Hello! The weeks seem to go by so fast anymore. It's Friday again already and we will head to Madison for treatment #2 in the second cycle. My legs have ached all week - no break this time, but we'll see what they have to say tomorrow.
This appears to be "no big deal" right now, but I have a "thing" on the back of my head - it's a "thing" I've had for years (and that's why me thinks it's "no big deal"). My oncologist would like it to be removed, so we've got an appt. w/dermatologist in Madison on Oct. 15 for biopsy (oh, goodie!) and procedure of some sort. The doc thinks it's nothing, too, but "to be on the safe side". I chuckled to myself - on the safe side? I have stage IVB cancer - where IS the safe side?
And a CT scan for chemo "progress" on the 22nd. Thank you for your prayers!
We've had more fun with this wig thing - who would have ever guessed the laughter it brings? On Sunday mornings, we try and leave about 7:30 for church. Sometimes it's 7:40 or so, but 7:30 is our goal. Last Sunday morning it was 7:15 and I was still in my jammies!!! So, I jumped in the shower, got dressed, plopped on Thelma Lou - and was sitting and waiting for Don to finish by 7:25!!!! He says he is now "king" of the bathroom. He can have it!
Little Livi, our 18-month old granddaughter, was over for a visit today. She was playing with stickers and she was putting them on my hair - but the stickers were kind of moving my hair around a little bit (I thought it might fall off, but it didn't...those stickers were sticky!) She had the funniest look on her face!
We are starting a new study in Sunday School class. We will be studying one book of the Bible each week - Old Testament this week, New Testament next week. (It seems a huge undertaking - one book each week? Some classes study an entire book for a year or two!!) This week we're starting with Genesis - the beginning, a good place to start. Reading through Genesis and seeing God's care for His people is mind-boggling. We're talking "His" people that were liars, deceivers, murders, selfish, and the list goes on - and yet God's grace and mercy shines through clear & bright. The whole time these people are on their sinful way, God is planning for their/our redemption. It seems they know it, too, because they loved God, worshipped Him, built altars to honor and adore Him, and obeyed Him, too. Build an ark, Noah? Sacrifice your son, Abraham? Be sold into slavery, Joseph? Yes, God required all of that and more from His people. Through their life stories I read about in the Bible, I can be encouraged, I can be spurred on, I can be faithful - and I can realize that God's plan and purpose for redemption includes me! How grateful and thankful I am!!
Love to all,
Debbie
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
Hi! Am I ever glad I did the wind test thing with "Thelma Lou" - today was "treatment day" in Madison and it was so windy you'd a thought we were downtown Chicago!! At one point, Don reached out his hand to secure TL - it was that windy!! I told him - have no worries, I've already tested the wind speed for this thing and I think we'll be fine. Never moved an inch - just looked windblown! Treatment went well, though long again as we saw the doctor today. The test to see how well the experimental chemo is going is set for Oct. 22.
And I am feeling good again - I've been bothered with pesky (or is it pesty?) abdominal discomfort for most of the week. Not nausea, more like a toothache. It's kept me up some at night (but thanks to pre-loaded Ipods from dear loved ones the nights have not been so long!) and I mentioned it to the doc today because Don said if I didn't, he would. It is a similar pain to what we started with just before diagnosis back in March - and we were both concerned that tumors were growing and pressing where they ought not. Dr. took another look at the latest CT (about 3 weeks old) and said nothing looked to be causing it - but would schedule another to be sure. Drugs, too, of course, might help the pain, but the drugs he thought would help the most would also cause other problems. We decided to stick with the pain we know rather than getting to know a new one! But the good news in all this is that just this afternoon it seems to be letting up. I'm looking forward to a marvelous night's sleep! Don says I just get real quiet when the pain increases - that's how he can tell what's going on. He's glad I'm talking again - who'd a thunk it????
God is good - all the time and I just pray that I can see His goodness despite the clouds on some days. My prayer for you, too!
Love and Godly eyesight...
Deb
And I am feeling good again - I've been bothered with pesky (or is it pesty?) abdominal discomfort for most of the week. Not nausea, more like a toothache. It's kept me up some at night (but thanks to pre-loaded Ipods from dear loved ones the nights have not been so long!) and I mentioned it to the doc today because Don said if I didn't, he would. It is a similar pain to what we started with just before diagnosis back in March - and we were both concerned that tumors were growing and pressing where they ought not. Dr. took another look at the latest CT (about 3 weeks old) and said nothing looked to be causing it - but would schedule another to be sure. Drugs, too, of course, might help the pain, but the drugs he thought would help the most would also cause other problems. We decided to stick with the pain we know rather than getting to know a new one! But the good news in all this is that just this afternoon it seems to be letting up. I'm looking forward to a marvelous night's sleep! Don says I just get real quiet when the pain increases - that's how he can tell what's going on. He's glad I'm talking again - who'd a thunk it????
God is good - all the time and I just pray that I can see His goodness despite the clouds on some days. My prayer for you, too!
Love and Godly eyesight...
Deb
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Hi!
Hair's gone! It's done. It's over. I'm fine.
I came home and jumped in the shower to get rid of all the little pieces and wow! What a funny sensation on my head! That warm water running all over my bare head was strange - I started laughing in the shower.
Yesterday I drove out to my folks in a little bit of a storm. The wind was blowing - so I decided to do a little test. I opened both of the windows in the van, driving 55-60 mph - with "Thelma Lou" on my head to see how much wind the wig can handle. Quite a bit, I can tell you! It never moved an iota!! Good to know my limits!!
Love,
Deb
Hair's gone! It's done. It's over. I'm fine.
I came home and jumped in the shower to get rid of all the little pieces and wow! What a funny sensation on my head! That warm water running all over my bare head was strange - I started laughing in the shower.
Yesterday I drove out to my folks in a little bit of a storm. The wind was blowing - so I decided to do a little test. I opened both of the windows in the van, driving 55-60 mph - with "Thelma Lou" on my head to see how much wind the wig can handle. Quite a bit, I can tell you! It never moved an iota!! Good to know my limits!!
Love,
Deb
Monday, September 20, 2010
Good morning!
God tells us that even the hairs on our heads are all numbered (Matt. 10:30) and I'm here to tell you that I have about 2,000 fewer than I did a couple of weeks ago! It's amazing that so many can fall out and there's still some left! I woke up Sunday morning about 4:30 and realized my hair was coming out in wads, just wads of hair and I thought, well, this is the day that I can no longer try and make things work. So out came the scarf - no good. Out came a little cap I have - no good. Then I got out "Thelma Lou" (as Don calls her) and it was good! I felt very comfortable and rather excited, too, because I was now ready for church BEFORE Don!! The wig will take some getting used to...it kind of moves around a little bit. I told my Sunday School gals that it's kind of like your pantyhose rolling down only the opposite - the wig rolls up! We got into the car after church and I looked in the mirror (I know - vain, vain, vain!) and it had hooched back a little bit so I pulled it forward and Don said he'd noticed something wasn't right, but didn't know what. So we had a big discussion about signals, etc., to let me know when the thing isn't sitting just right. He said, too, that he'd walk behind me in a big wind storm in case the thing blows off. Oh boy. I am going Wednesday to have what's left on my head shaved off or at least trimmed way down. Those with cancer who have gone through this have said time and again "you'll know when the time is right" and the time is right. Hair is everywhere and enough already!
We would all agree that losing my hair is the least of my concerns. Yes, that is right. Our doctor says that I will be on chemo the rest of my life - if it works. Does that mean I won't ever have hair again? Can you imagine? It's a possibility, for sure. So, I'm going to get used to "Thelma Lou" and anytime you call and want to do breakfast or lunch, I'll be ready in a jiffy!!!
Love,
Deb
God tells us that even the hairs on our heads are all numbered (Matt. 10:30) and I'm here to tell you that I have about 2,000 fewer than I did a couple of weeks ago! It's amazing that so many can fall out and there's still some left! I woke up Sunday morning about 4:30 and realized my hair was coming out in wads, just wads of hair and I thought, well, this is the day that I can no longer try and make things work. So out came the scarf - no good. Out came a little cap I have - no good. Then I got out "Thelma Lou" (as Don calls her) and it was good! I felt very comfortable and rather excited, too, because I was now ready for church BEFORE Don!! The wig will take some getting used to...it kind of moves around a little bit. I told my Sunday School gals that it's kind of like your pantyhose rolling down only the opposite - the wig rolls up! We got into the car after church and I looked in the mirror (I know - vain, vain, vain!) and it had hooched back a little bit so I pulled it forward and Don said he'd noticed something wasn't right, but didn't know what. So we had a big discussion about signals, etc., to let me know when the thing isn't sitting just right. He said, too, that he'd walk behind me in a big wind storm in case the thing blows off. Oh boy. I am going Wednesday to have what's left on my head shaved off or at least trimmed way down. Those with cancer who have gone through this have said time and again "you'll know when the time is right" and the time is right. Hair is everywhere and enough already!
We would all agree that losing my hair is the least of my concerns. Yes, that is right. Our doctor says that I will be on chemo the rest of my life - if it works. Does that mean I won't ever have hair again? Can you imagine? It's a possibility, for sure. So, I'm going to get used to "Thelma Lou" and anytime you call and want to do breakfast or lunch, I'll be ready in a jiffy!!!
Love,
Deb
Friday, September 17, 2010
Good morning! It's a beautiful morning here in northern Illinois. Don calls these days "Grand Marais" days. Grand Marais is a beautiful little Lake Superior town on the northeastern edge of Minnesota and it's one of our favorite places to visit - if not the favorite. We've canoed in and out of Grand Marais several times, camped in their municipal campground, and even stayed in one of their little motels a time or two. But you have to get their before October 1st because the "World's Finest Donut" shop closes October 1st. You won't want to miss it!
All is well...this is our week off from chemo. It seems a nice break. My friend, Rita, a 5+-year cancer survivor, invited me to a cooking class she's taking with the Healing Pathways folks. I went last night and it was very interesting. It's all about the "right" foods to eat to prevent cancer (oops...!) and to help in the event you are diagnosed with cancer. It's a "vegan" diet, though our demonstrator didn't use that word until later in the demonstration. Last night was all about fiber - very interesting. Only plants have fiber - nothing with a face or a mother contains fiber. We laughed, but it's true. She made these meatless burrito/taco things with refried beans, guacamole (made with half frozen peas...not bad, actually, but the visual of peas whirring around in a food processor? Not so much!), a mixture of onions, zucchini, mushrooms, and red peppers with some seasoning, lettuce, all topped with a mango salsa and wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla. Very good. I will never be truly "vegan" (my first drawing ever in school was of a t-bone steak!) but it tasted good and I really enjoy the veggies and beans. And the best part? We got a cookbook to go with our class!
Have a great weekend!
Love,
Deb
All is well...this is our week off from chemo. It seems a nice break. My friend, Rita, a 5+-year cancer survivor, invited me to a cooking class she's taking with the Healing Pathways folks. I went last night and it was very interesting. It's all about the "right" foods to eat to prevent cancer (oops...!) and to help in the event you are diagnosed with cancer. It's a "vegan" diet, though our demonstrator didn't use that word until later in the demonstration. Last night was all about fiber - very interesting. Only plants have fiber - nothing with a face or a mother contains fiber. We laughed, but it's true. She made these meatless burrito/taco things with refried beans, guacamole (made with half frozen peas...not bad, actually, but the visual of peas whirring around in a food processor? Not so much!), a mixture of onions, zucchini, mushrooms, and red peppers with some seasoning, lettuce, all topped with a mango salsa and wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla. Very good. I will never be truly "vegan" (my first drawing ever in school was of a t-bone steak!) but it tasted good and I really enjoy the veggies and beans. And the best part? We got a cookbook to go with our class!
Have a great weekend!
Love,
Deb
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Hello! Hello! No, we haven't gone on some tropical vacation to a far away land...we're still here and doing well. I had the last treatment in this first cycle on Friday. Now I have this coming Friday off and am looking forward to it. These are long days in Madison and we spend them waiting...waiting for the lab work to come back, waiting for the drug to be mixed, waiting, waiting, and more waiting. Trying to find rest and patience in the waiting is a challenge. We are going to do the preliminary lab work, from now on, here in Rockford. At least that leg of the day will be shortened. That should help some. I just feel bad for Don having to wait. He is a "do-er" and would like to be up and about, looking around and visiting with folks. It's gotten to the point that in his searching he has found an electronic scale that he now weighs himself on when we go. Oh, boy. That took 5 minutes. Now what? Well, he went down to the cafeteria to "look around" and came back with cookies, chocolate milk, and a mini-sub sandwich. (Wonder how that will work with the scale thing?) He's content to wait, a joy to be with, and quite the comfort...but the waiting gets exhausting for him and that bothers me.
Fight. We here that a lot along this cancer journey. Fight. Yes, and it can be a good thing, too. In times gone by, we have encouraged others along in their "fights" with cancer..."keep fighting", "keep up the fight", "press on" - same thing? And now we are encouraged with those same words from you dear loved ones. Fight. It's a biblical principal, too, isn't it? Nehemiah records for us that when opposition to the rebuilding of the walls arose, he encouraged the people working that "Our God will fight for us!" (Nehemiah 4:20) I want to be on that team!! Fight. Paul writes quite a little about "fight". 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 records for us that he does not "fight like a man beating the air." No, he tells us to run in such a way as to get the prize. He fights as a man who will win! Three different times within the books of 1 and 2 Timothy, Paul encourages Timothy (and us!) to fight the good fight. Keep the faith. Win the race. Fight.
And fighting I am. One of the things I fight is the pure selfishness of this disease. And I bring this to you now as a prayer request. My life has been so me-focused since March that I find it very discouraging at times. I know that some of that must be...I know that, but we - Don & I - don't want to be inward-focused people. Never. I'm concerned I will just become so self-centered and "all about me" in conversations and life itself. This cancer is just huge and seems to get the better of my attention and thoughts most days. So I pray, constantly, that God will continue to "open the eyes of my heart" to the needs and concerns of those I come in contact with. That this cancer and the threat of oppression from it will NOT be the focus of my life - but the joy of living in the love and grace of our Lord would loom larger than life itself. A big task for sure. Fight. I will fight hard. Keep the devil and his discouragement away, dear Lord!
Please know that I share this, not looking for sympathy or an "it's OK", but as a way to let you see some of the struggles that we face in our fight these days. Yes, I know that we smile a lot, we are certainly blessed by the words, hugs, tears, and "arms around our shoulders" of you all and I don't want you to think for a moment that we have a perpetual "Pollyanna" attitude. We do not - there is discouragement along the way. And there are things that threaten to drag us down. I share those with you now. It's not all about beating the disease, it's about doing so in a way that we win the prize!! That prize of eternal life with our God and Savior.
Thanks for listening once again!
Love,
Don & Deb
Fight. We here that a lot along this cancer journey. Fight. Yes, and it can be a good thing, too. In times gone by, we have encouraged others along in their "fights" with cancer..."keep fighting", "keep up the fight", "press on" - same thing? And now we are encouraged with those same words from you dear loved ones. Fight. It's a biblical principal, too, isn't it? Nehemiah records for us that when opposition to the rebuilding of the walls arose, he encouraged the people working that "Our God will fight for us!" (Nehemiah 4:20) I want to be on that team!! Fight. Paul writes quite a little about "fight". 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 records for us that he does not "fight like a man beating the air." No, he tells us to run in such a way as to get the prize. He fights as a man who will win! Three different times within the books of 1 and 2 Timothy, Paul encourages Timothy (and us!) to fight the good fight. Keep the faith. Win the race. Fight.
And fighting I am. One of the things I fight is the pure selfishness of this disease. And I bring this to you now as a prayer request. My life has been so me-focused since March that I find it very discouraging at times. I know that some of that must be...I know that, but we - Don & I - don't want to be inward-focused people. Never. I'm concerned I will just become so self-centered and "all about me" in conversations and life itself. This cancer is just huge and seems to get the better of my attention and thoughts most days. So I pray, constantly, that God will continue to "open the eyes of my heart" to the needs and concerns of those I come in contact with. That this cancer and the threat of oppression from it will NOT be the focus of my life - but the joy of living in the love and grace of our Lord would loom larger than life itself. A big task for sure. Fight. I will fight hard. Keep the devil and his discouragement away, dear Lord!
Please know that I share this, not looking for sympathy or an "it's OK", but as a way to let you see some of the struggles that we face in our fight these days. Yes, I know that we smile a lot, we are certainly blessed by the words, hugs, tears, and "arms around our shoulders" of you all and I don't want you to think for a moment that we have a perpetual "Pollyanna" attitude. We do not - there is discouragement along the way. And there are things that threaten to drag us down. I share those with you now. It's not all about beating the disease, it's about doing so in a way that we win the prize!! That prize of eternal life with our God and Savior.
Thanks for listening once again!
Love,
Don & Deb
Monday, September 6, 2010
Happy Labor Day! It's been a lovely weekend - and more to come, besides! We've gotten to spend time with dear, dear friends from far away, with family nearby and with more family yet today. And when we gather for holidays, what do we do? Of course, we eat! We've got a family picnic today as perhaps some of you do, too, and we're bringing this chocolate zucchini cake. The recipe was passed along from Don's cousin, Bev, in Minnesota and it's wonderful. Don even ate a piece before he realized there was zucchini in it!!!
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. buttermilk (I didn't have buttermilk this time, so I used 2% with a tsp. of vinegar)
2 1/2 c. flour
4 T. cocoa
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
2 c. grated zucchini, peel & all
Topping
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips (I use the mini-chips)
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 c. nuts (I used pecans)
Cream together butter or margarine, oil, and sugar. Mix together eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk; set aside. Blend together flour, cocoa, soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. To the butter, oil, sugar mixture add alternately the egg mixture and flour mixture until well combined. Stir in grated zucchini. Pour into 13x9" baking dish. Mix together chocolate chips, sugar, and nuts and sprinkle over cake batter. Bake in 350* oven for 40-45 minutes.
Have a great day...may all your labors be labors of love!
Love,
Don & Deb
P.S. I'm feeling "normal" - legs ache, tummy's a whirlwind, blah, blah, blah...but this will pass and in a day or two, I'll be out of the slump.
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. buttermilk (I didn't have buttermilk this time, so I used 2% with a tsp. of vinegar)
2 1/2 c. flour
4 T. cocoa
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
2 c. grated zucchini, peel & all
Topping
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips (I use the mini-chips)
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 c. nuts (I used pecans)
Cream together butter or margarine, oil, and sugar. Mix together eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk; set aside. Blend together flour, cocoa, soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. To the butter, oil, sugar mixture add alternately the egg mixture and flour mixture until well combined. Stir in grated zucchini. Pour into 13x9" baking dish. Mix together chocolate chips, sugar, and nuts and sprinkle over cake batter. Bake in 350* oven for 40-45 minutes.
Have a great day...may all your labors be labors of love!
Love,
Don & Deb
P.S. I'm feeling "normal" - legs ache, tummy's a whirlwind, blah, blah, blah...but this will pass and in a day or two, I'll be out of the slump.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Good morning!
All went well with treatment yesterday - except the scheduling part. We were there hours for a 30-minute infusion! While we waited...and waited...we met a lovely family from the Portage, WI area and got to visit with them. (They were sitting next to us and trying to decide where to eat lunch. I started laughing because they sounded just like Don & I when we try to pick a restaurant...then they were laughing when I told them that I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but it sounded so familiar!!) The mom was a smidgen older than I and newly diagnosed with breast cancer. She is in a clinical trial, too, so it was interesting to swap "war" stories!
Onward we go...thanks for your love & care!
Love,
Don & Deb
All went well with treatment yesterday - except the scheduling part. We were there hours for a 30-minute infusion! While we waited...and waited...we met a lovely family from the Portage, WI area and got to visit with them. (They were sitting next to us and trying to decide where to eat lunch. I started laughing because they sounded just like Don & I when we try to pick a restaurant...then they were laughing when I told them that I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but it sounded so familiar!!) The mom was a smidgen older than I and newly diagnosed with breast cancer. She is in a clinical trial, too, so it was interesting to swap "war" stories!
Onward we go...thanks for your love & care!
Love,
Don & Deb
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