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2005_08_15

To all our wonderful support crew of family, friends and acquaintances;

For almost 8 long months I have been sending you updates on Jeff's journey with cancer. So many of you have replied with love, support and compassion, which has meant so much to both of us along the way.

Now I am sending this email to let you know that this journey has come to an end and a new one has begun. My sunshine and soulmate, Jeff Gawron, passed away on Saturday, August 13, 2005 at 11:22am.

The last couple weeks for Jeff were very hard on his body and spirit with the infection in his jaw and the cancer returning that inflicted a lot of damage and progressed extremely quickly. Despite this, he died very peacefully with his parents and me at his side, seemingly without any pain, and surrounded with love and peace.

With everything that Jeff went through, he remained strong and determined and also full of love, hope, faith and most importantly his wacky sense of humour that was so him.

I can't even begin to express how his family and I are feeling right now, so I won't even try right now. My usually expressive articulation is at a loss. I know that soon I will have many things I will want to say to all of you to let you know more about Jeff and about our thanks to all of you in one last email.

For now, please know that we have so much love and gratitude in our hearts and that Jeff knew how much you all cared and was so thankful for your prayers and positive thoughts.

We are having a service for Jeff here in Kelowna, where he passed away, on Wed. at 2pm at his family's church, Lakeview Heights Baptist on the west side.

Another celebration of Jeff's inspirational life will be held on Saturday, August 20 at 2pm in White Rock at Camp Kwomais (Ocean Park), 1367 128th Street, South Surrey at 2 pm.

Please bring your funny or touching stories about Jeff as we would like everyone who wishes to share wonderful memories of him. We will celebrate his beautiful life with love, laughter, smiles, hugs and yes, a few tears. We would also deeply appreciate any copies of photos or video you may have of Jeff from those that new him well.

His family asks that in lieu of flowers, please make donations on-line to Jeff's Inspired Choices project, 'Integrated Choices for Cancer Treatment' (ICCT) at www.cancerchoices.ca . Condolences may be sent to cancerchoices@telus.net if you wish.

I once heard a quote that said, "Our lives our measured not by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

Jeff experienced so many of those moments in his life, living his life so fully with enthusiasm and passion. I hope he will inspire you to do the same.

Love, light, and hope for happiness,
Terri

Jeff's favourite things that make him feel strong:

* He LOVES Africa and he has been planning a trip for us to go there and take a hot air balloon ride over the Safari at sunset.

* He loves to sing (especially Harry Connick Jr. songs - he sounds amazingly like him) and do accents which he is extremely talented at both and he loves to laugh and joke around.

* We have always known right from the beginning that we are soul mates and the connection we have is so strong. We have visualized our near future as married with twin girls ( I always see them around age 6), with long blonde hair, named Kailie and Vienna. We live in the Caribbean on the beach half the year and here in White Rock half the year.

* He loves to help others with his own training and healing abilities and we are still very adamant about creating the Integrated Choices for Cancer Treatment Resource Foundation once he is healthier.

* He is also a martial arts expert (4 black belts) and he feels in perfect harmony when he is doing his forms (its absolutely beautiful to watch!) or practicing Qi Gong.

2005_07_30

Hi Everyone,

Hope each and everyone one of you are staying happy and healthy! Here I am once again with an update, which hopefully, I'll actually have a few moments this time to complete!

As I mentioned briefly, there have been no updates lately because virtually all my time has been focused on Jeff and his healing (with the odd moment thrown in for myself, so I don't burnout!)

I am sure many of you are anxious to hear the details, so here is the last 6 weeks in short.

About a week after the Inspired Choices Fundraiser (thanks again so much for helping to make it such a success!) Jeff started developing problems with his jaw. A severe secondary infection seemed to set in causing quite a few problems. He start losing a few teeth and then the left half of the jaw started to shift. We took action to get another CT Scan done right away and also signed him up for the next 2 week program at Cougar Mountain Therapy Centre in Rock Creek (up past Osoyoos) with Elizabeth who is a Doctor of traditional Chinese Medicine and who has had excellent success with some very serious cancer and other illnesses.

The CT confirmed that Jeff's jaw had fractured and was breaking down, hence the shifting and lost teeth. Other tests performed by various doctors and practitioners were still showing that there is no active cancer in Jeff's body. Therefore we felt that it was most likely the infection causing the jaw to deteriorate.

Jeff started June 10th at the treatment centre which uses acupuncture, two different types of frequency machines, Chinese herbs and a very powerful emotional program which we have found is a huge link to many serious diseases. The whole process gets to the cause of the disease and eventually eliminates it and rebalances the body so it can heal itself. Unfortunately this process can take quite a while.

The 2 weeks went really well. And he was offered the opportunity to stay on and continue his healing journey at no charge. After the 3rd week, Elizabeth wanted him to go to Kelowna to receive some IVs from a naturopath to help boost his nutrition and immune system. Some physical symptoms starting going downhill a little. He started having trouble holding up his head, his face started swelling and the pain was slowly increasing again, as well as mentally unclarity.

Unfortunately the second week of IVs didn't go so well. He had some sort of strange allergic reaction to one of the IVs and he swelled up so much with hives he could not breathe.
Luckily they had taken him to Kelowna General Emergency and the doctors did an emergency tracheotomy (tube in his throat) so he could breathe.

They kept him in the hospital for about 10 days. While he has there the doctors decided to do another CT Scan and although they would not commit to exactly what it showed, they said there was "something in the throat and upper chest". We wanted them to do more tests to determine the extent of infection and/or cancer and they wouldn't.
In their minds they had decided that it is terminal and have given up on him. So they have sent him home (at his sister's in Kelowna) with palliative care.

WE DISAGREE!!!! WE ARE NOT GIVING UP BY ANY MEANS!

We have contacted one of the best naturopaths in BC for cancer, as well as starting some other new treatments we have discovered. It is being kept quiet because it has been so successful there is fear that the drug companies will find out and come in and shut it down like they have with many other successful treatments that threaten their financial potential.

We have just started some of these new treatments in the last week or so and Jeff's pain is very slowly subsiding. Hopefully a good sign that they are starting to work.
He still has a lot of facial swelling, more weight loss and postural challenges with his head/neck. The trachea tube is still in as a precautionary measure.

As you can well imagine the stress levels for Jeff, myself and his family have been somewhat over the top lately and all our time is devoted to his healing. Despite all these latest challenges in this journey of ours, Jeff remains strong and positive in his outlook. And most importantly he is keeping his future in mind through lots of visualizations and positive intentions and keeping his sense of humour in tact through all this!

Even though he can't talk, he finds ways to still BE JEFF! Like in the hospital, he was flipping ice chips with a spoon over the curtain on to the next bed, and yesterday I was giving him his meal in his feeding tube and I asked him to move his arms because they were in the way. So he started flapping them like a funky chicken!
And this is why I love him so, so much. Because he will always be Jeff, no matter what he goes through. And although those moments are more rare these days, with it inspires me to be able get through the difficult moments more easilly.

I am sure it must be very difficult for some of you to hear this news, especially since he was doing so well after Santa Monica Hospital. We are thinking of going back there because of the good inprovements he had last time. However, we will have to be quite a bit stronger first and of course, the cost again is a consideration.

The best thing you can do, if you choose, to help Jeff is to keep all your thoughts regarding Jeff's situation as positive as possible. If you found this email upsetting, please do your best to change those emotions into positive intentions for his future.
Pray, Visualize him strong and healthy, send him positive energy,.....whatever way you choose is fine. Just please remember to keep it a positive "Want" rather that a "Don't Want" based from fear.

Please send these positive intentions as often as you can remember and then next week after everyone is back from the long weekend, I will send out another email with a day and time when as many of you as possible and eveyone you know!!! will send Jeff a positive group intention of healing (for a few minutes) all at the same time.

The power of this can be amazing and I know he will feel it in his heart and soul and it will help his body turn this thing around.

Please remember how much we appreciate you and your support....more than words can ever describe. Every time I get an email from one of you with your beautiful thoughts and kind words of support it touches me deeply knowing how much you care and how often you are thinking of Jeff.

Wishes of Love, Peace and Happiness,

Terri and Jeff

2005_04_27
Fundraiser Organization for Friday May 27th
Jeff continues to improve each day. He is slowly getting more energy and eating more and more by mouth rather than his feeding tube. His throat is still swollen and full of phlegm, but as soon as we get that dealt with there's no stopping him!!!

We've been really busy lately with things just flying along with the organization for the fundraiser coming up on Friday May 27th. It's incredible how when we follow our true purpose and live our lives so passionately things just seem to fall into place and become much easier. The fundraiser organization is just cruising, Jeff's book is coming along and we had a location for the resource centre/foundation just fall in to our laps.

I can't even begin to adequately describe how amazing this all is and how grateful we are to everyone who is helping out.

So often these days I'm either absolutely speechless or in tears of joy and gratitude at how extremely generous and helpful so many people are being. Many of whom we have never even met. I like to imagine what our world would be like if it were always like this..........hmmmmm, makes you wonder.....

It would take me all night to update you on the progress we've made on the event, so I'll just try and hit the highlights.

I'll paste all the logistical details below as well as include them as an attachment in case you want to print off the poster or canvassing letter if you know of someone/where that could help.

There is going to be lots of yummy gourmet food (appey style) professional prepared and we are hoping to have most of it donated to keep our costs down, so if you have any contacts in the food industry please let us know.

FOOD:
With the help of some people with great catering skills, we've put together a yummy menu of savoury and sweet finger foods. We're selling excellent quality wine and beer, with just a very small mark-up to cover the bar expenses.

Inspired Choices Menu

Quiche Wedges     Spanakopita Triangles    Cocoanut Curried Chicken Phyllo Triangles
Vegetarian/Vegan Spring Rolls    Chicken Wings    Mini Pizzas    Mexican Rollups
Artichoke/ Cheese Squares    Cajun Dusted Prawns    Cheese Platter    Sushi Platters
Meat Platter (Freybe’s)       Veggie Platters    Dolmades    Pickles    Baguettes
Tzatziki    Red Pepper    Hummus    Guacamole    Mango Salsa

Fresh Fruit Platter Home Baked Delicacies Coffee, tea

The entertainment is not confirmed 100% yet, but we are pretty sure it will consist of songs by the latest Canadian Idol, Shane Wiebe; possibly a wonderful acapella barbershop quartet, and some family/ friends who's voices are outstanding.

There is relaxing and rejuvenating chair massage by donation (we still need one or 2 more Relax to the Max grads to volunteer) if you want to have a relaxing evening and there will be some games and prizes for some lucky winners.

There is a silent and live auction. The live auction includes some spectular items and will be led by none other than Mr Bill VanderZalm who has been known to be a very lively and entertaining auctioneer.

We have been so generously blessed by so many family, friends, and businesses in the community that we have over $30,000 in value of auction items, so there will be lots of opportunity for some great deals in all price ranges.

Here are just some of the Auction Items:

Photography Services, Website Design, Marketing Packages, Computer Tutor Time, Video Transfer Package, "Taxman" Basic Tax Return, Dance Lesson, Gardener For A Day, Electrician Services, Handyman For A Day, Landscape Consultation, Variety of Rare Roses Bushes, Gift Baskets, Greek Deli Basket, Caper’s Gift Basket, Joe’s Bread Gift Certificate, Restaurant Gift Certificates, Kitchen & Barbecue Items, Gourmet Home-Cooked Dinners for 10, Gift Certificates for Chocolate, Coffee & Flowers, Artwork: Paintings, Carvings, Pottery & Photography Prints, Quilts, Wall Hangings, Home Decor, Jewelry, Linens, Furniture, Deluxe Queen-Size & Twin Mattresses, Beauty Salon Packages, Facelift Packages, Massage Packages, Manicure & Pedicure, Acupuncture Sessions, Cocoon Package, Yoga Clothing, Jewelry, Hand Crafted Cards, Vacation Highlights

It will be a great event to help Jeff, to get a good start on the resource centre/ foundation and to have a lot of fun and see a lot of familiar faces again.

There are still a few things in particular we need help with....

1. We are still looking for an MC for the event; and having the right person with such a large crowd (300 people) is critical, so we would prefer to see someone with MC experince in action before we make a decision. I bit of a challenge, I know, but I'm sure like eveything else it will come together smoothly.

2. As I mentioned before we are hoping to have most of the food and drink donated to cut down on costs, so if anyone has any contacts for any type of food, or drinks (non-alcoholic and beer and wine) Please let us know as soon as you can.

3. We have quite a few volunteers to donate their time at the event, but could always use a few more, so if you would like to help out the day of for setup or at the event, please confirm it with Ros Hansen, our volunteer co-ordinator. (Contact info below)

4. Lastly and most importantly we still need more ticket sales. We have about 50-60% spoken for and there will be PSA ads and articles in the local papers in the next week or so, which will help, but we need to ensure that the event is sold out, in order to reach the target goal and make sure we make the start of the foundation a reality right away. (We have already been in contact with several other cancer patients that are asking for the type of information which we will be providing with the resource centre.)

Instead of selling tickets 1 or 2 at a time, it is much better to have groups. The organizers are encouraging everyone to do their best to put together a table of 8 or more and make it a real group event. Another way is to ask a business to sponsor a table for some of their associates or staff. Again if you have any contacts who may be able to help out in this way please pass the information on to them and have them contact us as soon as possible.

This Friday the event is only 3 weeks away and the committee needs to start planning the final details based on the numbers, so if you have mentined to us that you will be attending the fundraiser, but haven't purchased your tickets yet, now is the time!

Please contact:

Ros Hansen or Margaret Long

604-531-4877 604-536-7901

morhans@shaw.ca if you can help with any of the above items.

I know it may seem like we are asking for a lot (which is a new and humbling experinece for us), but it is only because we have become so passionate about this cause and want to be able to help give choices to others about their cancer treatment . There is such a need for it as we have experienced by just talking to people in the community, as we have been out spreading the news about the event.

We want people to know that "Cancer" isn't a death sentence or something that should be all hush-hush.

Please ask us anything you want to know about it or about Jeff's case in particular and we are happy to talk about it, especially if it will help our society reduce the fear around it. And please don't ever "feel sorry" for Jeff because this whole thing truly has been a gift and amazing learning experience.

Going through this challenge and journey has been such a blessing in so many ways.

I learned a lesson about giving and receiving the other day that hit me quite hard, as I thought I already understood the importance of both. I guess there is always deeper levels of understanding.

Many months ago I had purchased a course for my brother which he finally had the opportunity to take last weekend.

After he finished it he expressed an overwhelming amount of gratitude to me for giving him the opportunity to do something which he probably wouldn't have done otherwise.

The incredible feeling of giving I experienced at being able to do that for him and to see what a difference it made to him was beyond what I had ever felt before and I had an A-ha that clued me in to maybe why so many people are helping us in such meaningful ways, and why they don't seem to expect anything in return.

Thank you so, so much for helping in whatever way or means you can.

And thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn such a wonderful lesson.

We love you dearly for it and look foward to either seeing you at the fundraiser or whenever it may work for you otherwise.

Please keep in contact and let us know how you are doing in your lives and always let us know if there is anything we can do to help you.

From our hearts with lots of love and special wishes to each and everyone one of you,

Terri and Jeff

2005_04_27
Jeff's Recovery - Treatment Completed in Mexico

We are back from Santa Monica Hospital and somehow a week and a half has gone by before I'm even close to being caught up!

I know everyone has been anxious to know how things went and I assure you it is worth the wait as we have great news to share with you.

Our decision to stay a 3rd week at the treatment centre was definitely a good choice.

By the time we left the hospital on April 16th, Jeff no longer needed any of his pain medications. The oncologist measured his lymph node again and said it's down about 50% and his tongue is looking very pink and healthy as well as the swelling is coming down in it.

He had gained a little weight back on the feeding tube and is adamant that he will put a lot more on once he is able to eat solids again (he hasn't swallowed anything at all, even liquids, for the last 5 weeks until a couple days ago), which won't be long......

He was getting so frustrated not being able to eat that the other night when his parents were here they ordered pizza and the smell of it drove him to extreme measures. He grabbed a small piece of pizza popped it in his mouth and low and behold managed to chew it and swallow it. He was so excited he ran to the fridge and grabbed a pancake from that morning and ate that too!!! Now there's no stopping him.... he drank so much soup tonight he even complained for a brief second about feeling full....... It was music to my ears! And all this despite still having an infection in his throat and missing the front half of his tongue.

He saw a speech and swallowing therapist on Monday and she wanted him to wait until the infection was gone to do a swallowing assessment on him before he started eating again.

Oh well.....that's Jeff ...... full of enthusiasm and not letting anything stop him once he sets his mind to it.

So you just know how successful the foundation will be to help other cancer patients, once he's written his book and we have things under way!

More great news.... yesterday the doctor's office called. They wanted to see Jeff about his blood results. Now normally they only want to see you if the results are not good, but his doctor was so excited (and flabbergasted) that Jeff's results are all in the normal ranges now (except for his hemoglobin, which is improving) that he wanted to see him and tell him in person. He said it look like he is on the road to recovery and to keep doing whatever he is doing!

So we'll get the infection under control, continue a few of the treatments from the hospital that we can get here, as well as follow a very specific supplement homecare protocol and diet plan, in order to keep him on the right path and make sure we deal with the cancer completely before he considers tongue reconstruction.

Although things are looking wonderful, it is far from over and the journey really has just begun. You have all been so wonderful in so many ways with all your support. Again and again and again, I am blown away by the kindness, generosity, and thoughtfulness of so many people in our lives as well as people we don't even know or know well. Please keep sending those positive thoughts his way and the prayer efforts are still much needed as we continue the path to his full health. It is so touching to know how many people care and will show it in whatever way they can.

Our gratitude to you is endless and we hope to carry forward your kindness into quickly making this foundation a reality in order to help so many more who may have to journey on this challenging path.

On that note, please help us to make the fundraiser on May 27 a big success so that Jeff can continue his healing and we can put into place the stepping stones to getting the foundation started.

I will send out another email with some attachments (forwarded from the fundraiser organizers) in the next few days on more updated details on the fundraiser, (it's getting very exciting!) with the hope that you can help the committee meet the goals of this event in whatever way you are willing or able.

Hope you have a super weekend and are able to get out in the sunshine and celebrate your life.

Remember to tell your loved ones how much they mean to you as often as you can.

We'll be wishing you lots of laughter and happiness and constantly thinking of lucky were are to have such amazing people in our lives.

Love and hugs,

Terri and Jeff

PS. Jeff told me he just drank a smoothie too! I think he's gonna burst!!! : )

2005_03_26
Treatment in Mexico
Jeff & Terri are flying out to Santa Monica California on March 27th, 2005 and then to the treatment centre in Mexico to undergo some advanced alternative cancer treatments.
"We were able to put together some temporary funding through family to get Jeff the treatment he needs at Santa Monica Hospital and we were fortunate enough that they were able to get him in right away. So we leave tomorrow for 2 weeks and will be back April 10th. In order to reimburse our family members for the money they generously pulled together for us, and to help Jeff in building his passion of creating a Foundation from all this to help others in similar situations, a dinner and auction fundraiser will be held on Friday May 27th."

2005_03_20
Medical Update - feeding tube, MRI/CT scan results
"Jeff is now back from the hospital after having a feeding tube inserted, which has helped him gain back a little weight. While we were there we were able to get in for an MRI and CT Scan. We got the results on Thursday and it looks like the cancer has not spread. It is still in the tongue and one lymph node, but we can not tell if the cancer tissue is dead or alive, although obviously some of it has died off because he has had a lot off dead tissue slough off and he has lost about 1/4 of the front right of his tongue, Hopefully it will repair itself to some extent, but some reconstructive surgery may be required eventually."

2005_03_14
Treatment Update
The cancer in Jeff's tongue seems to be dying off. It is going through a breakdown process similar to what would happen with the tongue if he had had chemo or radiation, but without all the damage to the immune system and very negative and often permanent side effects.

However, no treatment is perfect. As the dead tissue sloughs off the tongue and the immune system continues to fight the cancer, Jeff's tongue has become very raw and swollen and his lymph system is having trouble keeping up with it all, so it also gets swollen and painful. It is what is referred to as a healing crisis.

Jeff is only able to eat liquids and even then with a lot of pain, so we finally made the decision to have a feeding tube inserted into his stomach. This procedure will be happening tomorrow. We are hoping it will allow him to gain back some weight as well as he has lost nearly 50 pounds. He is also having a CAT Scan and a second MRI next week so that we know for sure what is happening with the tumour.

We are continuing with a range of treatments for Jeff here in the lower mainland with a number of wonderful practitioners that have all been so extremely helpful and generous with their time and knowledge and resources. We feel so blessed and fortunate to have such a great team working together with Jeff on this.

We are still working on putting together some funding for a private cancer clinic if need be. Again, if you know of any resources/ foundations/etc that may be able to help with this please pass them on to us as soon as you can. And with all this, in combination with the huge support team of all of you still rooting for him and sending love and healing wishes, he is sure to heal quickly and fully.

Despite all the challenges Jeff is going through with this, he is still so positive and is finding it to be an experience that is very grounding and enlightening all at the same time.

He is making good progress on his journal and research notes and he will be putting it all together into his book to educate people on the choices they have about cancer treatment as soon as he is feeling up to it and able to concentrate for longer periods of time.

We will also hopefully be creating a society/foundation/charity called Integrative Choices for Cancer Treatment

which will be a information resource and financial aid centre for those seeking healthy cancer treatments. Initially it will start with Jeff (obviously) and as soon as he is well on the road to recovery, we will focus largely on expanding it to help other people in similar situations and educate the public on the issues around cancer treatments.

We do not have a lot of knowledge or experience in how to go about creating something like this, yet we will do whatever it takes to find out, as it has become a very strong passion for both of us. And for those of you who know us well, know that we can both be very determined (aka stubborn!) to do something once we have set our minds to it.

If you happen to have any experience in this area or know anyone who does and would be willing to help get us started please forward any information or resources on to us. Or if you would like to be involved in it in some way please let us know also because I am sure it will take a lot of help and hours to put it all together to make a difference.

By the way, we finally did sell Jeff's car. Thanks to all those who helped us get the info on it out there!

We hope someday to repay all of your kindness and thoughtfulness in helping us through this challenge or at least to pay it forward and to be able to help others who may also need it.

I'll keep you posted and please feel free to contact us. It may take me a little while to get back to you, but I promise I will.

Hugs and happy wishes to all of you for all your dreams and futures.

Love Terri and Jeff

2005_02_13
Diagnosis & Update
Since I wrote you last time, Jeff has had an MRI scan that confirmed the doctor's diagnosis that the tumour is in most of his tongue and one lymph node on the right. However, the MRI was done 3 weeks after the original exam, so that means the cancer has not advanced over that time. Yeah!

Thanks to all the loving support, caring, and positive energy and prayers you have all been sending him, and the holistic treatments and remedies he is taking, we are sure that he is on his way to full health.

We were up in Kelowna for another week of treatment and are back in White Rock now for quite a while.

As things are constantly changing in his healing process, we are also needing to change and adapt his treatment protocol.

With the help of some of your referrals and suggestions, we have created a team of practitioners locally to work with Jeff from every approach. This includes naturopaths, an herbalist, acupuncturist, kineisiologist, and body talk practitioner, as well as an occasional visit to the MDs.

We are also looking into 2 very well respected cancer treatment centres, a local one in BC and one in Santa Monica. (Although the way things are going we will most likely not need their services! Keep your fingers crossed.)

Jeff and his practitioners feel that the tumour is definitely on it's way out, it just takes a while for the body to break it down and eliminate it through the healing process, while making sure there is no secondary infection. This is the case regardless of the type of treatment, conventional or holistic. (If he had had chemo and radiation, it would have been at least 3 months before we would have had any indication of results.)

So, his tongue is still quite swollen, and it is difficult for him to talk and eat (he's on a liquid diet), so, unfortunately, no visiting quite yet. : (

Within the next three weeks we should start to see some improvement as his immune system kicks in and his body starts to eliminate the dead tissue.

He is having more blood work done this week and we'll have another MRI in a few weeks to ensure it is going in the right direction.

In the meantime, please keep sending as many prayers and as much positive energy as you possibly can!

2005_01_23
Initial Treatment
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you so much to each and everyone one of you. You are all absolutely wonderful, beautiful people.

So many people have replied back with positive thoughts, well wishes and many helpful suggestions and resources that it will take me a while to respond personally to everyone, so for now, we wanted to send out a huge thank you to all and update you a little on Jeff's progress. For those we didn't hear from, I know sometimes it's hard to know what to say. That's O.K. Please, just keep Jeff in your positive thoughts/prayers.

Jeff has been receiving treatment in Kelowna from a specialist (a friend, and colleague of his) using a BioComm machine that measures the organ systems function in his body and rebalances them so they can function properly and aid him in his recovery. He is also taking Cesium which kills the cancer cells, without damaging the other cells in the body (unlike chemo and radiation). He is also taking numerous other supplements, herbs etc. to keep his body alkaline, keep his immune system strong and to help support the treatments he is receiving. As well as doing lots of visualizing, meditation, relaxation and journaling, etc. to deal with the emotional side of things. He will only do chemo or radiation as an absolute last resort, as the permanent damage it does to your body is mind blowing.

So far, it looks like things are going well. In the last week or so, he has gained back 3-4 pounds, the swelling in his tongue is starting to go down a bit and at times it is a little easier to swallow and talk. So I believe the treatments along with all your prayers and positive intentions and energy you are sending him are definitely helping.

He is coming home Tues from Kelowna and is receiving an MRI on Thurs so we will have a visual where it is at and a baseline to measure from.

He is not hospitalized, he's staying at home (and staying at his sister's in Kelowna when he's up there for treatment). He appreciates the thought and caring of those of you who want to visit him; however, he is not really up to having visitors at the moment. We'll let you know when he's feeling stronger and can talk easier for those who wanted to see him.

I'll update you again when we know more.

As most of you know, he is one of the most positive, open, and energetic people I know, so there's no doubt in my mind he is definitely going to get through this challenge and we will both come out of it with a lot of wonderful lessons learned and with much to share and help others.

In fact, Jeff is keeping a journal, in order to write a book, when he recovers, that he hopes will help and educate others on the choices they have about treatments for cancer as well as keeping a positive mind set about it.

About a week after he was diagnosed, Jeff said something beautiful to me I will never forget.

He said, "I know this cancer is just here for a visit and I am so thankful for the gift it has brought me. I have such a clarity now. I've always heard other cancer patients talk about it, but you can't understand it, really, until you're there. Things just make so much sense. I've got such a heightened appreciation and gratitude for everything. Absolutely everything. I feel so open, so alive, so clear like never before."

To hear him talk like this brought tears to my eyes, tears of joy and wonderment. So I know when he gets through this, his book will be able to help so many others.

We have always been very independent and usually the ones to help others if we can, so this is new and a little difficult asking for so much help from everyone. Another one of life's wonderful lesson's to be learned and embraced!

Those you who sent suggestions and resources.... thank you so much. I will compile them for Jeff, and he and his Doctor can decide which will be must useful for him throughout his recovery.

Many of you asked if there was anything else you can do. Please just keep up the wonderful positive energy and prayers and yes, pass it on to any groups you are a part of who want to help him as well.

Please contact Terri Tierney on Jeff's behalf (604) 313-4933 pttierney@telus.net

web design and photography lovingly donated by Terri and Jeff's brother Kevin Trowbridge
please contact Kevin with any technical or photography questions (250)869-4707 info@photographicilluminations.com