Congratulations PMP Survivor Micheal Smith

A few days ago I posted a photo of Bob Peterson, our number one helper in finding Dr. Brian Loggie. Then I posted a photo of husband in his biking outfit: Dr. Loggie’s called husband his Poster Boy. (I did, too.) 

Before PMP I said to a friend, “My life is a box. I go to work and come home. Everything is routine.” She told me to read the Prayerof Jabez and ask God to broaden my ministry—I did.

Look what happened.

PMP patients, Dr. Loggie and Me 

In 2005 Sandy Smith from Seattle, Washington emailed me. After I shared husband’s journey she asked for information about the Hallelujah Acres Healthy Diet  (vegan diet) husband used before finding Dr. Loggie.

Michael Smith after surgery with nurse 2005

Sandy sent me the photo of Michael after surgery and now look at him nine years later. He's the picture of health. congratulations to Michael.

You look great Michael and you, too, wonderful caregiver Sandy. 

Sandy and Michael Smith, nine years after Michael's MOAS PMP surgery. 

More info on PMP and being a caregiver can be found in my book:   

Capsules of Hope: Survival Guide for Caregivers

Dr. Brian Loggie, MD 

The foreward is by Dr. Brian Loggie 

And yes, I'm Still the Lionhearted Kat 

Dr. Brian Loggie's PMP Poster Boy

Desperate for information about Psuedomyxoma Peritonei (PMP) in November 2003, I sent a desperate message to a website where the creator of the website had not posted since 1998. I hoped someone might read my post and respond.

Bob Peterson emailed me. He invited me to the PMPbellybuttons@yahoogroups.com. I was the 17^th person to sign up for the group and Bob became our encourager.

Sometime before husband’s surgery in 2004, Bob flew into Omaha for his checkup with Dr. Brian Loggie at Creighton Medical. Bob invited husband and me for dinner. Bless his heart, Bob didn’t know how financially strapped we were by then and he paid for the meal. 

A professional phot of Dr. Brian Loggie

Bob encouraged Gary (husband) to trust Dr. Loggie. He shared his own PMP journey with us. How he’d followed Dr. Loggie from one location to the next because of the doctor’s expertise. 

Gary did have surgery in February 2004, the week after our 43^rd wedding anniversary.

Two memorable incidents before husband’s surgery:

A sweet nurse rolled husband toward surgery. “Oh, Mr. Crawford, you have such pearly white teeth.”

Husband popped out his teeth and handed them toward her. “You wanna use them? I won’t need them for awhile.

The second, when husband looked at Dr. Loggie and said, “Doc, I do believe you will see a miracle today.”

When prepped for surgery we were told it would take somewhere  between 13-17 hours, but nine hours after they wheeled husband away, Dr. Loggie showed up. He grinned at me.

Dr. Loggie's poster boy, Gary Crawford

“Mrs. Crawford, I do believe I’ve seen a miracle—I believe we removed every bit of PMP cells.”  

More of this story is found on my "More Than a Caregiver" website and in my book Capsules of Hope: Survival Guide for Caregivers.\

Husband lived seven more years (to the day from the first time he told me he had a problem). He did not die of PMP. My dear hubby of almost 51 years died of a sudden heart attack. 

It's hard to believe November 25, 2009 will be five years since husband died.

I first set my cap for Gary L. Crawford at Bible School at age 10. That’s lots of years to love one of God’s chosen people.