Overview

On January 24, 2014, Aaron was diagnosed with cancer.

Aaron expressed a great desire to chronicle this journey as he fights to win this battle with cancer. He has asked that I, his sister Kim, create and update this blog for all of his family, friends, clients, and anyone who wishes to follow along as he fights to overcome this trial.

Aaron told me that all the Facebook comments, text messages and phone calls have been such a great source of strength and faith-fortifier for him. He and Beth are so grateful for the love and kindness shown, and the promises of prayers given. Aaron says these things have truly encouraged him & strengthened his will to win this battle. So, I'm asking you on behalf of our entire family to never hesitate to send him your love and support via FB, text, email, phone, or comments on this blog because it means so much to him. (Even if you only know "of" him through friends or family members!) He loves reading your encouraging words; he said they "really pump me up." Aaron was in tears when we figured that he may have as many as 1,000 people praying for him already, from dear friends and family to complete strangers. It is so humbling. Thank you so much.

We all know Aaron is large in stature, with viking blood running through his veins. He would be a formidable challenger to any opponent, and we know that it is no different in this situation as he sets out to battle cancer.

Monday, July 14, 2014

Perhaps Not Quite Out of the Woods...

If you are reading this, you are aware that Aaron went up to Michigan last Friday for his three month post-cancer treatment follow-up to make sure the cancer was gone. We all waited with baited breath that day, praying on our knees and in our hearts for good news. Well, at about noon Aaron shared what the doctors had just shared with him-- that he was cancer free!! Many tears of gratitude were shed upon hearing this news by his family (and I'm sure, friends)!

Soon afterward Aaron made a post on Facebook saying this:
"It's a good day to be cancer free!
Gratitude to everyone who reached out and lightened our load this year- words cannot express what your love and support has meant to Elizabeth Joy Sundstrom and I. I'm going fishing."

That night he went to dinner with our cousins Lisa and Adam.  Aaron looked like such a cancer-fighting-viking-stud! 
Aaron and Beth especially breathed an incredibly heavy sigh of relief that day. Aaron stayed up in
Michigan to do some relaxing and fishing and was planning on coming home in several days. Today as the kids were saying prayers, Levi thanked Heavenly Father by saying "Thank you for Daddy's cancer..." (wasn't sure how to finish it so Benjamin chimed in "that he is cancer free!") and Levi finished "Thank you for Daddy's cancer be thrown in the garbage." How cute is that?!

But today Aaron met with his ENT oncologist who told him he'd received the "transcripts" from Aaron's PET Scan, which I guess pick up more than the readings  they received on Friday. It looks like Aaron is not quite out of the woods just yet:(

 The PET transcripts showed a couple spots that are cause for concern: one on his brain and one on his throat.  So on Thursday he has ordered a brain MRI and next Tuesday, July 22nd, they will be putting Aaron under to do a biopsy (same thing they did before). It could be nothing, but it could be something, so the doctor is taking extra precautions. 

 On Friday Aaron and Beth had mentally and emotionally prepared and built themselves up for bad news, but when they heard the cancer was gone, Beth said "we let our guard down." They thought they could relax on this and enjoy life as Aaron officially being a cancer survivor. So this news today, after being on such a high, is quite a tough shock. 

Please continue to keep Aaron and Beth and their children in your prayers. Aaron may compete in "World's Strongest Man" competitions, but he continues to need our strength, faith, love and support. This has been a scary road for him and his family, and he and Beth cannot thank you enough for making their loads lighter through your kindness and compassion and prayers. Please let your prayers continue for everyone's favorite viking.

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