Monday, September 13 -A plan comes into focus
Hi friends, a few quick words.
1. We are home. Heath responded very well to this round of treatment, for which we are grateful. So the weekend was filled with hanging out in the hospital and watching A LOT of football. We’re all tired, but relieved to all be back under the same roof. He’s back up in his recliner in his room playing video games. We pray this week will be one of eating and drinking, getting rest, and gaining strength.
2. The next few months are going to be really hard. We had time over the weekend to conference with our team multiple times as details of the next few rounds came into focus. After a few more tests this week, we will return to Duke next Monday morning to be admitted for the week. Once there we will start an intensive regimen of pills and infusions that will, we pray, OBLITERATE this cancer. But it is going to take quite a toll on his precious body, and there are lots of moving parts we’ll have to manage. We are thankful to be in the hospital with the pros that first week, but we expect that to be really tough. My parents are coming in to help manage things at our house and in the carpool line so we can be as present as we need to be at Duke. As pleased as we were with how the weekend went, our anxiety is beginning to build for what is coming. For what will happen, for all there is to do, and for what he will have to endure.
3. On Saturday Carrie and I made plans to be there together with Heath for the afternoon, thanks to her great parents for support on Wilson’s baseball game and a quick swim out with their neighbors. Once I arrived we had a few hours of making sure the plan was set, waiting on someone to call someone to send up something, the usual things. It was quiet for a bit so around 2pm I picked up my phone to watch a bit of the livestream of a funeral service. Some wonderful WPC church members moved away a few years back. We did a service for them in the memorial garden this summer, but the family was also having a service at their church in northern Virginia. The pastors of that congregation are friends, and it is always a gift to share caring for saints in this way. I started watching the beginning of the service, saw one son speak, and listened to a lovely handbell piece. Then the scurrying began in our room, all of the sudden, nurses coming in and out, accessing the port, hanging another bag of fluid along with one of the chemo meds, flushing the line, handing him a pill to take. The next round of chemotherapy was beginning. And at that exact moment, I clicked back onto the service, where one pastor was reading from Psalm 121. As I was watching all of the scurrying and could feel the knot in my gut tighten, what I heard in my ear was:
“I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.
8 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and for evermore.”
And I knew, in all of the fear that grips us, that we – and especially our dear Heath – are held, and loved.
Holding the Tuttle Family close tonight as you/ Heath begin a new regimen Monday.
Sure hope Heath got in some rest and drank and ate and played….Thankful Bob and Pat are helping out too.
Praying for you ALL…
You are not alone!!!!
“Thank you, Jesus, for carrying our Tuttle family.”
Hugs and Love
Held🙏thank you God. Thinking of you all and we are blessed to bear witness to your lives and God’s faithfulness. Big love to you fam❤️
If ever there was a team tough enough to obliterate this opponent – it’s Team Tuttle. We’re cheering for you!
~Swiggett Family
(Nathan, Julie, Grant & Audrey)
May all the comfort and assurance you two have offered to others over the years now be YOURS to receive. You may lean on our faith as you were among those who strengthened our faith for such a time as this.
We are sending so much love and so many prayers for each of your dear family and especially to Heath.
That’s an amazing story. Go Operation Obliterate!
Breathing in, held in love.
Breathing out, held in love.
Sending ease and strength. ❤️
Sending love and so many prayers.
Sending your Heath and your entire family all of our love and many prayers.
The beautiful Psalm 121…a real blessing at this time. Prayers for Heath and for you all. As someone already said, “you are not alone.”
Our whole family is holding you all in our hearts and sending much love and prayer. ❤️❤️❤️
Keep repeating Psalm 121. Love and prayers daily for all, especially for Heath, during this treatment for obliteration. Thanks for your beautifully written updates.
Margaret Beatty
Psalm 121 is one with so much meaning and love. I’ve read all the comments and want to say “ditto” “ditto” “ditto”. Know that you all are loved by all and all are praying for Heath, your family, and his medical team. Prayers and hugs from Virginia ❤️
Our hearts are so full of love for your family, and aching along side you as well. Praying this will be a restful and healing week❤️🙏🏻
Chris, thank you for allowing us to keep up with Heath and the Tuttle clan. So many love each of you and are grateful to pray, support and even shed tears with you. I remember some words of encouragement in a sermon you preached following Heath’s transplant. You told us that of COURSE God gives us more than we can handle-that is why we have a community of faith. I have relied on those words for many years and am leaning on them yet again in this next step of the journey. Thank you for letting all of us in this community love you, care for you and pray for you.
Much love,
Gran Sarah
That’s beautiful, Chris. You are not alone. God is with you. And so are the prayers of so many.
Thank you for sharing, we are praying for peace and healing and more Psalm 121 moments.
Yes, you are all held and loved, even though we haven’t met beyond these words you so beautifully share, but I’ve known Bob and Pat for many years. I eagerly read every word you post, and I pray, and I shed tears, and I smile, and I rejoice at your faith, which surrounds you and your dear family, blood related and not. Tonight, I drink a toast to obliteration of the darkness and sustenance of the LIGHT in that tiny body, the one surrounded by so many prayers and so much love.
-Marny
Prayers for peace, strength, endurance and obliteration. Mercy, Lord. Big love to you guys. ❤️
The Kelly family is praying hard for Operation Obliterate to knock it out of the park – and out of Heath. Much love to all of you.
With tears but with faith, we lift Heath and all of the family up in prayer.
I wish things were vastly better, and I pray they will be so very soon indeed. Sending love to every one of you. Nancye
I wish things were vastly better, and I pray they will be so very soon indeed. Sending love to every one of you.
Grab all of the solace that you can, wherever you find it! But how cool that our friends’ service provided just what you needed to hear at just the right moment. Our prayers continue for you, Carrie, Heath (especially Heath!), your whole family, and for the medical team caring for him. Much love.
Thank you so very much for sharing this with us. You are not alone!
Grandfather Miller’s favorite psalm. And one of Dad’s often shared. Yes, please do, trust in Love with all your heart.
Thoughts and prayers continue for Heath, Mom and Dad, EB, Wilson, the doctors and nurses and the rest of the family as you move into this next phase. So many prayers for this round to obliterate the cancer. Sending love and hugs to all of you!
My name is Jennifer Raley and my sons Holden and Cole have become great friends with Heath at Montreat. Thank you for sharing this scripture. I am praying for Heath and your family now and will be diligent in my prays. Your family’s love and faithfulness are an inspiration and y’all and Heath are touching so many with your openness, love for each other and faith in God’s hands in your situation. Praying now for a peaceful rest free from worry for all of you tonight.
Carrie and Chris,
Just know of my thoughts and prayers for the family. I pray we will all see another miracle in precious Heath’s little body. God, obliterate this cancer! Sending love to you.
CARRIE, MY HEART CRIES OUT AS I READ YOUR WORDS AND YET AT THE SAME TIME I RECEIVE RICH BLESSINGS FROM YOUR WORDS OF HOW
FAITH IS ENCOURAGING YOU ALL AND CARRYING YOU THROUGH EACH NEW DAY. THANK YOU FOR FINDING THE TIME AND WORDS TO SHARE WITH US.
HELLO TO DIANNE EUBANKS HILL.
❤️🙏🏻❤️🙏🏻 Psalm 121 is my ‘go to’
Yes! You, Carrie, Heath, Ella Brooks and Wilson are all being held so close in prayer. Praying for “obliteration” and praying for strength and bravery and patience….
Many Hugs and Much Love
Psalm 121 will be read at my grave. When I was at Pavilion in alcohol treatment in 2006 in the mountains I had those first 2 lines in my brain every time as I looked out over the mountains outside of our facility. I did not even know the Bible verse then until I got home. But in those days it was my mantra each afternoon at sunset as I looked over the mountains.
We are so praying over you and your family right now. God bless you all!
Carol Walker
Can’t thank you enough for the updates on Heath! When I saw Carrie in church I fell over…..what a soothing sight. And surprise! Heath will progress but I understand the tough road. What a young boy can show to us elders. Amazing! Love and prayers daily✝️Candy
Our thoughts and prayers continue day and night for Heath, the doctors and all of the family. Sending lots of love and hugs to all of you. We love you Heath and pray all will go well for you.
Prayers for sweet HT’s spirits through Operation Obliterate. We are loving him from WNC.
I agree,keep repeating that psalm over and over. God hears our prayers and knows our hearts prayers. He loves the little children. We keep repeating our prayers and ask God to hold your hands and reassure His Love. 🙏
Psalm 121 …… always! Prayers for all of you!
Prayers for Obliteration! We continue to hold you all close as well as continue to send love your way! 🙏💜🙏
I know you’ve both read that Psalm at services many times. You probably know most of it “by heart.” Keep on saying it to yourselves. Keep it close to your heart! And, yes, you and Heath are held and loved-by a host of friends and loved ones, and by the One who created and keeps on creating you.
❤️
Many prayers for *obliteration* and much love from Papa.