December, 2006 a year I will never forget. 

Oliver graduated with his Ph.D. and we were all so proud.

A couple of weeks prior to Thanksgiving he had complained of a stomach ache.  On Thanksgiving Day he was in pain again and decided to lie down before we ate dinner.  Not thinking much of it I had mentioned to him to make sure he called the Doctor to get it checked out.  Driving home from his graduation in December, he complained of his stomach pain again.  Now, remember this is a man who has never in the 18 years we have been together complained of not feeling well. I told him if he didn’t call I would.  From there, it snow balled into an avalanche and I had a really hard time trying to catch my breath. 

December 21, we met with a surgeon that told us Oliver had cancer but wouldn’t know the extent of it until he could open him up.  He consoled me like he always does when it was him who got the blow.  The next day he went into surgery and that is when the avalanche hit.  I remember waiting in the waiting room hour after hour knowing the longer it took the worse the news was going to be and sure enough it was.  The nurse asked me to go into a private consultation room. All the hours I waited I never saw anyone else have to do this.  I was scared and very uncertain but my gut gave it all away.  The surgeon came in and told me Oliver was filled with cancer and had 2-6 weeks if we were lucky to live.  All I could do is cry and like anyone else say “WHY US?”   Words can’t describe what your body does when you hear such traumatic news. It took everything in me to pull myself together to go see him in the recovery room. 

I had planned on staying at the hospital that night but I was so lost and scared I knew I would be no good to him.  On the drive home, a million things were running through my mind.   Most of all, how in the hell was I going to take care of this family the way he does.  He called me at 4:45 a.m. and said “I don’t think I’m as sick as they say I am.”  I didn’t have the heart to tell him “If you only knew.”

The surgeon called me at home early the next morning to see if I was going to be there when he talked to Oliver, but unfortunately I couldn’t get out of bed yet.  Finally, I pulled myself together and got back to the hospital by noon and I knew when I walked into the room and saw him he had seen the surgeon.  We have shed a lot of tears and had a lot of talks you never want to have at such an early age.  I just prayed to GOD to help us and give me strength to do what has to be done.

Oliver is my hero beyond the word itself.  To watch somebody you are suppose to spend the rest of your life with fight like this is beyond miraculous. To see his courage, grace, strength and tenacity while continuing to work and still give others strength is why I am so proud to be his wife.

Trying to explain this to our children, family and friends was devastating to say the least.  Furthermore, financially the medical expenses associated with this horrible disease has severely placed a tight constraint on our life savings and college fund for our two youngest children.  In fact we had to seek other avenues for our middle daughter to continue college because we could no longer afford to contribute to her education due to our financial constraints.  

At this time in our life, we could use your help-both moral and financial.  On September 27, 2008, the Alumni Cowboy Basketball Reunion event is hoping to raise a significant amount to help my family and I defray some of the cost associated with my husband’s medical bills.  And, we need your help to get us there.  In fact, many of the former University of Wyoming basketball players aware of my husband’s condition have committed to participate in this event and punish their bodies at 7,220 feet for this worthy cause.  I know that sounds grueling, but not nearly as grueling as what cancer patients endure on a daily basis.

Together we can move mountains regarding Oliver’s condition.  If you could help with a donation, my family and I would GREATLY appreciate it. Your contribution will help make a difference.  Please be generous to support our family in this fight against cancer.  Again, thank you in advance for making a difference.

I am most hopeful that you can assist us with Oliver's cancer fund campaign.