Some photos from past month

Lexi's team after their final game






Norm got hem dressed in their Trick-Or-Treat Outfits this year
and then brought the to the hospital to see me before taking them
to my sister, Glenda, who took them out Trick-Or-Treating.


Nicole turned 15!


My son, Tyler, being strange...... he discovered something he could do with magnets.
Warning! Gross factor!



Coby, my Squirrel Hunter, self-proclaimed protector and ever constant canine companion.
Wow, I didn't realize how much weight I lost in my face till I saw this pic. I had another pic of me I liked better but was having problems making Coby's eyes look decent.



My inlaws came to visit today....bearing cookies. Of course we accept anything chocolate!
Mason came home today so i assume his counts were better. Norm went over to see him but I stayed home. Guess I will have to wait before I get to hold the ittle guy. Norm said he almost missed it (having a baby)...... almost but not quite. :D

No walks today Very windy and cold. We are hoping to get Christmas Shopping doe tomorrow..... I hope I can last.........

Rainy day...........

We did manage to get a four block walk in between systems. It felt good to walk and it was nice to get outside. They've had a tornado watch all afternoon.

My bil managed to exchange some of the clothes they bought. I think he's getting over the initial shock. Last I hear they were going to call the baby Mason but that hasn't been confirmed yet. Unfortunately his counts are stil low. 'mnot sure when he will be allowed to coe home from the hospital. He was a very big baby but his sugar count was down yesterday andit doesn't sound like it's better today.

I doubt I will go to church tomorow. For one I think it would tire me out too much. Plus we want to say away from any viruses to try and get me healthy.

Been thinking a lot about that "While I'm Waiting" song (to the right). I guess that's what we've been trying to do while waiting for the test results even though that is not the original intent of the song in the movie. I've been feeling a lot of prayers going up and I think I've felt a lot more at peace about it....just reflective at times. :) Anyway, that you fo you prayers. they mean a lot!

Good news? Bad news?

This morning Norm's brother called us to tell us his girlfriend had her baby...... a little boy........ unfortunately they had been told they were having a daughter and had either bought or were given gifts of all girlie clothing. Nate is having a fit trying to figure out how he will clothe this little boy. I called my one sister, Deb, to ask her if she still had any baby boy clothes at all. She didn't think she had much but promised to look through her things to see what she had. We told Nate to try the local reusit shops and Salvation Army Stores because they are generally cheaper than even the consignment shops. He's trying to exchange what they did buy but we don't know how accomidating the managers will be without receipts. My mil is probably having a good laugh because she has been telling them they are having a boy and not a girl like the sonogram showed. I think also that Nate is just extremely disappointed because he has never had a daughter....... mostly sons and stepsons. His girlfriend does have an older daughter but I think Nate was looking forward to his own baby girl. I think he will get over it and love his son, but just needs to get over the shock. We were trying to come with creative ways to help Nate out.

I am hoping to be able to do some Christmas shopping for the kids next week. I know I probably won't last long but for one, I like to get it done mostly before Thanksgiving and Black Friday, and for two, I want to get it mostly done with our future being too uncertain.

I have recently made a new friend named Jenn who is having a giveaway on her blog of a newborn boy's outfit. Click on her name to go and have a look-see.

Rainy Day..........

It's been kind of a blah day. The kids only had a half day of school and then we had parent-teacher conferences with the teachers from our two youngest who are still in elementary school. Even ater using the elevator, I was still exhausted, which could be expected. It felt good to go home, lay down and sleep. Unfortunately with the rain, that meant no walks.

One good thing that has come from this.....it is also getting Norm eating healthier. Not only is he actually eating the vegetables to encourage me to eat well to get stronger, but he has greatly slowed down in his eating and has admitted that I was right..... he does feel fuller than he ever did before. He now laughs if I actually beat him done because, before, he would be long done before I was even halfway done, if that far. I am trying now to resort to 6 small meals rather than 3 larger ones. I want to see if I will feel better that way. I just feel too uncomfortable eating a larger meal.

Beautiful morning

This morning Norm got a visitor from his Men's Fraternity at church. This friend had went through a similar instance with his wife. I am so grateful at not only how everyone has been supporting me but also the men who have been supporting Norm. It is a real blessing having these men step out of their comfort zones and share from their experiences.

By the way, I will not mention people by name nor the name of our town or church because this is a public blog where even Osama Bin Ladin has access to if he chose which I doubt so I purposely leave out certain links to certain blogs and area places to protect my family and friends.

To answer your request yesterday, MaryKay, Norm says there will be no pictures of that.

It's really strange how dogs know when something is going on. Coby not only has been more gentle with me but more protective of me as well. A few times I broke down, he showed up to nuzzle me. We've been getting a kick the way, when we send him outside, you can see the shadows on the neighbor's walls of the squirrels scattering like sheep being hunted by a wolf.

The stories that have been coming to us of similar experiences with cancer are overwhelming and uplifting. I told Norm that I think we should put them in a book. Most are from our church and I think they would go a long way toward promoting the Cancer Support Group our church has started. We have decided that, once we are through with this, we wish to be a part of that group to encourage others.

By the way, I've added another You-Tube video at the right. Norm heard "While I'm Waiting" on the radio this morning and we didn't realize till we looked it up that it's from the movie, "Fireproof". If you ever get a chance, we would highly recommend "Fireproof". We have recommended to friends having marital issues and they went to the movie and came out with totally new perspectives. I wish Hollywood would acknowledge this movie but it don't surprise me that they don't because of the Christian message in it. I will proably eventually move the videos to the bottom.

Not exactly what we hoped

We went to the pathologist today but didn't exactly get a positive report but not totally a negatve one either. It was hard to get past all the extremely long words he was throwing around but basically he told us they had found some other cells in my abdomen that should not be there. They are waiting for the result from the section he had sent to a collegue at Penn State Medical Center who he says knows more than he does about these rare types of tumors. They will deturmine the rating for it. If it is a "1", there will be no action taken, but if it is a "2" or "3" then I will be admited to the hospital for a couple of days of heavy chemo. He told me that will not be pleasant and will probably make me pretty sick. So now we have to wait two more weeks. Sigh....so we wait.....

Norm and I had been talking about faith recently. It's hard to just trust for a positive result. It reminded me of when Ricky Bolden spoke at or church last spring. He had a neat saying about faith but I couldn't remember what it was so I emailed our pastor to see if he remembred. Not only did he remember, but he had a plaque with it on....which he told us to come and get. I made up a simlar grahic with it on so you can see it. In faith, though, we have been discussing renewing our wedding vows. In fact, Norm even vowed that, if I fought this, he would go and learn ballroom dancing so I expect a bunch of my friends to hold him to that.

The dr. told me meanwhile that I really need to work on getting my strength back because I'm going to need it. Right now everything wipes me out. The incision went to 2 inches above my belly button so it's rather huge. Norm was upset because I appeared depressed after he(DR) told us we had to wait and it wasn't that great of news but, once I got home, had something to eat and a short nap, I felt much better.

Right now we have a reprieve with the kids' schedules. Tyler doesn't start basketball till right before Thanksgiving ... soccer is over for now. Band also just got over this past weekend so all Nicole has is play practice and all have church on their respective nights.

Well, Norm just asked me what chapter I'm on so I guess that is my cue. Thank you so much everyone for the encouraging words, hugs, meals, flowers, chocolate and cards.

Rough year for my family

This has been such a rough year for our family. Almost a year ago my aunt Lois found out she had stomach cancer. She had been a dear member to the entire family and was sorely missed when she passed six months later. Over the summer Norm was having some health issues and then my grandfather passed out and hit his head and ended up in trauma for awhile. While he was in the hospital another aunt was discovered to have cancer. (Both aunts related through marriage) I found out last night that she has now passed on. Nicole also had health issues this fall and before I could breathe a sigh of relief that it was all over I ended up with this.

I told my sister that it's just all surreal. It doesn't seem real and yet it's terrifying all in the same moment. One of those things you would think would never happen to you.

Norm makes me laugh so much with his shameful flirting. I would say how shameful he is, but this is after all a g-rated blog. Seriously though I am grateful that he does make me laugh.

Coby almost had squirrel for breakfast. Norm called him back at the last moment. Maybe now the latest "chatter" around here will not be about the free-for-all buffet but instead about the "vicious guardian of the feast".

It went well telling Nicole and Tyler. They already suspected anyway. Now I need to tell Lexi. I did inform all their guidance couselors as well. The kids almost seemed relieved to hear the truth from our lips than continue trying to decypher all the veiled questions about me.

Telling kids tonight........

This is going to be really hard. Tyler already suspects that I have it and I have a feeling Nicole knows something is up as well. Norm went to pick up Lexi & Tyler from church today and Tyler asked asked Norm later if I have cancer that everyone keeps asking how I was doing. When he told me I just burst into tears because I just hate to hurt them so. Anyway, prayers for that would be appreciated.

Took a couple of walks today although the last one almost did me in because a neighbor down the street stopped us to chat. She also has cancer and it does not look promising for her.

We have been so blessed with family and friends, particularly church family, dropping by with meals and gifts, sending cards or flowers. It's been really touching how so many have stepped forward to show that they care. We aren't sure when we will be able to sit through a service again....without crying. There are so many songs that just trigger you. When the OBGYN first confirmed that the tumor was cancer last Thursday and we got out to the car and the song, "Jesus Bring the Rain" came on and I started crying. I've always been muscically inclined so He's been putting not only verses into my head when I need it but songs as well. I put the You Tube to that song to the right. I think if you don't know the song, you will see why it's so special. It was special to me before all of this ever started and maybe that was a God thing. I love the video that goes with it.

I went to work the other day to visit the ladies and the first thing my boss said was, "You're in your PJ's! " Igrinned rather sheepishly and told her that I have never been one to wear pajamas in public but that al changed when I had surgery mostly because it's more comfortable on my rather large incicion. (groin area to 2 inches above the belly button.) Funny how something can completely change your view.

BTW, I think I did lose 10-15 pounds from this and tht's a praise....I guess. Another praise is that Norm was supposed to have jury duty tomorrow. It was put off from last summer. We were dreading having to deal with it because we were told they would get really nasty but the lady was so nice about it. Norm actually got released from it and won't need to think about it for at least a year!

On a more humorous note, the squirrels have decided to take advantage of my convelescance and been attacking my bird feeder food court in full force. Norm keeps chasing them away but he came back in once and said, "They're back...in numbers this time!" There was 6-8 out there. We put Coby(dog) on squirrel duty over lunch time.

Prognosis

The results came back. I have a rare form of ovarian cacer. The prognosis is supposed to be good. Seening an oncologist on Tuesday.

My surgery

My surgery on Thursday did not go like they hoped. The tumor was even larger than anicipated. It almost filled an 8 1/2 x 11 cake pan. The anticipated 1 1/2 - 2 hour surgery ended up taking four. There were some aspects with the tumor that looked suspicious so they sent it out for testing and we are still waiting the results from that.Because of their suspicions, not only did they remove the uterus, but also both ovaries, some lymph nodes and a few other things. They could not use my prev. c-section cut because of the immense size. The incision runs all the way up to like two inches above my belly button.

I came home on Sunday. Norm has been wonderful with taking care of me. He makes sure I walk and helps me dress. All the little things you take for granted and I am so grateful for him. I have not seen that kind of loving care from any man for any woman since I used to work in a nursing home 20 years ago and my old third grade teacher was there and her husband took such loving care of her. Even the most menial, embarressing tasks he has just stepped up and helped me with and it has made me feel very loved and cherished. I love you, Norm.

We go to the dr. tomorrw to hopefully get my train tracks down my belly removed. Will try and update later. Get tired very easily!