The Path Just Ahead

Hello, dear friends!

Thank you for loving us!

DJ and Alexandra have returned to Paso Robles from their amazing, over-the-top, surreal adventures in New York City.  What a trip!  Oh, my goodness gracious!  I am astounded and so grateful for the generosity and the kindness of everyone who contributes to us in one way or another - and this means YOU!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  It brings to mind a quote I heard years ago when I attended church at Agoura Bible Fellowship: "We are never more like God than when we are giving."  I agree one-hundred per cent!  "For God so loved the world that He GAVE...".  Thank you for giving to the Bigelow family!  Thank you for giving us your love and affection, your financial contributions, your prayers, your friendship, your words of encouragement, your positive thoughts and good intentions.  Thank you!


We are happy to have shared some time with the Benyo family this week, in celebration of Joe Benyo's birthday!  How many years do you guess that he has been upon this earth?  (Hint: the same number of years as the last two digits of his birth year. :-)

And now I will present to you an update on the decisions being made towards DJ's health and well-being:

At the recommendation of our local oncologist Dr. Spillane, DJ visited 2 weeks ago with Dr. Lee Rosen of the UCLA to discuss clinical trials and other out-of-the-box (so to speak), anti-cancer treatments.  I remained at home to care for the household and to attend my job (which I love very much!).  DJ told me that he liked Dr. Rosen's manner, and that the doc presented several different options to DJ, as follows: 

Option #1 - since the tumors did not grow between August 28 and October 15, DJ could just carry on and wait for awhile.  Part of this waiting includes the hopes of FDA-approval and market availability of the up-and-coming drug Tai Ho.  Option #2 - if DJ is feeling particularly urgent to do SOMETHING, Dr. Rosen has several different clinical trials in which DJ could take part; including a Phase 2 immunotherapy vaccine, specific (I believe) to metastatic colorectal cancer.  Option #3 - if DJ is feeling particularly urgent to do SOMETHING but doesn't want to travel often to Los Angeles to take part in a trial, he could take a chemotherapy drug here at home.  

DJ and I checked back in last week with Dr. Spillane and communicated to him what Dr. Rosen had recommended.  DJ and Dr. Spillane discussed an oral chemotherapy drug specific to metastatic colorectal cancer named Stivarga that DJ could consider.  Dr. Ko at the UCSF told us earlier this year that Stivarga is very harsh on the body with no proof of shrinking tumors, but Dr. Spillane suggested that it could be given at a lower dosage with the hopes of keeping the cancer contained.  As my L.C.S.W. says, we are living with cancer (wink-wink, Tina Smith! :-)

So DJ decided to sit on that information for a few days before making a decision.  I continue to pray that the LORD will guide us to what is best.

In other news, I would like to share the abbreviated version of the story of David and Lori Lee, and ask for you to pray for their family.  David Lee's adventure with cancer began a year before DJ's.  He was diagnosed in 2009 with stage 3 colon cancer (the same as DJ), which metastasized to his liver (unlike DJ - whose cancer has left his liver alone) and to his lungs (as has DJ's). David Lee has undergone surgery and chemotherapy, he is also a patient of our local oncologist Dr. Thomas Spillane, and he has recently taken part in a clinical trial with UCLA Dr. Lee Rosen.  David Lee has a wife who loves him (as does DJ) and two children (one of whom is named Alex - like DJ!)  In some ways, David Lee's and DJ's stories dovetail, in other ways they are different.  But I humbly ask if you will please pray for the Lee family as they are living with cancer - for grace and mercy, for faith and hope, for an intense sense of the Presence of the Living God and of His Unfailing Love, and whatever else you might think to pray.  Thank you very much.  I know that it is a sacrifice of time and energy to pray, and I am grateful for what you give to us in this way.

I shall close with the transcription of yesterday's Jesus Calling, because it is so perfect and beautiful!  

"As you look at the day before you, you see a twisted, complicated path, with branches going off in all directions.  You wonder how you can possibly find your way through that maze.  Then you remember the One who is with you always, holding you by your right hand (Psalm 73:23).  You recall My promise to guide you with My counsel (Psalm 73:24), and you begin to relax.  As you look again at the path ahead, you notice that a peaceful fog has settled over it, obscuring your view.  You can see only a few steps in front of you, so you turn your attention more fully to Me and begin to enjoy My Presence.

The fog is a protection for you, calling you back into the present moment.  Although I inhabit all of space and time, you can communicate with Me only here and now.  Someday the fog will no longer be necessary, for you will have learned to keep your focus on Me and on the path just ahead of you."

 One day at a time.  One moment at a time.  The LORD will never leave us or forsake us.  The moments are precious.  I am grateful and cheerful and peaceful and hopeful!

And here are some random photos, since "A picture's worth a thousand words".

Brooke Bigelow represents for the Seattle Seahawks, 

here in 49'er territory (above).

My niece Haven Rae is four months of age (below).

A selfie of Yours Truly with the Murphy family.

The end, for now.  Xoxoxoxo

New York City, Day #5

Sunday, November 9 was DJ and Alexandra's last day in New York.  They watched an off-Broadway performance of "Stomp", a show that has interested DJ since its debut 20 years ago.  When I spoke with DJ that day and asked how he liked it, he told me that it was the best show he'd seen of the 5 - "Because there was no talking and no singing". :-)  (Musical theater isn't exactly DJ's first love).

The performer to Alex's left looks sweaty!  He must have stomped a lot!

Alex says that the set was very interesting.

 

I notice a Seattle Seahawks shirt underneath DJ's outerwear.  

Representing in New York!  On the day that Seattle beat the Giants, even!  :-)

Finally I have a name and a face to go with the Nice Police Officer who showed Alex and DJ such a good time!  Mr. John Flynn, thank you so very much for your kindness to us!  Here he is, to the left of DJ in the photograph.

And here is one last photo of the city that Alexandra took before they came home.  She and DJ left their hotel by 4:00 am Eastern Standard Time Monday morning to catch a return flight to Los Angeles.

En route from LA to Paso Robles, DJ and Alex paid a visit to our precious friend Anacleto Michael Rapping.  We attended church with the Rapping family from 1997-2003, and we love them.  Anacleto was diagnosed with colon cancer earlier this year, and he took a surgery (as DJ did in 2010) and now is taking FOLFOX chemotherapy (as DJ did in 2010).  I pray for grace and healing and hope and joy and that God's Presence will be increasingly known and experienced by the Rapping family.

 

Wowsers!  The trip of a lifetime is what DJ and Alexandra experienced!  Thank you so very much for your love for us!

Now, it's back to reality.  :-)    "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet My Unfailing Love for you will not be shaken, nor My covenant of peace be removed, says the LORD, who has compassion on you" (Isaiah 54:10).

 

NYC, Day #4

Yesterday was more of the same for Alexandra and DJ Bigelow - more fun times, and another Broadway show.

In the morning, the Nice Police Officer (whose photo I have yet to receive and whose name I do not know) took Alex and DJ to the NYPD Police Academy family day. ("ATTENTION - No deliveries beyond this point without supervision".)

Kellie Reynolds and Amanda Burgh, PRHS grads and current students at Stony Brook University in New York, met up with DJ and Alex; and the four of them were treated to a NYPD boat ride. 

Who let Kellie drive?!!??  :-)  

The Brooklyn Bridge and a city-scape.

Amanda, Alexandra, DJ, and Kellie very near to the Statue of Liberty.

I love, love, LOVE this photo of DJ and Alexandra!  

Thank you, Amanda and Kellie!

DJ is so attractive!  Riding on the subway.

And then one more Broadway show - "The Lion King" at the Minskoff Theatre.

What an exciting adventure they are having together!  

Thank you so very much for loving us!

New York, Day #3

Well, the party keeps on rolling...

Yesterday (Friday, November 7), the Nice Police Officer took Alex and DJ to a taping of the show "Blue Bloods".  Does anyone watch this show?  I have never done so, but I will try to catch an episode now, for context.

 I guess that part of "Blue Bloods" takes place in an office setting?

I don't think that DJ is allowed to touch the props. No touch, Bigelow!

It seems that an actor named Donnie Wahlberg plays a part on the show.

And Mr. Wahlberg's wife, Jenny McCarthy, was hanging around the set, as well.

Next up - a stroll through Central Park.
 

And the show that Alex was especially desirous to see, "Once" (at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, according to the playbill).

After the show, Alex and DJ "stagedoored" it - Alex told me it was cold waiting outside in hopes to see the actors, but their patience paid off!  Here she is pictured with the main character "Guy", and others.
 

Alex and DJ telephone me every night when they return to their hotel after the Broadway-show-of-the-night, usually at 9:00 pm Pacific Standard Time (which is midnight on the East Coast - yikes).  It's fun to hear their tired but happy voices telling me about the day.  What a trip!  What unforgettable, amazing memories they are making!  Wowsers!

The Big Apple, Day # 2

 
I do not know who made the contact, nor do I know the name of the contact - but a very nice police officer in New York City is showing DJ and Alexandra a grand time!

 
Yesterday (Thursday, November 6), the Nice Police Officer took them to lunch, then to the 9/11 Memorial Museum.

 
Then the Nice Police Officer took DJ and Alex to meet his friend David Blaine.  Have you heard of this magician?  I suggest that you look him up on the internet.  David Blaine practiced one of his new tricks on Alex.  It has something to do with a deck of cards.  

I didn't hear about this, but it seems from the photos Alex is posting to FaceBook that she and DJ also visited the Hard Rock Cafe.

Someone somewhere found out that Alexandra is a fan of Idina Menzell, and the Nice Police Officer obtained tenth-row tickets for DJ and Alex at the Richard Rogers' Theatre for a showing of "If/Then".  Alex and DJ told me that the set was "Crazy" and "Simple but intricate".

 

The Richard Rogers Theatre looks pretty!

 

Wow.  Wow, wow, wow.  Wow.

I am happy to see that DJ is eschewing the cookies and making healthy, anti-cancer dietary choices.  "An apple a day keeps the doctor away."  

The end, for now.  Thank you for loving us!  :-)

More Photos of New York City, Day #1

A scrapbook of Alexandra's adventures (yesterday) seeing a production of "Wicked" -

I'm not sure who George M. Cohan is, but someone reading this probably knows.  Please advise me.  Here is Alexandra standing in front of his statue. 

I know nothing about the various theaters on Broadway, but according to the playbill, it seems that Alex and DJ saw "Wicked" at the Gershwin Theatre.  
 

Elfaba, Alexandra, What's-Her-Name, and DJ.  

(I think that DJ is particularly handsome! )

Here is Alexandra No-Middle-Name Bigelow standing upon the stage (above).  

And this seems to be the view from onstage, looking out at the audience (below). 

I guess that the photo below is of the dressing room backstage of "Wicked" - very significant and delightful to Alex! :-)

Wow.  What an experience!  Alex is a lucky duck!

New York City, Day #1

Dear Reader,

Well!  It was the summer of 2013 that DJ and his daughter Alexandra Bigelow made a casual bet - that if the Seattle Seahawks would win the next Super Bowl and if Alexandra would be become a fan, DJ would take Alex to New York City and to a Broadway show.  

And, lo and behold, the Seattle Seahawks DID win the Super Bowl!

And then in the summer of 2014, DJ's body became host again to cancerous tumors; and with questions of the future in her mind, his loving wife said, "You MUST take your daughter to New York and enjoy precious moments with her, sooner rather than later."

And along came the Paso Robles Police Department, who were filled with desire to make this dream a reality.  And they began a "GoFundMe" account for DJ and Alexandra, and many hundreds of persons donated graciously and generously and kindly and I daresay sacrificially (for which we are humbled and grateful - thank you very much for your kindness to us).

And this morning at 6:00 am, DJ and Alexandra flew in an aeroplane from Los Angeles International Airport to New York City.  And this evening they watched a performance of "Wicked".  And it seems that the Paso Robles Police Officers' Association contacted the New York City Police Officers' Association, and a contact was made somehow with the theater manager, and Alexandra and DJ were given a back-stage tour after the show.  Wow!  :-)  

Oh.  My.  Goodness.  Gracious.  We are blessed beyond measure.

Happy November!!

Good evening, friends and family,

Thank you for loving us!

I am here to report that DJ has an appointment tomorrow morning at 8:30 am in Santa Monica with Dr. Lee Rosen of the UCLA to discuss what clinical trials there may be for him.  I am praying for clarity and that God will direct Dr. Rosen toward what is best for DJ.

In other news:  I love it when DJ plays his guitar and sings songs to Jesus, as he did today at the Vintage Community Church.  He played a song that is new to me, which I think is beautiful and significant, in that DJ is a one-lunger:

"It's Your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise, 

we pour out our praise to You only."

If you will please pardon the graininess and inferior quality of these photos, I took them when DJ was un-posed and unaware.  I am super grateful for this time of relative vibrancy and health, in spite of the fact that there are tumors in DJ's body.  He continues to experience minimal pain, but he never complains and he doesn't give way to self-pity and he keeps moving forward.  I just love him!  And I respect him and admire him.  He is my favorite husband! ;-)

Notice the green drink in hand

I wonder what deep and meaningful conversation is occurring here.

Here are a few snapshots of Caedmon and Alexandra carving pumpkins with friends.

And I am not sure how well you are able to view this movie clip, in which Brooke Bigelow had a brief moment on the local news.  Is it working for you?

Thank you for your prayers, for your kindness to us, for your expressions of love and grace.  We are rich!  We are blessed beyond measure and without merit by what you give to us!  Thank you!

"Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever."