Donna Gillette Donna Gillette support

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting. 

I like to look at life as a series of journeys - some lead to high and exciting times, and some to low places - like the untimely death of our oldest daughter, Dawn, who passed at age 36 leaving her four children ages 4-15, without a mother.  But when we reflect on these journeys, we can often see the silver lining that God provides.  Like Dawn being out of the constant pain she had known for 23 years, since she was first injured at Church Camp. Since then we have been blessed with many wonderful and exciting trips, and wonderful growing family.

We began our most recent journey when we moved from Nipomo in February (after waiting almost a year to sell our home).  We needed to get closer to family.  While living in an apartment for 3 months, waiting for a manufactured home to be built, I developed slight symptoms that led to a diagnosis of cancer.  I had been on this journey with friends (some who are no longer with us, and sorely missed), but never thought it would be on my itinerary!  Since we were not established with doctor's, this was a journey without a plan - but God seemed to place the right people there when needed. 

Amidst our move last month to our new home in Yountville - a 55+ community north of Napa we have been traveling in uncharted territory.  I had surgery scheduled for a complete hysterectomy a week ago when I got the report that they were postponing the surgery because there were good indications that the cancer was also on a kidney and lymph nodes in the lungs. What next – where is this journey heading?  Our kids, Scott and Wendy have been carrying us on this journey – Scott working less than an hour from my doctors, and Wendy deciding to come to us from her home in Tennessee, even though the surgery was canceled, and a few wonderful friends.  We could not make it without their loving support.

A terrifying time for all of us and trying to focus on Gods good hand in this. We were directed to a fantastic group of doctors’ in Walnut Creek.  A lung biopsy last Friday, and todays visit to two of my doctors to get reports.  We had all assumed the worst - the cancer had spread throughout my body – while praying for God’s mercy.  Where was this journey leading? Today God showed us his mercy – the lung biopsy was negative for cancer!  And the large (10cm) tumor on the kidney had probably been there for a long time - they (uterus and kidney tumor) appear to be self-contained!  We are overjoyed and thank God for this good news. 

The future is looking much brighter than when we arose this morning!  Next step is the scheduling of two surgeries at the same time – both robotic – and as non-invasive as possible.  Thank you for reading this and upholding us with your good thoughts and prayers.  We will keep you updated as this journey progress – looking for the silver lining. God Bless.