Week 1038-1052 - Who Cares? - 07-18-2026

Who Cares?

It has been a different kind of summer. First, we went 1,014 miles straight from Palm Creek to Emily/Chads for Grandparents day in Durham CA. And stayed for our Mattson Reunion.

Then, with high diesel prices, we canceled all travel to the Northwest. Prices were higher in 2023, but since our travels this year were to people we see in Arizona, we decided to sit the summer out. In June, we headed to Melissa/Mario's 95 acre mountain (MM95) just north of Paso Robles. Except for Emily/Chad and grandkids, the rest of our family is in the Paso Robles area. So an extended visit would give us time to see them all.

As usual at Melissa's, we began construction projects: Fix a leaky hot tub, fix the huge water fountain, get the quad running, clean the towable trailer, repair the greenhouse door and wall, build a pergola over the outdoor bath tub.

In July, Emily and family came to Melissa's, minus Chad and Micah who went to Canada for a teen summer camp.

Projects continued: Remove rotten house siding by the elevated back deck.

Then things changed. (This is a long story, but it does have a point.) Pete had extensive blood in his urine. Off to the emergency room to spend the day. Tests showed a mass in his left kidney, perhaps cancer. The blood cleared up in a day, but it was recommended to have a cystoscopy, a camera inserted to look at the bladder and kidney. The next night Pete and Ellen got to see 90 year old Willie Nelson live in concert; thank you Mario/Melissa for the near front row seats. Willie and his family were amazing, putting on a great show.

Melissa/Mario

learning the ER results immediately began their prayers. Ellen called Emily/Chad

, they offered their prayers and put us on their church's prayer list (Oroville CA). The grandkids, Micah, Zeb, Coralyn, Hannie and Davie called and Coralyn created and mailed a get well card

.
The next day after the concert, Pete called his sister Donnalee

to let her know about his kidney. Donnalee and our good friend Don

started prayers and asked their church in Green Valley AZ to pray.
Pete let his brother Mike know (Montana)

. He prayed and added Pete to his church's pray chain.
All of Ellen's siblings call frequently: Janice, Carla, Art

and Larry

.

Close friends Steve and Susan

were in constant contact and praying.

Pete's blood cleared up and projects continued: Install new siding on the back deck, put in a 6 foot sliding glass door into the wall and build a 12 x 20 foot patio cover over the deck.

We had a meal with our church friends from 1982 in Atascadero: Janet/Brad

, Tim/Nitzi, Don/Sandy, Tony/Lisa, John/Janice

and they all began to pray.

Pete had breakfast with Jon

and Wally

, they listened and they started praying.

Pete called Henry

, Dennis/Lynda

and their prayers were pouring out.
Our good friend Leslie

called to offer her prayers.

Sonya, Kalonie, Gavin, Eli, Riley, Ricky, Jen, Adam and Austin brought us lunch at MM95.

They learned of Pete's issue and prayers kept flowing.
Our son John

calls frequently and when he learned about Pete, he started praying and calling daily.

Christians care for one another. Soon our close friends from 44 years ago heard, called and prayed. Jim/Tracy, Henry/Lorna, John, Peter/Harriet and Jean

.

Not seeing any more problems (was Pete cured?), we headed toward Show Low AZ where Donnalee was staying. We had not seen her for months and she wanted us to stay a week at her resort; sounded great. After that we would return home to Palm Creek Resort in Casa Grande for the cystoscopy.

If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans. On the 2nd day of our 7 day trip to Donnalee's, blood, at lot, began flowing again. We redirected straight to Casa Grande. On the day we arrived (Sep 1) we called Pete's urologist Dr. Patel. He sent us right to the ER (1 mile away). A CT Scan showed the mass in the left kidney and Dr. Patel performed the cystoscopy the next day. It was cancer and it required a 4-day stay before they would release Pete go home and wait for a surgery time. The surgery was to be on Sep 16th, but Pete returned to the ER on the 11th, not knowing if he would make it to the 16th. After a few tests, they were back in the MotherShip the next day.

Pete was admitted on the 16th and his abdomen was opened up and the whole left kidney was removed. The surgery went perfect, but ... recovery from a nephrectomy (kidney removal) can take months. To get out of the hospital your must prove your bowels are working. The best recovery is to walk. The hallway loop in this hospital section was 400 feet long. Pete walked 5 loops, 2,000 feet the day after surgery. It was slow but doable.

The next day 4 loops was harder and each day after even harder, 3 loops, 2 loops, 1 loop. On day eight, Ellen walked with Pete and he only made it 70 feet before collapsing. He grabbed the hallway hand rail, Ellen grabbed Pete and a half dozen nurses came running. The pain was maximum and Pete thought this might be his last day. They got a wheel chair and he was put back in bed with tremendous pain.

Obviously walking was not working. In two hours, another CT Scan showed his intestines were kinked, not allowing any passage. Arthroscopic surgery was immediately performed and the robots untwisted Pete's intestines. Out of surgery, awake, with no pain and his system was moving. Hallelujah!

It still took 4 more days to prove that Pete could function outside the hospital.

One measurement of kidney proficiency is eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) is a blood-test estimate of how well your kidneys filter waste from your blood. With a single kidney 45% is a reasonable number. Pete was tested daily in the hospital: 46%, 36%, 31% and 30%. Not the numbers you want but the doctors said it has leveled out and it should head back up.

While in the hospital Pete called Jim and LaRae

in Alabama, as he checks on them periodically. They responded with best wishes and prayers. Pete reached out to Dennis and Jean in Washington

and prayers came from the Northwest. Pete also connected with nephew Eric and Lena

in Colorado, again prayers began. Bill and Brandon

from Chico CA have been friends for decades, so of course they sent their prayers.

After 18 days, Pete was released on his 78th birthday. Cousin Bobby and Barb called to wish him Happy Birthday and learned about the surgery

. They and their church are praying.

Friends from Palm Creek Resort are praying: Rosemary (Wickenburg), Peggy, Patty (in Oregon), Kathy (Michigan), Dusty, Sandy, Boyd, Karen, Jeff (Colorado), Michael/Kathy (California), Steve from Fiji on his sailboat.

The first two weeks at home were not kind for Pete. Sleep was awful, waking up every hour. Progress was so small, that when Pete felt different he wasn't sure if he felt better or worse.

Prayers and calls keep coming in.

Good news is the the latest eGFR number is 37%. That means the kidney was functioning better. Also, after two weeks, while sleep is still terrible, daily energy is up. Pete was napping several times a day and in the last couple of days, he has rested but not needing a nap.

So it looks as if this long recovery is picking up the pace. It is expected to be months before Pete can do anything more than walking. No lifting, no exercise, no swimming, no hot tub and obviously no pickleball. Pete has lost 20 pounds, as is normal after kidney removal. The weight will slowly come back. We are so thankful for the hundreds that are praying for us.

We all want our prayers to have a miraculous ending, such as, there was no left kidney cancer. But there was. Then we pray that the cancer is gone and not spread. This is likely and we will know more soon.

There was a miracle. Hanging on the handrail, sweating profusely and riving in pain: Pete was never anxious or fearful, but totally at peace. He has had this peace since the first notice of kidney failure. "A peace that passes all understanding." He was concerned about leaving Ellen alone after 53 years, but still at peace. Thank you Jesus.

So "Who Cares?" More people than you can imagine. People you've known for 40 years and see occasionally. Family that are doing there own thing, but stop to call and pray. People in churches, people you've never met, praying when requested by your family and friends.

So never assume that no one cares, they do.

A huge thank you to all those we know or those we have never met. When people ask you to pray, please do, it makes a difference. God is good!

Philippians 4:6-7: "6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

With love, Pete and Ellen

Photos from 2006-2026