Ann Schmidt

As many of you know, mom had been having a lot of hip and back pain recently and finally decided to go in and have it checked out. They diagnosed her with stage 4 bone cancer. We as a family have decided to send her to a clinic called Envita in Scottsdale, Arizona for treatment. Envita offers a more customized, tailored treatment plan for cancer than traditional medicine. Due to their approach to medicine it is unlikely to be covered by insurance. They are estimating the treatment cost to be $150,000-$200,000 with no guarantees of a positive outcome. Mabely, Kade and I went there and visited them for Christmas. They are staying at the Mennonite guest house in Scottsdale, quite close to Envita. Mom's spirits are good. She says she's not in much pain but we know better than that. She has taken 2 doses of chemo so far and she is scheduled for some intense radiation tomorrow. She has lost a lot of weight in the three weeks they have been there. The doctor at Envita told her to try to gain some weight. She says its difficult to gain weight on the diet they give you, but apparently cancer LOVES sugar. Mom is still mobile but her movements are slow and stiff and she is unable to bend down to pick things up from the floor. And spending too much time seated like in a vehicle becomes very painful. Please keep her and Dad in your prayers. Any contrubutions made will go directly towards Mom's medical expenses.