Two weeks ago:

My son Nick tests positive for Covid. Our family friends from Florida have been here. No one else is sick, except our son. He got it at work. Quarantine time. We do a great job, but two days later my throat is on fire. I cough. I test positive.

We are now in hyper quarantine mode. We decide to have Dave sleep in the guest room downstairs, so he can be farthest from everyone. I’m sick, so I put on a mask and make up the bed for Dave. I’m coughing, and carrying all his medications to the guest bathroom. I have Covid, but there’s no time to rest. We have to make sure Dave doesn’t get it.

We had already decided ahead of time, that if we got Covid, we’d put Dave in the basement. The bed is crazy comfortable, and the big screen TV is downstairs for movies. He can sleep and not worry about taking out the dogs. There are sick people upstairs already, so it makes the most sense. I can do laundry, cleaning, phone calls, and take care of the dogs. So far, Dave keeps testing negative. I’m sick with Covid and dragging myself to take the puppy out in the middle of the night. But it’s worth it to keep Dave from getting Covid. Four days later. Dave starts coughing. He’s positive for Covid. What a nightmare!

Friends bring us food. We are so grateful, I could cry. Our son Jake is still negative, so he runs the important errands with a mask, and he does most of the work we need done at home. Nick ends up mowing the lawn, and bathing the dogs… with Covid. Jake takes off of work, so he won’t expose his coworkers to Covid. He’s using the weed eater on our three acre property, caring for the dogs, doing dishes and trash, picking up scripts, and doing everything we can’t. Our daughter is caring extra for the dogs, folding towels, and cleaning her room, and making her own meals. She had Covid in July, so she tests negative. She should join a track team, because she runs fast, up and down three floors, getting the things we need.

One week ago:

As everyone starts to get a bit better, I’m worse. I have bronchitis, because I have asthma. The steroids are keeping me awake… all night long. I’m getting no sleep. Dave and I have both been feeling dizzy. I’ve read that this can happen with Covid. We’re finally back in the same room again, since we both have Covid anyway… which is a good thing, because of what’s coming. We’re both exhausted. We have a puppy who wants to go out at all hours. It’s my fifth night of not sleeping. I’ve taken the puppy out three times, and cleaned puppy poo off of our hardwood floor after stepping in it. I’m dizzy again. I wash my feet and sanitize the floor, and finally start to nod off at my usual time… 5:30 a.m., when I’m jolted awake…

KAH-BAM!!! I bolt upright. It sounds like someone has broken into the house, by bashing in the door. I’m peering through the darkness, heart pounding. The dogs are here, but Dave’s not in bed. “Dave?” I get out of bed, and head towards the bathroom.

Nick says I screamed. But I felt the sound long and low, like a moan coming from my gut… “Oh my God! DAVE!” He’s lying on the bathroom floor, right by the door, ironically in a position that looks like a chalk outline from a crime scene. I run to him and kneel on the floor. My heart is pounding loud, and I feel like I’m going to throw up. “Dave?!”

“I’m okay.. I got dizzy… I couldn’t stop it…” His voice is small and weak. His attitude is strong. Strength Through Jesus. I begin to touch him on his head and chest. My son Nick is suddenly there, so fast, I don’t even see him come into the room. He’s telling me to move, that he will lift Dave. I’m grateful, but first I want to make sure it’s safe to even pick him up off the floor. I ask Nick to get his brother Jake. I want them both there, in case Dave falls again.

“Did you hit your head?“ He says no, and I’m relieved. I ask him if anything hurts. Thankfully he was enough aware, to begin to slide down the wall first, to break the fall. Of all the things we’ve gone through, this fall has terrified me. What if he hit his head? Broke a bone! Had internal bleeding? DIED?

The boys get their dad back into bed, and Dave is completely leaning on both of them. I consider the hospital or an ambulance, but after talking to him and checking him over, we realize he just got dizzy, and thank God is not hurt. We also figure out we can adjust some of the night time medications, that combined with the after Covid dizziness, it was just too much. I’m so thankful my adult sons live at home right now. I couldn’t do this without them. I’m so thankful, and so in love, with my precious family.

This week:

We are exhausted from Covid, but being fed with love by dear friends. Meals have arrived that I didn’t even know were coming. Friends and co-workers have come to visit, from Dave’s old job and present one. They bring sweets and laughter, and they love on our dogs. We enjoy the time with our company, and even though Dave has cancer, they just come and hang out without being in a hurry to go, which shows us they care. They talk about every day things too, which gives us a chance to be “normal.” We’re still the same people, and that’s what we want.

Today:

We meet with Dave’s oncologist for a pre-chemo appointment, and to get blood work. Dave has been doing pretty well, and is still on the Fen Ben, but has chosen to do some more chemo to hopefully keep the terminal cancer from spreading. Our prayer is for more time, without suffering.

Tomorrow:

Dave starts chemo. It’s been delayed, because he had Covid. The chemo will be in pill form: five days, then a few off, and then on again. We appreciate serious prayers against bad side effects: nausea, diarrhea, profound fatigue, dehydration, dizziness, and chemo rage. Dave’s a fighter, but we greatly need all your prayers, in Jesus’ name!

Next week:

We are excited about family coming in for our daughter’s 13th birthday! There was a time, very recently, when her brothers and I had fear that Dave wouldn’t even be here to celebrate it with us, and the fear we wouldn’t be able to celebrate because of grief. We are so thankful, and are asking for prayers for him to feel good during our family visit; especially for our daughter, Abby’s 13th birthday.

Right now:

There’s a new kind of joy now. The silver lining in this cancer, is every single day we get to spend together, as a family, with Dave. It doesn’t matter what we do. It just matters that we can be together. Time together is precious. You may not be dealing with a terminal illness, but I hope we can pass on the wisdom of cherishing each and every moment with loved ones. It may not be perfect, and sometimes you may have to pick each other up off of the floor. But love one another. “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Pet. 4-8 NIV). If we’ve done wrong, we should ask for forgiveness. Repent, as Jesus tells us to do; which means not only saying sorry, but doing our best to fix what’s broken.

Eternally:

We hope our story helps turn hearts to Jesus, because we all fall down at some point, and need help getting up off of the floor. Only Jesus can heal our broken bones and bruises for good. Only Jesus can miraculously cure us of cancer, even if the medicine is all wrong. Only Jesus can heal broken spirits and save souls; and only Jesus has a place in Heaven for those who belong to him. Our time on earth is fleeting; so please plan to spend eternal life with us, in a much better place… with God… way beyond the blue!

“ ‘Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.’ Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him’ “ (Jn. 14:1-7 ESV).

Related Posts:

How to Invite Jesus into Your Heart and Receive Eternal Life!

Dave’s Testimony All stories are in order by date; scroll to the bottom to read in order.

1st Post on Dave’s Testimony – when it began: contains all links in order, and extra related links. 4/10 Dave’s Testimony: My Husband has Deadly Cancer… Palm Sunday Miracles

Last Post on Dave’s Testimony – 8/17 Dave’s Testimony: Cancer Racer Crashes… Pit Stop Prayer Team Sets in Motion More NASCAR Laps to Go!

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In Christ,

Angela Royse Pelleman