Adam smiles as he leaves the hospital after surgery 2019 started with a bit more drama than we would have liked. Although the first milestone – Adam’s neck surgery to replace a damaged disk – went very well, we were to receive news that will alter the trajectory of the rest of the year and toss many of our plans out the window. In the midst of our personal turmoil, we started our project at Faith with a dynamic crew that made short work of some complex tasks.
Paint storage in the new container space Storage Containers
The progress made in December to patch, enclose and put flooring in the containers was substantial, but that was nothing compared to a couple of weeks with a strong team dedicated to putting them into operation and covering the adjacent pad with a carport roof. The floor was laid in the 2nd container. The passage between the containers was framed and the threshold bridged to allow a smooth transition between them. A 6 ft opening was cut in the side of one to make for an easier entrance, along with a ramp to bridge the distance to the concrete pad next to them.
The progress made in December to patch, enclose and put flooring in the containers was substantial, but that was nothing compared to a couple of weeks with a strong team dedicated to putting them into operation and covering the adjacent pad with a carport roof. The floor was laid in the 2nd container. The passage between the containers was framed and the threshold bridged to allow a smooth transition between them. A 6 ft opening was cut in the side of one to make for an easier entrance, along with a ramp to bridge the distance to the concrete pad next to them.
Wiring in the continers had been started in the spring, but still needed to be sorted out once Ron arrived. Once Ron arrived, the wiring that had been started last Spring was completed, connecting to power in nearby Peeler Hall and finalizing the installation of lights and outlets. Then the careful plan that Herb had laid out was transferred to the locations in the containers where each item would be placed. Herb and several assistants built racks to hold conduit and PVC pipes, then installed them in one end of a container. A sliding door was hung outside the container to close the opening and lock it. The exterior was painted.
Morris and Donna put the first cabinet in place And then, the moment of truth. All that stuff needed to be moved into the containers. Cabinets were carefully emptied, the contents packaged and then all moved over to the correct spot in the containers. There were glitches. The ladders took too much space. There were more 5 gallon paint containers than we thought. We had to swap out Ron’s work bench. But bit by bit, the pieces fell into place and the stuff found a home. There’s still a bit of sorting to do, but these units appear to be living up to their purpose. And the “temporary” storage rooms are finally emptying out after 18 months.
Carport roof upon completion. While much of the team prepared the containers, a dedicated crew struggled with the new roof that would span the concrete pad between Peeler Hall and the containers. It would be supported by 2 framed walls on either side and 4 x 4 supports on the ends. The roof would cover the 12 foot pad and extend over the containers enough to ensure the water drained off the pad. Before they got started, Bobbi and Sheila painted the exposed side of the old Peeler building. Then the guys framed sections of the wall and stood them up. One by one, the trusses were laid across the span to support the finished metal roof. The walls would eventually hold the door to the container. And Ron installed lights along the interior. This was a massive effort that was made to look simple by some skilled members of the team, primarily Andy, Jack and Jeff. The result is amazing and will serve its purpose for years to come.
The apartment roof after the leaks were patched With such a talented team, the work on the containers and carport were mostly finished by the end of the 2nd week as we returned from Richmond after Adam’s surgery. That meant that much of the project focus became a garage apartment that had not seen use in more than 2 decades. It is to be used as the home for Pastor Rigo’s brother and sister-in-law. Needless to say, there is a bit of work to do. Outside, Andy and Jeff worked to find and fix leaks in the roof.. Inside, the rest of the team cleaned up and started to make repairs. Ron studied the electrical needs for the apartment. A roadmap for the work that remains is starting to emerge, but this will be a story that continues to unfold over many more weeks.
Debris from Beyond 90 first Demo Day Beyond 90 House
In mid-February, we will be leading a project while here at Faith that will be focused on a house in the community nearby. The house will be used by a new non-profit called Beyond 90, whose focus is to provide support to refugee families after the first 90 days, when World Relief and similar agencies drop their support. The house needs several repairs and cleaning. Much of the prep work will occur before the project and the team will go in and begin the repairs. We were in town for the first cleanup at the house, which accomplished quite a bit.
In mid-February, we will be leading a project while here at Faith that will be focused on a house in the community nearby. The house will be used by a new non-profit called Beyond 90, whose focus is to provide support to refugee families after the first 90 days, when World Relief and similar agencies drop their support. The house needs several repairs and cleaning. Much of the prep work will occur before the project and the team will go in and begin the repairs. We were in town for the first cleanup at the house, which accomplished quite a bit.
Cathy’s Diagnosis
“You need a biopsy.” The call back to the Imaging center for an ultrasound confirmed a growth in Cathy’s left breast that would need to be checked for cancer. A week after the biopsy and 2 days before heading north to be with Adam, the diagnosis was confirmed. It was cancer. The tumor was very small, so the regular mammograms had done their job.
Another week passed before meeting with the surgeon. Assuming the oncologist agreed and the genetic testing was negative, he said she would need a lumpectomy, followed by chemo and radiation. The treatment however, won't be known for sure until the surgery, scheduled for February 5th, and follow-on testing is completed.
This diagnosis was a stunning reversal for us, who have been blessed with amazingly good health for so many years. That being said, breast cancer, especially caught this early is very treatable, and Cathy's prospects are excellent. She is seeking treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center here in Jacksonville that is highly respected, so she is in excellent hands. Pastor Barry and Faith UMC have been supportive and gracious, allowing us to stay as long as necessary.
So, this news was initially pretty hard for Cathy to accept, and the stress level was pretty high. As she becomes more informed and talks to others who have walked this road before, it's not quite as scary. And the support from family and friends has been a blessing.
“You need a biopsy.” The call back to the Imaging center for an ultrasound confirmed a growth in Cathy’s left breast that would need to be checked for cancer. A week after the biopsy and 2 days before heading north to be with Adam, the diagnosis was confirmed. It was cancer. The tumor was very small, so the regular mammograms had done their job.
Another week passed before meeting with the surgeon. Assuming the oncologist agreed and the genetic testing was negative, he said she would need a lumpectomy, followed by chemo and radiation. The treatment however, won't be known for sure until the surgery, scheduled for February 5th, and follow-on testing is completed.
This diagnosis was a stunning reversal for us, who have been blessed with amazingly good health for so many years. That being said, breast cancer, especially caught this early is very treatable, and Cathy's prospects are excellent. She is seeking treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center here in Jacksonville that is highly respected, so she is in excellent hands. Pastor Barry and Faith UMC have been supportive and gracious, allowing us to stay as long as necessary.
So, this news was initially pretty hard for Cathy to accept, and the stress level was pretty high. As she becomes more informed and talks to others who have walked this road before, it's not quite as scary. And the support from family and friends has been a blessing.
