Hi Family, Friends and the thousands of people Curt's life has impacted through the years,
The last few days have been the hardest days of our life with the decisions we are having to make. Curt had a phone message at 5:30pm last Friday night from Dr Barnette, the gamma knife doctor. She wanted to see us in her office at 10:00am Monday morning. We were there and ready to go....she explained Curt's MRI in more detail. The area where Dr. Mason thought was regrowth was not accurate....the area was a new tumor behind the cavity where the original tumor was removed. This new tumor has hundreds of feelers growing towards his speech area about a 1/2" away. To where he could lose his speech as early as this weekend. Curt's tumors have been angry, aggressive, creative, and unstoppable! Dr. Barnette gave us a few options but it would not stop the tumors and the quality of life would be unknown. Curt values life and wants quality over anything else. She gave us a time frame if Curt chooses not to do gamma knife.... which is 2-4 weeks. Gamma knife can not touch the feelers growing out of control. This tumor is growing faster than lightning!! We met with Donnie Dee, Curt's best friend and Big brother, after our appointment. We needed someone with a sound mind that we could share this information with. We sat for a length of time talking and sharing ideas..... and finally Donnie told Curt, buddy," I know you as a brother, we have shared our life together for over eight years, I'm going to ask you a question and we are not leaving here until you give me an answer"......Curt said..." OK"........"are you ready to meet Jesus?" "are you really ready?" ....Curt said, "yes" Donnie also said," if you are ready, then let's make the next 20-30 days a Celebration like no other and make every day count!! "Let's plan the most spectacular Golf Tournament, Jan 28th, and lets Celebrate with as many people as you can and We Will help you finish well." Donnie said..."how many people can plan their own memorial.....and make it the best Celebration ever?" " We will help that happen!!!! " My prayer is that All of you help Curt with his hearts desire to make this Golf Tournament the Most Spectacular and his memorial the most meaningful ever. He is so concerned for Brittany and Brett and not being able to see them marry or have children and become the grandpa he so desired to be. God is giving him strength and peace to live the rest of his life with no regrets. Lets All Celebrate Curt and how he has touch our lives and helped us to Make Every Day Count!
This is not the most easy post I have given you but I hope you hear my heart. God bless you All, Shari
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19 comments:
Wow!!!!! What a post to leave us. We hear your heart and we're in. What decisions you two have to make. You both have impacted thousands of people and the least we can do is help Curt finish well. Let us know what our part is and we Will deliver! We love you all so much. MH
I spoke to Curt today and it was one of the high points of my life. We shared some laughs (like talking about being 20 and some of the crazy stuff we did), shared some dreams (like looking forward to seeing Jesus) and shared some love. I think that I originally called to see if I could give some comfort to Curt. Curt ended up giving the comfort to me.
I told Curt that I had always been a inconsistent Christian and Curt shared his spiritual journey with me. I listened, I learned. I hung up the phone feeling renewed hope for my faith and the paths I want to take in my life. I told Curt I loved him (have I ever said that to a man in 53 years?)and meant it. He then asked me about my daughters! What can I say? That kind of says it all. What a guy. Christ is smiling right now I am certain!
Dick Miller
Dear Curt and the Condon Family...
Thank you for blessing myself and my family with your example of love and devotion to God in these challenging times. I personally have a very strong feeling for you all, since Brett's life has been so much like mine. I big family, a tennis coach father, loving mother, and wonderful siblings. You are so blessed to be in sitting in the Presence of the Lord and love Him so much with every action and decision you have made for years.
From the Redondo family and the San Diego State Aztec family, we are praying for you Curt and your family, and are there to help with ANYTHING what-so-ever. Thank you my friend.----Ryan Redondo
I have thought a lot about you and your family over the past couple of days Curt. I have experienced many emotions in this time.
I am sorry for the many who will miss your physical presence.
I am happy knowing that you will continue to live on in the hearts and thoughts of those who love you.
I am sad that you have had to experience the physical, and emotional struggle that you have been challenged with these past many months.
I feel happy that soon you will be in the comforting arms of God, at peace and no longer feeling any pain.
The deck of cards you have been dealt this month is not what any of us would have hoped for you. The courage and faith you have exhibited has been a model for all to try to emulate.
You have continued to teach with your words and especially your actions.
I received an email from my uncle today that I thought I would share. I lost my mother to cancer at far too young an age. This reminds me of her and I think it is something we all should try to live by.
Here is the short story:
At family gathering, a group of adults and I sat together over coffee after dinner while the children played nearby. We got on the subject of dogs, and toward the end of the discussion, one adult began wondering aloud about the fact that dog's lives are shorter than human lives.
Shane, a six year old boy who had been listening quietly,
stood up and said, "I know why."
Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next
stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation.
He said, "People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?" The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."
Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.
Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY
Curt, I believe you have lived this way...I thank you for being a role model and I pray for you to continue and finish strong.
God Bless You Curt Condon and God Bless your family.
Dear Curt,
How do I express what I am sure you have heard thousands of times in the past few days? I am so sad over the news. I have been so blessed simply knowing you in the past few years. The journey you and Shari are taking together is the most difficult one you could make; and yet you continue to amaze me with your spirit and your strength! Your witness to everyone who knows you personally as well as those who only know you by reading your blog is so moving. God has used you so tremendously. My prayer for you is strength to do whatever you need to, or simply want to... for as long as you can. If there is anything that you need at all, please give me a call. You are in our thoughts and prayers constantly, my friend.
Susan Vogt.
Curt & Shari,
I don't know how to express the depth of my feelings after reading this. You have both blessed my life for several years now and I want to be able to help in some way. Curt, you are a very special man. I cherish our talks and time together. Please let me know if there is anything I can do. I will call soon. Love, Rochelle
Dear Curt - I've known you a long time, and I've always thought you are something special. The past year certainly has confirmed it! You are a true Christian warrior in the purest and finest sense of the words. You have fought your battle with courage, integrity, humor and grace. Your family and friends have surrounded you with their love, prayers and encouragement, and in return you have given us all a very special gift: By sharing your journey - your experiences, thoughts and feelings - you have taught us by your example how to face life's ups and downs with optimism, caring concern for those around you, an indomitable spirit, and the determination to MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT!! I can only believe that you are God's special choice for this journey, because He knew what a profound positive impact you would have on so many others. Thank you for that!! I'll miss your laughter and your wisdom, but I know in my heart you are at peace with everything. "May the roads rise to meet you, may the wind be always at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your face, and may God hold you in the palm of his hand." (Irish blessing) I love you, Curt - you're the best!!
Annette
Dear Curt and family,
I was directed to your blog by the Las Flores Church of the Nazarene prayer chain. Your story is so touching and heartbreaking. You guys will be in my prayers. I pray that God will sustain and strengthen you that he will comfort and guide you all during this difficult time. God's word says when we seek him out we will find him. Seek him in prayer, scripture and worship. He says he will hear us and that he will never leave us. I pray that you will be surrounding by loving supportive friends and family.
May God be with you all.
Susan
PS-I've heard of people in similar situations that write letters to children and other family members or even make videos that remember all the wonderful times they shared and expressing love. Perhaps this could be a project to help?
You know, Curt, it's always been great showing up at the Club over the last 12 or 14 years and seeing your smiling face! So many years of lessons, either for me or Troy or Chad - wish I could have gotten Michael out there more often! You've done a lot of fun and great things for the members ... making new members feel welcome and integrated, fun "Olympics" and other tournaments, and that's only some of the things I know about! We were definitely looking for you to be out there last Friday for league - it would have been a good day to see us, we all won! But more importantly, we wanted to see and talk to you...and let you know how much you are loved (of course, I think - hope - you know that already!) It was just 2 weeks or so ago that I was saying how great you look, and then this terrible news is found out - I hope that you are not in much pain, and that you are able to enjoy your time with friends and family. And if I don't see you before, I certainly wish to see you on the 28th!! Lots of hugs, Alex Hamner (and Michael, Troy & Chad.
Hi Curt and Shari,
Words can't express the pain I'm feeling for you both. You both have touch lives, more than you know. You both put others before yourself and it showed so much at the club. You made every child feel so special on the court, like they were your child and you wanted the best for them...we as parents felt that. You two are the Greatest!!! I know this has got to be so hard. Please know I am praying for you both through this difficult time.
Love, TM
Curt & Shari, You two are so awesome and I am so thankful you have Jesus in your hearts. He is the only way you can get through this. My prayer is that your family also has Jesus or it will be one tough ride through this incredible walk God is taking you two through. God promises He is with you all the way. You both are a light in this dark world and Curt, you are finishing well.. you are a champion for Christ. God bless you, Tom
Just a freindly note. Curt & Sheri I sold you your wedding set.Your Family Beautiful. My heart has been with you since I heard. I too have had my journey.
I feel your pain. I really don't know what to say. I'm sending you all my love, hug's and kiss's.
Love to you and your Family.
Love Nancy
I cant thank God enough for putting you my life brother Curt. You have shown me so much of what its like to be a man of God in what seems like the brief time I have known you.
Whether it has been having a few laughs over "the list" and "home depot", or just praying together asking God to lift us up when we dont know the answers.... you have helped me to know I am not alone.
And what I can say to you is what you taught me - You are not alone.
With Celebration and Love -
Dean B
Curt and Shari,
I have not met you in person, but have been following your story. You have touched so many lives (more than you know)...God has blessed us with you. I am so thankful for you and your family, for your constant faith and much much more! Heres to a great celebration of your life!Curt...you are finishing well.
Sunshine & Smiles,
Donti
I am so thankful that God allowed me to have you in my life. You are such a great example of a christian man and witness for christ.
I thank you for all the lessons you taught me about tennis and life. I will always hear you telling me to "live in the present." You have impacted my life more than you can ever know. You challenged me to be a better person as well as a better tennis player. My kids will hear about my awesome tennis coach Curt and all the great lessons he taught me.
You will live forever in the hearts of all the people you have touched with your life. God Bless you and your family.
Keely
Dear Curt: Thank you for everything you have done for the tennis at El Camino and for all of us personally.
We pray for you and your family. You have shown all of your friends a great deal of strength and courage. You are in God's hands and may He continue to give you comfort and peace. The best is yet to come.
Sue Larkin
..Have left a couple posts before, don't really know you, Curt and Shari, but know mutual friends over the past 3 decades, and feel we've come to know you through your posts. Thanks so much for such candid and inspirational posts these many months..cancer's terrifying, not pretty..but reveals so much, puts you face-to-face with bigger truths.. like the certainty of God's promise thru his Son.. the comfort of his presence when NOTHING else helps, not even close... We've been "lucky" with my husband's 3x cancer diagnoses and almost 15-year survivor history.. but what does "luck" mean, anyway, in the long view, especially when the next chapter is perfect eternity.. it's so hard for those left behind to miss their loved ones, and harder, in the moment, for the afflicted, bearing the pain, worrying about what may be left undone here. I keep thinking that, when all's said/done, we'll ask God in Heaven why he made things so difficult here for some of us, and He'll say, what do you mean?, it was no different, metaphorically, in the Bigger Scheme of things, than when a toddler scrapes his knee and acts like it was the end of the world, when it was only moments of temporary discomfort compared to the span of perfect eternity... I lost my Dad 16 mo. ago, I'm still missing him so badly, uncertain whether he'd been "saved" in the classical sense, since he was not a church-goer but embraced all that's good/true in life -- and I felt better when someone told me they believe God will take any opportunity possible in that last incalculable/unreachable millisecond after death to bring each child home to Him. And so I'm picturing a noble man like you spending time with a noble man like my Dad in God's perfect universe, probably chatting away blissfully about all your many blessings, waaaaay more than any of your burdens down here... and it makes me smile. Still I'm crying as I write this.. and praying for your strength, courage, assurance and comfort, and that your family will be protected during this difficult transition, and enriched by your memory and the promise of a blessed reunion in Heaven, when we all share in God's loving and paternal praise for so many individual and collective jobs-well-done... that we did what we could to leave things better than we arrived, that we finished as well as possible..and that we gave God his well-deserved glory whenever/wherever possible for so many impossible-to-list daily gifts. And one last addition to this post... a verse that is so perfect for anyone who's followed what you and your wife have so eloquently articulated through your blog these last many months.. Our time here is punctuated by so many emotions, all the way from the most intense joy to the most abject suffering..and yet God helps us persevere, through his spirit flowing through all of us Fellow Travelers here on earth..we're all in this together, on this little rock spinning through the cosmos..no one gets out alive: 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 -- Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. So.....Curt and Shari and your family, bless you all in these coming days and weeks...
Curt, it is so clear that you are greatly loved, you are ardently prayed for, you are constantly thought about...more than you can possibly know... Blessings and bon courage...Everyone you love will eventually be joining you in eternal Grace... may you have perfect peace here, and a joyful reunion with Christ ahead.
Curt & Shari,
Dinner with you & your family at El Camino on the 28th will be a highlight forever in our lives. The evening was so motivational and inspirational.
What a special friend you have in Donnie who carried off the evening with such hope! THis was not a goodbye but with a vision that we will see you next year! With a vision that the tumors could shrivel up and die, who are we to know whether any of us will have an hour or weeks or months or years? You are certainly one that deserves years to see your children marry and be the grampa, we all know you would be the best!!
Here is a poem that reminds me of not only Curt but your whole family: author unknown
WHAT MATTERS MOST IS THE DASH BETWEEN THE YEARS>
EXAMPLE ONLY! 1900--?? YET UNKNOWN
WHAT MATTERS MOST OF ALL IS THE DASH BETWEEN THE YEARS.
FOR THAT DASH REPRESENTS ALL THE TIME SPENT ALIVE ON EARTH...
AND ONLY THOSE WHO LOVE YOU KNOW WHAT THAT LITTLE LINE IS WORTH.
FOR IT MATTERS NOT , HOW MUCH WE OWN; THE CARS...THE HOUSE...THE CASH, WHAT MATTERS MOST IS HOW WE LIVE AND LOVE AND HOW WE SPEND OUR DASH.
SO THINK ABOUT THIS LONG AND HARD...
ARE THERE THINGS YOU'D LIKE TO CHANGE? FOR YOU NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH TIME IS LEFT, THAT CAN STILL BE REARRANGED.
IF WE COULD JUST SLOW DOWN ENOUGH TO CONSIDER WHAT'S TRUE AND REAL, AND ALWAYS TRY TO UNDERSTAND THE WAY OTHER PEOPLE FEEL.
AND BE LESS QUICK TO ANGER,
AND SHOW APPRECIATION MORE
AND LOVE THE PEOPLE IN OUR LIVES LIKE WE'VE NEVER LOVED BEFORE. IF WE TREAT EACH OTHER WITH RESPECT AND MORE OFTEN WEAR A SMILE... REMEMBERING THAT THIS SPECIAL DASH MAY LAST ONLY A LITTLE WHILE. SO, WHEN YOUR EULOGY'S BEING READ WITH YOUR LIFE'S ACTIONS TO REHASH... WOULD YOU BE PROUD OF THE THINGS THEY SAY ABOUT HOW YOU SPENT YOUR DASH?
Curt & Shari, We are so proud to have you in our dash! You are both people to model our lives after.
Hugs Loren & Darrell
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