An Update From Krista

Hi,
I just wanted to let everybody know that Mom has had a rough start to the week. She was short of breath yesterday and today. It is part of her being anemic and her chest x-ray was clear, so that is good.When she called her Dr. they told her to come in and she did. She is anemic and dehydrated. They gave her a liter of fluid through her port and Dad was able to be there with her and get her home. She has transportation arranged for the rest of the week to get her to the Dr. so they can give her more fluids and check her blood work to see how the anemia is. It is great that Dad is able to get there and be with her. We will get there very late on Friday night and we can help her out while we are there. The kids can't wait to get there.
Have a good week! Thanks for all of your prayers, notes, and emails to show your support. They are great medicine.
Love,
Krista

We're halfway there!!

Hello Everyone!

Treatment #3 is now history, so we're halfway done with the chemo! woo-hoo!! What a relief that is. They did extra blood work, and found that my white blood work had dropped considerably and I was quite anemic. That would explain why I sleep all the time and am cold so much! So, I started today with another shot - Aranesp. I'll get that when I get the chemo. If that doesn't bring my white blood count up, I suppose a blood transfusion will be in order.

I'm very tired, but couldn't nap this afternoon, and won't sleep much tonight - never do the first night or next day because of the steroid they give me as part of the chemo. Sam will be home soon - he's coming home early today. We both need for him to be here. He's been just wonderful and wants to be here and "needed".

Thank you everyone for your prayers, your emails, your cards and your support - we appreciate them all and know that it makes a huge difference in the healing process.

Love,
us

What a great week-end!

Hi Everyone!
We had a great week-end too! We headed for "up home" Friday morning and got back late Sunday afternoon. Big celebration in Clermont over the week-end, so we took Sam's mom to the parade on Saturday, met Henry & Karen at the new restaurant in Clermont Friday evening for dinner and went to Sam's 40th class reunion at the West Union Country Club Saturday evening. Perfect weather for everthing and saw so many friends and family - it was great!! I'm pooped out, but it was so much fun - it did us both good to get outta town and have a distraction.

Sam's mom enjoyed her outings. She joined us for dinner on Friday evening as well as the Saturday parade. She is extremely forgetful, but loves to get "out and about". She loved the parade and visited with so many people there too.

I had my blood work this a.m. and will have another chemo treatment on Thursday. I am so tired all the time, but if that's as bad as it gets, I guess I'm pretty lucky.

Take care everyone, and have a great week!

Love,
me

WOO-HOO - The kids are coming home!!

If my mom were here, she'd say "you better start cleaning, because company's coming". They're not compnay - they're our kids!! When I was growing up, we always knew when company was coming because that's when we REALLY cleaned good!

Anyway, Krista and family are coming on August 4th. We'll celebrate Evan's 7th birthday on the 5th and then they'll head to Chicago on the 6th. ---All except Evan, who will be going with papa in papa's "big truck" for a week! How exciting for them both! Ken has a medical conference in Chicago for the week, so Krista and the kids will spend a few days there, then come back to Davenport and hang out with grandma. What fun that will be and what good medicine for grandma! Doesn't get any better than that!!

Then, I got a phone call last night that Kelly, Ron and the kids are coming on Sept. 1 and will be here for a whole week!! We were so disappointed when we had to cancel the kids coming this summer, so we're so excited to see all of them!! Kelly is going to go to a treatment with me, so she'll get to meet everyone and see "how it's done"......There's no better medicine than having family around.

I'm doing o.k. This second treatment hit me a lot harder, so I suppose next week's will be a bit worse. But, now I have so much to look forward too.....We're heading up to Clermont this week-end - Sam's 40th class reunion!! Can you believe that he's that old!!! It will be so good to get out of town, and we'll get to spend some time with his mom too.

Have a good week-end, and stay cool.

Love,
me

Be Positive in Thought and Deed

Proverbs 23:7 says "As a man thinks in his heart, so he is." You can't think negative thoughts and expect a positive outcome. If you constantly dwell on God's Word that says, "You are an overcomer," and "You can do all things through Christ," then soon, you will become what the scripture says and your life will be God's path to victory.

An Old Irish Proverb - purchased on something in America

"When you carry faith in your pocket & love in your heart, no mountain is too tall."

Aunt Hazel & Uncle Thomas bought something when they were here from N. Ireland last year that had this saying on it, and how true it is.

I need your prayers this week. It's been an especially tough week. Very emotional, not able to sleep, just don't feel good. It's harder to go to work each day, but it's something that I need to do for me. I'm going to get a massage this afternoon, so that may help. Sam will be home tonight and we have lunch and dinner plans with friends on Saturday, so hope that all goes well and I can get enough rest to go. I guess this is the week that I'm beginning to ask "Why me?" and nobody is answering.

Good Morning!

Hello Everyone!
Yes, it was quite a shock when I saw Sam's bald head. It doesn't look all THAT bad, but was quite a shock - just like mine, I'm sure. Now we're twins! He's been such a strong supporter and I can lean on him no matter what. I don't know what I'd do without him.

I didn't go to work today - have a headache and a slight temp., all which is normal, so will just stay at home and take it easy. Get's a little boring, but I could never go to work either.

Take care eveyone - pray for much needed rain for us. Thanks for all of your support - I love checking the blog and reading the comments!

Love,
me

Irish Road Bowling

Happy Sunday! Have you ever heard of Irish Road Bowling? I think that Sam should
organize a team, and get it started on the street in front of your house... For
complete info etc., go to: terracetalkireland.com and type Irish Road Bowling
in the search area. This will give all kinds of info for you to get started. Maybe
Whiteys would like to be a sponsor. Mattie and I want to be the first to sign up for
the team. You and Sam could be the "Sparkling Head" captains! Maybe we could name
the team Karens Journey Team, and stage road bowling-a-thons throughout Davenport.
How fun would that be?

All for now. Love, Your Brother in Nisswa

Haircuts

I had a small surprise for Karen on Friday morning. I gave myself a matching haircut. I didn't think she should be the only with a nice haircut like that.
See what LOVE can do!!

The other half
Sam

Treatment #2 is Done!!!

Yeah! #2 is done, and all is well. I'm very tired, so it's soon off to bed. The Dr. said that I'm doing great, which I was glad to hear. He loved my head!! He also said that I have "thrush" which is common with chemo, so gave me a script for that and also a script for headaches since they are increasing. They had completely gone away before all of this started because I had gone off of the hormones, and now they're back, only worse!

Sam wasn't here for the treatment, and he was a nervous wreck waiting for me to call that I was done! He'll be home early tonight - he turned down a load to Racine, WI - said he needed to be home instead. Have to go in for my shot in the a.m., then I'll be good for another 3 weeks.

Thank you everyone for your cards, your posts here, your emails, your hats, scarves, words of encouragement and prayers. It is so very difficult at times, but then I remember the strong support group that I have out there pulling for me, and that helps.

Love,
me

#2 Almost in The Books

Good Luck with treatment #2 tomorrow:))
We Love You!!
Evan, Abbie, Drew, & Owen

Before, During and After Sam got done shaving my head!!!

Everyone has been wanting pictures, so here ya go!! Sam did a good job, don't you think!! It's obvious that I was his first hair cut!

Have a better day than I had yesterday!!

Love,
Us