July 31

Hi,

It's been a very busy week. Denny has been working diligently at his occupational and physical therapies and the kids and I think his progress is quite measurable. He's up to 670 steps and once we made it all the way around the block. Right now I'd have to say he's at about the same place (strength and endurance-wise) he was before the whole shingles thing hit. What is noticeably better is the swelling in his legs and feet from the blood clots--that is nearly gone.

A second radiologist reviewed the most recent MRI and concluded, too, that there is no blood flow to the tumor. I also had a long talk with Dr. Yazbak because we wondered just how often something like this happens, etc. Like Dr. Meena, he said that the real miracle is that Denny at home, able to participate in physical activities and has the energy and ability to be helping with lesson plans for next year. Being cautiously optimistic is good for all of us and we will just live from one MRI to the next, enjoying each day. Grade 4 glioblastomas are nasty and no two are the same or react the same to treatments. We are just continuing to pray that this one has given up on its quest to bring a great guy down!

Because so many people have asked if we tried something new, i.e. vitamins, minerals, etc., I do want to share that there is one thing that we started using shortly after Denny returned home from Mercy Hospital. In view of what has transpired, we call it "miracle water," and really want to share this information.

Many of you know Amanda Lauer. She is a Xavier mom and is the one who organized the "O Team" in Appleton's Sole Burner for cancer. Her daughter has two autoimmune diseases, both of which, her doctors say, cannot be cured. She and her husband, John, have been been looking for anything that would offer hope to her. A few months ago they heard about alkaline water from a gentleman from Utah. This water is ionized and has antioxidant properties as well. The technology for transforming tap water into two streams of water, one alkaline and one acidic, has been available in Japan for more than 30 years. One out of five households and most hospitals in Japan have these water machines. That may explain why Japan is the healthiest nation on the planet. Enagic brought this technology (called Kangen water --check it out at www.checkoutkangen.com) to the U.S. three years ago.

The Lauers tried the water for three weeks before purchasing their own machine. The results they have witnessed in their daughter's health and fitness have been amazing. Amanda told me about this one day while I was at work and she was there answering phones and selling Scrip. She explained that the water itself isn't a miracle, but the human body is. Diseases can only exist in an acidic state. If a body is in an alkaline state, a person should have ideal health. Aging and diseases are the result of oxidization (like an apple turning brown after it's been cut open). That's why antioxidants have been so heavily promoted in the health field lately. This machine that they purchased is hooked up to their tap and filters that water to make it alkaline.

Shortly after Denny got home in early June, Amanda brought over two gallons of water. While at Mercy, Den was told over and over the importance of drinking lots of water to hydrate his atrophied muscles. So, he started drinking the "magic water" each day. His MRI was on June 25.

John and Amanda are more than happy to give water away to anyone who will stop by their house and pick it up. If you want to contact them, please call (920) 739-5717 or e-mail them at allauer@att.net.

A year ago I might have read such a testimonial and the word "gimmick" might have come to mind, but when you've put in a year like we have, you regard things like this differently. The Lauers have talked to people with a range of medical issues who have had amazing changes after drinking this water.

As long as this blog is, I thought I had to share this story. We'll never know what part this drinking water has played in Denny's health. We do know that God's hand is in everything that has transpired since June '08, and we are eternally grateful for whatever number of extra days we have because of Him.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! I am still painting over at the State Street house, but soon that entire renovation will be complete. If you know of anyone who would like to rent or buy a nice 4 bedroom home in a quiet neighborhood, tell them to call us!

Love,
Carla