Kim's Cancer-Kicking SURPRISE Party

So last Saturday night we did it! We surprised Kim with a special party at Harvest Bible Chapel (Rolling Meadows) which included about 200 close friends and family and it was PERFECT. I thought she was on to me because I'm a horrible liar and left some inadvertent clues the last few weeks, but it turns out she had NO idea. Here is the video of her surprise entrance:
So a few weeks after we found out about our remission, I wanted to do something special for everyone (at least locally) that had been kind enough to serve us by feeding us, caring for us, sharing their own stories and verses from their respective trials with us, and faithfully praying for us in the midst of the greatest trial of our lives. What better way to do this than throw a big party? But most of all, I wanted the night to be about thanking the Lord, who ultimately healed my wife and who gave us life and gave His life - making all this possible. Thank you Jesus! I also sang a very special song that night after dinner, that I thought I'd share with you.
That wasn't it though. We got to see the Lord's faithfulness (and some funny moments) by walking through a slideshow history of Kim's life and we also got to hear some powerful testimonies from others about how God had used our cancer trial to move in their hearts and allowed them to "see more of Jesus". We ended everything with a video chronicling our journey (see below) and a great time of worship. A special thanks to everyone involved and all glory to God!

I'll try to get more video up on the blog soon - especially of the testimonies. There are so many of you out there that we wish could have joined us, and so these clips are my best attempt at doing that. We love you and thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.

In His Grace,

Peter & Kim

Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him. Sing praise to Him. Tell of all His wondrous works." -Psalm 105:1-2

Beauty & the Beast: Silence of the Lamb (Chapter 7)

KIM UPDATE: The spinal tap injection went MUCH better this time around. No headaches and Kim is slowly recovering from Round 4. That said, the treatment is beginning to take a toll on her body. She is feeling faint at times along with fatigue and nausea. We are supposed to go in this Thursday for a PET scan to see if the cancer has been wiped out. Big day for us! Thanks for praying!
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If you're joining in late - see prior chapters of the "epic" pursuit of my wife HERE. 

So after waiting for what seemed to be an eternity (or at least 30 seconds) I begin to wonder….is she still alive? I see her breath fogging up the passenger side window. Yes, she’s still breathing. Okay, this is a good sign. With her eyes still fixed outside she finally responds to my “Will you pray for me?” with a perfunctory….

“Okay.” 

I am suddenly overcome with an inexplicable sensation that can only be explained as joy down in my heart. Deep, deep down in my heart. J-O-Y down in my heart. Deep, deep down in my heart. But then something happens…she begins to cry. Not a wail. Not a wimper. Just a subtle tear followed by a slight sniffle. My first instinct was to nod and smile, “Tears of joy, Rico. Tears. Of. Joy.”

But when she finally looked forward I could make out her face…and she didn’t look happy. Why was she crying? I was confused. Was it something I said?

There are few situations in life that makes a guy more uncomfortable than being in the presence of a girl that is crying. I personally can only think of a few:

Beauty & the Beast: Defining the Relationship (Chapter Six)

KIM UPDATE:  So I leave Kim for one morning and she faints while I'm gone. I'm pretty sure it's because I didn't post Chapter Six of "Beauty and the Beast" on Friday but the doctors seem to think it has more to do with dehydration and the chemotherapy. (Meh. What do they know?) Fortunately, a CT scan and EKG determined everything was fine - no head trauma but unfortunately her PICC line (catheter placed near her heart to administer chemo) pulled out when she fell and they cannot reinsert it until Monday morning. This will delay our discharge date to Wed and pushes the spinal tap to Thursday (big day). We won't be doing the PET scan for a couple weeks to see if the cancer is gone in case you're wondering. Thanks for praying!

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Beauty & the Beast: Defining The Relationship [rated PG-13] 

If you're joining in late - you can catch up on previous chapters HERE. 

Okay. It’s February 10th, 1997. Yes, it’s only four days from V-Day but today it’s D-Day. Or better yet DTR Day.  You know…“Do the RicoSuave” Day…err…I mean "Defining the Relationship" Day. 

You guys have all been there before, right? Don’t lie. You know exactly what I’m talking about. Staying up countless nights imagining the possibilities, giggling under your covers in your Batman pajamas. And then it hits you…

“What if she says no?”

So then you start employing different strategies, calculating decision trees, envisioning potential scenarios, running regression analyses, practicing game theory, solving for the Nash equilibrium – you know -  trying to predict how she will respond to that timeless…no…age-old…question all our fathers, fathers-fathers, grandfathers, husbands of our grandmothers, and sons of our great-grandfathers asked their eventual wives:

 “Do you like me?”

Beauty & the Beast: The Flower of Unspeakable Beauty...Blooms! (Chapter Five)

See previous chapters HERE - just in case you're joining in late...

So February finally arrives and with my meticulous care and attention the amaryllis plant has now budded into full bloom. It is a glorious explosion of colors of unspeakable beauty. A perfect metaphor of my undying love and devotion. The time has come to give her the flower, confess my feelings and ride off into the sunset together on my white horse. (or at least to Hot Wok Express in my rusty ‘89 Celica). However, something just doesn’t seem right. I realize I am still not quite ready to confront her. I don’t know why I had this feeling. Perhaps at that time, I had been the unfortunate recipient of a bad haircut from an unskilled roommate, perhaps I had a nasty zit parked right on the center of my nose, perhaps it was because I thought if I moved to early, our conversation would go something like this: 

Me: “Kim, may I speak to you for a moment?” [cue Celine Dion song of choice in portable boombox for background music]

Kim: “Sure.”

Beauty & the Beast: The Flower of Unspeakable Beauty (Chapter Four)

KIM UPDATE:  Kim is still feeling considerable head/neck pain when she is upright. We did go in for her neulasta shot yesterday but her headaches are still severe and she was so nauseous in the car she was hurting. She took in a liter of iv fluid yesterday but it still didn't help all that much. It looks like we will probably try a blood patch today to help with the headaches. We're in the dog days of chemo now. Kim has shed some tears these last few days because the pain is so intense and unresolved. It's hard to watch and endure. But we are praying that His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Please continue to pray for her. Thanks. 

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I wasn't sure if I wanted to post Chapter 5 of Beauty & the Beast today but it's already been written (6 years ago) and I know the only way I can get you to check this site and pray for my wife is to continue posting (j/k!). But seriously, reading through it again this morning, the Lord reminded me to trust in His timing and to learn to wait...and pray (and to laugh a little too). Enjoy.

The Flower of Unspeakable Beauty (Chapter Four)

Strangely, despite that magical October night of ballroom dancing, in which our souls communicated beyond words – Kim never called me. I guess her roommate must have forgotten to pay the phone bill. No matter…Rico Suave was not going to be deterred by an unpaid phone bill.

Beauty & the Beast: Answered Prayer (Chapter 3)

KIM UPDATE: I'm sitting in Kim's room at U of Chicago and she's getting a methotrexate injection via spinal tap (like an epidural) any minute now. This is the first time she's getting it and she needs to lie perfectly still for 4 hours to avoid getting severe headaches. This is not a fun one. That said, she's been taking the Rituxan since last night and doing great. Thank you Lord! Please continue to pray with us. Thank you!

BONE MARROW UPDATE:
As most of you know by now, by the grace of God, Andrew Park is, at the moment, CANCER FREE! This is a minor miracle in itself and surprised even the world-class oncologists involved. (See Joe's blog HERE to get the latest update and prayer requests.) He will continue to undergo chemo to keep the cancer at bay and in the meantime he and his family are  nowdesperately looking for a bone marrow match. If you are in the Chicagoland area please note that there will be a drive at Canaan Presbyterian Church (1424 Greenwood Ave, Glenview, IL) this Sunday, Feb 26th from 6-8pm and another at Univ of Illinois Circle Campus (UIC) on the First Floor of Student Center East outside of the bookstore at 750 S. Halsted St. Chicago, IL on Tues and Wed, March 6 & 7 from 9am-4pm. (UIC students please get the word out!).

Beauty & the Beast: Planted Seeds (Chapter Two)

See Beauty & the Beast page HERE if you're joining in late and want to see previous chapters.

Who would have known these two would end up together?

So even though Kim had this massive crush on me, I basically didn’t even know she existed. She was so infatuated with me that after her freshman year she decided to leave me and move to another dorm (Allen Hall), while I stayed in cow dung heaven (FAR). So we never really crossed paths. However at the start of her sophomore year, by some divine twist of fate, in the fall of 1995 when she moved over to Allen Hall, there was some room assignment screw-up and my younger sister Lydia ended up rooming with Kim along with two other girls. They didn't really know each other and were each supposed to live in separate doubles, but they ended up combining into one large room called a quad. Do you see how the Lord works in mysterious ways? Some people have speculated that I came up with some diabolical scheme and paid my younger sister to befriend Kim so that she could feed her a continuous diet of fabricated stories about how wonderful a brother and person I was. Those are vicious lies. I would never “pay” my sister to do such a thing. I could easily get her to do that for free.

Anyways, contrary to popular belief I never called my sister, with the hopes that Kim would answer the phone, allowing me to strike up a “Rico Suave” conversation with her. If I did though, this is probably how it would have went:

Beauty & the Beast: "First Impressions" (Chapter One)

I always hated walking into a movie late. So just in case people join in late and are unaware of the impetus and context for "my courtship story", I'm posting them but also compiling them in chronological order as I go in a separate tab labeled "Beauty & the Beast" above. Enjoy. Yes, enjoy my misery....

U of Illinois Quad

It was the fall of 1994. The excitement of beginning another school year at the greatest institution for higher learning (the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) had begun. The leaves were ablaze with vibrant colors. The skies were a wide expanse of an ocean hue. And the crisp and unmistakable smell of.....cow dung was in the air. Yes, we both lived at F.A.R.(located just north of the "South Farms").

I was a junior and she was a freshman that year. And although we lived in the same dorm, strangely we never had any opportunities to meet. We both regularly attended Christian fellowships, but Kim went to InterVarsity and I went to CFC (Covenant Fellowship Church). Like most Korean-Americans – while we did not know each other we knew of each other. 

My First Impression of Kim

Update From Kim & Other Stuff

Since I'm sure everyone is sick of hearing from me - posted below is a little health update Kim typed up herself. Enjoy!
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Thanks everyone for your notes and encouragements and prayers! Just thought to drop a note to say hi and give an update within these U of C walls ~ !

Dr. Sonali Smith came by early Sunday morning - I was surprised to see her here since I wasn't expecting her to come in until Monday. She's really sweet - I asked if she usually works on Sunday and she said no but she wanted to stop in to see a couple patients and had to do some writing. Anyway - the important part was that she did say she got the biopsy results from NWCH from the mass in my chest which confirmed it's primary medial stinal lymphoma which is what she suspected but w/o the biopsy she couldn't confirm it. Well, now that it's confirmed it affirms the decision to go with this more aggressive treatment.

Treatment has been going well - last night was rough tho' - not much sleep and the fatigue and nausea is more today than before. Guess that's right since more of this drug is in me.

Beauty and the Beast

KIM UPDATE: Kim is doing great with her 2nd round of chemo so far and feeling good. A few more days to go! Thank you all so much for your prayers! We feel them!!
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Kim sans her "award-winning" hair

Did you know that Kim was voted as having the "Best Hair" in her senior class in high school? I'm not kidding...go check a Glenbard West yearbook circa 1994. So you can imagine how a beautiful woman with beautiful hair feels when she loses her award-winning coiffure. I tried to sympathize but my biggest claim to fame in high school was getting expelled for three days for punching a kid on the bus and explaining it to the vice-principal as "pushing his face...with my...fist" (FYI -she didn't buy it).  I tried to cheer her up by shaving my own head, but let's face it, an ugly man with a large forehead volunteering to shave his thin hair is akin to a fat man, allergic to vegetables, volunteering his celery sticks - it just don't mean much!

Bad Hair Day

KIM UPDATE:
After a long drive across the city in rush-hour traffic yesterday afternoon we finally got to U of Chicago hospital and got our room. Things are a little slower than we are used to (took me 4 hours to get a cot) but these people are the best of the best, very kind and we are thrilled to be here. Kim started the Rituxan around 11pm and got through it like a champ! Some of the other CHOP meds are now being administered with no problems so far. Thank you so much for your continued prayers!

BAD HAIR DAY

So over the last few days Kim's hair has been falling out in clumps. We've tried to warn the kids but how can you really prepare for this? She tried blow-drying it after her shower but she was literally blowing the hair off her head. So I had to do what we had tried to avoid to the last second...I buzzed off Kim's hair, We did it on the balcony off our bedroom and Selah insisted on coming in. When she saw what I had done - she cried inconsolably. I'm sure if there was a Disney princess with a Sinead O'Connor look she probably would have taken it better. (Let's get on it Disney! You've got every other hair color and ethnicity! Where's your bald princess already?!?) Fortunately, our good friend Julie came armed with a wide selection of wigs at just the right time yesterday morning and we found one that really looks like Kim's natural hair.

Range of Emotions

I wish I could describe in words the wide range of emotions we have felt over the last few weeks - but alas, I cannot. That said, while waiting for our 2nd round of chemo in Kim's room I just came across this little picture collage I put together of Selah and her cousin Chaeli from this past Thanksgiving.

Yep, this pretty much sums it up:

Thanksgiving 2011

Eastern vs Western Medicine

KIM UPDATE

So the good news is that all the pericardial fluid around Kim's heart (redundant?) is gone! Thank you Lord! The bad news is that it took a one night hospital stay and a very uncomfortable procedure (another drain tube - pericardiocentesis) to remove all the fluid. The best news is that by God's perfect design we ran into our favorite nurse (Kate!) and got to spend a lot more quality time with her. God is good!

The Latest & The Greatest

THE LATEST (UPDATE)

Does anyone notice anything different about this picture?

That's right!!! Somebody got a haircut!!

I usually get one every three weeks, but since I've been a bit tied up of late, I didn't get to my favorite $10 haircut joint ("I love you Hair Snips!") until a few days ago. I know exactly what you're thinking:  "Peter! That doesn't look like your normal haircut!" Well, Karina usually cuts my hair but since I went in on a weekday morning (unusual for me), another lady, Christina (the nicest Polish lady you will ever meet) cut my hair instead. I'm sure you've already noticed that she used a 2 guard on the sides this time instead of a 1.5. (I told her I was shaving my head in a couple weeks - so no need to go that short.) Okay. So you're probably not interested in reading the rest of this post since I have already unlocked for you the "riddle, wrapped in mystery, inside an enigma" that is my hair....

Awards for "Laughter is the Best Medicine"

So about 5 days ago I solicited some good jokes to help Kim laugh. (see post here). Trying to find winners was nearly an impossible task, because so many of your entries were so good. Seriously, I have a six-pack from laughing so hard (it's still hidden under layers of fat, but trust me...it's there.) Kim finally decided on the jokes below. I had to include a couple videos that had me crying.

Winners: (Lina, Steve L, tk, and Sonia). Email me (seeingjesusineverything@gmail.com) your home address and we will send you a nice little prize in the mail soon. Thanks everyone for participating - every single one of them was great!

BEST JOKES (FUNNY STORIES)

Female Entry 
linaJan 16, 2012 07:21 AM

first rectal exam i did as a 3rd year medical student - i was young, scared, and thrown into the wolves all alone. i could tell something was off but couldn't put my finger on it (no pun intended). then suddenly it hit me. most doctors wear gloves during rectal exams.

moral of the story: don't let a 3rd year medical student touch you, ever.

ps i figured with pete's bar set so low, i could comfortably share this story. i won't confirm or deny it in person though.

Laughter is the Best Medicine

So I was lying on a couch in Kim's hospital room at least 10 feet away from her, when we have this conversation...

Me: reading something - when I subtly "let one go". (i.e. silent and harmless fart)

Not 2 seconds later....

Kim: Did you fart? (lying on her bed)

Me: Huh? (incredulous that anyone could smell anything that quickly)

Kim: Did you fart?

Me: Uhhhh....yeah, like 2 seconds ago. (sniffing the air)...I can't even smell anything.

Kim: Well, I can....and it stinks.

Me: Sorry. (sheepish grin)

Thinking about it some more....