What would Thanksgiving be if you didn't thank everyone who is so kind and gracious. I'm not going to try and name everyone; because I know I'll miss someone.
I've received many kind and supportive phone calls from so many loving neighbors and friends. Some have had cancer and truly understand that aspect of what I'm going through; the thoughts, feelings, struggles, etc. They remind me of the fact that I'm not alone in this struggle; that many and most people survive, especially the cancer that I have.
I have even my home teaching families call me to see how I'm doing; that's a nice twist. I think I've had more contact with them than any others, and more so than I have when I've been "well." My home teachers have called to check on me and fluff me up and to just let me know that they are thinking of me and concerned.
My wife has passed on greetings from people at church and their expresssions of genuine concern for me and all of us.
So, to all of you who have offered prayers, words of kindness and concern, and even a fleeting thought concerning my well-being: thank you, thank you, thank you! May the Lord bless you all in your righteous endeavors, always.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Chemo - 2 of 3
I'm currently doing quite well. I have completed my second of three full weeks of chemotherapy. I have a Monday and Monday of bleomycin, then another full week, and two more Mondays. I have been quite healthy. My hair is MUCH thinner (everywhere), but I haven't lost it all yet. Time will tell.
Allison and the kids are so supportive and kind. Allison has been to every single one of my chemo rounds; they take 4-6 hours each day. I'm so lucky in that so many people have someone drop them off, and then come back. Some of the poor folks are so forlorn and worn and tired. I keep reminding myself how blessed I am to have such a curable illness and a set date. What a blessing!
I'm blessed in that I'm able to do lots of work from home. I've been able to get in most of my hours and actually get seemingly more done than if I was there being interrrupted by everything.
We're looking forward to a nice week of Thanksgiving. Winston is flying home this Wednesday until Sunday. We'll disinfect him and he'll be able to join us for a few days, before heading back to the grind. He's so excited to be here for a few days and we're excited to see him after a few months away. I'm hoping and praying that my strength will hold up as it has so that he'll not see me miserable or too tired or worn. I think it will do us all good just to be together!
Winston will be escorting Spencer thru the temple this coming Saturday as he recieves his endowments. I'm sorry that I am not able to attend; can't be around people, but I'm so glad that Winston and Spencer will have that memory together to share.
I hope that you are all doing well. I understand how hard it is for many of you with your many life trials. Bless your hearts and your families for your efforts and desire to serve each other so faithfully throughout. I have truly learned empathy in this little trial I have. I say little trial because that's what I truly feel that it is. I have a set timeframe and the true faith that this is just a little blip on the whole road. We will truly overcome with the Lord's help and be on our merry way and have this all behind us very soon.
May the Lord continue to bless and keep you and yours. Thanks!
Allison and the kids are so supportive and kind. Allison has been to every single one of my chemo rounds; they take 4-6 hours each day. I'm so lucky in that so many people have someone drop them off, and then come back. Some of the poor folks are so forlorn and worn and tired. I keep reminding myself how blessed I am to have such a curable illness and a set date. What a blessing!
I'm blessed in that I'm able to do lots of work from home. I've been able to get in most of my hours and actually get seemingly more done than if I was there being interrrupted by everything.
We're looking forward to a nice week of Thanksgiving. Winston is flying home this Wednesday until Sunday. We'll disinfect him and he'll be able to join us for a few days, before heading back to the grind. He's so excited to be here for a few days and we're excited to see him after a few months away. I'm hoping and praying that my strength will hold up as it has so that he'll not see me miserable or too tired or worn. I think it will do us all good just to be together!
Winston will be escorting Spencer thru the temple this coming Saturday as he recieves his endowments. I'm sorry that I am not able to attend; can't be around people, but I'm so glad that Winston and Spencer will have that memory together to share.
I hope that you are all doing well. I understand how hard it is for many of you with your many life trials. Bless your hearts and your families for your efforts and desire to serve each other so faithfully throughout. I have truly learned empathy in this little trial I have. I say little trial because that's what I truly feel that it is. I have a set timeframe and the true faith that this is just a little blip on the whole road. We will truly overcome with the Lord's help and be on our merry way and have this all behind us very soon.
May the Lord continue to bless and keep you and yours. Thanks!
Sunday, November 8, 2009
(Happy???) Birthday
OK, what a day, what a week!?!! My birthday was Wednesday, Nov 4 and I turned 49 this year. It was also the day that Spencer opened his mission call!
After my first week of chemotherapy, I had been a bit tired from that first week, having treatments every day. Finding veins each day was tough, so on Friday, Oct 30, I had a port put in to my chest to ease the daily treatment process. That wasn't too bad and proved to be a blessing. Halloween was spent recuperating from that, as well as trick-or-treating that night. Allison had made some delicious home-made chili and I probably, as usual, at too much (Interesting side note: I love that chili, and many people say that sometimes you never want to eat again what you ate during chemotherapy. I still crave it, but we've never taken the time or opportunity to make it since then, over 1 and 1/2 years later. Hmm.) Anyway, as we were going to bed, Allison was on the phone visiting with Winston when Caroline and Spencer came in quite serious and reported that the beta fish had died. We had gotten the little guy from a roommate of Caroline's and Stewart was thrilled with it. I was way too tired to do anything, so I instructed them to take it downstairs and so they did, having a 'moment of silence' to honor it. OK.
In the mail on Wednesday, Spencer's mission call arrived. He wanted to be ceremonial about it, so we drove up to Provo and went to Panda Express. Everybody ordered something they wanted for dinner. We then drove over to the Provo Temple and sat on the lawn just outside the temple grounds. That was when he opened his call and announced that he was going to the Thailand Bangkok Mission! What a neat surprise. He was very pleased and excited and nervous all in one. What a neat way to kick off my 50th year.
On Thursday, I was really feeling tired. I just laid on the sofa all day, sleeping and sitting and thinking and dozing and not doing anything. By the end of the day, I had actually felt quite rotten and exhausted.
By Friday, I felt a bit better, but was still exhausted. It was nice to have the week behind me. There were definitely some highs and lows and in looking back, it was probably the worst I felt that week, though there were other days, especially with my pulmonary embolism a month later, where my health was actually poorer.
After my first week of chemotherapy, I had been a bit tired from that first week, having treatments every day. Finding veins each day was tough, so on Friday, Oct 30, I had a port put in to my chest to ease the daily treatment process. That wasn't too bad and proved to be a blessing. Halloween was spent recuperating from that, as well as trick-or-treating that night. Allison had made some delicious home-made chili and I probably, as usual, at too much (Interesting side note: I love that chili, and many people say that sometimes you never want to eat again what you ate during chemotherapy. I still crave it, but we've never taken the time or opportunity to make it since then, over 1 and 1/2 years later. Hmm.) Anyway, as we were going to bed, Allison was on the phone visiting with Winston when Caroline and Spencer came in quite serious and reported that the beta fish had died. We had gotten the little guy from a roommate of Caroline's and Stewart was thrilled with it. I was way too tired to do anything, so I instructed them to take it downstairs and so they did, having a 'moment of silence' to honor it. OK.
In the mail on Wednesday, Spencer's mission call arrived. He wanted to be ceremonial about it, so we drove up to Provo and went to Panda Express. Everybody ordered something they wanted for dinner. We then drove over to the Provo Temple and sat on the lawn just outside the temple grounds. That was when he opened his call and announced that he was going to the Thailand Bangkok Mission! What a neat surprise. He was very pleased and excited and nervous all in one. What a neat way to kick off my 50th year.
On Thursday, I was really feeling tired. I just laid on the sofa all day, sleeping and sitting and thinking and dozing and not doing anything. By the end of the day, I had actually felt quite rotten and exhausted.
By Friday, I felt a bit better, but was still exhausted. It was nice to have the week behind me. There were definitely some highs and lows and in looking back, it was probably the worst I felt that week, though there were other days, especially with my pulmonary embolism a month later, where my health was actually poorer.
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