December 16, 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:

Another pretty day here in Orem - the bright sun coming through our den windows make it such a cozy room - it's really cold outside so we're happy to be able to stay inside. Daddy loves "his" chair and is quite content to stay put. DR. BROWN TOLD HIM HE HAD BETTER STAY PUT!!!

Early last week Daddy went to ZCMI by himself and that is really rare - my visiting teachers were here so he left. They had a sale on the JVC disc players and he wanted to get one before they sold out - he had called from the catalog and the price at ZCMI was better than they could do from that end you know your Dad!!! I heard him drive in and went to the door leading to the garage - he was carrying the disc player so I didn't think too much about the problem he was having coming up those two steps. I left him in the den reading the instructions for the player and went downstairs to iron. Ann came by just minutes after that and found him in tears because he was in so much pain. She was really alarmed and when she went home she called her neighbor who is a Doctor and told him about her Dad. This Doctor in turn called Daddy's doctor. Dr. Brown wasn't in so he talked to the other oncologist Dr. Blair. Dr. Blair got Daddy's chart and told Ann's neighbor that he should take two Percocet every four hours - Daddy had been taking one tablet every six hours. They also made an appointment for Daddy to see Dr. Brown the next morning.

Daddy had a bone scan early the next morning and we were really in the hospital most of the day - Dr. Brown got the scan immediately and they took all kinds of blood tests and more x-rays. The cancer has spread to the top part of his right leg and also more to the ribs - he is scheduled for radi8ation in the morning, Tuesday, the 17th. He also has an appointment with Dr. Middleton in Salt Lake tomorrow for some kind of scope to see if it has gone into the bladder. They are going to radiate his skull too. Dr. Brown says there is great danger in his breaking his leg so he is using a cane when he walks. They also gave him some of those pain patches - the Percocet has been controlling it pretty well so he hasn't used those until this morning when he put one on - they take about 8 hours to be effective and then they are effective for 72 hours.

I have asked Dr. Brown several times if Daddy's pain would come on suddenly because when it went to his skull about three years ago it came on within an hour - he assured me it would come on gradually but this time it was as sudden as before. Dr. brown says he doesn't think Daddy should have any more chemotherapy but he won't make a definite decision until they get the results back from the PSA test. I promised I would keep you informed!!!

This all happened just Tuesday, the 10th, and we had planned to go out to dinner with our old college friends that night. I called and told them not to expect us but Daddy decided he felt better so we went and just had a wonderful time. The next day when he found out he should stay off his leg he decided to limit his activities that's really hard for him.

Daddy's four sisters had planned a Christmas get-together for last night at Chuck A Rama so we went to that too but he was really, really careful. That was SO nice - they all got there before we did and had the table all fixed with a beautiful centerpiece and birthday candles on a cake and sang Happy Birthday to me. My birthday was the farthest thing from my mind and I was shocked. They gave me a beautiful necklace, card, the centerpiece and a huge poinsettia from Carol Ann & Art and Elaine insisted on treating everyone to the dinner. After the dinner, Carol got out her checkbook and started writing checks for everyone - someone in Manti had sent her a check for $150 with an anonymous note telling her they owed it to Grandpa Mellor and wanted to get straight with their conscience - isn't that something??? She wanted to share it with everyone.

I have written all about us!!! We're hoping the Weinerts had a wonderful time in California - I wanted to call but didn't want to give them the bad news about Daddy so I didn't call and for that same reason I didn't call the Roy Mellors. I know the Weinerts were having a big Christmas party at their home on Saturday and they just got home on Friday so they were busy. John called Bob to tell him about Daddy so Bob called us so we have talked to him and they are doing fine. Ann & Ron and their family came over "just to visit" on Saturday evening and we LOVED that - Ann came early with Jessie whom she had just picked up from a birthday party and Jessie helped me deliver our neighborhood Christmas treats. Ron came a little later with the other children - they had all been ice skating down by Utah Lake. It is wonderful to have you come - Daddy is feeling pretty good with the pain medication and is quite confined. I say that and I always write my letter from our calendar and every single day we have something planned from now until the first of the year - we probably won't be able to do all of it but it's better to keep busy doing fun things I think, don't you??? We're hoping the radiation treatments will ease the pain and help his leg to be stronger - it worked that way on his neck.

Ann came over on Thursday night to go with me on our annual Relief Society Christmas Home Tour. I really appreciated her coming but I know it was hard for her - Ron was out of town and she had to carpool for Russell's wrestling lessons so she was on a tight schedule. The tour was fun though and then we came home and visited with Daddy & John for quite awhile and that was even more fun than the tour. John is doing good - we are respecting his desire to not discuss Gayla - there are two things he absolutely refuses to discuss: Gayla and work!!! I promise to keep you informed but I won't call unless I feel it is necessary.
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