Prayers, please

Most of you know about our Relay For Life team's journey this year as "Connolly's Crew".  

Last night, Jim's family posted a beautiful journal entry to his CaringBridge site.  I wanted to share part of it here, because I know many of you have been praying for his family over the past few months.

Dear Friends and Family,

It is hard to imagine that we have been home two weeks from the hospital. Unable to get results from last round of chemotherapy because I can't get a CT scan with a broken arm. Even without a CT scan, our oncologist is not encouraged.

The first part of the last couple of weeks has been spent dealing with a decision to pursue further treatment or not. First we received "comfort care" services from palliative program and tomorrow will be the first meeting with hospice.

A book we like (May I Walk You Home) provides this explanation... hospice means lodging for travellers. Those who are dying are travelling a special journey and hospice care provides those travellers with companionship and loving care for the final journey of life. Hospice is for anyone who has had a medical diagnosis in which he has days, weeks, or months to live. However the focus is not on how long someone has to live, rather hospice focuses on trying to help each day that one lives to be the best that it can be. Hospice care strives to help the person make good choices and to have as much control as possible in his medical care.

For example, in living life to the fullest, we have a family trip planned for Crater Lake at the end of September. We are making special arrangements (with the guidance of hospice) to make this happen for me.

Please continue to keep the Connolly family in your prayers.  For peace, for strength, and for the grace to live every moment to the fullest.