First off, I am very sorry that I have not updated this Blog as I probably should have. The past few months especially the past few weeks and days have left little time to stop and compose.
My father passed quietly in his sleep early Sunday morning (January 18, 2009). Paula and I were at the family home when my mom awoke us with the news just before 4:30am Sunday Morning. Actually, her sobbing broke the erry silence. Dad's passing into heaven is both 'bitter sweet'. I will miss not being able to talk with my dad. But, now he is in no more pain. He had a relationship with Jesus...
Early last Sunday morning, Dad actually saw Jesus face -to-face! Wow!!! And yes as belivers, my family and I will be reunited with him soon.
Thanks to everyone who took time to call or send cards. To visit. To attend services. To bring food. And especially to pray. Our family has felt your prayers of comfort and strength through our Lord.
_Verne and family
Here is the official obituary...from The Dispatch
Published: Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 9:00 a.m.
Luther Verne Hill (Midway, NC in Northern Davidson County)
Luther Verne "Luke" Hill, 63, of Gumtree Road, died early Sunday morning, Jan. 18, 2009, at his home.
The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Faith Missionary Alliance Church, where he was a member, by the Revs. Michael Gates and Albert Smith. Burial will follow in the church cemetery .
Mr. Hill was born Dec. 10, 1945, in Davidson County to Percy Lee Hill and Catherine Crotts Hill. He was employed by Hege Motors. His brother, Norman Hill, and his sister, Belle Lanier, preceded him in death.
He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Janie Nifong Hill of the home; his son, an employee of WBFJ radio, Verne Hill and his wife, Paula, of Midway; his granddaughters, Bailey Hill and Mariah Hill; his goddaughter, Danielle Byrd of Lexington; his brother, Fred Hill of Arcadia; his sisters, Margaret Ashby and her husband, Frank, of Arcadia, and Barbara Hege of Lexington; and his special in-laws, Bob and Linda Crisp.
The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 p.m. Tuesday at Faith Missionary Alliance Church .
Memorials may be made to:
Faith Missionary Alliance Church "Missions,"
1077 Gumtree Road
Winston-Salem, NC 27107
or
Hospice of Davidson County
P.O. Box 1941
Lexington, NC 27293.
Davidson Funeral Home, Hickory Tree Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences: www.davidsonfuneralhome.net
Friday, January 23, 2009
Monday, October 20, 2008
The Prayer of Faith
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.
Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. James 5:13-15 (NIV)
It was great to see my parents at church yesterday morning. What an inspiration! At the conclusion of the morning service, Pastor Gates called for the Deacons of the church to meet my parests and our family at the alter. Claiming healing through the name of Jesus Christ, my dad was annointed. I really felt the presence of the Holy Spirit during that special time. Lots of prayes and tears were offered up. Dad was tired after the service. Tired but filled with joy. Upon leaving the church hallway to the side door, I noticed mom and dad...hand-in-hand..as they go through this life journey together.
Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.
Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. James 5:13-15 (NIV)
It was great to see my parents at church yesterday morning. What an inspiration! At the conclusion of the morning service, Pastor Gates called for the Deacons of the church to meet my parests and our family at the alter. Claiming healing through the name of Jesus Christ, my dad was annointed. I really felt the presence of the Holy Spirit during that special time. Lots of prayes and tears were offered up. Dad was tired after the service. Tired but filled with joy. Upon leaving the church hallway to the side door, I noticed mom and dad...hand-in-hand..as they go through this life journey together.
A Good Week!
Let me take a minute to exhale. Whew.
What a roller coaster ride of emotions over the past few weeks. Since the doctors started talking the 'C' word (which I really hate with a passion), the Hill family has been closer than ever. That' s one of the best things that has come out of dad's diagnosis with stage 4 kidney cancer. The closeness. The outpouring of emotions.
The part that stinks: the reality of being human and mortal. Nothing against being human...but the reality is that once you are born, there will be an end. What we do in the middle is all that matters.
Last week was a great week for dad. He stated that Tuesday and Wednesday were some of his best days in a long while. Radiation treatments ended. Then, came the experimental chemo pill (Sutent). He started taking that on Thursday (October 16).
There have been so many people praying for my dad. My family. We are surely feeling and experiencing the prayers. God is still good. He is being glorified through all of this...but it still hurts.
What a roller coaster ride of emotions over the past few weeks. Since the doctors started talking the 'C' word (which I really hate with a passion), the Hill family has been closer than ever. That' s one of the best things that has come out of dad's diagnosis with stage 4 kidney cancer. The closeness. The outpouring of emotions.
The part that stinks: the reality of being human and mortal. Nothing against being human...but the reality is that once you are born, there will be an end. What we do in the middle is all that matters.
Last week was a great week for dad. He stated that Tuesday and Wednesday were some of his best days in a long while. Radiation treatments ended. Then, came the experimental chemo pill (Sutent). He started taking that on Thursday (October 16).
There have been so many people praying for my dad. My family. We are surely feeling and experiencing the prayers. God is still good. He is being glorified through all of this...but it still hurts.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Great news this morning!
Dad has gotten the 'green light' to go home! Mom and dad both are extremely happy. So, as soon as I stop writing...I am heading to the hospital. I am their transportation back home!
-Verne
-Verne
Wonderful Weekend...
Dad's whole attitude brightened up over the weekend.
Getting tubes disconnected and dissing the hospital gown for jeans and a T-shirt were a step toward going home soon. Even the nurses on duty praised his ability to get up and walk around his hall, then expand out into other areas of the hospital. They said that dad didn't even look like a hospital patient! It was very good to see him walking (slowly) around.
We celebrated mom's birthday on Sunday afternoon down in the interior courtyard at the hospital. Sharing cake and laughter was good medicine.
Please pray for wisdom for the doctors. Continued strength and improved ability to get around for dad. He is extremely tired. Pray that his voice will improve. Talking above a whisper is still a chore. Praise: Dad's breathing is better than a week ago, but not great.
"Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Getting tubes disconnected and dissing the hospital gown for jeans and a T-shirt were a step toward going home soon. Even the nurses on duty praised his ability to get up and walk around his hall, then expand out into other areas of the hospital. They said that dad didn't even look like a hospital patient! It was very good to see him walking (slowly) around.
We celebrated mom's birthday on Sunday afternoon down in the interior courtyard at the hospital. Sharing cake and laughter was good medicine.
Please pray for wisdom for the doctors. Continued strength and improved ability to get around for dad. He is extremely tired. Pray that his voice will improve. Talking above a whisper is still a chore. Praise: Dad's breathing is better than a week ago, but not great.
"Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Friday, October 10, 2008
Thursday's Oncologist visit was hard to grasp...
Dr Grote (Oncologist) stopped by dad's room for a scheduled visit Thursday morning.
Here are the specifics:
Dad has Stage 4 (advanced) Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) Kidney Cancer. It is manageable...but not curable. The cancer started at his kidney. And it is spreading. There is a cancer mass in the center of his upper chest (kinda between his lungs) which is causing his 'wind pipe' to close. Not good. That has caused congestion in one or both lungs. Dad goes into spells of coughing. or trying to cough...that sends him into a 'panic attack'. He just feels 'stressed' like he did when he was taken to the Emergency Room a week ago Thursday.
He is weak. He had dropped down to 98 lbs upon entering the hospital. (He has never weighed over 130 lbs in his life). The cancer has somehow 'paralyzed' one of his vocal cords...making it difficult to speak above a high pitched whisper.
Dr Grote is positively pushing 'quality' of life vs 'quantity' of life for dad. We asked how long would dad have to enjoy his 'quality' of life. An estimated survival rate for this type of cancer is around a year.
Dad has started concentrated radiation for the cancerous mass that is in his chest. He will have 12 to 14 treatments of radiation. ( Monday - Friday. Off for good behavior on the weekends :) )
The doctor is really pushing an experimental chemo drug in pill form called 'Sutent'.
This should help with his quality of life. We are still concerned about Sutent's side effects.
The official 'Sutent' website for RCC patients:
www.sutent.com/content/rcc_home.jsp?setShowOn=../content/rcc_home.jsp&setShowHighlightOn=../content/rcc_home.jsp
The news was hard for all of us. Dad understands that God is still in control. We all try to find humor where and when we can. It helps. I mentioned to dad that we all are 'terminal'. We all will die. But, when you get the news that all you have is maybe a year to live. Would I do anything differently? Maybe it would be a Blessing?
To live each day to its fullest. Treat people differently (especially the ones I love). Strip the stress and worldly pressure that we put on ourselves and enjoy life. I don't know exactly how I feel after Thursday's meeting with Dr Grote. Sad, mad, angry, numb, quiet.
But, I have gotten to share this experience with one special man. His name is Luke. I call him 'Dad'. My girls call him 'Grandpa'. My special helpmate, Paula, has truly kept me going and spent many hours serving my family during this trying time. I Love You. Please pray for my mom, Janie, who has literally spent almost every hour at my dad's side at the hospital.
Still, we all are going to celebrate life with dad. Only God knows the exact expiration date. For all of us! That's OK. I am growing closer to Jesus daily, sometimes hourly.
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
he is mine forever. Psalm 73:26
Here are the specifics:
Dad has Stage 4 (advanced) Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) Kidney Cancer. It is manageable...but not curable. The cancer started at his kidney. And it is spreading. There is a cancer mass in the center of his upper chest (kinda between his lungs) which is causing his 'wind pipe' to close. Not good. That has caused congestion in one or both lungs. Dad goes into spells of coughing. or trying to cough...that sends him into a 'panic attack'. He just feels 'stressed' like he did when he was taken to the Emergency Room a week ago Thursday.
He is weak. He had dropped down to 98 lbs upon entering the hospital. (He has never weighed over 130 lbs in his life). The cancer has somehow 'paralyzed' one of his vocal cords...making it difficult to speak above a high pitched whisper.
Dr Grote is positively pushing 'quality' of life vs 'quantity' of life for dad. We asked how long would dad have to enjoy his 'quality' of life. An estimated survival rate for this type of cancer is around a year.
Dad has started concentrated radiation for the cancerous mass that is in his chest. He will have 12 to 14 treatments of radiation. ( Monday - Friday. Off for good behavior on the weekends :) )
The doctor is really pushing an experimental chemo drug in pill form called 'Sutent'.
This should help with his quality of life. We are still concerned about Sutent's side effects.
The official 'Sutent' website for RCC patients:
www.sutent.com/content/rcc_home.jsp?setShowOn=../content/rcc_home.jsp&setShowHighlightOn=../content/rcc_home.jsp
The news was hard for all of us. Dad understands that God is still in control. We all try to find humor where and when we can. It helps. I mentioned to dad that we all are 'terminal'. We all will die. But, when you get the news that all you have is maybe a year to live. Would I do anything differently? Maybe it would be a Blessing?
To live each day to its fullest. Treat people differently (especially the ones I love). Strip the stress and worldly pressure that we put on ourselves and enjoy life. I don't know exactly how I feel after Thursday's meeting with Dr Grote. Sad, mad, angry, numb, quiet.
But, I have gotten to share this experience with one special man. His name is Luke. I call him 'Dad'. My girls call him 'Grandpa'. My special helpmate, Paula, has truly kept me going and spent many hours serving my family during this trying time. I Love You. Please pray for my mom, Janie, who has literally spent almost every hour at my dad's side at the hospital.
Still, we all are going to celebrate life with dad. Only God knows the exact expiration date. For all of us! That's OK. I am growing closer to Jesus daily, sometimes hourly.
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
he is mine forever. Psalm 73:26
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Dad does have the 'C' word...
Here is the deal:
The Hill family has been through a lot during the past few weeks.
Two weeks ago: Dad has Renal Cell kidney cancer. That was confirmed after a biopsy.
Thursday morning (October 02): My dad was rushed to Forsyth Hospital because he could not get his breath. At that point, he was being treated for bronchitis.
Monday (October 6): After a 'scope' test, doctors found out that dad had a partially blocked bronchial tube. Also, his left vocal cord is paralyzed. That is why he has had almost no 'voice' for a couple of weeks.
Wednesday afternoon (October 8): Luke had a stint put in to 'open up' the tube to his lung.
That should help with his breathing. At last check, he was smiling and hungry! A good sign.
Thursday, October 09: Meeting with Dr Grote (Oncologist)
Please Pray for us. Pray for wisdom. Pray for my mom (Janie). Pray for the doctors.
Praise: Thanks for all of our new friends in Christ. The nurses and staff on the 8th floor at Forsyth have been wonderful!
Cards have been a great 'pick-me-up' for dad. He (and we) have been Blessed with your thoughts and humor! Humor is good...
BTW: Please limit your visits until further notice. Dad is very weak right now...and he needs all the rest he can get. Thanks for understanding.
The Hill family has been through a lot during the past few weeks.
Two weeks ago: Dad has Renal Cell kidney cancer. That was confirmed after a biopsy.
Thursday morning (October 02): My dad was rushed to Forsyth Hospital because he could not get his breath. At that point, he was being treated for bronchitis.
Monday (October 6): After a 'scope' test, doctors found out that dad had a partially blocked bronchial tube. Also, his left vocal cord is paralyzed. That is why he has had almost no 'voice' for a couple of weeks.
Wednesday afternoon (October 8): Luke had a stint put in to 'open up' the tube to his lung.
That should help with his breathing. At last check, he was smiling and hungry! A good sign.
Thursday, October 09: Meeting with Dr Grote (Oncologist)
Please Pray for us. Pray for wisdom. Pray for my mom (Janie). Pray for the doctors.
Praise: Thanks for all of our new friends in Christ. The nurses and staff on the 8th floor at Forsyth have been wonderful!
Cards have been a great 'pick-me-up' for dad. He (and we) have been Blessed with your thoughts and humor! Humor is good...
BTW: Please limit your visits until further notice. Dad is very weak right now...and he needs all the rest he can get. Thanks for understanding.
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