We were really knocked for a loop a couple of months ago when we found out that Tobi's sister, Candy, who is only 13 months younger than Tobi and with whom she is very close, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. When they did the tests it was determined to be Stage IIIC, which, if you read the material online, you get a very dismal prognosis report. She had about 6 hours of surgery during which they removed nearly all of the cancer, which had spread to other locations in her abdomen. She is now undergoing chemotherapy and the trials that that procedure entails.
Tobi went to spend a week with Candy in September just after her return from the hospital after surgery and had a great time talking to Candy and two other sisters, Tami and Vicki who were there during Tobi's stay. Candy, as we who know her have come to expect, was very upbeat and almost seemed like her old self, but with a tendency to get tired which is very uncommon to her.
It's hard to express how much this has affected us. Tobi, as you would expect, has been affected the most, and has been in tears a number of times, but it has hit me pretty hard too. Candy and Craig have been such good friends of mine and Tobi's since before any of us were married. After they were married and Tobi and I were dating, we used to go on double dates and Craig would torment us at the end of the night as we would leave them at their door. Craig would put his arms around Candy and say something like, "Good night you two, guess we'll go to bed now." (with a big smile on his face) Candy would say, "Craig, don't be mean."
Later, when Tobi and I were getting serious, Craig called me to meet him at his little office on campus and when I came in and sat down, Craig said, "So tell me Scott, what are your intentions with Tobi?" I started to hem and haw and stutter, and at that very moment, Candy walked in and said, "Craig, leave Scott alone." I will always be grateful for Candy saving me in that troublesome moment.
The week before we got married we spent on Tobi's family's houseboat on Lake McClure in California. At night we all slept in sleeping bags on the roof, under the stars and, of course, as the protectors of our virtue, Craig and Candy laid their sleeping bags in between mine and Tobi's.
We have had 35 years of memories since then, and through them all, Candy and Craig have been not only family, but among our very best friends as well. I just can't stand the thought of Candy being sick or suffering in any way. It hurts me very deeply and I have shed my share of tears about it as well.
We had thought that we would be here for another 2 and 1/2 years. Tobi had requested a one year extension which would have kept us here until April of 2013, but the wonderful Salt Lake City FBI office denied Tobi's extension request. Seems they need her back, probably to fill the #1 secretary role in the office when the incumbent retires in about a year or so. So, in order to fill that position for one year (Tobi retires in June 2013), they are denying Tobi's wishes to stay here. The only way to foil their plans would be for Tobi to put in for another Legat position in another country, but she would have to choose a country that is a lower tier than Malaysia. So we are thinking that we'll just come home, have Tobi serve out her year and I'll try to find another job in SLC.
We can't wait to see you all. And if we don't get to see you all this time, then we'll be home in April of 2012.
Love from the far side of the world,
Scott
