Brian Stiver
Ben Franklin once said, "actions speak louder than words." Let me give you an example of the two extremes.
This week, there was a big flap with our new House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi. It turns out that previous speakers were allowed the use of a 10-seat C32 Air Force transport jet for domestic travel. Sadly, this aircraft must re-fuel in Oklahoma City to deliver our dear Nancy to her home state of California. To stop in such a dangerous city is too much of a security risk. She is insisting on an Air Force version of the Boeing 757 to get our girl to San Francisco non-stop. The poor dear!
On the other end of the scale is Brian Stiver. Never heard of him, eh? Let me tell you the story.
Brian was Val's boss when she worked for Option Care. Shortly after her diagnosis, Val's Oncologist at Cedars Sinai prescribed Avastin. Since it was off-label, insurance was initially denied. When the first infusion was ordered in December of '05, the hospital informed us that we would have to pay $12K in advance just for the first treatment. Brian showed up and provided the therapy to us at cost.
Ever since then, as we make our bi-weekly trek from San Diego to L.A., Brian just shows up "out of the blue" with gifts for Val during her treatments. I have no clue how he knows where and when she will be at USC or Cedars Sinai. But when I least expect it, someone will tap me on the shoulder and there is Brian's smiling face.
Actions speak louder than words.
This week, there was a big flap with our new House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi. It turns out that previous speakers were allowed the use of a 10-seat C32 Air Force transport jet for domestic travel. Sadly, this aircraft must re-fuel in Oklahoma City to deliver our dear Nancy to her home state of California. To stop in such a dangerous city is too much of a security risk. She is insisting on an Air Force version of the Boeing 757 to get our girl to San Francisco non-stop. The poor dear!
On the other end of the scale is Brian Stiver. Never heard of him, eh? Let me tell you the story.
Brian was Val's boss when she worked for Option Care. Shortly after her diagnosis, Val's Oncologist at Cedars Sinai prescribed Avastin. Since it was off-label, insurance was initially denied. When the first infusion was ordered in December of '05, the hospital informed us that we would have to pay $12K in advance just for the first treatment. Brian showed up and provided the therapy to us at cost.
Ever since then, as we make our bi-weekly trek from San Diego to L.A., Brian just shows up "out of the blue" with gifts for Val during her treatments. I have no clue how he knows where and when she will be at USC or Cedars Sinai. But when I least expect it, someone will tap me on the shoulder and there is Brian's smiling face.
Actions speak louder than words.
posted by McCrea Family at 11:02 AM
7 Comments:
Proof that angels come in all forms. Thank goodness for people like Brian in this world.
Hope you find yourself resting comfortably Val.
Love, Jen G & family
Dear Valerie and Chris,
Today I felt a tug on my heart about Valerie and decided to perform an Internet search to try and discover if she was all right. I came across your Blog, and I am so sorry to hear of your recent trials.
My family and I live in Pittsburgh, PA. I happen to know several of the physicians at the UPMC Cancer Center. I noticed in your Blog that someone mentioned Dr. Geller at the Univ. of Penn in reference to Physicians with experience using SIR-Spheres. I am assuming the person was actually referring to Dr. David Geller at the University of Pittsburgh, who is the Co-Director of the newly created UPMC Liver Cancer Center. Although approved for use by the FDA in 2002, not many people have used this advanced treatment, as I am sure you know. However, it is my understanding that nearly 20 patients have been treated at UPMC, some with a high degree of success. If you have any questions that cannot be directly answered on your end or you desire a second opinion on any procedure please do not hesitate to contact me, I am glad to act as your liaison and speak directly to Dr. Gellar and his colleagues.
My family and I will pray thanks to God for the CURE that he is going to bestow on Valerie,
Ken Fish
fishkn@upmc.edu
Val,
Brian is a good friend. It must be very comforting that he is always there when you receive your chemo at USC. Although I have never met him I have heard wonderful things about him. He has shown his compassion and friendship to you unsolicited. He has a kind heart and a large capacity for caring.
Hopefully our paths will cross one day.
Good friends are there when you need them most.
Enjoy your weekend Val,
Love,
Marianne
God bless you Val. You are in our thoughts and prayers. Brian sounds like an angel. How blessed you are to have friends like that in your life. As far as the Nancy Pelosi story...I think the media got that one wrong. Even Tony Snow, the President's Spokesperson said the critisism was false and unfair (see below)
Pelosi flies disputed military jet home
Chronicle Washington Bureau
Saturday, February 10, 2007
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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the subject of Republican criticism for her mode of air travel, flew home nonstop Thursday night aboard a 12-seat military aircraft set aside for use by lawmakers.
Republican House members, aided by friendly radio and television talk show hosts, created a political tempest this week, claiming Pelosi was pressuring the Pentagon for the use of an "Air Force Three" and a "flying Lincoln Bedroom." Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, however, the administration has required the speaker -- then Republican Dennis Hastert of Illinois -- to travel home and on official business using military planes for security reasons.
House Sergeant at Arms Bill Livingood said he had asked the Pentagon to provide a plane large enough to fly Pelosi nonstop to San Francisco, citing the security concerns.
Even the White House defended the Democratic speaker. The president's spokesman, Tony Snow, on Thursday called the criticism "unfair" and the flap "a silly story."
Pelosi flew nonstop from the nation's capital to San Francisco to attend the funeral services of the late Lt. Gov. Leo McCarthy aboard a C-37A, the military's version of a Gulfstream V that can travel 6,300 miles. It is one of the planes used regularly by Hastert, Pelosi's office and the Pentagon said.
Hoping does not mean doing nothing. It is not fatalistic resignation. It means going about our assigned tasks, confident that God will provide the meaning and the conclusion. It is not compelled to work away at keeping up appearances with a bogus spirituality. It is the opposite of desperate and panicky manipulations, of scurrying and worrying. And hoping is not dreaming. It is not spinning an illusion or fantasy to protect us from our boredom or our pain. It means a confident, alert expectation that God will do what he said he will do. It is imagination put in the harness of faith. It is a willingness to let God do it in his way and in his time. It is the opposite of making plans that we demand that God put into effect, telling him both how and when to do it.
-- Eugene Peterson.
Good Sunday Morning Val & family. I received this below as an email this morning and couldn't help but think of you Val.
God's Cake
Sometimes we wonder, "What did I do to deserve this?" or "Why did God
have to do this to me?" Here is a wonderful explanation! A daughter is
telling her Mother how everything is going wrong.
Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and asks her daughter if she would
like a snack, and the daughter says, "Absolutely Mom, I love your cake"
"Here, have some cooking oil," her Mother offers. "Yuck" says her daughter.
"How about a couple raw eggs?" "Gross Mom!"
"Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?" "Mom, those are all
yucky!"
To which the mother replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by
themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a
wonderfully delicious cake!
God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go through
such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He puts these things
all in His order, they always work for good! We just have to trust Him and,
eventually, they will all make something wonderful!
God is crazy about you. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise
every morning.
Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen. He can live anywhere in the
universe, and He chose your heart.
Love, Jen Gaetani & family xoxo
I sit here thinking of you...Kenny Chesney singing in the backround...I wonder what else I can do for you. I pray daily, think of you all the time and today I am touched completely by the posting below from Jenn. I am grateful you are surrounded by such Love...I hope you feel ours from a distance.
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