Skipping into summer

It's hard to believe another school year is about to close and summer vacation is upon us. We just came home from the mountains. Below is a slide show of our weekend.


I also gave Lexi a hair cut.

It's hard to believe I was recovering from cancer last year. In a way it seems like a bad dream. My oncologist did a tumor marker test. I wasn't sure why he ordered it because it didn't pick it up in the first place but I ended up having to take it twice because the lab messed it up the first time.

This summer promises to be very busy. Nicole is going to Creation for a couple of days, going on a mission trip with the youth and volunteering for two weeks at a church camp. Lexi and Tyler will also be going to camp and Lexi has summer school. Nicole also has two weeks of band camp in August and there are VBS's as well. Through it all I hope to get the house cleaned. I'm already tired out!

Moving into May

An update on Norm: They did the Cardiac Cath and found no blockage, just a small amount of plaque build-up in which they will treat with medication, exercise and diet. Norm goes to his family doctor tomorrow for a check-up on the incision site and then to the cardiologist next month. We were relieved for the good report. :)

I also had a visit with my oncologist. He informed me that he starts remission from the time of diagnosis. Others I had talked to say theirs started from last treatment so I am a little confused. Anyway, he says I am a year and a half in remission which is good news to me. :)

Our family is planning a trip to the mountains in a few weeks which I am looking forward to. It will be our first trip all together as a family since I first got diagnosed.

Our church has been trying to get the Cancer Support Group moving. We recently had an ice cream social. It was a fun time and it was nice to mingle with others who have gone through similar struggles. I was saddened that the other lady from our church who also has Ovarian cancer does not have a good prognosis and has chosen not to continue with treatment. I understand why she is doing it. It's just sad to me. We also have aneighbor who also has a bad prognosis for her cancer as well and is not expected to last longer than six months. Of course, doctors have been wrong before.

My kids generally keep me stepping during the week with soccer practices, band practices, church and youth group. Tonight was the first time this year I was able to work in my flower beds. I didn't get as much accomplished as I would have liked to. I've been feeling really achy lately and my friend who has been battling lymphoma told me she believes the chemo contributes to arthritis. I don't know if it's true but I feel half inclined to believe it.

Standard Operating Procedure
For Using and Maintaining Dishwasher

Large pans more than 3000 mm should be placed on the rack at a 33 1/3 degree angle so that if you place an olive at the top of the pan it will roll to the bottom at 0.678 kpm.
Soup/Salad Bowl and Fruit bowls must be placed in the rack to represent a checkerboard pattern so that the water has a chance to distribute water in a homogenous manner.
Please be careful if you chose to sing a cheery tune while working in the dish room. Any note sung above the frequency of 17 kHz will cause any glass ware to shatter instantaneously and will cause all the local canines to storm the MCHS in a frenzied mania.
This is the dishwasher the school gave us. Take the nozzle and rinse out the dishwasher that the school gave us. Take out the curtains and use the nozzle to rinse out the dishwasher the school gave us. Pick up the rack and spread the curtain on it and use the nozzle that rinses out the dishwasher the school gave us.
When you position the curtain on the rack, place it in an open position so you can read it like your favorite Jane Austin novel.
Every 16th rack must bear a bowl that is turned upright and the water must be tested by placing your right index finger in for six seconds and then placed inside your mouth so that it can be tested for saltiness.
Cleaning: Open up the door on the port side. Have your work surface ready by providing a 1/16th inch Phillips screwdriver. Then you put the blue bolt in. Take the red screw out. Put the orange bolt in and shake it all about. Do the hokey-pokey and turn yourself around. That’s what it’s all about.
When you are through cleaning out the inside of the machine use FS-Cleaner #5 to scrub the outside of the machine. Scrub until the reflection illuminates a large nut. Wave at her. Maybe she will wave back.

Norm

Has a heart catheterization scheduled next Thursday since they feel he might have a partial blockage. Prayer for a peace for us and wisdom for the doctor would be appreciated. If they do find a blockage they plan to either put in a stint or do angioplasty.

Spring has sprung!

Lots going on. Soccer practices for Tyler and Lexi, church clubs/youth, band. Games on weekends. Tonight was rollerskating with our church for Lexi and youth for Tyler while Nicole babysat.


We've had some health twists. Norm has had some things show up on a test so tomorrow we are visiting a cardiologist for a consultation.

Here are some photos of recent events.

EASTER

Recent Storm brought down a large branch across the street which also brought down wires which also almost brought down a pole on our side.

1 year in remission!

Another busy month. Our church has recently built a new sanctuary so we moved in two days ago. They also built us a new library which we moved in over the weekend.

This past weekend Nicole was also in "Once Upon a Mattress". I have a whole album on Facebook but I will share a couple of shots.
She played a lady in waiting. It was really good!


Lexi and Tyler start soccer next week. Then our weekends will be tied up for a few months. Well, at least they are active in a sport. :) We told them they should do that to stay in shape.

A year ago I ended chemo and have been in remission. I was teasing Norm that he needs to come through on his promise for dancing lessons. I've been on the committee at church for cancer support. We are still exploring where we are going with that.

Bald is beautiful

On the website I created I have a photo album entitled bald Is beautiful. If you would like to include a photo of yourself, please reply here with the pic or give me a link to your photo.

We have another "snow day" today although the worst part is actually the wind and not the snow.

I was saddened to find out a friend has had bad results in her mammogram and needs to see if it is cancer. I am praying that it is benign.

End of February......

This past year has been flying by so fast. I am so grateful for this year of health. I am also grateful because we have such great health insurance and benefits. I know we would have had help with our expenses but so many people do not have that now. I spoke to someone today who does not have insurance for her and her children. She cannot afford to go to the dentist or the eye doctor. I feel bad because, while it's a struggle sometimes with these expenses, it's impossible with others. I wish I could give her the money she needs.

I am looking forward to spring....the warmer weather, the flowers, the newness of it all.

Our church is preparing to move into our new sanctuary and I am excited to do that. There will be some glitches, I'm sure. I will be serving on the tech team on the pro-presenter. Norm will be on lights sometimes and Nicole might also be on pro-presenter with me as they want teams of two.

I am creating a website called "God is Bigger Than My Cancer". It is still under construction but I am including a blog roll of cancer blogs which gives God the Glory. If you would like to be included, please reply here and give me a link to your blog. Thank you!


We are currently in the midst of a blizzard type storm. I will post pictures when I get a chance.

Snow!

February is starting off with a bang. It actually started last Saturday when I got really sick . It wasn't long till the whole family had it. (within two days) It took like five days till I felt like eating anything and start to regain strength.


Then when we were recovered it began to snow. We got 22 inches this weekend and they are calling for 12 more on top of that till Wednesday. Above is a photo of the kids and the dog in the snow on Saturday. I can't believe I got them all still and looking at me. :)

Norm and I took a walk through the snow today. It was beautiful!

(img src="http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l202/DeniseOfPA/WhiteSignature.png")

A New Year

Every milestone brings it's share of memories and emotions. It's weird the things that trigger certain memories. Everytime I even think about having to go to the hospital again I just get this sick feeling in my stomach like I did with the chemo with you just feel sick and nothing tastes good to you..... everything tastes blah. Yesterday I was running media for the worship team and we were using two computers at once and at different points during the service the head tech guy had to switch the audio feeds from one computer to another and just watching him do that brought back memories of the nurses changing my IV bags.

I often wonder if I am ever going to be in that place again or if I am through with that nightmare for good. It seems like a really bad dream to me. Sitting here at this point one year out.... a year ago I had been through my first chemo and was losing my hair.

There is a lady at church who also had Ovarian Cancer and the same dr. His prognosis for her was not good while mine was....and he was right about her. Hers has returned. And while I can take small comfort in it not returning, I still wonder what is in store for me. Going through cancer, especially being ignored at first, has made me so paranoid. It took all I had not to severely question the doctor during Nicole's recent appointment. I know it will take awhile till I can trust them again. There are some things I wish to discuss with a medical professional but I just don't feel comfortable with anybody. I don't want to be paranoid but I know I am not alone in this. I have confided in a friend who has had a similar experience and she shares my fears and paranoia. She understands how I feel and it's nice to know that.

This year started out with a family gathering and my birthday. We took the kids to a movie over my birthday weekend.

Today was really warm. It was also rainy however when I went to pick up Lexi from school there was a beautiful rainbow in the sky. Lexi was so thrilled to be seeing her first rainbow.

As you can see I changed the look of my blog again. I tried color coordinating it to my God is Bigger than my cancer insignia which I've made with a ribbon and a cross, both purple. I don't want it to just be teal for Ovarian cancer or pink for breast cancer...... I want it to be purple to hopefully represent the ultimate Healer of cancer. I hope you enjoy it.