Mike's Obituary

Elwood Vern "Mike" Metzler, 58, of 1837 Gabler Rd., Chambersburg, PA, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, August 31, 2008, at his home.

Born Sunday, December 18, 1949, in Altoona, PA, he was the son of the late Paul F. Metzler and the late Irene A. Clapper Stone.

He attended the Scotland School for Veterans' Children, and was employed with Gabler Trucking, Inc. in Chambersburg, PA for 30 1/2 years. He was a member of the First Church of God in Chambersburg and associate member of the V.F.W.

He is survived by his wife of 38 years Judy Arlene Metzler, a daughter, Michelle L. Williams & husband Dean of State Line, PA; one son, Michael L. Metzler of Jacksonville, FL; two sisters, Ethel Jean Harmon of Chambersburg, PA and Pauline Kriner of Chambersburg, PA; two grandchildren, Kayla Brooke Williams of State Line, PA and Austin Jon Williams of State Line, PA; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Graveside services will be held for the family on Thursday, September 4, 2008, at 11:00 a.m. at the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Chambersburg, PA with the Rev. Charles P. Frank officiating.

There will be no viewing or visitation.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made in memory of Elwood V. Metzler to:

Patriot Federal Credit Union
Attn: Mail Teller
P.O. Box 778
Chambersburg, PA 17201

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Douglas A. Fiery Funeral Home, 1331 Eastern Blvd. North, Hagerstown, MD. Online condolences may be expressed at http://douglasfiery.com/obitDetail.aspx?id=177.

Mike's Final Days Are Here...

Wow - I can't believe it has been almost three months since I updated this blog. I apologize to those of you out there who have been using this as a means to keep up with Mike's cancer journey.

Mike has been unable to beat his cancer, but it hasn't taken him easily. Mike is now in a coma and while he doesn't talk or anything, the nurse says that he can hear us. Judy has been extremely strong and she has been surrounded by her family and friends over this past week.

Mike was still walking and talking until earlier this past week. I believe it was sometime Wednesday that he went into what the nurse is calling "a coma" and she had said then that he probably wouldn't make it through the night. He didn't have a blood pressure or anything. But then the next day he had his blood pressure back and he is still hanging on.

Mike & Judy's daughter, Michelle, has been staying with Judy and other family members are there on and off throughout the days and evenings.

It is a really sad time right now but Mike wouldn't want us to be sad for him. He is just that type of person.

O Praise Him Video & Lyrics

We sing this song quite often in church and I really like it...



Turn your ear
To Heaven and hear
The noise inside
The sound of angels
The sound of angel¡¯s songs
And all this for a King
We could join and sing
"All to Christ the King!"

How constant
How divine
This song of ours will rise
Oh, how constant
How divine
This love of ours will rise
Will rise...

CHORUS:
O praise Him!
O praise Him!
He is Holy!
He is Holy, yeah!

Turn your gaze
To Heaven and raise
A joyous noise
Oh, the sound of salvation come
The sound of rescued ones
And all this for a king
Angles join to sing
"All for Christ the King!"

CHORUS [2x]

Oh la la la la la...

O pra-ise Him!
O pra-ise Him!
He is Ho-ly!
He is Ho-ly!

How infininte and sweet
This love so rescuing
Oh how infinitely sweet
This great love that has redeemed
As one, we sing...

"Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
He is Ho-ly!
He is Ho-ly!" [2x]

O pra-ise Him!
O pra-ise Him!
He is Ho-ly!
He is Ho-ly!

Oh, La la la la la la...

"Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
He is Ho-ly!
He is Ho-ly!"

O pra-ise Him!
O pra-ise Him!
He is Ho-ly!
He is Ho-ly!

Oh la la la la la la...

Check Out These Neat Pictures!

I received an email today from my stepdaughter with all of these really cool pictures. At the end is the Lord's Prayer...

Off To Florida Soon!

Mike and Judy are planning on traveling to Florida to see Mikie in a couple of weeks. They are taking Kayla and Austin, the grandkids, along to visit. Hopefully a change of scenery will do Mike some good.

Mike's pain has gotten worse and his pain pills and pain patch have been increased. Judy said at night she can hear him moaning from the pain.

He won't know until sometime in July if the cancer is better, worse or in remission. We are praying for better and remission. Mike doesn't look like himself any longer. He is extremely thin.

We just continue to ask for prayers and lots of love for Mike.

Sunday Activities and Pain Increases

Yesterday was a busy day for the family. Our daughter was baptized and then after lunch we helped Mike & Judy get their yard sale items down to my mother-in-law's house. Next weekend is the annual yard sale in my MIL's neighborhood. It was a beautiful Sunday and it was a great day to spend time together.

Mike is ornery as ever and was in a good mood yesterday. His pain is getting worse and he has had to increase his pain pills from two a day to four a day. He is also wearing a morphine patch. He has been having severe pain in his ribs and back and Judy thought maybe he cracked a rib carrying two 50-lb. bags of sand up to the swimming pool. He had tests done and they found that he didn't crack anything.

Mike said his iron levels have went back up some. He seemed to eat pretty good at lunch yesterday, too.

Testify to Love

All the colors of the rainbow
All of voices of the wind
Every dream that reaches out
That reaches out to find where love begins
Every word of every story
Every star in every sky
Every corner of creation lives to testify

For as long as I shall live
I will testify to love
I'll be a witness in the silences when words are not enough
With every breath I take I will give thanks to God above
For as long as I shall live
I will testify to love

From the mountains to the valleys
From the rivers to the sea
Every hand that reaches out
Every hand that reaches out to offer peace
Every simple act of mercy
Every step to kingdom come
All the Hope in every heart will speak what love has done

Chorus
Chorus

Two Cups of Coffee

I received this below from Judy via email and thought it was really neat. I wanted to share it here...

Subject: 2 CUPS OF COFFEE
A MAYONNAISE JAR AND 2 CUPS OF COFFEE

When things in your life seem almost too much too handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front
of him.

When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty
mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the
students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.
He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then
asked the students again if the jar was full they agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into t he jar. Of
course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar
was full. The students responded with a unanimous yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and
poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space
between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to
recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the
important things- your God, family, your children, your health, your
friends, and your favorite passions--things that if everything else was lost
and only they remained your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and
your car.

The sand is everything else -- the small stuff.

If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room
for the pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small
stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with
your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to
dinner.
Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the
disposal."

Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that really matter. Set
your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee
represented.

The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no
matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups
of coffee with a friend."

Judy's Email on Mike

Here is the latest update on how Mike is doing. Judy sent this email out earlier this week:

Hi everyone. Sorry I didn't get this out sooner but we have been really busy and I just forgot to send this out. Mike saw the Dr. on Fri. the 11th of April. He gained another 2 lbs. He is anemic so he will be getting a shot every Fri. until his count comes back up.

He sees the Dr. again on 5/23/08. He has blood work done on 5/01/08 and again on 5/22/08 if his count isn't up on 5/01/08. This is part of the reason he is so tired. So maybe after his blood count goes up he may not get as tired.

The Dr. told us that Mike won't be able to go back to work until he has the PT scan which won't be until sometime in July. He was hoping this Dr. (chemo) would tell him he could go back to driving & to work. The radiation Dr. is the first Dr. that told him he couldn't work or drive. He has 8 weeks of chemo & than he will have blood work done to see if his tumor count came back down.He is keeping busy helping get ready for yard sales. Plus he has mowed the yard & is getting the pool ready for the summer. Now that it is getting a little warmer outside he finds things to do out there. But he does find time to take nap during the day. He has been going to Justin's (our nephew) volleyball games and soon he will be going to other family members softball & baseball games. This will help to occupy some of his time. He likes sports. Plus having our grandchildren here sure helps us alot too. I guess I have covered everything for now. Thanks for all your prayers.

Love always,

Judy