light me up,” upon reading this. Well, Deb and I went back and reread everything we’ve talked about in regards to Deb’s fight with cancer. In NO place period, has Deb or myself told anyone…don’t do chemo! NOT ONE TIME!

We knew we hadn’t, but to make sure, we decided to check it out, and sure enough, neither one of us have made such a remark. NEVER!

WHAT WE HAVE SAID is this…chemo was not right for Deb, this much we did say, but nowhere have we even attempted to tell people NOT TO DO CHEMO! First off…why would we make such a statement?? Really, why would we??

We don’t know FOR SURE yet, that the decisions we have made WILL cure Deb’s cancer, although we believe it will…100% believe it!

This one point is something that Deb and I do feel is very, very important, and may very well be the MOST important…believing in your treatment 100%, no matter if it be chemo, alternatives, or if you decide to do absolutely nothing at all! BUT, you have to believe that the decision you just made is 100% right!

Also, our story of our fight with cancer is not anyone else’s…it is Deb’s story of decisions Deb has made, no one else’s. I can’t possibly tell you not to do chemo, and we haven’t, because I haven’t even told my own wife what decision I feel is best for her, much less anyone else. I’ve only told Deb that the decisions she makes, are the decisions she feels are best for her. Decisions she has to feel right about IN HER OWN HEART, and if she does, then go with them, then know, and believe, that they’ll work.

If you look back at any article we’ve done, we’ve told everyone this is how we feel. We can’t tell anyone what treatment to choose…we can’t. BUT, we have said do only what you feel in your own heart what is right for you, and that’s ALL we’ve ever said in this regard.

That’s all I have to say about that…besides once again, Deb’s decision IS Deb’s decision, AND her decision was based on quality of life…her quality of life!

So, in closing let’s just reiterate once more….do what you feel you need to do. This is your decision and nobody else’s.

This is a terrible disease, and I wish I could wave a wand and clear up any and everybody involved in their own fight with this, but sadly, I can’t.

To those of you with cancer, please know that you too are in our prayers, and we realize Deb’s in yours as well. Thank you all for your wonderful support Deb’s been shown, and for all your prayers on her behalf. You all are great, and we can’t express in words our heartfelt appreciation of your doing so! Thank you again, one and all!

You guys have a terrific day, and God Bless you and yours. As Deb always says, “Keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!

Dub and Deb