'Til We Meet Again

Carl Richard Eriksson, 64, beloved husband, dad, grandpa and brother, returned with honor to his Heavenly Father on May 18, 2010 surrounded by loved ones.

He was born on April 25, 1946 in Norwalk, Connecticut to Carl and Dorit Eriksson. He is the youngest of six children. At a young age Dad grew to love missionary work as he served with his parents when they were called to be building missionaries in Samoa and Sweden. He was later called back to Sweden to serve as a full time missionary. Upon his return he enrolled at BYU where he met his eternal sweetheart, Linda Cowin. They were married for time and all eternity on April 4, 1972 in the Salt Lake Temple. He graduated from BYU with a degree in Civil Engineering. He began his career in Fullerton, California and ended as the General Manager for Kearns Improvement District. He was known to be fair and patient, always taking time to listen to his employees. He was well liked and deeply respected by those he worked for and those who worked for him.

Dad served faithfully in many callings in the LDS church, his favorite calling being a missionary on Temple Square. Dad lived the gospel as he preached it and became an example to many, leaving his imprint forever on our hearts.

The crown jewel of his life was his family. Even through his most difficult trials, Dad was a man of great integrity, eternal faith, and unwavering optimism. He is adored by his family and all who know him. Dad is our hero.

He is survived by his wife, Linda; children, Mike and Tina Eriksson, Wade and Ann Ashton, Ryan and Heidi Eriksson, Justin and Mandy Smart, Reed and Leigh Eriksson, Andy and Jenny Johnson; 17 grandchildren; and his siblings, Rick, Sally, Millie, Irene and Bob.

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, May 22, 2010 at the South Jordan Stake Center located at 2450 West 10400 South in South Jordan at 11 am.

A viewing will be held from 6-8 pm on Friday, May 21, at the McDougal Funeral Home, 4330 South Redwood Road. A viewing will also precede the funeral service on Saturday from 9-10:30 am at the South Jordan Stake Center.

Thank you, Dad, for your life, your love, your example. We love you. Until we meet again.

Prayers

Dad's health is not improving, but he remains positive and happy and as strong spiritually as ever. He and mom are such wonderful examples. He is home from work now. We got news last week that there is a fast growing tumor on his liver. It is giving him jaundice and he isn't as strong as he has been. His body is still fighting, we are still hoping for a miracle. In a talk that President Uchtdorf gave this last conference, he said, "Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that we can—working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardship with fortitude, even when the desires of our hearts are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!" Oh, how well Dad has endured! We are trying to be patient ourselves perhaps not as patient as Dad. Come visit if you can, he is tired, but he and Mom enjoy the company. Keep praying for him.

Easter Blessings II

I can't believe I have let an entire year slip by. I noticed today that it has been exactly one year since I last updated this blog. I haven't been the best informer. So, for any of you who have actually checked this blog on a regular basis and might faint of shock, please sit down.

As far as Dad's health goes, well, he has had his ups and downs. I think, that he has had a lot of good reports this past year. It has been 19 months since he was first diagnosed. He has been on chemotherapy for about 17 of those months. He had a break last August and part of September and then got a PT scan right after. It revealed that his cancer was still shrinking which, of course, was wonderful news. Not too long after, Dad started having pain in his back. They found that he had cancer in his back bones and it has been very painful to him. He is currently undergoing radiation to treat his bones and is also working with a doctor to help him manage his pain. He and Mom are, as always, faithful and patient and optimistic. For those of you who still occasionally check this blog we thank you for your prayers.

I thought I'd post a few pictures of our family from our annual Eriksson family Easter Egg Hunt. Our family has grown by three since I last posted. Mike and Tina had a baby boy August 1, Ryan and Heidi were able to adopt a baby girl in August as well and I had a baby in December. So now, Mom and Dad have 17 grandkids under the age of 11! It is quite a group when we get together. The kids all have so much fun with their cousins.

Easter Blessings

Spring is here...at least today it is here. The weather has been crazy, but I am looking forward to digging in the dirt and working outside in the yard. I love spring. I love how everything comes back to life. I love to see the daffodils and the tulips, hyacinths, crocus, the leaf buds on trees and the perennials poking their heads up out of the ground. Yesterday, Justin and I got to teach the three and four year old primary class at church. They were so much fun. We talked about Easter, and the reason we celebrate it. We talked about why Easter is celebrated in the Spring and how when the plants all come back to life, it reminds us of Jesus being resurrected. We went on a walk around the church looking for signs of life in the plants and trees and flowers. Those little boys were so amazing and full of faith. They are pure and untainted by society and the world around them. It was such a neat experience. I am deeply grateful for this Easter season, for the chance to reflect on the life of Jesus Christ, our Savior. It brings me such joy to know that He and our Father in Heaven have a plan for us. The knowledge of an eternal life with those I love is comforting and brings me peace. How grateful I am too, to have parents who have taught me these things, and have shown me, through their examples, how to live worthily of the blessings we may receive.

Speaking of blessings...for those of you who get on this blog to hear how my dad is doing and not to hear my rantings, I will get to it. Please forgive me for adding my own feelings. I can't help but feel blessed being among so many good family and friends. Dad is doing wonderfully. He has, as many of you know, been on a trial drug along with his chemotherapy. He is still taking the chemo very well, and still looks so good. Although we don't know whether he is taking the actual trial drug, or just a placebo, we are hopeful that he is on the drug. He says that he has a new symptom, which has been said is common with this trial drug. He also gets to have more frequent PT scans, which he had a few weeks ago. The most recent scan shows he is continuing to improve and the cancer is shrinking. Dad is still as positive as ever and we are hopeful and optimistic as well.

I hope that all is well with those who may still occasionally check this blog. I am sorry for the time between postings. I haven't been very good at updating this blog, and I apologize. Thanks, as always for your thoughts and prayers. Until next time, Happy Spring!

Happy New Year!

Grandma with Kate and Ty on Christmas

Aunt Marion, Aunt Bessie, and Aunt Margie

The grandkids while they are singing

Once again, time has gotten away from me. I can't believe it is the end of January already. Much has been happening in the last few weeks, and I hope you forgive me for the time I've allowed to lapse between postings.

Dad had his scan on December 15 and met with the Doctor on the 19th. The news was good! The Chemotherapy is working as they expected and one of the tumors is even shrunken by half! We were also happy to hear that because Dad has so few symptoms and his body is taking the Chemo so well, they want to do a clinical trial drug on him that has promise. He has since had a couple more treatments and will start the clinical trial shortly. He will be monitored more with scans so the doctors can see the progress more often.

On another good note, Jenny was married on December 30 to Andy Johnson. It was a great event. Mom and Dad said it was an especially rewarding day for them as all six of their kids and their spouses were in the temple together for the wedding. We all had fun visiting with family and friends. It was good of so many people to come and we all appreciated your well wishes not only for Jenny and Andy, but for Mom and Dad as well. Life is good and we have much to be thankful for. Dad looked and felt great at the wedding.

Christmas was also wonderful. We were all able to visit with Mom and Dad. Not at the same time, but over two days. I'm sure they got their fill of us. We did have a family get-together before Christmas and we also went Christmas caroling to Aunt Bessie, Aunt Marjorie, and Aunt Marion (Mom's Aunts). We all had so much fun! The grandkids especially loved singing and visiting. We all have a great time when we get together.

I hope now that the new year is in full swing, we can all remember to be thankful for each day. To live in the present and to not have any regrets of the past. I read a quote from President Monson that I thought was poignant.

"This is a wonderful time to be living here on earth. Our opportunities are limitless. While there are some things wrong in the world today, there are many things right, such as teachers who teach, ministers who minister, marriages that make it, parents who sacrifice, and friends who help.

"We can lift ourselves, and others as well, when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues" (Thomas S. Monson, "An Attitude of Gratitude," Ensign, May 1992, 54).

One of my new years resolutions is to cultivate an "attitude of gratitude." I have so much to be thankful for in my life. Most of all, I am thankful for my Father in Heaven for the peace I feel and for the knowledge I have that Christ gave his life for us so we can return to Him again and live with our loved ones in happiness forever.

So, even though it is the end of January, Happy New Year!

A Look Ahead

As of yesterday, Dad had his 5th round of Chemo. He's still looking good and the Doctors say he is doing remarkably well. We were all able to get together at Thanksgiving. It was great to be together and even better to have Mom and Dad there with us. We were all happy they came. Everyone was worried about Dad getting sick, because of his low immune system right now, but he wore his mask and washed his hands many times to avoid as many germs as possible. (Which are abundant with 14 grandchildren under the age of 10). The kids were great to stay away too if they had coughs or sniffles. So far, he has not gotten sick and I'm sure it's safe to say that he came through that one okay.

This coming Monday, Dad will be having a follow-up PT scan. This will help the doctors to see whether or not the medicine is working. We're hopeful that the chemotherapy is doing it's job, but it is still an anxious time. Dad will then meet with the oncologist next Friday to discuss the results and to take a look ahead. We are all planning a family fast on Sunday to help bring peace, comfort and assurance to Mom and Dad and to prepare him for the scan. Once again, all of Dad's co-workers, friends and especially family have been incredibly supportive during this time, thank you. Your prayers and thoughts will be appreciated this coming week.

I also thought it would be fun if those who want would post a memory they've had with Dad. It will be fun to share those with him at our Christmas party (Dec. 20th). I'm sure my siblings and I as well as the grandkids will enjoy them too.

I'll try to keep you updated and let you know what is going on as I get the information. So, until then, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

Three Down

Good news! Dad has completed his third round of chemo this week. His body has accepted it quite well. He has only minor side effects. One being that his white blood cell count is low, which makes him susceptible to infection. He is constantly washing his hands and wears a mask often. He says that he feels like the masked man in meetings and when he goes out. This past Monday though, his count was up enough to continue his treatments, so that is encouraging. He has no idea how well the chemotherapy is working, but has faith (as do we all) that it is working as it was intended to. He will know more in December or January when he has another PT scan which will determine if the chemo is killing the cancer cells.

Dad looks great! If you didn't know it, you would just think that he has been on a good weight loss program. (Although he recommends that you don't try to lose weight this way :) ) He is doing exercises to strengthen his upper and lower body and has gained a couple of pounds. The danger of cancer is still there, but both he and mom, and the rest of us are all still praying that he will beat this. Dad is optimistic and thankful for the blessings that have come from this. We are grateful for your prayers and faith on his behalf. He has next week off from the chemotherapy, and then starts again on the 24th. We'll keep you posted on his progression.