3cm

Greetings! To those who faithfully look to see if I have updated our blog and then have gotten 4 new additions due to the fact that I cannot spell check at work and then promptly forget to finish the writings once I get home, Will and I both thank you. We thank you for your prayer and love!

As many have asked and wondered what are the results of the most recent MRI. This MRI was after the second 6 week session of the IV chemo Avastin/CPT-11. We knew it was not the 'end-all-be-all' but we were hoping for some more of the same good news. Although what we found was not entirely devastating, it was a bit maddening. There is a new 2cm growth at the bottom of the surgical cavity. It was frankly an area they were worried about previously but seemed to be shrinking by the last MRI that was taken. Ruth spent some time crying and just being sad and Will spent time comforting his wife. Then it was and is back to the drawing board. Since the tumor seems to be contained in all other areas of the brain the thought of our doctor is to continue with the current IV chemo and treat the small 'problem spot' with some radiation surgery. It would be non-invasive and possibly completed in Kansas. Duke was unable to get back to us prior to the weekend so we continue to wait for their input in the situation. We just have to keep the tumor under 3cm for the radiation surgery to be done. Never though 1cm would matter so much!

Will and I just continue to pray for this to go away and as so many have prayed for the Lord's healing. In the meantime Ruth has learned how to play Risk and tied with Will and then taught a crew how to dominate the game of Clue. A little bit of snow and sleet has kept us indoors but we have learned that a Honda Civic works quite well through the ice and snow. Thanks again for continuing to pray. We just ask for God's mercy.

PS we have been looking for a house in the midst of all this and have an offer down on a 3 bedroom ranch which has been accepted. It is really cute and completely redone. Prayers for wisdom would be wonderful on this account as well!

New Year

New years bring new beginnings and as Tuesday before we learn the results of Will's MRI we just remember how far the Lord has brought us. From Denver to Nashville where Will met Ruth who came from Jackson to spend the summer. To San Francisco where love bloomed to Kansas City where it was sealed before God in a large church in Stanley the verse stands true;
"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."[a] 6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"[b] Hebrews 13:5b & 6.














These verses come from Deuteronomy and Psalms and all those year ago the words stood true as they did in Hebrews and as they do now. If you happen to stumble upon this entry today please pray with us for God's mercy and wisdom in this new year.

The Visit

After a week off in SanDiego the temptation was great to go to work but Ruth was able to resist because....Lynn and Abigail were to come into town. The visit lasted a week and provided some sweet time for us to fall more in love with Abigail and for her to realize she liked her mom better than she liked us!!:) Afternoons were spent at the park and a day at the Art Museum where Will and Abigail humored the sisters and their cultural outing. Abigail really is as cute as she looks with a quick laugh and a teetering walk. Will continued to receive treatments and need a nap in order to recuperate in the afternoons which worked perfectly with Abigail's schedule. This provided the sisters with some much needed time to run and just talk about life with one another. Lynn and Abigail headed on to Chicago to meet Jeremy's family and we stayed in KC to prepare for Christmas!






































Since two weeks away from work never seem like enough Ruth decided not to return until after Christmas. We had decided that it was time to start a full-time position and one opened in the Surgical ICU (SICU) so an agreement was made to start on the 26th. With this in mind there was not much reason to go in before, so Ruth just stayed home with Will. He surprised her with a trip to the Nutcracker which she had wanted to see in real life for years. He is a romantic!
Not surprisingly this has been one of our favorite Christmas seasons. There have been many evenings spent just sitting by the fire and enjoying the lights of the tree. Praying together every evening brought a sense of thankfulness for the baby that came and then died for our sins. It is a bit mind boggling to thing the precious baby in a manger died 33 years later. A connection that had not been made in my head and I still struggle to fully realize. Another aspect of Christ that I continue to wrestle with but know is true is the fact the God is good. God is good even though Will is sick. God is loving because that is who He is. It does not change just because Will has become ill. It is truth. I learn faith, true faith from my husband who continues to believe and trust that God is real, present, and active no matter what goes on with his body - he believes in truth. I am blessed.














So Christmas day came with a late wakeup call and a leisurely time opening presents. I am sure if the Lord chooses to bless us with kids one day we will love waking at the crack of dawn but it sure was nice to do everything at a slow pace including taking a nap prior to cooking! Will's parents and brother came over for the evening meal and just made it feel like a real celebration. We are grateful to have family near enough to have over and thankful for the phone to talk to those who are not! So as said before as husband and wife you stay together in sickness and in health and we are truly blessed.

Polar Bears

It is now January of 2007. It is not too surprising that I have not entered anything for the new year but here we are now to share our blessings and requests for prayers. Thanksgiving passed and left Will and Ruth looking for a tree on the 26th. Knowing it had to be real AND perfect they set out to hunt. The first choosing of an evergreen passed with complete agreement on the tree and it still stands in the living room today. Epiphany has passed but the Renos continue to celebrate Christmas with a beautiful tree in the living room.
Through the end of November and beginning of December Ruth continued to work on an interim basis at the Veterans hospital. Will received treatments every Friday at St Luke's and spent time recovering and enjoying time with family. The beginning of December brought a lull in Veteran's hospital census and a perfect opportunity to use a 3 night stay at the Marriott that Ruth had won in a drawing. With Will's free flying privilege the trip provided a wonderfuly stressless vacation including time at the beach, a day spent touring the zoo, and dinner together at night where we could just laugh and be together. Our favorite part of the trip might have been watching the Polar bears together. It is not everyday you run up against such a massive creature up close and to watch him swim made us want to jump in! The whole trip was truly a blessing and a beautiful start to the holidays.

Phase II

After Ruth and Willis's trip to NC it was time to enter phase II of the treatment adventure. Since Halloween was near and there were tons of maps printed in order to find our way around Duke for the next year, we decided to combine the two. The maps were spread out on the table and pumpkin carving commenced. Will created his pumpkin all on his own with one arm and you can see how it outshines Ruth's about 100%:)


Since we had not been accepted into the protocol at Duke, the Reno's once again returned to KC to figure out the next step in Will's treatment. We had spoken to MD Salacz at St. Lukes concerning the chemotherapy as an alternative option prior to August 25th. He had begun the ground work in getting it approved with the insurance and this was the option Will decided to go with next. The treatment is experimental and is the exact same as what we would have been receiving at Duke, CPT-11 and avastin, just no longer free under the protocol. This still has not seemed to be a problem to St. Luke's as we are undergoing treatment without knowing how were are going to pay. They have agreed to administer the medication no matter what our ability is to pay which is a blessing. Discussions and appeals with the insurance company continue to occur and prays are going up for a solution but until we get one we just live by grace.

It really is amazing how the Lord continues OVER AND OVER to provide for our needs. The most recent being a positive MRI reading. To back up a bit Will did start the treatments on October 20th. He receives an intravenous infusion for 4 hours every two weeks at St. Lukes. Work has been wonderful about letting Ruth have those days off so we can sit and talk or watch TV or just be with each other. November 17th was Will's third treatment in six weeks placing him back in the MRI scanner the following Monday November 20th. Being the first MRI post experimental treatment we were all ready to see the results! We are so thankful for the notes and prayers from those who keep lifting us up. There had been some 'enhancement' areas on the pre-experimental infusion MRI back in September that were questionable for tumor. Those areas have regressed/gotten smaller. The darker areas which were the old blood that had disqualified Will for the study at Duke are lighter and have regressed. AND there is no new blood on the MRI which would have stopped the treatments. There are praises all around and I know you are to praise the Lord in ANY circumstance but we just can't help but be happy for the good news. Thanks for sharing in this with us!

Besides all of this it is hunting season for white-tailed deer. Will has been out several times and is still to shoot one but we know it is just on the horizon!

Alan, Fran, Will, and Ruth spent some sweet time at the International House of Prayer (IHOP) in Grandview, MO just praying and having other pray for Will's healing. IHOP is a wonderful 24 hour prayer ministry which has rooms where those who are ill can go and pray specifically for healing. Prayer for Will's healing is an everyday affair but we hope to get back soon to take advantage of others lifting their voices to the Lord.

Thanksgiving is almost here and we do have a lot to be thankful for. Warm showers and heaters and crunchy leaves just touch the surface of how much we praise God for the gifts He gives and how He provides. He spared nothing, not even the gift of His Son Jesus. I think sometimes that even becomes cliche when I say it but the thought of giving up Will or he I, hurts just to think about. I cannot imagine the pain of giving up One I had perfect communion with. Guess I think of Thanksgiving as a bit of a precursor to Christmas. We are thankful for positive MRI scans and life. We are thankful for 26 of Will's family members coming in for the Thanksgiving holidays to love on us and celebrate. We are thankful for those who read this lengthy blog and then pray. We really are.
Some of the crew at IHOP before Will's MRI>

North Carolina

Currently we have returned from North arolina. There were weeks of preparation preceding this trip in order to get Will into a clinical trial. All treatment from here on out is experimental since the first round of chemo and radiation was ineffective. Duke had/has a trial using and IV infusion of two chemotherapy agents to attack the tumor. We spent two days at Duke signing consents and Will was taking tests. Doctors and clinicians were confident Will would qualify for the trial and Will was scheduled for his first treatment on Friday morning. Will’s dad Alan had traveled with us and we decided to go to the beach for the rest of the afternoon. It was 80 degrees and sunny so a wonderful day to sit by the waves. Half way through the afternoon we received a call that blood had been noted on the MRI which disqualified Will for the study. The fact that there was an indication of blood on the MRI is not a concern medically, it only meant that the company which is conducting the trial requires everyone in the study to start from the same baseline, meaning no blood. Since we got that news too late to go home Thursday, we spent the night in Durham and flew home Fri. The advantage to being in the Duke study was that all of the chemo drugs would have been free. The same chemo treatment can be done here at St. Luke's in Kansas City but the insurance does not cover the cost of it which we have been told is about $40,000/treatment (Will will require a treatment every two weeks for a year or more if this chemo is effective). We have scheduled a meeting with Dr. Salacz at St. Luke's Cancer institute for Monday/tomarrow at noon to discuss options. We had prayed the whole trip that the Lord would open and close doors as he saw fit. Ruth was a little frustrated and Will peaceful as he remembered outloud that what we pray we must live. Isn't that the truth. We covet prayers and continue to look in joy and with anticipation to what the Lord in going to do.

FInd rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken." Psalm 62:5-6

Second Time Around

On August 25th Will entered into the operating room once again. Once again the Veterans hospital Ruth was working at helped release her from the ICU position she was suppose to start that week and allow her to stay part time in order to be with Will. Four hours and a few nail bites later Will was out of surgery an on his way to the ICU again. He was groggy but talking and smiling. We were all just thankful to have him still alive. It was another day.
The surgery went as well as could be expected with all of the visible tumor being removed once again. The tumor had grown a little further to the front this time causing Will's arm and leg to be effected after removal. He is still undergoing physical and occupational therapy to try to regain use of he right side. He does so well getting around and continues to know the Lord has a plan. Knowing the surgery was not a cure this time either other options were being explored. Will again progressed rapidly from the ICU to the regular floor and then directly to rehab. Two weeks later he was back at home and Ruth and Will were bother just enjoying being together again.
Since the surgerie we have been enjoying time......

at Royal's and softball games....

At aviation shows........................At weddings........

AT KSTATE GAMES..........

In Colorado with the aspens or having fun at home......

and at chiefs games and bowling with family.....

Whatever it has been it has involved a lot of prayer, many tears, and much laughter. We continue to want to go on a honeymoon, buy a house, and have kids but are waiting for the Lords timing on each. We are only guaranted today and we continue to live under the grace provided for today. We are thankful for the prayers and encouragement of all around. The joy of the Lord IS our strength.

Marriage and Beyond

July 15th rolled around beautiful at 100 degrees and sunny. Friends and Family from all over made the sweet trip on 3 weeks notice to celebrate the joining of the two. It was a sweet time and made for the perfect beginning of their lives now as one. If any of you grew up in the 80's then you will know where the quote 'Mawage, Mawage is what bwings us togever today.." is from. Marriage is what brought so many sweet people together to bless Will and Ruth on a day where she really did feel like a princess bride! They do say that the wedding kiss rates as one of the best/ longest in history.
Mom, Dad, and Gail Schroeder had to return to the other side of the ocean and Ruth and Will settled into their duplex in Lenexa, Kansas. Being close to all the KC Renos provided a wonderful support group for Will and Ruth alike as they began their lives together.


Will continued with his radiation and chemo for the next five weeks as the couple learned how to live and love together. Ruth was orienting to a new position at the VA and Will undergoing therapy in attempts to get his arm back to baseline strength for hunting elk in September. Will was starting to drive again and mow the grass. Both were entertaining thoughts of a real honey moon and trying to buy a house.

Will felt tired but no other real health concerns arose while he was having treatment. He was even able to keep his thick black hair until after the wedding. From then on he started sporting the shiny look which Ruth has grown to prefer. He finished 33 radiation sessions and six weeks of oral chemo to complete the first phase. All was going well.

On August 16th Will was at home watching a football game when he experienced a small seizure. He was able to call his parents after it was over and they rushed him to the ER. A CT of his head was completed and we were told their was a large mass noted in the surgical cavity. Figuring there must be some mistake Will and Ruth headed home to get some sleep. An MRI was not scheduled until 3 days later and unfortunately revealed a tumor larger than the size of the first which was causing a significant amount of swelling. This may have been the cause of the seizure and consequently was the Lord’s way of telling us something was not right. After many tears a more than a bit of disbelief, it was back to the square one to figure out the next plan of action. True to their word Will was immediately taken off of the clinical trial at St. Lukes and other options were explored. We were presented with either the option to do surgery or an experimental chemo. What a terrific decision to face after all that had transpired in the past few weeks. Again after many prayers and tears Will and Ruth decided to go with the surgery. It seemed like the most aggressive option to provided them with some more time.