TUCSON

BELOW IS AN EMAIL UPDATE FROM PAM HANSEN.  SENT MAY 23.........

When you know your days are limited, you embrace each day.  When you wake up in the morning and hear the morning song of birds, you praise God for another beautiful day....I know that is what Steve does.  For each new day is a gift and Steve fully embraces each one.  For all of us, our days are numbered, but death does not seem so pressing for us because no doctor has given us an estimate.  We all should step into the sunshine and feel its warmth upon our face...... that is how we know we are still alive. 

I have felt led to share openly with you Steve's fight against cancer.  I have been led to share for two main reason: 1) in pursuit of prayers for Steve and 2) in pursuit of empathy. 

How can any of us know what it feels like to have terminal cancer if we have never been faced with it.  We can gain empathy through the hardships that others face, and by doing so, we can better learn God's perspective and His will for our lives.  I know that in the last year my eyes have been opened to the fight against cancer in a way that I never wanted my eyes open.  But through the pain, there have been blessings and through Steve's fight, I have learned perseverance. The pain that Steve has gone through and his struggles to overcome this disease have been difficult to watch. Steve's will to live is so strong.  No one should ever have to experience terminal cancer.....it is horrible! While we cannot take the cancer away through our own efforts, through prayer and petition, God can bring Steve peace and comfort and if it is God's will, His power alone can take away the cancer.....each and every evil cell of the disease. 

We left for Tucson on May 5th and arrived to Cindy and Steve's home near Sabino Canyon in the evening of May 7th.  The kids did great on the trip (surprised me), riding in Steve's minivan with Ryan driving most of the 16 hour drive, while Cindy drove in the CRV with Steve and Pima.  I could tell that Steve was very happy to be at home and Cindy was very busy getting the house settled and corresponding with hospice nurses each day to get that relationship under way.  We were able to overlap our trip with Monica so that we could see the McTeague family and meet the newest family member, Calla Lee, born April 16th. We stayed in Tuscon for the rest of the week, and then flew home that Friday (May11th).  Overall, it was a wonderful trip and I am so glad we were able to travel together cross-country style. 

After we left, Monica and her family stayed for another week.  Echo also came in town and just left Tucson today. While Echo was in town, Steve did face a major challenge to breathe and for the past day has been very confused.  We hope that his confusion passes soon and that he is more aware and lucid. Please continue to pray for Steve and Cindy.  What a difficult battle they are fighting and I know they need our prayers more than ever.  We are so blessed to have such faithful servants and prayer warriors in our lives supporting us through this VERY difficult time.