April 22, 1991 Orem, Utah

Dearest John; Roy, Patrice, Emily & Timothy; Bob, Claire, Michael, Laura, Brett & Katie; Rick, Jean, Ricky, Barbara Jean, Mary Ann & Sarah; and Ron, Ann, Susanna, Jessie, Russell, LeeAnna & Jimmy:

We are having a beautiful Spring morning and Daddy is out "checking" his roses and pansies - our pansies are just beautiful - they are on the top row of our hill and Daddy is going to plant his petunias in there and then move the pansies when it gets too hot for them. We were worried that all the roses on that West fence line were dead but we can see a little green at the very root. The roses that Daddy transplanted along the East fence are doing good. We are supposed to have cold weather again this weekend with the possibility of more snow but it's pretty now.

Roy - it was SO good to talk to you but we are sorry that Suzie has broken her leg (Roy said she was on a ladder that she wasn't supposed to be on). We hope so much that it will mend quickly and she will be able to get around - we know that's a worry for you Patrice. We loved talking to little Emily - Daddy said she is like talking to a teenager - what a doll!!! We hope you had a fun camping trip this weekend (they were taking their children in their van and going to Petit Jean along with their friends, Dan Watson & his wife & children and I believe they have a new baby too). Emily said, Kathryn Watson is going with us, (she is her little friend). Daddy was pleased to hear that you had been his friend, Ralph Lloyd - we thought they had moved to Texas.

Bob & Claire - we hope your trip to the parks in Southern Utah was fun - we worried about you because it wasn't too warm and it was also quite windy. We LOVED having you stop by on your way on Friday - you don't seem so far away when you come by occasionally like that. We can't emphasize enough how happy we are when all of you take your families on little camping trips like that and your children are getting to an "easier stage" if there is such a thing. We're thrilled for your sister Carolyn, Claire (she had a little baby girl last week - that make five girls for them).

Ann & Ron - we LOVED having dinner with you yesterday. I am envious of your big dinning room but that's the way you planned it. There were ten of us yesterday and there was still plenty of room for more - I have problems getting ten in ours!!! Your dinner was delicious and it was just wonderful to visit and visit. We listened to Susanna & Russell play their new piano pieces; Jessie & LeeAnna play their new violin pieces; and little Jimmy "signed" for us. I just marvel at how you taken advantage of that pre-school he is going to (they have some hard of hearing children in it and Jimmy has learned how to communicate with them by signing). They have a very busy Summer planned with the four older children all involved in "campus" of various kinds at BYU and if Ann & Ron can keep up it will be a fun time for them.

Jeannie - it was fun to talk to you on your birthday and know that all of you are doing good too. Rick - have you finished with your landscaping yet? We're anxious to come see it. We think about how anxious your children must be for your neighborhood park to open - that is such a wonderful place for them. Did Mary Ann get her how violin yet? We hate to think of the expense of all that but I guess that's part of it. I always was "in awe" of my friend, Marian Jeppson, who played the violin and I know it's wonderful for them.

John is doing good - this is finals week for him and he'll be happy to have it over. He starts the Spring term next Monday and he is taking organic chemistry, biology and an engineering class so he will be a busy man!!! Ron has offered him a part time job and we feel that will be as important a training as his classes.

Well - last Wednesday Daddy & I were just going out the door to go fishing when Dr. Middleton from Salt Lake called. He said Daddy's PSA had doubled (from 25 to 52) and he wanted him to have another test take that day. We went ahead with our fishing plans and went to "Lincoln Beach" on Utah lake - it was gorgeous day and the boat was so easy to dock but we didn't catch any fish. We just stayed a couple hours and then come home so we could go to Salt Lake (Dr. Middleton wanted it take at the same lab.) we got home from there 5 o'clock and then went to the temple and after that we went to a neighborhood party and by ten o'clock I was bushed and Daddy was "raring to go".

Dr. Middleton called the very next morning (Thursday) - usually we have to wait a week for the results. Anyway the test was still the same so Daddy went in for a bone scan on Friday morning. He has an appointment with the oncologist this afternoon and I will write on the bottom of my letter what they decide to do - I worry that Dr. Brown will want to do radiation and I wish they would wait until he has some cancer pain - right now he is feeling good!!!

Carolyn Crawford Perkes (Ramona's daughter) works for a dermatologist and when she found out Daddy had shingles she made arrangements for him to see this Dr. Parkinson because she knew he had had success in treating patients with this. When Dr. Parkinson saw Daddy he said, "You have a very serious case of shingles" and when he found out what the other doctor had prescribed he told him to stop all that medication and he gave him another pill (Zovirax). It has really helped but now the glands around his eyes are all swollen.

When Dr. Chris Crawford tried to give Daddy a root canal he found out he couldn't so he is sending him to a specialist. Chris drilled out the tooth and really tried but couldn't get into all the roots. It doesn't ache anymore though so that is good - he couldn't get an appointment with the specialist until later this week. Chris finished my teeth and they look so much better - I am really happy with them.

I must tell you about our television experience. I don't believe we have ever been more worried about anything we have done like that - Daddy says he thinks that is what gave him shingles - Ha! Daddy did a wonderful job and I knew he would. I had timed mine about a million times (we were told to do that and have it at 6 1/2 minute exactly). My original talk only took about 5 minutes so I lengthened it with some quotes I could have left out - when they gave me the 2 minutes cue I still had about three minutes of my talk left and I lost my train of though - then they gave me a one minute cure, then 30 seconds and then "please conclude" and I don't even know what I said. Daddy says I left out how thankful I am for our wonderful family and the love and support you all give us and I feel bad if I did. I don't think ours will ever make it to national television but they said they would give us a video of it so it will be a keepsake. I had bought a new dress but they lady in charge called and when I told her I was going to wear a subdued flowered dress he said, "we would prefer you wear something in a solid color" so I wore that familiar purple one. It was a real honor to be asked.

CONGRATULATIONS JESSIE - she was elected secretary of their student body. The two girls who baby sit with them made her posters and helped her with a talk. They had a tie for the president so they have two presidents - a boy & a girl.

We just came home from seeing Dr. Brown. He showed us all the x-rays from the bone scan and explained everything to us. The cancer does not show up any other place except in the rib where it was a year ago and it is larger. He is going to collaborate with Dr. Middleton to decide what to do - he wants us to come back in a month and have another PSA taken. He says they can radiate that spot and see if the PSA comes down - I asked him if it didn't bring it down if that would indicate the cancer is somewhere else that doesn't show up on the x-rays and he said that was possible. He says prostate cancer rarely goes to the stomach or the brain but it if did it would not show up on these x-rays. He gave Daddy several other options - something like megabase (?), chemotherapy or some hormonal surgery - but we really think he wants to wait until there are symptoms of pain unless Dr. Middleton thinks differently. He hit Daddy really hard in the area where the cancer shows up on the x-ray and when Daddy said that didn't hurt he seemed to think it wasn't time to change what he is already doing.

We are going out to a place close by Utah Lake where Daddy heard they were catching fish - he had made himself a long "hook" so he can sang the fish he catches and bring them into the boat instead of having to use a net. He really, really loves the outdoors.

We love each one of you so very much. Please be very careful in everything you do - let us know how we can help you!!!
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