Until We Meet Again

Our wife, mother, sister and dearest friend has passed through this mortal trial.

We will miss her until we meet again.

Ruth Marlene Reynolds made her journey home to our loving Heavenly Father during the early morning hours of October 4, 2014, after a courageous battle with stomach cancer. She was born to Murray and Marilin Fisher on August 18, 1954, in Englewood California. She spent most of her early years in northern California where she met and fell in love with her eternal companion Roy Vernon Reynolds Jr. They were sealed for time an eternity on March 24, 1973, in the Oakland California Temple. Together they raised four wonderful children. Marlene had a love for life and adventure, she loved traveling in her motorhome with her family and exploring new places. It was her love of exploration that took her all over the world. She was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She joyfully served in many callings including three service missions. She had a strong testimony of the Gospel and a great love of the Temple, which she attended weekly. She was gifted with many attributes including a great sense of humor, if you doubted that she was funny, she would tell you. Another one of her gifts was her ability to create beautiful quilts. Through her membership in the quilting guild she developed many lasting friendships. Her capacity to love and humbly serve others was remarkable, she touched many lives. Of all the things she loved and all the lives she touched, family was always the most precious to her. She was a devoted mother and grandmother. Her 19 grandchildren all felt loved and cherished by their grandparents. They looked forward to special trips with grandma and grandpa each summer. She will be greatly missed until we meet again.
Marlene leaves behind her husband Roy Vernon Reynolds JR. Her daughters Jennell Evans (Joseph), Kristen Arave (Shane), and Kemberly Thompson (Justin). Her son Roy V. Reynolds III (Camille). Her 19 beloved grandchildren, and 9 siblings. She was preceded in death by her parents Murray Fisher, and Marilin Fisher Brown.
The family would like to offer a special thanks to Marlene’s sister Diane Elmer for her unending devotion to Marlene’s care in her last days. They would also like to thank all those who touched Marlene’s life including the medical staff at Dr. Hanson’s office and Intermountain Home Health and Hospice.
Funeral Services will be held at 11am, on Wednesday October 8, at the LDS Chapel on 331 South 50 West Kaysville, UT 84037. Friends and family may visit prior to the funeral from 9:30am-10:30am. Interment will be at the Kaysville City Cemetery.

FUNERAL SERVICE

Wednesday October 8, 2014, 11:00 a.m. at Gailey Park Ward Chapel
Click for Map and Directions

VIEWING

Wednesday October 8, 2014, 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. at Gailey Park Ward Chapel 

Roy and I went to the Dr. Yesterday. Sence I broke my arm I have been off chemotherapy.well here it is 8weeks later.time to start up chemotherapy again..but instead of going back on chemotherapy the cancer has spread any is out of control. Long story short. If I don't do chemotherapy I have 1 month to live, with chemotherapy I have 1to 2 months. So we opted to not do any chemotherapy..I had no idea that I had such a short amount of time lift. However a few nights ago I was awaken with the filling that I was coming to the end of my life..I am ok with this, I just fill so bad for my family. I know I have said that we believe in God and that families can be together for all eternity. This time that we have here on this earth is just a class room, time for US to learn more about him and a time to learn how to be more loving, kind and excepting. I am not afraid of being dead but I am worried about going through the dieing process. Oh well. We want will take it day by day, min by min and. We have total trust in the Lord and that is what we will go by

Hum...How do you react to news, like you have 6 months to 1 year to live. And also my Dr. Said that she was being generous with her timing. She also told us that cancer likes to come back with a vengeance when you go off chemotherapy. Because of my broken arm I will be off chemotherapy for a full month or more. Because of the poor timing of my life I will go back on chemotherapy but one of the meds will not be given to me because of the side effects I had with it before. They feel that it was the cause of the weakness witch caused my fall. Let's hope and pray that this time it will work and I will have some what a good quality of life. It is rather mind blowing, thinking that I might be dead in less than 6  6months. I have been thinking of what I want to do with the time that I do have and the crazy thing is that all I want to do is go to Germany and see our son and daughter in law and our 4grandkids that are there. A nd to see and spend time with the family that is here but to also live my life as I have been. My family my means everything to me and I just hope that all of them know how much I love them.I have 19grandkids who I adore. I wish could be here for their weddings and to see my great grandkids. I know that families can be together in heaven and that is a comfort and blessing to me. So don't mourn or be sad for me because we will see each other and be together again. I love you all

Questions and concerns

On sept 3 we see my arm Dr. then on the 4th we see the oncologist. We will discuse weather to go bAck  on chemo or not. I am thinking not. Chemo was so hard on me. I am thinking of just letting the cancer go and live each day to the fullest weather it is one year or more or less I will live the best I can. I know it sounds like made up my mind but I haven't  talked to the Dr.  Yet so we will see.  Live or not live

chemo 8 and the fall

Chemo 8 went well.  Then one night I got up to use the bathroom but then the great fall happened. I have become so weak that I have been falling. My legs have become very weak.I can't tell you how many times I have fallen. But that first fall I broke my arm. So now I'm wheelchair bound and no More chemotherapy until the arm is totally healed. So being stage 4with stomach cancer I have to wonder what the cancer is doing with no treatment. Is it growing out of control? However I am getting stronger and I feel so much better not having the chemotherapy in my body. I hope and pray that I won't be stuck in the wheelchair for ever but for now I have to use it....



s

CT Scan after 6 rounds of chemo

Well I am a bit bummed. The cancer has shrunken a small bit so that is good but now I have what may be cyst on my kidneys and in 3 weeks I will go in and have a scope so they can see my stomach and the cancer. I was hoping after 6 rounds of chemo that things would look better. Oh well it is what it is and I will continue on. I am just a bit bummed. And trusting in The Lord. What will be will be. I did not mean to put up this picture it is of Germany. I took a picture of me getting my chemo but I could not find it but Germany is much more beautiful 

How am I feeling

Boy you get that question all the time,, daily . So here it is.  I do feel very fine . Tired but fine. My hands chest and the left side of my mouth is numb and they hurt. There is a name for it and it is caused by the chemo. I take a pill 3 times a day for it but I don't think it has helped at all but all in all I do feel much better, I am even eating by mouth woo woo. That tells me the chemo is working that is so incourghing  for me

Sitting here getting my 4 the round of chemo

The room is full that people are in the overflow area.  So sad that there are so many sick people , but all with a smile on their face. It amazes me that here it is only my 4 the round and I cocider these people as my "chemo" friends. Each round makes up 3 days each. Some comes in feeling rather good while others are just worn out and down. All cancer sucks it seams like colon cancer hits more people then I ever thought. What is going on? That is meant to be one of the out in the air questions never meant to be answered. I am just sitting here letting 2 bags of chemo run into my port , I already had 2 bags put in to me plus 3 shots put into the tubbing but then I get one more shot into the port then I get hooked upto the portable pump so I will have comtious chemo around the clock. I do this on day one. I do have chemo brain. I was going to post what happens on day 2 but I really don't remember, so I will post that torrow . Right now I could not even tell you names of the meds even thro I asked and they told me.. But I am hadleing them very well as of right now I CAN do this

Round 3 of chemo done

I am rather disappointed. I had a couple of days that I could eat by mouth . That gave me hope that the cancer shrunk but it hasn't . I have lost more weight. I am just bummed right now. Plus with the effects from chemo I really don't feel very well. I hope for a better day tomorrow.   Right now I just don't know how  much longer I can go on like this. I have 3 more rounds of chemo to go be fore I will have the scope to see if it is working. I am wondering if I can make it that long. Ian sure that right now it is just the side effect s of chemo making me feel this way. I wanted this blog to be up beat but as of today this is how I feel and this is the truth. Cancer is the pits

Hunger and being able to eat

I have been asked how does it feel not being able to eat.  This may be surprising but I don't feel Hungery at all. The  Drs. Said it is because the cancer has filled the stomach so my brain thinks that it is full all the time. however, I have gotten to the point that the smell of food does make me want some so I will just taste the spoon and then be just fine

Round 2 of chemo done

Round 2 of chemo done. This time was a lot easier. I ate some soup and kept most of it down. That is my self induced test. If I can keep some down that means the cancer that is blocking my intestines may have shrunk down a little, good news. I have made up my own little mile stones or goals to look forward to. They help me keep going and now having this chemo go so much better I can't say I feel good but I can say it is better then last time. I am counting my blessing how ever big or small they are and I am most truly blessed

Owner ship

Random thoughts

For those of you who are or who have been pregnant. I know that I am not the only person who at some time wished that they had a window looking into their bellies, you know just so you can see the baby, how much hair does it have, what it is doing right at that moment,ect,ect,etc. I have been wishing that I had that window again. I am a very curious person. I want to see if the cancer is growing or is it still the same. I realize that only having 1chemotherapy down, the odds are that there is still no change. Right now I am coming out of the side effects of my first round. I was hoping that it would have went a lot easier but it didn't..so for now..I am very blessed that I am feeling so well and I that I have 6 more days till my next round and 6 days to get stronger. I have had the best care possible and OH so much love shown and poured out to me. I know that I am truly loved. At night when things quiet down, I lay there in my bed and I feel at peace and relaxed I wonder how many more nights I am going to have. Not once have I panicked about the thought of death but only peace and comfort comes to me. I have no idea of how long I have left here in this mortal body, months, years. I have no real feelings on that. And honestly I don't think I want to know. That one I am very happy to"  Trust in the Lord ". All I can say is that I Am at peace. I love the moisture that we have been getting and I am excited about Conference coming up this weekend. Roy and I have spent many Conference weekends up in the mountains in the our motor home. We just feel closer to God when we are surrounded by all of his beautiful works of art while listening to his words. So my hope is that in October we will be able go. One of my favorite trips was a few years ago. Roy and I went down to Manti Utah. We parked our motor home in that camp ground right below the temple.   The next morning we awoke to the soft lights of the temple and to a bunch of deer all around us. To say the least we were more than ready to listen and to learn. So my wish and prayers for all of us for this weekend is that we may see the beauty that is all around us and prepare ourselves to not only hear the prompting of the our leaders but to figure out what we are to do..I have been so truly blessed with such a wonderful and loving husband, 4kids,4 in-laws kids and 19 grandkids +1 in-laws grandson... I have to figure out how to add people and where to place them.   Like I said I am truly blessed



 C

Owner ship

This has been a rather peaceful few days.  Not very painful at all and the sickness from the chemo has gone. I have a lot of time to think. So this is about excepting and owningt feeding tube and all that goes with it. If you read my earlier post the first question I asked after surgery was "did I have a feeding tube?". After wards when the conversations and training were about the tube I would just turn away or I would tell the  Dr.s to talk to my family., I just couldn't Handle anything that went along with it. Yesterday I refused my feeding, my belly just felt so full and the tube has been bothering me. And yes I was feeling sorry for my self so last night I decided to take owner ship of it, like it or not it is a new part of me. So after Kemberly ( my daughter) came over and gave me my meds I got up curled my hair and filled the bags one with water and the other with the liquid food, hooked them both to the pole and then to the pump ;(  pump :(  after a phone call I DID. I primed it and hooked it to me, laid back being all proud of myself then realized I didn't flush the tube that is hooked permently to me. Oh well it is what it is and I DID IT

Tip one on feeding tubes. When I came come from the hospital and needed to get up to use the bathroom or just needed to get up I would have to lift up the poll and everything and carry it over the carpet. I learned how to put the feeding on hold and disconnect my self from the feeding. it is OK to turn it off and a whole lot easier to get around

A Nice Day Out

The weather has been amazing here in Utah and yesterday we finally enjoyed it. We carved out some time to enjoy being together as a family. For a moment I forgot about cancer. My kids were playing with their cousins and we were laughing at my brothers jokes. Mom was there with us, enjoying the sunshine and the conversation. Dad shared a silly story about lifes unexpected trials. We talked about movies, kids, housework and funny memories. The kids played baseball and football. I know that we have been blessed to have Troy, Camille and their 4 kids here with us. They will have to head back to Germany on Wednesday and we will all fall into a new normal. But for a few hours we left the storm behind and enjoyed life.

This painting reminds us that Jesus can calm the storms in our lives. That he has power over nature and over our bodies. None of this is a surprise to Him and even when He doesn't stop the storm He will carry us through it.

Tomorrow is my parents 41st wedding anniversary and the day my mom begins chemotherapy. 

Please be praying for her and my dad.

Yesterday I had my " ZIPPER" removed. The Dr. used a staple removal to get them all. It felt as if I were being stung by a bee, 37 times.it really was not bad just a bit tender around the belly button. I am scheduled to start Chemotherapy on Monday, March 24, 2014. However..there has to be a"however".  We still don't know if I qualify. For the chemotherapy clinical Trial..We should find out tomorrow. If I don't qualify then chemotherapy will be on Monday (our 41st wedding anniversary) if I do qualify then it will start around the first week in April. The concerns are my feeding tube. Having it and not being able to eat by mouth just may disqualify me...OH WELL...

We have had the best care. I don't know if I posted that I am being treated at Mckay Dee, in Odgen Utah. Everyone one has gone out of their way to help us and to guide us through this difficult process. What a blessing it is for us. Being able to meet so many wonderful, carrying people. Right from the start of this I told Dr. Hansen and Dr. Moesinger that I wanted total honesty I wanted to make informed decisions. Roy and I told them that we do have our living wills and what we expect when the end comes. We have been honest in both directions. If we can share one thing with you. It would be to get your family and health care team on the same page. Let them know what your end of life plans are. This is a hard conversation to have.but it is so important. The last thing we want to happen is to hurt and to leave the ones we love. But the ONLY things we all have in common is that we all have been born and the other is that we all will die. I don't know how much time I have left but neither do you. I can't help but wonder. A year maybe 2, hum maybe 10years..Trust in the Lord

Our Chief

I'm not sure what I want to write.

I want to say how watching my grandmother's fight with cancer was so hard,

but how we have so many amazing memories during her years with cancer.

How with the hard, there was laughter and joy and fun.

How strong she was, how she hide her pain with a smile or a joke, or a diet coke.

How I see so much of this with my mom.

As Jennell said she has a great poker face.

How cancer might steal a lot from us, but we have so much to look forward to.

Time spent together laughing and crying, but mostly laughing because my mom is funny.

Thank you mom, you are our chief.

We follow you with your strength and love.

We are grateful for your testimony and for sharing this time with us.

My favorite lame joke

So here is my all time favorite lame joke. Don't be surprised if you read this and end up just shaking your head thinking ( what ) then later on it will hit you and then you will start laughing.


There were three cannibal clowns. One died. As the two other clowns were eating him, one clown looked at the other and asked "Does he taste funny to you?"

Tender Mercy #1

I have been having times that I feel so good. Times, that I totally forget that I have cancer. It maybe only for 5min. But what a blessing, to be pain and worry free, then all the sudden it comes back. I know that these times are gifts from our Lord. I know that during these times I need to just stop and thank my Heavenly Father. In a time of panic and total pain I have felt his embrace and I know that I have had others who has been down this path before me here by my bed. I have felt my mom beside me. I have felt her spirit so strong that it surprised me that I could not see her. How ever I knew she and others were here and will be here to help me along this jurney. How wonderful it is to know that there is life after death and that we CAN be together as a family again. What a blessing it is to KNOW and to beable to say I Believe In Christ.that I Believe In God , Our Heavenly Father. I not only Believe in them but I truly love them. We all have Heros

 and they are mine

This is what I call my ZIPPER

As you can see the Dr cut me all the way down to my groin. It was supposed to "only" go to the top of my belly button. When he opened me up and saw cancer everywhere, he opened me the rest of the way so he could have a better look.Yes this was very painful and now that I am almost 2 weeks out from surgery it is more of a tight tugging feeling. I am hopeful that the staples, all 37of them, will be removed this coming Tuesday March 18, 2014. I have found that using a heating pad has helped with the stiffness and with pain control.I can't wait to have them gone. I can't start Chemotherapy until I am all healed up.

This is my feeding tube

I need to get a picture of me hooked up to the FOOD..I have 1 bag of water 

That is Used to flush the tubing every 3hrs. Then another bag full of my "food", fiber source feeding tube formula no flavor..well that is what the label says on them. Sounds good doesn't it. Also the port is used to give me my meds. It takes about 12hours of being hooked up to get 600 calories. At first this was painful and having this tubing rapped around my guts really was painful. Now 2 weeks out from surgery I feel very full and tight. I can feel all of my intestines and the "Food" just rolls around and right back out of me. So I stay near a bathroom. I will post a picture of me hooked up. It is just like being hooked up to an IV. So I have to drag a pole around with me.  My belly looks so big and flabby and it is, because of the surgery and everything it that it has been put through. Also just in case you've wondering I now weighed in at 116lbs. That is a 20lb. Weight loss since December

On February 11-2014. I went into the hospital thinking I had an ulcer.I thought I would be put out and have a simple EGD (scope) done. Then have my meds upped or changed. No big deal right. While Roy and I were waiting to go home the Dr.came in and told us that he was concerned.Two days later I was back in for a colonoscopy and right before I was put out I was told that yes indeed it was cancer.Again there Roy and I were waiting to go home and the Dr.came in and spent quiet abit of time with us.5 cn.. I will loose my stomach and will be on a feeding tube for the rest of my life..then came CAT scan.MRI.PET scans blood work..all showed the cancer in my stomach and just a little blurry thing in my intestines. That was nothing to worry about...so I go into the hospital for surgery on March 3-2014..At this time I had 3different Dr.s telling me different locations of where the cancer was in my stomach. One said it was at the top of my stomach. Which meant I would loose my whole stomach. Then the next said that it was in the lower part which meant I would loose only part of my stomach. That would've been the best case. Then the last one said that it was all over my stomach. So when I was waking up I asked if I had a feeding tube.when I was told"Yes"I knew that it wasn't good.At that time I just shanked deeper into my bed. I know I asked another question and was told that my family were in my room waiting for me. As I was wheeled into my room the first thing I saw was my 3girls faces,then my poor husbands face. I knew it wasn't good news. The surgeon opened me up and all he saw was small"pods" "seeds"oh I don't remember what all he called them. He said that it looks like someone poured a bunch of sand all over everything and everywhere. I have stage 4Adenocarcinoma of the stomach. Gastrointestinal cancer. My only hope is to undergo Chemotherapy. Without treatment I will be gone within 1year. With treatment. We just don't know. We or I have decided to participate in a clinical trial. I know there is no hope of me beating this but maybe just maybe this trial will come up with something that can help you or someone else. I have to keep positive that the chemotherapy will work. I have been told that if it does in the beginning there WILL come a day when it will stop. At that time I will be able to meet my and your Savior Jesus Christ. Our Heavenly Father and all of my loved ones that have already passed on. Well I know this has been a long read but I wanted to do this blog to answer any questions you may have about the surgery,why I went to the Dr.in the first place. I plan on posting some of the tender mercy that I have felt. The out pouring of love..what it is like to not be able to eat. And only getting nutrition from a feeding tube. And some of the funny things that has happened and I am sure there is a whole lot of laughter still to come

strength for the moment

My parents are the strongest people I know. Last Monday I watched my mom draw a funny design on her abdomen just to make her surgeon giggle. I saw them laugh and joke. I could see the worry but I never saw fear. When the surgeon told us about my mom's cancer, I looked at the ground and thought there must be some mistake. 

When they brought my mom to her room, where we were waiting I saw the strength of ten thousand men in my dad. In a the kindest most loving way he told her that she had stage 4 stomach cancer. The surgeon weighed the odds and left the cancer inside her body. Mom will start chemo in two weeks. My dad has vowed to love, cherish and stand by my mom in sickness and health. He is living out those vows right now. 

Mom had some very difficult, pain filled days last week. She is recovering at home now. Her strength and will to fight is apparent to all of us. It does my heart good to see the progress she is making each day. She is embracing every moment and has a smile on her face. That smile is her strength for all to see. No matter what lies ahead we are ready for the battle. I love you mom!

Psalms 46:1 KJV

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Why we're blogging

My amazingly strong mother was diagnose with stomach cancer.

On Monday March 3rd 2014, she went in for surgery to have her stomach removed.

The surgeon found little seeds of cancer threw out her abdomen.

What we thought would be a surgery and some chemo, quickly became something much more.

It went from maybe Stage 2 to Stage 4.

This to record her journey and our family's journey as we all fight.