22 July 2007

Dearest Friends and Family,

Mom and Dad arrived home from Armenia late last night. We had a joyous reunion in the airport and happy feelings being at home and together again. They have served faithfully and we are so proud of them. The branch members and other missionaries loved them and are sad to see them leave. They brought light, leadership and hope (not to mention full bellies) to that part of the world.

As you must know by now, mom is not doing very well. Her sense of humor and wit are intact but she is suffering severe pain in her head and has lost her sense of balance. Last night during the night she fell on her way to the bathroom and cut her head. Because of this and because of her ever increasing pain, we decided to take her to the hospital today rather than waiting for her appointment with the neuro-surgeon tomorrow. This was a good decision.

After a CT scan and an MRI, it has been determined that mom has 3 tumors in her brain. The first is about the size of a plum and is in the back of her head. This one is operable. The second is about the size of a marble and is located behind the eye and near the temple. The third is smaller yet. The cancer has metastasized. The primary site has not yet been determined. This is of course bad news. The doctor says that the cancer is aggressive and must be treated immediately.

So, tomorrow mom will be operated on. The surgeon will remove the first tumor only. This will relieve the pressure on her brain and should reduce the pain. The other two tumors will most likely be treated with radiation and chemotherapy. However, this information is sketchy at best. After the surgery is completed and mom is recovering, we will do a complete CAT scan to attempt to find the primary site of the cancer.

Mom is medicated and is sleeping finally so that is great news. The pain was taking a toll on her. She understands what is happening and is ready to meet the challenges ahead.

We ask for your thoughts and prayers to be with her tomorrow and in the weeks to come. We will be fasting as a family tomorrow and would greatly appreciate you joining us in this effort. We feel confident that a full recovery is possible with God's help. Please join us in pleading with Him to bring this blessing to us.

The Christensens