50+ Lifestyles

I May Have Lost My Hair, But I Haven’t Lost Heart…

By David W. Deuth, CFSP
President, Weerts Funeral Home

Many readers may be aware that I have been dealing with cancer for the past several months. A good number of you have sent cards, emails and some have even stopped by the funeral home to show your support and to wish me well. I am moved and grateful for your prayers, your friendship and your support. Thank you so very much – sincerely.

As I write this, I am an inpatient at the Mayo Methodist Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, receiving my 4th round of chemotherapy. Some of these treatments, as this one is, are three-day treatments which require me to be hospitalized.

Among my greatest challenges has been trying to figure out how to do 100 percent of what I want and need to do in the 60 or so percent of the time that I feel up to doing anything at all. Between doctor’s appointments, chemo treatments and recovering from the chemo, it seems that I effectively lose one week or more out of every three.

Even so, when I’m feeling up to it, I am back working at the funeral home. I can’t say enough good things about the wonderful staff that surrounds me when I can be there – and who stand in my stead when I cannot. They have not missed a beat, whether I’m there or not. And it’s because they are 100% devoted to meaningful memories for the families we are honored to serve. I express my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to them once again.

I’ll have two more chemo treatments before the end of the year. If everything progresses as intended with those treatments, I will then undergo a stem cell transplant sometime in January. The transplant process will be a long and arduous one – one that I am not looking forward to – but it is the only option which represents my best and only chance for long-term remission. It is, therefore, my intentional decision to proceed.

I want to thank readers and the community at large for all the continued support and also for the understanding that I won’t be as present or as visible as I have been in recent years for visitations and services. I’ve had to rethink and rearrange several things in my life as a result of this diagnosis – and restoring my health has necessarily become my number one priority.

Let me assure you that although I’ve lost my hair, I have not lost heart – and that, in spite of the rocky road ahead, I continue to have a positive outlook. As our family celebrates Thanksgiving, we have much for which to be grateful and we have reminded ourselves of this repeatedly. We are indeed grateful.

I’m realizing more and more each day what a gift life truly is; a cancer diagnosis, as many of you know firsthand, can do that. As we approach the Christmas season now, let me exhort you to give thanks in all of your circumstances. Let us find more ways to give of ourselves to help someone else. Let us focus not so much on “presents” but rather on gifts: gifts and talents we possess that might bless someone else’s day. Gifts that may lighten someone else’s burden. Gifts that can’t be bought – gifts of life, faith, family, friendships and freedom.

More than ever before, from all of my family to all of yours, we wish you a truly meaningful and a truly heartfelt Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for the New Year. May gratitude be the Christmas attitude of us all.

Remember Well.

David W. Deuth, CFSP, is the owner of Weerts Funeral Home in Davenport and RiverBend Cremation and Quad Cities Pet Cremation in Bettendorf. He can be reached at Dave@WeertsFH.com.