Unexpected Detour North

Our plans have changed and we will not be going to Yuma or Hemet this year. Several weeks ago Jim suddenly had blood show up in his urine. After several tests (CT scan, MRI, & bone scan), we learned that Jim has a cancerous tumor in his left kidney and he needs surgery. We found an excellent urologist in Tucson and we considered doing the surgery there but after, weighing all the options, we’ve decided to head home. Jim has been in constant touch with his primary care doctor and his urologist in Portland and we anticipate he will have surgery within a week after we get home. Jim feels fine and is not in pain. He is actually thankful this happened early enough that he can expect a good outcome. We were told that, since kidney cancer seldom has any symptoms, it often isn’t detected until it has spread to other parts of the body. So far it is contained in the left kidney.


To add another reason for us to head home, now the refrigerator in the trailer needs surgery too. It quit working Sunday. Jim thought it might be the circuit module (the “brains”) so he bought a replacement for $124. Decided to ask one of the mobile RV repair guys to help him install it but after looking at it, he told us it actually requires major surgery and will probably be cheaper to buy a new refrigerator. It has lost all of its coolant. So we saved $124 and now get to spend about $1500 for a new refrigerator. And here we are in our fancy RV, having to use an ice chest and buy ice! Well, at least we’re not sleeping in a tent.

Since Diane and Tim (Joyce’s sister and brother-in-law) as well as cousin Bill Wersch and his wife Mary Ann were in El Mirage, Arizona, for a couple of weeks and we would be going right by there on our way home, we decided to surprise them. They were out golfing when we arrived so didn’t see us getting set up just 4 sites away. About 4:30 we could see they were home so we walked over with our drinks and snacks and said, “Isn’t it about time for Happy Hour?” They were totally surprised.

See some of you soon. Will keep the rest of you posted.

J & J