bathing beauties!

I copied this from my genealogy post today:


Yea! Hurray! It's only taken 3 days, but inbetween doctors and surgical procedures, I have managed to find the same three photos that hang in my bathroom. I wanted to share them with you. They are so utterly fantastic! Imagine these three women being photographed back in the day when scandalous photos as these just WEREN'T shown. They had to have been strong women. Women who were role models to me. Women to whom I still revere and look up to as I hang on with this cancer. If they could do something so everyday strong as this. I can keep hanging on, too.

Here's my Grandma Helen Anna Sanders Madsen (Mom's mom who with Grandpa, raised 8 children during the depression) - she's in the front & right in this photo at Utah's Great Salt Lake:



This one is my dad's step-mother's mother: Nellie Arnett Cheesbrough. She was a Wyoming school teacher from a wealthy family in Illinois. She married John Cheesbrough and created a cultured haven out in there in the wilderness! This photo must have been taken at one of the Great Lakes


My husband's family wasn't exempt! Here's his great grandma Jennie Eliza Jane Calkins Rickords at Soap Lake, Washington


Hope you love them as well as I do!

Flowers!

Yesterday Mike McDonald came by with flowers for me from KONA 610 radio! I feel so privileged!!! Thank you Lois for nominating me! I have flowers from Cleta and cards from Karen and Lorna and Mike. Each of them helps! Phone calls from relatives and Facebook luvs from everyone!

I've been on the phone today with doctors offices.... not sure with whom I have appointments and who's coordinating all this. Guess that's me. Heather's kitty is helping out tremendously - says I need a bath. I need a port put in... I need an MRI on my head, a PET scan....

home sweet home

I'm finally home. Nauseous, but home. Dr Fewell saw the MRI's and knew he'd be out of town this weekend, so he talked with dr. O'Grady. He saw me right away. Said we had to do surgery right then. So, surgery was done - back of my tailbone removed. Released the nerves. Said if he'd left them any much longer and they would have been paralyzed. While he was there, he saw the mass of tumor through the nerves. He got most of it out. It's only from one spot, but it's one spot less that the chemo and radiation will have to get to.

I'm pretty sore now, though. At the hospital I looked at myself in the mirror and realized what a mess I was in. And then it came..... at least I didn't feel like this AND had a squirming newborn to add to it! Wo to women everywhere who go through this kinda pain and then have to care for a child, too.....

Doctors

Saw Dr Klarnet this afternoon. He rushed everything. He apologized for the earlier doctors missing it. It's breast cancer gone all over - I gave blood and also got to see the radiation doc right then. She will send me for surgery this weekend depending on the three scans they're doing tonight. I get my port put back in next week. After that, I will do 3 weeks of radiation and then start chemo... Radiation doc said that they were all talking about me. I told them that I needed the attention....

Youngest...

Our youngest is really acting up. He does things to purposely upset us. He told us he would be sick until Saturday. We had to keep him off the tv and his bicycle yesterday - repeatedly. Then, we told him he'd be at school today regardless of his being "sick" or not. We couldn't find anything for him to be sick about. Maybe it's me that he's worried about.... I've talked to him a number of times "Mommy is sick. That's upsetting to a lot of people...." We'll see.

Mom and Dad are here...

My mom and dad are here to help out. And boy, do they EVER help!!!!!!! I would rely on hubby's family, but Mom R went and had complications of diabetes and then broke three of her toes when she passed out the other day.... you get the picture. There's a race going to see which of us is the most helpless!

If my back would just cooperate, I'd be the picture of health. I can't believe the diagnosis. In fact, I had the nurse send me a printout of my record. They're talking about me all right: 49 year old woman... previous breast cancer... found in the tailbone... It says, in 5 pages, that I have cancer all up and down.

I checked and last year i had 4 MRI's or CT scans - all showing I had "healthy bones" healthy lungs, etc. Karen told me that even tho her cancer came back into the bones, her cancer markers show she is cancer-free! I guess I fall into that category. We'll get more information come Friday.

Thank you for praying for me. Thank you for thinking of me and sending me the message of hope! Day 4

Again

I was just about to change my post and remove the parts about cancer. Then it happened again. No one had greasy fingers, bubblegum on their chair or needed the MRI to blow their nose. No. It's cancer. There is a tumor on my tailbone. One on my collar bone (now that one makes me grouchy - I asked about it several times last year and was reassured by doctors.....)

I told the kids that they could talk with me about it whenever... I think it's unbelievable, sad and funny. T about died when I told her the funny part. What's funny about it? Well..... I've always wanted to know what was inside J's brain... why he acts the way he does. Now I'll finally get my chance to find out!

Really, though, I'll just surprise everyone! I might hang around here longer than anyone else..

(p.s. Just to show you how goofy this medication makes me.... the lady doing the bone scan asked me when and where I had the MRI done. And I didn't know. I thought about it for over an hour and finally remembered I had it done in Richland a few days beforehand and a guy was the technician. And I left my insulin pump on - oooops - we discovered too late. Now the pump is history! Had to get a new one overnited to me... just takes me a bit longer to remember, which can be good.)

The spice of life....

Cancer seems to pop up every time I go about my every day life. It's the spice to my new life.

My back has been on the fritz the last few weeks. I've had tests to see if it was the disc and last week I had an MRI. I went in yesterday to find out about it and to start the fix-er-up part. The doctor read from the radiologist's report. He pointed out where I'd had surgery ealier. He showed me where the bulging disc was this time around.... But what was really interesting them was the cancer that they found in my tail bone. WHAT????? We did that already! It was in my left breast. They cut it out. I did chemo. I did radiation..... so what was this new thing all about?

The doctor said I'd need to put off fixing the bulging disc for the time being (more days of being in la la land due to the meds...) and get a bone scan to find out what was going on. "We have to find out why this bone changes color right here." Well, I'll tell you what it is.... somebody just got back from lunch and he had greasy fingers and streaked the MRI film.... or there was some bubble gum stuck to the chair and they used the mri to scrape it up.... something. something. It has to be something like that.

This afternoon (Priscilla told them at the front desk that we wanted a rush done on this test!) I got a shot of some nuclear medicine. I went back 4 hours later with Max and they did a body scan - checking all my bones. I lay still as I could (the medications I'm on for my back make me itch!) and afterwards, she said nothing. I'll have to wait until I hear back from the doctor. I'll be calling him starting tomorrow morning. I have to know. (Maybe someone had to blow his nose and the mri film was handy???)

Knock, knock...... Who's there?

Biggest boy has launched out on his own. It's been 8 days since he left. He had to go to save us the chaos, but he's been back.

Friday he called to see if he had any mail. "Yup." "Can I come get it?" (He's still pretty hesitant...) "Yeah, come on over!" "Really?" "Yeah," I told him.

So, he knocks to come in and gets his mail. I asked him if he wanted a peanut butter sandwich. "YEAH!" he says. I made him one and then had to get something from the pantry. He asked if he could have a few things.... "Yea, sure... a few." So he took a bag to our pantry, I gave him a few cucumbers and nectarines, too. He was grateful!

Yesterday, no call, but ..... knock, knock.... "hello, anybody home?" He stopped by again to talk... and get an envelope & postage. Today, he knocked again... just to talk. He's way too big for the britches around here. But, talking for a few minutes here and there is nice... and all right!

Hair hair hair

So, here's me with some hair - finally. Though I am considering ways to add bang extensions - maybe draw some on???

Summer Breeze

TA DA! Dad figured this out: the missing letters spell - COURSE. As in Course of 4 lectures......


Can you read the cut-up phrase? This poster is from the 1850's in Rugby, England. The Ebenezer Chapel was being re-opened. My ancestor was the bishop of this church. He was the last speaker announced on this broadsheet! The problem is, some pieces were cut from the poster and it makes one of the words unreadable! Take a close look - there is a phrase - "_ours_ of four lectures..." The word "series" would fit in nicely... I wonder if it being British, there is an extra "u" in the word? Does anyone have a cross-word puzzle dictionary?

We had a lot of wind this past weekend. It blew some branches down off of trees - on the way to church Max saw a branch had crushed a car in the street. Whew! Needless to say, I didn't go to water workout. The dust in the air makes my allergies go crazy! I've been taking some antibiotic and finally got this sinus condition normalized... want to keep it that way.

I've got the cleaning cycle going on my oven. It's setting off the smoke alarm (at least I know it works!)

This week is nice - Our graduate is working almost full-time hours at a gas station; there's one of ours at Girl's Camp and Youngest is going to Partners and Pals - a day camp for developmentally disabled kidlets. He loves it. I love it! Our National Guardsman is leaving on Friday for a month....

This summer is nice because I am healthier! Yea! I had me a big cry last night when I recalled losing all my hair a year ago. A lot of things have been affecting me that way. Last summer, I was REALLY buoyed up by everyone's prayers because I hardly seemed to notice what was going on. But now when I think back on it, I get all teary-eyed.

This summer is nice because I have a vegetable garden - cucumbers and zucchini and strawberries. All producing nicely (want a couple zucchini??) Two of my blueberries are doing wonderfully well!! My new raspberries are taking off - I like the thornless variety! My house is in much better condition now that I'm able to take charge again. Still have the kids helping out, but being able to mop up spills and clean out the fridge and cupboards is great.

I'm getting rested and working on family history. I've just finished transcribing the 50+ pages of text of my gr gr grandpa's probated estate. Funny to read which relatives expected to be paid for their caring for Gr Gr Grandpa on his death bed and which ones protested every little detail. Makes me want to get my own will up-to-date!!!

I stopped at the travel agency last week and got some brochures on traveling to England - next year I want to go and take my parents.

Hairs are still growin'

My head of hair is getting incrementally longer! Over the past few weeks, the hair that we shaved off a year ago has finally, finally, finally made some little niggly efforts at growing back. (To date, the only hair I have is what fell out a year ago. The shaved hair refused to come back in!)

I've been going to a physical therapist for my lymphedema. It's much better. My next cancer appointments are in August.

Drs.

Just got back from seeing a "temporary" doctor at the Cancer Center. He checked out where I've had two attacks of cellulitis in the past 6 weeks. It's been on the side where they removed cancer. He looked at my past blood tests and said that my immune system is still low and will be for a year after treatment, that adding to it is the removal of lymph nodes and the radiation of that site that knocked out the rest of the lymph system on that side. Result: Frequent infections that will be triggered by any cut or scrape or overuse of my left arm. He suggested, just as Dr. I did, that I keep a backup antibiotic on hand for when it flares up. Sigh. Just palpating that area has made it sore again. Ibuprofen is once again my best friend.

In looking back over my "hair" photos, I have to concede that it has gotten a pinch longer. What I have is wavy and very, very baby soft! (I'd still love some bang extensions! otherwise, it's very easy to care for. I guess God planned it this way on purpose :) )

It's sunny outside!

I'm so glad that it's sunny - and warm - outside. I have started a bit of a garden in our back yard. We fenced it off from the doggies. I put in blueberries and strawberries and a few seeds - zucchini and cucumbers. No. I am not going to share those with you. You will have to find your own neighbor with zucchini-itis. I am actually planning to eat every last one of them. Same with the cucumbers. I've been buying them all winter/spring, just dreaming of the day when I could have my OWN.

I will take the usual precautions... wearing gloves since I have lymphodema; and keeping neosporin in my purse for the same reason.

I've enjoyed immensely my time at the physical therapists. I started May 1st seeing Sara Nelson at Therapy Solutions. Each Monday and Friday I get a massage and training on how to care for my skin, lymph tissues, and even get some free counseling in as well. Her last question is helping me the most - "What if everything is already great?" Her pointed questions are helping tremendously!

I will be starting some medical leave of absence from work - hopefully this week. I need some more rest from this whole cancer treatment thing.

Is that a wave coming on?

I've been going without a hat to work for a week or so now. Since it's warmer, I don't mind so much.

The first day back to work after Spring Break, one of the life skills kids said, "Oh, you've cut your hair." "Nope," I said, "it's actually growing back in." The next day when this same student saw me, she said,
"Mrs. Rickords. Your hair!
Um.
It's getting longer."
Ha! She's cute.

Actually, various people have commented that my hair is getting CURLY. I have to concede that there is a wave or two starting to form.

Heather came over from Bellingham to visit. She's only been gone two months, but it seemed like an eternity. We were so glad she came. And brought her kitty. And left her kitty with us. Our home teachers came by and asked us who was sitting with us. "She was real pretty." they said. We had quite a laugh when they heard it was Heather and not one of Stephen's girlfriends. We got a photo, too, since we were all together:

Good news!

I had an appointment with Dr. Rege (radiation doc) last week. It had been postponed because I hadn't had my mammogram yet. I finally got it and they said it was as normal as could be expected considering what I'd been through. Interpretation: Great! Dr. Rege gave me a clean bill of health, too! Yea! See her next year! Dr. Chenal (chemo dr.) is next - I'm supposed to see him in a few weeks.

Dr. Rege said that the infection I got a week ago was a common occurence for folks like me (who also have rosacea - bright red checks) and who go through radiation. She said the peeling hands (again!) are a side effect of the chemo. Oh, and she said that I had a mammogram instead of ultrasound because ultrasounds are for those who "feel a lump." Everyone else gets mammograms........

More attention please!

Sorry. I just wasn't getting enough attention lately. Had to come up with something new and interesting..... I got an ear infection and staff infection over the weekend. The infection covers my left chest and my left arm. Went to the Kania Clinic last night and Dr. Kania put me on two different antibiotics. I can't work until this clears up. So, I stayed home and tidied the house and mended a dozen things.

Some good news, though: I wrote two essays for my history class and have found a historical book for my third essay.

Still Shy...

I can't seem to get used to going around without a hat. I leave it on whenever I'm in public. I feel absolutely "naked" without it or a wig on my head. I got brave and went to the temple Tuesday night with just my baby hairs. I was teary-eyed and felt vulnerable. Did the other people understand why I look so odd? I wonder if they think I styled my hair this way on purpose??? I'm glad Lorna was there to comfort me.

My baby-fine hairs

Here is me as of today. I thought for sure I'd have a head of hair by Christmas. Then I knew it would be grown out by my birthday.... That's long gone and well, it's still thin, baby fine and... wispy and... not a single curl in sight!


Here I got it wet and tried to spike it. Not much success - it's just too wimpy...

I have to retract a statement from my last blog. My mom remembers Dr. Droesch telling us that the reason he didn't take out ALL the lymph nodes that might have some cancer is BECAUSE he didn't want me to get lymphedema. (Which I got anyway since I had radiation.....) So, I guess I was informed about the possibilities of lymphedema. A gal in the school's cafeteria told me that her lymphedema (she wears a compression sleeve 24/7) was the worst the physical therapist had ever seen. She learned some exercises (raise your arms above your head and cross them back and forth. Also, doing wall push ups.) She had a way of tracing her fingers up her fingers, up her arm and across her chest that she said helps bring the lymph fluids up and trains the other lymph nodes to take up the fluid from that side. She also told me that she started Tranquil Waters a place for women who need help with cancers. She also raises money to make it possible for women to get mammograms who can't afford it!)

I have a Dr. appointment with Dr. Rege (radiation doc) this Thursday for a check up. I'm sure I'll be just fine!

Lymphedema

Went to my family doctor Monday - I have the beginnings of lymphedema in my left arm. Feels like I'm wearing a blood pressure cuff all the time - you know that painful feeling when they check your blood pressure??? I have an appointment with a physical therapist who specializes in this type of situation.... appointment is May 1st.

In the meantime, I can take ibuprofen for it. There is nothing else besides raising the arm above heart level that will help it. I'm supposed to avoid hot tubs, etc, lifting things, having my blood pressure or blood work done on that arm. Apparently it occurs in 25% of breast cancer patients - especially where they took many lymph nodes (not me - they only took 3) or who have had radiation in the axilla (arm pit.) This is what I did. Apparently, shriveling up those lymph nodes can cause your arm to get sore and then start swelling.

I didn't find out all this from my doctors. (They're all pointing their fingers away from themselves.) I heard from Teresa at work who's been through breast cancer treatments - who heard about it from reading articles. I've read some great literature on the internet, but "funny" the doctors didn't bother to tell me to watch for this.

This week

Got to sleep in today - YEA!!! (Stayed up late last night reading my new favorite book: Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.) I worked in the garage for several hours with Taija as my super-hero helper. She put some of Heather's boxes up in the garage rafters... We took a carload of stuff to St. Vinnies.... Stopped at McDonalds for lunch... Worked on my history 400 class - I'm having to reread all the texts that I read last year because I can't remember anything from BC (Before Cancer).

Went without my hat today... In front of Taija's friends... she had her friends over to play "murder" in the dark. Kyle is on the computer watching cartoon network "at www.com" (That's his interpretation of it, anyway.) We're relegated to my room with the door closed - so we don't shed any light on their party.

The City coffers are going to be filled to overflowing with contributions from our kids last week. Jacob got a ticket - as well as everyone else in the car - for riding without enough seat belts and being driven by a friend without his six months of "family only" probation up yet..... There's $120.

His big brother got a ticket for being too "noisy" - his car has no muffler ($225.) Add that to the speeding ticket he got two weeks ago ($150) and the one for the accident in November..... (reduced to $100.) Step right up - the city should be handing out cash to all citizens soon!

We've filled up the extra room (Heather's while she was here) with Max's fishing gear and my genealogy. What a combination. We're "fishing for some dead relatives???" I've been busy scanning photos in there from a photo album I'd put together of his grandma's family some years ago... 4 pages done, about 35 more to go (about 6-8 photos per page!!)

Max is still wonderful in the laundry department. He washes/dries, then dumps them on the bed for me to fold. It's a great help as I get back my energy - bit by bit.

Forty-niner

I had a birthday yesterday. It was quite enjoyable, if I DO say so myself! Lorna brought over a lasagne, salad and some GRAPES! MMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmMMMMMMmmmmmm! Lucky us! I got calls from my brother, sister, mom, mom-in-law, and Heather. Well-wishes from MANY at church!

Taija made me a chocolate cake - Max frosted it - Kyle found the candles, lit them (and blew them out, too!)
Below is a photo of my hair so far - it seems to be on "hold" at the moment - not much showing for all my efforts (eating healthy, taking vitamins, fish oil capsules, herbs.....) Just saw Carol's curly hair on her blog and I am wildly jealous!!! I definitely need to have words with my chemo doctor!!!!! (Maybe that's why I got a note that he's retiring.....)

Heather has found a new home up in Bellingham. We went around for a month taking photos of everything unique to Kennewick and its environs: Kennewick man (reproduction from mask), wind turbines on Horse Heaven Hills, the Moore Mansion, relatives' homes, neighbors, etc. I put together an entire album for her the night/morning before she left. Finished at 3am.... just now feeling back to normal after that!

Me and Heather before she took off...

Grab Bag

Karen talked with me Sunday about caring for my nails. I sanded them down because they were so bumpy. Ouch, ouch... Mistake! She referred me to a product called ProStrong. Just ordered some. Hopefully, my nails will stop hurting when I use it.

Karen also comforted me over my lack of hair growth. It's going to take a while. I whined that the hair that fell out is growing back in, but the hair I shaved off isn't. (You know, it should be "the last shall be first....," right??? She said this cancer treatment stuff is a "grab bag." You never know what will happen. I do know that my eyebrows are contemplating coming back - and my eyelashes have rebounded imperceptably. They are both showing traces of existence, much to my relief! Some people don't get them back at all!

Kyle saw me sans hat the other day. He announced that I have so much hair now that I can go without it....... Maybe later... when there's a couple of inches in length! (Though Sherry has plans to dye my hair soon and have me mousse it and wear it in spikes. Mmmmmmmmm, have to think on that one!)

3 months

I went to Dr. Chenal's today. I got emotional being there and almost bawled. Aaaaaack. Lots of memories of the place. But..... Looks like I'm healthy as can be. BP = 106/62 White blood cells are a bit low... the tumor # was just exactly within the normal range. So, I'm well! Yea! I go back the end of April for my next 3-month checkup. I have another mammogram next month (February.)

P.S. Heather went in for an ultrasound. She found a lump in her breast last fall. The doctor said it was a cyst and we finally talked her in to getting the followup ultrasound for today. The doctor said she was just "lumpy." At least now we know what is "normal" for her. Everyone else, PLEASE get your annual exam!!

P.P.S. My wig is making the rounds (ladies from work!) So glad that it's being put to good use. I feel guilty for not wearing it every day (as it cost a fortune!) but for now, Sundays will have to do. I just wear my hats to school. They are much more comfortable.

What to say

I ran into a friend at the store. Haven't seen her since before diagnosis and treatment. She kept repeating over and over: "I'm so embarrassed. I'm so embarrassed. I didn't know what to say, so I never said anything to you all these months."

I laughed and told her to say, "hi." Am I so scary that people would be afraid to talk with me? Cancer isn't contagious! Well... breast cancer isn't As far as I know. Anyway, I'm astounded by her reaction to seeing me.

And just say, "hi" next time you see me. (I promise I've stopped biting....)

Ahem....

Last Sunday a sweet lady at church stopped me and asked how I was doing. "Great!" I told her. "Really?" She asked. "Yes. Fantastic!"

Her next answer threw me for a loop: "Good, then I'll stop praying for you."

I'm still at a loss for words. "No! Wait. Keep praying.... pleeeeeease!"

There is about a 1/2" of hair on top of my head. Not quite enough to go without the hats or wig, I'm sure anxious for that time to come, though!

New Year's Day:


January 18th:

Getting Well-ified...

Glad for the weekend - I'll probably get lots of rest. But, I have actually had some energy this week - yea!!!!!!! The Christmas break was wonderful for getting rest. And reading.... (David Baldacci's "Divine Justice") And preparing to finish my on-line History 400 class (well, figured out that the chemo-brain thing has caused me to forget everything I'd previously read, so I'll have to re-read all the texts... sigh.)

Returned to the Family History Library last night where I serve as "librarian." My sabbatical is up! I found my sunglasses there that have been missing since last summer... and had fun catching up with the other librarians' news.

So GLAD that the snow is gone! It was so slick that on Monday I fell twice at work - crossing the parking area and again when I was going to the buses to assist students. They said that 11 staff at our school fell that day, including the principal. Innumerable students fell. We kept warning them about the ice, but many went down anyway. That's the tough part of having a California-style campus (all classrooms open to the outdoors) in a place with 4 seasons!

Merriest Christmas!

We had the nicest Christmas! Everyone was happy - pleased with their bounty... White Bluffs Elementary adopted us and treated us to a mighty fine holiday :)

Max got this photo of me while I was still asleep - before all the festivities...(you can see that my left eyebrow is missing as well as all eyelashes...gone! Oddly, they've fallen out since November while there is some definite fuzz on the sides of my head - I actually have more hair than one of my brothers-in-law! Yea!!!

My absent port site is feeling much better. My sister-in-law was concerned that it had been taken out too early. Nope. It's feeling so GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!

Dr. Droesch surmised that my bruised jaw occurred after the anesthesiologist gave me more anesthesia (I was moving around while lightly sedated and lifting up my arms...) and then my airway collapsed. He had to hold my jaw up to keep it open so that I could breathe. My sister-in-law says that sometimes when a patient's airway collapses, they end up with broken teeth, etc. as the anesthesiologist rushes to insert a tube. I guess I got off easy, considering.....

It's GONE!

The surgeon took out my medi port this morning at Kadlec Hospital. YEA!!! It feels so much better already. Have to find out who won the fight, though.... that's what the kids said. My jaw has a bruise on it and inside my mouth is a cut and I have a sore tooth. We figured there must have been a boxing match going on while I was out with anesthesia. The doctor is supposed to call me back tomorrow and I'll ask him.

I wore my santa hat to the hospital to keep my head warm in this freezing weather - and they let me keep it on. ha! or, ho! ho! ho!

I'm looking forward to hanging out with the kids this week - watch them play in all this snow! (While keeping warm and toasty in my special socks and bundled in sweaters!!!) Tonight we watched edited versions of Mean Girls and The Bucket List. I liked them both!

Generosity in abundance!

We've had a two-hour delay for school all week. Amazing! I don't think we would have done so if we still lived in Colorado, but, hey, I got to sleep in which was wonderful.

I think I saw Rochelle yesterday at the Cancer Center. I didn't get a chance to say, "hi", but it looked like her and her kidlets. My Taija was excited to get to work on the puzzles that they have there on every table!

I stayed home yesterday. I had a headache and I knew that my one-on-one student wasn't coming to school.... so I got more rest and caught up on "Mom things" that haven't been done in too-long-to-mention.

After taking Taija to the orthodontist, We stopped by the Cancer Center. An elementary school had adopted us for Christmas and we got to pick up the gifts - it was overwhelming! Michelle and Karen at the cancer center were so sweet. I think they were having fun playing Santa! I cried. They had a bag of gifts for everyone - including the cats and doggies!! Whoa! I am so truly amazed and overwhelmed with the generosity that is cascading our way. The bishop stopped by earlier this week and brought a box of Christmas goodies and a gift card. People are so nice!!!

I'm getting everything ready for surgery on Monday (and Dr. Chenal's nurse called to say it was okay to have the port taken out! yippee skippee!!! I don't have to worry anymore about doing it on the sly.)