Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Preparation






When it came to marriage planning it was a blessing that Will came from a big family and that the Lord continued to bless Ruth and Will’s efforts to be together. Will’s sister-in-law Kristen became partners with Ruth’s mom and to created the dynamic duo of wedding planners. They took care of flower, caterers, and details. The Lord opened up a beautiful Presbyterian Church in Stanley in which to have the ceremony. Will's sisters Terri and Gail created the announcements (which some of you are yet to receive since they are still on my desk.....but you will!) Susy did the programs. Joy loaned Ruth her wedding dress. Brothers, sisters, family member and friends provided rides, made meals, and prayed. Some may think what did Ruth and Will do? The best answer may be ‘A whole lot of nothing!’ It was a blessing that God created both Ruth and Will the way he did and having others plan the wedding was the best idea either of them could think of!

The Waiting


Ruth and Cheryl arrived in Kansas city after spending a not so restful night in the Denver airport. :) (Standby sometimes really is just that:) After showers and naps Mom was able to start meeting all of the 7 brothers and sisters and 15 nieces and nephews. It was a happy household and over the next few days Ruth and Cheryl found their spot in the Reno clan. Will told Ruth he wanted to start to look for rings. Ruth still wasn’t sure if this meant he wanted to get married now or later. Will thought this was obvious. Oh the difference between men and women!
June 23rdwas their one year anniversary. Will took Ruth out to Ruth’s Chris steak house and they enjoyed dinner and conversation. Ruth went to the bathroom and came back to find 12 roses on her chair. Will had never given her red roses except for the time he told her that he loved her. Will got down on one knee as he asked Ruth to be his wife. There were a few teary eyes and Will’s brother popped out from the restaurant to reveal he had been taping the whole thing. What a special memory to have on tape! Will then revealed the wedding would happen in 3 weeks and everyone was on board. Both families had agreed to do everything they could to make the wedding special and not to mention possible while Ruth’s family would be in the country! At this the whirlwind and the fun began!
Ruth returned home to begin the process on moving to another state and switching jobs. She was working for the Veterans hospital in SF. They were immensely helpful in getting her transferred to the Kansas City VA. Her cousin, Marcelle, whom she had been living with helped pack up the apartment and after a few more days of work, time with the family, and her grandparents 60th wedding anniversary she was trucking across the country to her new home in Kansas. Mom/Cheryl went with her and they passed the time laughing and catching up on life that had not gotten to be shared.

Prior to all of this, it was discovered that Will’s tumor was a cancer called glioblastoma multiforme. This type of tumor is a fast growing and non surgically removable tumor so although they got all of the tumor that they could see there was still more on a cellular level. A trip to St. Luke’s cancer center just a couple of weeks after Will’s operation opened up the possibilities of participating in a clinical trial. The doctors and staff were impressive with their knowledge and evident concern about Will’s recovering. After many prayers and much discussion, all decided to have Will participate in a trial where he would receive radiation and chemotherapy under the supervision of a clinical trial. There were assurances that Will’s best interest would be in mind at all times. A five week waiting period was in order after his surgery to allow healing and then began the second part of his journey to recovery two weeks before the wedding.

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Next Steps



Will began to recover nicely moving from the ICU straight to a med/surg floor and then to a rehab hospital. Word finding was still coming slower than he would have liked but he was walking and continuing to make everyone laugh. With him doing so well, thoughts now turned to next steps. The Renos and Ruth were waiting to find out what type of cancer we would be facing and options to pursue. Ruth was attempting to sort out what to do with her job and if/when Will wanted her to move out to Kansas City. Even after brain surgery there was no doubt in Will’s mind that he wanted to still be with her.
Ruth went back to San Francisco to work and Will stayed in Kansas to recover. When Cheryl, Ruth’s mom, first heard about Will being sick she began to work on changing her flight back to the USA. (Ruth’s parents live in Bangladesh.) She was coming to see her first grandchild later in the month so Dad/Don traveled to the main city six hours away to arrange a new flight.
Ruth was attempting to hold down a job in SF with her heart remaining in KC. It was a sweet time for Cheryl/Mom to be able to come in and just be a part of the developing story. With Will being a former pilot there were free flight offers from friends still flying so Ruth and her mom headed out to Kansas city again to see the recovering Will.

Monday, July 03, 2006

In sickness and in health....


If anyone is reading this you may or maynot know about Will's health issues over the past few months but chances are you do know that we are getting married! Traditional vows have read 'in sickness and in health'. I am not sure what ours will be but some of the sickness has come sooner than we expected. It has been quoted to us though many times....Hits not the years in your life that counts but the life in your years...' We are going to make the most of this life together but here is a little of the story.

It was March/April of this year and what had turned into the Willis and Ruth duo were trucking along in their relationship. Conversations had begun to include kids and houses and working out how to live in the same town. Medical issues came into the picture at this time as well with an upset stomach and decreased appetite for Will. There is not a whole lot of margin for weight loss so Ruth suggested a Doctor's visit. Wanting to cut our the middle man Will went straight to a GI specialist who essentially waved him off with some over the counter medications. We decided it was time now to get someone who could see the whole picture and made an appointment with a Family medicine doctor.

About this time Will was also studying to earn his 737 license in the journey to be employed by Southwest. He had completed one week of ground school and was off for the second week of simulator training. Retaining information had become harder as well as recalling words. Some simple like cup and towel and others more complex like APU or thrusters. During this month as well there had been episodes where Will had numbness down his arms and in his right leg. Lack of appetite and a 'full feeling' in his stomach continued. The medical doctor thought this could all have to do with a hiatal hernia and prescribed some strong antacid. With these in hand Will headed off to finish his training and that he did! Two days before his 33rd Birthday he returned to Nashville with a new 737 license...a sweet accomplishment but it had been a lot harder than maybe it should have been. Around the time he arrived home Will started to have splitting headaches and increasing numbness. Words were even harder to find.

Ruth was visiting Nashville and they were able to go to the doctor together this time. He poked and prodded a bit and listened a lot. They left the doctor's office with two referrals in hand to see an neurologist and another GI specialist. The neurologist was the fist one able to see Will and since it was still a week away we continued on with our trip to Jackson to see Ruth's friends graduate and enjoyed time in Nashville. Ruth had to return to San Francisco before the appointment but Will's parents heard about what was happening and came to Nashville to be beside their son.

The 26th brought an MRI and news that no one expects to hear. The neurologist saw a rather large mass on the left side of Will's head. Although they did not know what the future would hold the decision was made to move back to Kansas to receive care. In 24 hours the house was packed and the Reno's we heading back to KC to all be together. A Neurosurgeon appointment was made for Tues the 31st. Speaking became more difficult but the goal was just to make it until 2pm on the 31st in hopes some answers would be found.

Ruth came in from San Fran a couple of days early to be able to go to the appointment. Unfortunately Will's body could not wait until that time. He woke up the morning of the 31st in bad shape and unable to speak. An ambulance ride later Ruth met the rest of the Reno family in the ER. After a day spent waiting the neurosurgeon was able to see Will and removed a large tumor from the left side of he brain. He was able to extract all that he saw and family and friends who were praying were able praising the Lord for one more day added to Will's life. All those watching were able to see the hand of the Lord spare Will.

Sunday, July 02, 2006

The History


Ruth Schroeder distinctly remembers the Sunday the 5th of June 2005 as the Sunday after the Sunday she decided not to attend church resulting from a game of rock-paper-scissors. It was shortly after leaving Union University. 'Ironically' that was the Sunday the Pastor asked all those who had just graduated to stand up. Ruth sheepishly stood up and sat down, little knowing there were two eyes looking her way the entirety of the service.

If you here the rest of the story told by Will you learn of falling over folding chair in order to gain an audience with the young lady he was watching, but as seen by Ruth that Sunday was the day she met a lovely your man named Will Reno.

Will hung around church until all had left the premises except the Schroeders and some family friends. He was promptly invited to lunch at which he sat around listening to family tales of Ruth growing up at Community Bible Church and how she approached adolescence. Will was attentive and an easy laugher. Ruth thought, who is this guy? They parted ways and there were no numbers exchanged or talk of meeting again. The next Sunday, the 12th, Will barely made eye contact with Ruth. She resolved that this had amounted to nothing.

If you hear this story from Will's perspective you would call this period in time 'playing it cool.' He didn't want to seem to desperate so the Sunday of the 19th he asked for her number. Bold move if you know Will!

Ruth received a call that week and plans were made for the 23rd to go out. She thought he was just a pilot who wanted someone to show him around Nashville. He had psyched himself up to think this wasn't really a date. They met at the YMCA after he had come home from a 4 day trip. Ruth with her hair wet from swimming and Will in his uniform. They were both trying to keep it casual. No expectations. They proceeded to eat sushi and Ruth fell out of the car and then walked around Nashville where she proceeded to spit off the bridge and pick the wrong kind of ice-cream. This guy was a goner as far as Ruth was concerned. Will went home and told his sister he had found the girl he wanted to be with for the rest of his life. At least he was pretty sure.

The next few weeks in Nashville were full of lunches at Applebees (where Ruth was working at the time and she thought Will just drove 20 min for the burgers:), Canoeing at the lake, boating on Percy Priest, Fireworks by the river, Humid runs and an agreement to try the courting relationship. Will even went on two dates with Ruth's dad so they could keep seeing each other. It was good to have the family involved and kept the relationship where it should be, focused on the Lord.

Alas though it was time to leave. Ruth already had plans to move to California and with a truck and a roommate in hand she was going through with it. The couple sat on a hammock before hand trying to define their relationship. Ruth told will she just wanted to know if he began to see anyone else while she was gone. Will said there was not chance of this. She was beginning to learn what a man of his word he was and is.

Will kept his word and the pursuit of a relationship with his new found princess over the miles. He encouraged her through long phone conversations and turned her head with bouquets at the door. The first chance available he came out to California. Ruth really began to think, who is this man? The month of August was spent traveling. Marcelle, Ruth's cousin and roommate, Ruth, and Will made the unconquerable trio as they traversed from Tahoe to LA around San Fran, by the beach and then back again. Disneyland was a highlight as Will and Ruth ran around in their Mickey and Minnie ears. They realized this was something special as they talked of respect and friendship to the sound of waves. A wonderful week in September was spent in Colorado watching the aspens turn and biking in the mountains. Individually they wondered, Is this love?

Will continued to be a friend to Ruth as she began her first job and flowers were waiting at the unit. He helped her move into her first apartment and surprised her after a boring day of orientation. He stretched his tastebuds and learned to like sushi and food from the orient. Ruth started thinking of trying to eat chicken, a big step for a vegetarian:) They were learning to pray together and share what the Lord was teaching them.

Thanksgiving was spent together in Nashville again. It was a sweet time as Ruth had not returned home since moving to CA. Will took Ruth to PF Chang's and in a momentous night told her that he loved her. He had never told a woman that he loved her in 33 year. Well besides that one time....:) But this meant he wanted to spend his life, the rest of his life with her. She didn't realize this at the time but knew it was a sweet thing to be loved by this man.

Time rolled on...December was spent at a wedding in CO, January apart as Ruth's friends came to San Fran, February and March between Tahoe and Colorado and San Fran just skiing, snowmobiling, sledding, biking in the park, and learning about the individuals that God had made them. They were falling in love. Learning how to disagree civilly and relate unselfishly. Discovering how to forgive and encourage one another to love the Lord more diligently. They knew there was real life to come but began to realize there were no coincidences. That meeting at church was divinely ordained.

They realized real life was to come and knew they wanted to tackle it together.

Thanksgiving 2005