My prostate cancer issue has been eradicated, or should I say irradiated. My October blood test results showed a 1.1 PSA level, way down from the pre-treatment figure of almost 7. And not to forget that a year ago I was sitting on the couch trying to not move due to a foreign object (catheter) protruding from my unmentionables area! I do not want to ever have to go through that again!!!!!
I just completed a facial dermatology treatment involving blue light and some type of pharmaceutical chemical that when exposed to this particular light, destroys all the sun damaged pre-cancerous cells. I thought they were going to send me to K-Mart for the treatment, but....no special deal. Jan had her 'moment under the sun' last week and so is going through the healing process even now. In both instances, long time period exposure to the sun-golf and marine safety officer----What's that? Did Jan look out for the safety of US Marines???? Was she a biologist? No, she combed the beaches of Southern California looking for lost or dazed beach goers---- certainly has taken its toll. But we are good to go for now and are grateful for the treatment.
Jan continues to provide care for Nana, who turned 90 in December. Nana is hanging in there and in fact has just returned to her nursing home after a brief stay in Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital which began Christmas Eve and lasted for several days. She had become dehydrated and was suffering from various ailments. The wonderful staff (no pun intended) were able to correctly diagnose her situation and administer the proper antibiotics. Jan dutifully and mercifully spends many hours per day at Nana's side and even volunteers to help at the care facility. She is on a first name basis with all the staff and long-term patients!! I constantly marvel at her stamina and good cheer in the face of such diminishing returns!!! She is full of faith and goes about doing good as a matter of course.
We also just completed Nana's pictorial life story and presented the digitized (DVD) version to her in the hospital room on Christmas day evening with the help of our laptop computer. The project took many hours but was a labor of love. Thanks to Craig for helping out, who, by the way, joined us for the Christmas holidays.
Jan and I journeyed to Florida and Tennessee in mid-November to visit Josh and Robin and Jamie and Anita and families. We had a wonderful time sharing in the enthusiasm for life with all the fantastic grandkids.
And of course little Lorenzo Mack Shipley was born on December 12th making giving us our 12th Grandchild.
My prison church calling continues to take most Sundays. There has been much change and uneasiness over the past 4 months as inmates are being transferred to other State institutions and the Federal Court has been mandating early releases for some to bring the State Prison population in compliance with new guidelines.
In October, two new wards were added to the Stake and a special Sunday pm meeting was held at the Stake Center to discuss the boundary changes, calling of new bishoprics and reorganization of several of the incumbent wards. Of significance is the fact that President Green chose to notify the Soledad Branch in the morning prior to the evening meeting. He appeared at the CTF-North yard meeting and spent the morning sharing with those in attendance the particulars of the changes. It was a nice gesture on his part and the inmates present were treated to some wonderful spiritual insight as to how the Lord moves his Priesthood leaders to build the Kingdom. Roger Campbell, our second counselor, was released and called to the new Prunedale bishopric. Sam Bailey, of the Prunedale Ward, who was our institute teacher, was called as the new 2nd counselor in the branch presidency. Brother Matt Coombs of the Monterey Ward was called to be our new institute teacher. Also, brother Rod Evans of the Greenfield Ward has been called to be a Sunday School Teacher.
We continue to carry the spirit to our inmate brethren and testify of the reality of a 'personal' atonement for them.
Jan and I journeyed to Florida and Tennessee in mid-November to visit Josh and Robin and Jamie and Anita and families. We had a wonderful time sharing in the enthusiasm for life with all the fantastic grandkids.
And of course little Lorenzo Mack Shipley was born on December 12th making giving us our 12th Grandchild.
My prison church calling continues to take most Sundays. There has been much change and uneasiness over the past 4 months as inmates are being transferred to other State institutions and the Federal Court has been mandating early releases for some to bring the State Prison population in compliance with new guidelines.
In October, two new wards were added to the Stake and a special Sunday pm meeting was held at the Stake Center to discuss the boundary changes, calling of new bishoprics and reorganization of several of the incumbent wards. Of significance is the fact that President Green chose to notify the Soledad Branch in the morning prior to the evening meeting. He appeared at the CTF-North yard meeting and spent the morning sharing with those in attendance the particulars of the changes. It was a nice gesture on his part and the inmates present were treated to some wonderful spiritual insight as to how the Lord moves his Priesthood leaders to build the Kingdom. Roger Campbell, our second counselor, was released and called to the new Prunedale bishopric. Sam Bailey, of the Prunedale Ward, who was our institute teacher, was called as the new 2nd counselor in the branch presidency. Brother Matt Coombs of the Monterey Ward was called to be our new institute teacher. Also, brother Rod Evans of the Greenfield Ward has been called to be a Sunday School Teacher.
We continue to carry the spirit to our inmate brethren and testify of the reality of a 'personal' atonement for them.
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