A Note to Family and Friends...

First we want to express our gratitude and appreciation for all of the love, care, prayers, meals, encouragement that have been showered on us during this challenging time. We want to use this Blog to keep you all informed about Val's diagnosis and treatment progress as they unfold. We also want to inform you of specific prayer requests and needs for the family. At this point this is what we know:

- Val has been diagnosed with malignant liver cancer

- Her diagnosis is not complete. She requires several tests and procedures to determine the scope of her cancer. Doctors are not sure if the cancer is confined to her liver or might have originated somewhere in the gastrointestinal area.

- Today Val spent time with an oncologist in Escondido who suspects that the cancer is only in the liver. Wednesday and Thursday this week Chris, Val and Aunt Charlene will travel both to the UCLA Dumot Liver Cancer Center and to Cedar Sinai Medical center to meet with top specialists in the field of liver cancer in the country (what a blessing!) to get a complete and accurate diagnosis and best treatment possible in the quickest time possible.

We will continue to keep current updates of Val's progress and covet your prayers. Here are specific PRAYER REQUESTS as of today:

1. Val will be able to switch from her HMO healthcare plan to a PPO network and workout all of the insurance hurdles.

2. Val can get an exact and correct diagnosis and the doctors will know the absolute best and most accurate course of treatment in a quick amount of time.

3. Strength for Val's mom Nancy who will be caring for the three boys. Also prayer for Ryan, Gavin, and Tyler specifically.

4. Strength for Val physically and spiritually as she endures these many tests and procedures.

5. Complete healing of the cancer in Valerie's body