September 27, 2012
Dear Friends, Brethren and Family
The last few months
of ups and downs.......light at the end of the tunnel
Since my return in May we have spent many trips to the VA for
testing and whatnot.
1) They did a prostate biopsy: cancer was found but it a slow growing/
small volume which we will do active surveillance on. (have applied for agent
orange/disability but it has not been approved yet)
2) Knees: x-rays to check for torn ligaments, etc; MRI's on both: no
remaining shrapnel, no surgery.
3) Pelvic CT can: chronic kidney disease but no treatment at this time
4) Thyroid scans: CT, nuclear, sonogram, no surgery - let the autoimmume
keep on eating (maybe it will go on down to the prostate and eat that cancer
when it runs out of thyroid!)
5) Chest x-ray; some scaring in my lungs from past infection (they
said I have furniture disease - my chest fell down into my drawers!)
6) Face x-ray: clear (no metal fragments?)
Diagnosis of Hashimoto's
thyroiditis
The September 17th doctor's report concluded that I have Hashimoto's
thyroiditis which is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the United States.
It is named after the first doctor who described this condition, Dr.
Hakaru Hashimoto, in 1912.
FYI
What causes Hashimoto's thyroiditis?
Hashimoto's thyroiditis is a condition caused by inflammation of the thyroid gland. It is an autoimmune disease, which means that the body inappropriately attacks the thyroid gland--as if it was foreign tissue. The underlying cause of the autoimmune process still is unknown. Hashimoto's thyroiditis tends to occur in families, and is associated with a clustering of other autoimmune conditions such as Type 1 diabetes, and celiac disease. Hashimoto's thyroiditis is 5-10 times more common in women than in men and most often starts in adulthood. Blood drawn from patients with Hashimoto's throiditis reveals an increased number of antibodies to the enzyme, thyroid peroxidase an enzyme (protein) found within the thyroid gland. As result of the antibodies' interaction with the enzyme, inflammation develops in the thyroid gland, the thyroid gland is destroyed, and the patient ultimately is rendered hypothyroid (too little thyroid hormone). What is the treatment of Hashimoto's thyroiditis?
There is no cure for Hashimoto's thyroiditis. There is no way to know how long the autoimmune process and inflammation will continue. In the vast majority of patients, hypothyroidism results from the inflammatory process as it has in mine.
Thyroid hormone medication can replace the hormones the thyroid made before the inflammation started. There are two major thyroid hormones made by a healthy gland (T3 and T4). Replacing one or both of these hormones can alleviate the symptoms caused by the absolute or relative lack of hormones as a consequence of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Without medication, there is very little chance the thyroid would be able to maintain hormone levels within the normal range, and symptoms and signs of hypothyroidism would occur or worsen.
The providence of
God working for our return home
The ups and downs were a result that we had been scheduled to
return to Vanuatu in August but had to delay until September and now have finally
set the date to October 18th. It costs us $100 per ticket every time we had
to change the ticket. Looking at what has gone on we see the providence of God
working in this as if we had left in August or even September we would not been
ready to ship this truck or the container which will help us tremendously in
getting the school up and running once we get back. It has given us more time
to share with others of our work and needs.
Kathy and I firmly believe that my current health level is a result of your prayers. Everything they have found has come back as the "best possible outcome" of a bad situation. The fact that the last doctor (Sept 17th) did not even say anything about a goiter which had been diagnosed on Aug 30th as needing surgery tells me God was working and maybe my coughing brought it out or maybe the autoimmune process ate it. Whatever, nobody cut my throat for which I am thankful! God does answer prayer!
Veteran's doctor
appointments
I had my last appointment with the VA in Mt Vernon on September
25th. The blood work all came back very to fairly good and they have even discontinued
my blood pressure medicine. When we got to the VA yesterday all the TV's were
showing Mr Obama speaking and when they took my blood pressure it was not high
so they figured that if Mr Obama did not raise my BP too high (but raise
it he does) I did not need to take medicine to control my (what I have
been saying all along) "not high" blood pressure.
My thyroid function is improving but is still abnormal. The thyroid function test is still elevated but only to 7.09. It was at 22 in July. (Reference Range: (0.34-5.60). The free t3 and free t4 thyroid test is normal. They do not recommend any changes in my thyroid medication at this time. They are hoping that it continues to improve.
The prostate specific antigen blood test (PSA) has gone slightly higher. It is up to 7.35 and last time was 6.13. Normal is 0 to 4. They recommend continuing to follow it.
The plan is to have periodic TSH, Free T4 and PSA blood tests in Vanuatu (which have to be sent to New Caldonia for processing) and then go up to the VA in Hawaii next May/June for a follow-up prostate biopsy.
Container: packing
We found that the shipping of containers has increased in price
dramatically over the past 5 years due to soaring fuel costs (from $5000 to
$8600 now). We also found out that if the shipping company provides a container
they will allow you 2 hours to load it and then charge you $100 AN HOUR after
that. The container would also be on the back of the shipping truck the whole
time,
So.........since we are wanting to ship the truck and then pack boxes of medical supplies around it to made the best use of the space (sea containers are shipped by size not weight). Seeing as it would take time to build a storage space over the truck (more than 2 hours) and that the truck had to somehow be driven into the container, we looked around and found an almost new 20 foot container (only been used for two trips overseas) and were able to purchase it for $3100. Once we get it back to Vanuatu we can convert it into an office for the school as it already is cyclone proof.
Container
with truck
The truck will be backed in under the shelf and we will build another shelf over the hood so we can maximize how much we can take.
This is our plea (still)
(a new way to help without cash, see #2)
For forty years we have tried to share with people our dream
of "Church Planting, Leadership Training and Bible Training in Oceania".
Various places have demanded differing roles in our work (Papua New Guinea,
New Zealand, Vanuatu, Fiji). The current location is Vanuatu and the role is
still the establishment of a located Bible Training facility to train and equip
brethren from the island regions of Oceania to teach and train their own language
groups in the Bible and Bible living. We are not trying to establish a preacher
training school. We are planning to train and equip brethren in the Bible and
trade training (mechanics, woodworking, sewing, village bread baking, etc) to
help them support themselves when they return to their home islands.
This is a plea:
we need your help with finances to establish this facility.
#1 - Can you personally help us with a one time financial gift of $50 or
more? Can you personally help us with $25 a month for a least a year? If
enough of you gave $25 per month for a year this would give us funds on a monthly
basis to build monthly. Will you PLEASE?
I have had some ask how they can help financially on a monthly basis so I have attached an Autopay form which will allow you to have funds automatically deducted from your bank account and transferred to the school bank account. It can be stopped at any time on your part. Simply print it, fill it out, sign it and mail it back to the addresses supplied or scan it and email it back to me.
We have received some help and now have some funds in Vanuatu for a generator. Thank you so much!
#2 - Another way to give:
(without cash)
In our journeys and talks with people, many have said they want to help missions
and especially help us build and operate The Christian Institute of Biblical
Studies in Vanuatu but have no cash to give.
If you have RMD (Required minimum distribution
for over 70 year olds from their IRA) whatever is donated is tax free.
(Example: if the government requires you to withdraw $10,000 from your IRA (whether
you need the funds to live on or not) whatever you donate you do not have to
pay tax on- whatever you keep you have to pay tax on. If you donate $5000 and
keep $5000 you would only have to pay tax on $5000.) If you have other retirement
funds (SS, etc) that you can live comfortable on then a RMD withdraw might put
you into a higher income bracket that would mean that all you were required
to withdraw might go toward taxes. Aught not to be, but that is the tax
code.
If you have some stock (ie Walmart, Lazyboy, Apple, Microsoft, etc) and cash it out you have to pay 15% capital gains tax on the difference that you paid for it and the price it is worth today. If you don't want to pay 15% capital gains tax you can donate the stocks or again if you just want to donate some non-producing stock, your donation (the current value of the stock) is also not taxable.
Win - win! You don't pay tax (legally) and the Bible School gets built.
So we have set up a brokerage account with the bank that has our school account. It will be in the CIBS name with proceeds going into that account after being transferred and redeemed. This is just another way to help those of you who want to help missions but have no cash to give - you can give and lessen your tax load (and keep the cash in your hand).
It was also explained that if the Bush tax cuts are let to lapse then the capital gains on stocks after December 31 will be 28% just like ordinary revenue. So you might want to review your stock portfolio by the end of the year and see if you can get a better deal donating.
If anyone reading this would like to transfer IRA (RMD) funds or stock to this account (which will directly benefit The Christian Institute of Biblical Studies in Vanuatu) you need to talk with your broker and give him this name and number:
United Missouri Bank (UMB)
300 Grant St
Carthage Mo 64836
A/C# H8P033855
DTC# 0226
At the end of the year you will receive a letter of tax deducible donation from us.
#3 - School facilities NEEDS:
(1) A congregation who will accept the challenge of sponsoring the Bible School.
This would include majority (but not necessarily total) support of the school,
help in planning, raising of funds, oversight of and the implementation of qualified
personnel to operate and run the school.
(2) Finances - (for a five year period, at the end of
which we hope to have established crops which will provide for the future operating
expenses); this in itself is a unique objective of the school as compared to
others who have to continue to solicit support from outside sources.
a. $125-250,000 (for development on the property, structural building and furnishings)
b. $3,500 per month (staff salaries, student and operating expenses)
(3) Prayers -
Thank you so much for all of you who are praying for us, supporting us and have contributed to our needs. God bless you! We look forward to being back home soon and sharing with you what the Lord is doing through us. Thank you for your prayers!
Your seed sowing workers in the Kingdom.
Tobey & Kathy
Contributions for Huffs and building the Bible school, vehicle and house can be sent to:
Huffs/Bible School
c/ Mt Hope church of Christ
2830 Mt Hope Rd
Webb City MO 64870
Tobey & Kathy Huff
c/ 2730 E. 24th St
Joplin. MO 64804