Monday, December 22, 2008

Updates and Family Christmases

We went in to the oncologist appointment this morning. He has it set at stage 3a. I will need inpatient chemotherapy but now he is saying it will only be one night compared to the two he told us last month. To answer some questions I received, He wants it as inpatient to monitor my solitary kidney function and lung function. He did not have a schedule set up yet but I will be getting a call from his nurse to set up one tomorrow afternoon. He seemed very positive about it and was happy I looked so healthy. It was not as bad as the one cancer they thought it could be. We were encouraged by that although we were discouraged he did not know more. He said there is basically no way to really test my type of cancer to see if the chemo helped or if it returned so we have to play by ear. He also could not tell me how I will respond to it because everyone responds differently to it. I will update once I learn the schedule sometime after 3:00 tomorrow......


Regarding my earlier post asking for Christmas Cards for Hannah. Most of the fire companies in the area created a fire apparatus convoy showering her with cards and gifts. Here is the result of that via LancasterFire.com
And the total is.... 10,100 cards from Thursday's convey. This does not include all the gifts and the horse. They are up well over 27,000 total with many boxes still uncounted....


We have a large Nativity scene outside our house. Unfortunately there is no way of securing the three large plastic pieces so every time it's windy they start blowing away. They can't get far because they are mostly attached by an electrical cord. The other day I came home and seen Joseph laying over in the yard a bit away from the rest and I said, "There you go! Another absentee father!"
Norm came back later and said, "Yeah but you notice he couldn't get far because Mary's got a string attached to him. Typical woman!"
Today I noticed in the huge wind gusts that Joseph and Mary were both out in the yard together and I told Norm, "Look! She went after him!"



Walked out into the kitchen this weekend to see a huge hawk fly right into our double window. I don't know who was more surprised, me, the hawk or Coby.......at first I thought it was an owl and then realized it was a hawk. It seemed to stun it. Coby was going absolutely crazy. He wanted out in a major way. I think if I had turned him loose, he'd have gone after the hawk.....not sure who'd have won.....they have those sharp talons.


We needed to go to the bank today and one of the ladies who worked there also happened to be a neighbor from my childhood. She had also recovered from Ovarian cancer. She came over when she saw me and we swapped stories and she gave me a big hug before I left and told me if I needed to talk, she was available. Her cancer was a different type of Ovarian but she was a Stage 3b as opposed to our 3a. It's always encouraging to meet a survivor!


Throughout this whole thing we are going through we have been able to see His hand. Some gifts we had been receiving almost matched what Norm would have made in his second job if he'd have still been working . (He took time off from that to take care of me) I recently mentioned how He made sure Norm got his blood pressure under control. The other day when I needed to go to the doctor. I wasn't sure where I was going to get the money for the co-pay and any medication when I opened the mail and in it was enough for both. Then today we went to pay a bill and discovered someone already paid it so then we were able to pay another bill off. It's just been incredible has God has been orchestrating this whole thing.

------------------------------------------------------------


My family Christmas







Niece, Zoey














I am the oldest at 40. Deb is a few years younger and Glenda a year and a half younger than Deb. Justin is only 21.





The people who started it all, my parents. LOL.


Norm and I



Norm, Nicole, Me, Lexi and Tyler



Sister, Deb and her husband, Tim


And their family..................





Sister, Glenda and husband, Les


Their family





My baby brother, Justin....who is 21 and SINGLE! 'Course if you think the new NBC Bachelor type show is brutal where they have to get Mama's approval, wait till you meet Justin's sisters!



All the grand kids.



Grandma and Lexi

My dad

Zoey is dead tired but there is waaaay too much to look at!



Zoey finally sacked out with daddy and Uncle Norman

Deb, trying on Lexi's crown




-----------------------------------------------------------------

Norm's Family Christmas







BIL's G/F, their baby son, Mason and BIL'sson, also Justin (different than above)



Nanny looking over gifts




Grandpa and Mason



Nanny and Mason


Mason and Norm


Justin and BIL's G/F's DD.


Nicole and I playing with the camera.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Denise, I came to visit yesterday but was rushed and could not leave a note. I wanted to come back and tell you that your pictures are wonderful! I'm glad you all had fun with family. You all celebrated early which is nice. It was nice you went to your parents and then your hubby's parents. Zoey is so cute. I also like how you showed pics of your siblings husband/wife and next pic was with their kids! I like all those pics!!!! your parents and norms parents looks so nice and sweet. Ok dear, take care and God Bless you. Have a Merry Christmas!!

Anonymous said...

Oh and Denise...I also meant to say that it warmed my heart to hear that you are finding so much support from your community and finding survivors who motivate you. I also found it wonderful that folks are helping you with copays and medication payments. That is the spirit of giving and being good to others. I agree with you that its incredible how God has things work out... =) okay,..I hope you got your nativity scene secured and hope that hawk got away safely..