1/23/07 — I spoke with Lynn last night, but wasn’t sure I had the details correct so waited until this a.m. to speak with her again.  The surgery started at 4 and ended around 8:30.  There are a lot of questions at this point.  The surgeon said the cancer was renal cell, not brain and that there was residual cancer left after removing the tumor.  Course of treatment is not known at this point and there was no discussion of prognosis or anything but the facts.  I did confirm that Ray only has one kidney with the other being removed several years ago due to cancer.  Lyn is going to take a couple of hours for herself this a.m. and then head back to the hospital.  Lyn was thankful Ray was moving both hands, could see, and speak.  News on baby Keaton:  He had air in his belly, had been breathing with a CPAP which was removed and is being treated with the bilirubin light.  Kara should be coming home today.

1/21/07 — Ray will undergo surgery on Tuesday afternoon to remove a tumor, astrocytoma grade 2. There is an aggressive part that they are concerned about and will know more after the surgery. The surgery will be followed by radiation and possibly chemotherapy. Please keep Lyn, Ray and their family in your thoughts and prayers on Tuesday. Thank you — Lea-Ann

Congratulations to Grandma Lyn [my bookkeeper] on the birth of grandson Keaton. We’re all so glad he’s doing well and pray he’ll grow quickly so he can go home. For everyone waiting on details, Keaton was born today at 1:09, January 19, at 27 weeks, and weighs 2 lb 7 oz. It sounds like daughter-in-law Kara will be able to go home Tuesday or Wednesday this week, and we’ll update here on Keaton’s status. Again, congratulations to you and grandpa Ray [whom we're also praying for with the unknown nature of his brain tumor] — Lea-Ann