Just a quick note of relief before we turn in for the night. This has been a most-complex day! It was a wonderful day of celebration with Don's family - just wonderful. The afternoon was the worst in memory - awful, awful, just awful...and now we are way on the "upswing" and feeling so much better. Whew. What a day!

I have said out loud several times today...thank you, God...thank you, God...thank you, God...for a wonderful husband who has been called upon to do things he never thought he'd face, for a step in the right direction to feeling better, for simple "relief" (not too much simple about it today!)...but mostly for the confidence in Christ to face each and every day, come what may, with strength and courage, not of my own to be sure!

Good night...and again, thank you, God.

Love,
Don & Deb

Morning...I had treatment in Madison yesterday and also got to chat with the doctor again. There are two issues that have been on my mind and we were looking forward to meeting with the doctor to get them settled.



One issue was the CT scan from last week and the great results. Yes, the tumors are showing "significant" decrease - but I wanted to know exactly what does that mean? Does that mean I am in remission? (He said "no") Well, then, exactly what are we talking in the whole scope of things? He said it is a "step in the right direction" that we hope continues. I am by no means "out of the woods". He mentioned the study being a 6-round study but that he hoped, as long as I was showing progress, that I could continue longer than that. I hope so, too. It was a little more sobering than last weeks all-out good news, but encouraging for sure. We are headed in the right direction. That's enough for now - it certainly is way better news than we've had any other time during this "thing"!!!!!



The other issue - the abdominal/back pain. Ha! Batten down the hatches!! Katie, bar the door!! I'm constipated!! Not again!!!!!!!! I know - you're thinking that this woman doesn't know a thing if she doesn't even know when she's, well, you know. I'm telling you - I don't have trouble in this area and believe I am the one who would know!!!! But the problem isn't "lower", it is the entire mid-section of my abdomen and he said it's "massive". We came to this discovery because nothing "cancer" in this area showed up on the CT scan. His only course of action, now, was to send me to a GI man for tests. Ugh. He kept asking, though, are you sure you're not "c". Well, I guess I'm sure, but would the CT scan if I was? Yes, probably, but maybe not - but he looked it up anyway. Don could see his face - I could not. Don said his eyes brightened when he pulled the scan up - and I think he chuckled, though he wouldn't dare at this point! That's when he said it's a massive and wondered how the CT readers could miss it, except they were looking for cancer not the other "c" word. That concerned me a bit, that this would be so obvious, when you're looking for it, but you could pass it up if you weren't? There's a life lesson there!!

Anyway...I'm taking something for this issue and hope for good results here soon. I could write an entire book on this issue - the humor is just begging to be told. It's rather like waiting for labor pains to bring the baby!! And Don - bless his heart - I can't walk by the bathroom without him asking "anything yet?" Oh, what life has brought us to. Oh, and by the way - I went into the drugstore for my own stuff this time (Don came along, though) and he said when we got back into the car that now that he knows what he's looking for, he can buy it next time! No disguise or anything!! Isn't love grand???

Pressing on...
Don & Deb

Dear loved ones,
Thank you for the comments, the phone calls - just the encouragement whether from far or near. Thank you for giving God the glory and praise - it all lays at His feet.

We had a good night and the wonderful news is sinking in little by little. So mindful that the praise belongs to God for this time.

Love to all,
Don & Deb

Dear family, loved ones...prayer warriors...
It's marvelous, wonderful news!!! The CT scan showed, according to our new doctor we saw today, that there is "significant reduction" in the tumors in my lungs. His words - significant!!! He went on to say that he could see NO lesions/tumors in my lungs, but would confer with Dr. Rose to see actually what Dr. Rose sees then compared to now. The tumor in the pelvic region is "stable" and we will take that as good news, too!! Our hearts simply overflow with joy and thanksgiving to God for this turn of events. We were not expecting good news this time at all.

I'm sorry for the delay in writing to you, but we hit a little bump in the road in our celebration today...I started throwing up (sorry for the not-so-pretty-picture) about 8:30 this morning and have just now (6:30) have been able to get out of bed and stand on 2 feet (my own). Pour Don - he has gotten a lifetime full of stuff today, but he has stood beside me every step of the way. I was released from the hospital around 3:00 (no chemo treatment today because of the vomiting - next Friday we'll continue).

We will jump for joy when I can jump and keep my tummy from continuing to jump...but our hearts are just overwhelmed with gratefulness. We are humbled by God's kindness. Thank you, Father...thank you!!!!

Thank YOU, dear prayer warriors, for you prayers on our behalf. Thank you.

With much love and thanks,
Don & Deb

Good morning - and a good morning it is. Seems the stronger pain med is taking the edge off of the pain, so I don't think we'll need to go early to Madison. I slept well and still seem to have somewhat of a sound mind this morning!

It is of great comfort to know that we can share not just the good, but also the difficult with you, our family & loved ones. Great comfort. It is of even greater comfort to know that you share them with our Father in heaven...thank you.

Love,
Don & Deb

Hi there...it's Tuesday night and I just wanted to let you know that the pain I thought I was managing is beginning to manage me. I've had some abdominal & back pain since just before the last dr.'s visit a couple of weeks ago, but we agreed that it was most manageable and we'd wait until the scheduled CT scan this coming Friday. The pain isn't really more intense, it just doesn't ever go away as it did a couple of weeks ago. The last few days have been very trying and I've tried most everything I could think of...happy pills, heating pad, over-the-counter meds, even baking soda & water...I've tried walking around, sleeping in a chair, but nothing seemed to bring relief for very long. so I gave in and called Madison to see what we can do to get me to Friday. They wanted me to come to the ER there, but we agreed, instead, on a little stronger pain med to see first if that might work. It seems to be working a little as I feel a bit "out of it" right now. Hope what I'm saying makes some sense!! Something isn't quite right to be causing this problem now, but we just don't know what it is.

Thanks for your prayers...for Don as he is handling things here at home while I'm just trying to handle me. He is a hearty soul, but the anxiousness gets the best of us at times. We are trying to maintain our schedule "as usual" because we want to stay "normal" as best we can - whatever "normal" is!!

Thank you...and good night.
Love,
Don & Deb

Good morning! It's such a beautiful, bright, and crisp morning out this morning - a wonderful fall day. Don said he hopes to rake up a few leaves and mow the grass one last time this year - at least he's thinking it will be the last time!

This is our week "off" from chemo. My legs are doing better...I'm not taking any of the "happy pills" anymore. Our next appointment on the 22nd is the full deal...CT scan, doctor's visit and then, hopefully, chemo. That will depend on what the CT scan shows and what the doctor's advice is. The CT scan is prescribed by the clinical trial to mark the progress of the chemo activity - is it working or not? But the doctor will use the results to make a recommendation to either continue or not. We shall see.

Enjoyed the latest "vegan" class last Thursday night. It was the best yet, I think. One of the recipes I will hope to make often - and I would even make it a "catering" recipe because it was really good! Very simple, too. They were called "Veggies in a Blanket" I think (I don't have the book in front of me, so I'm going by memory...!) and you take a tortilla (our teacher used something whole wheat, I think) and spread it with hummus ("hum" - like singing). She used "purchased" hummus and it was red pepper hummus with a dollop of pureed red pepper in the middle. She just stirred it all together in the little container it came in before spreading some on the tortilla, covering the entire tortilla using about 2 T. of hummus, depending of course on the size of your tortilla. Then down the middle close to one end, she made of row of fresh chopped greens - hers that night were romaine, fresh basil, and some other green that I can't remember, but it wouldn't matter what you used - just some chopped up greens, about 1/2 cup or so. Then she sprinkled grated carrots (about 1T.) on top of the greens and the same amount of chopped red pepper on top of that. She rolled it up tight and cut them into 4 pieces. That is it. It is a very "forgiving" recipe in that you can use any combination of greens and herbs or veggies on top to your liking. The hummus made it very tasty. Would even make a great combo with a bowl of soup!

Take care...and enjoy the beauty of God's creation today (and every day!)...
Love,
Deb

Oh, I can't believe it's been almost a week since we've "chatted"! It has been a rather trying week. I want to share with you the news that our son-in-law's father passed away on Friday. Kurt's dad, Dave, has been sick for quite some time and most recently was to be on dialysis and had a myriad of other health issues that complicated that. Though he'd been sick for quite some time, he collapsed unexpectedly Thursday evening and didn't regain consciousness. Of course, Kurt is awfully young to be dealing with the death of his father, but Dave was always, always, ALWAYS talking about how he was ready to "go home" to heaven. Always! We thank God for His promise of eternity for His faithful and obedient followers. Services will be held later this week. Please keep Kurt and Jenn and their family, Kurt's mom, Judy, and his sisters and their families in your prayers as they walk this road.

Treatment went well last Friday...same old, same old...legs hurt...blah, blah, blah. It's just been a difficult week all around. Hoping that this week, with the week "off" from chemo, the discomfort will level off a bit.

I do have a couple of recipes to share with you. Don's family does a "turkey day in the park" kind of thing this time of year. Family & friends gather at a park, cook turkeys on the grill and enjoy the out of doors. (This year it was 90* outside! Go figure!!!) Here's a sweet potato recipe that was there for lunch and you might find it just right for the holidays ahead. It's a recipe from a dear friend, Peggy Morley, and we've made it for lots of holidays since she's shared it in one of our church cookbooks. The other recipe is from the vegan class - and you will think "no way", but it was pretty good. I would make this...not everyone would it eat like the other sweet potato recipe, but it was good, I thought. Have fun with them both!!

Sweet Potato Casserole
1 c. granulated sugar (yes...1 cup!)
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 stick butter, melted (about 5 T.)
1/2 c. half & half (I used milk this last time...forget to get the half & half)
1 tsp. vanilla (I omitted this)
3 cups sweet potato chunks (I microwave fresh sweet potatoes for this...quick & easy!)
Optional: fresh cranberries - see note below

Topping
1/3 stick butter (about 5 T.)
1 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. flour
1 c. chopped pecans

Mix together the 1 c. granulated sugar, salt, eggs, melted butter, and half & half. Add sweet potatoes and pour into a 9-inch square baking pan. Mix topping ingredients together and sprinkle evenly on top of sweet potato mixture. Bake for 30-45 minutes at 375*.

Just a note here...try adding fresh cranberries with the sweet potato mixture. The cranberries add a tartness that is just right!

Zippy Yams & Collards
1 large bunch collard greens (Swiss chard was what we had), about 1 pound, rinsed & chopped
1/4 c. vegetable broth
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 small yams or sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into bite-size pieces
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. Thai chili paste, or to taste
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Remove tough stems from collards or Swiss chard and cut crosswise into thin strips. Set aside. Heat the vegetable broth in a skillet; add onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the yams/sweet potatoes and additional broth to cover. Cover skillet and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until the yams are soft when pierced with a fork. Remove the lid and simmer uncovered until about half of the liquid has boiled away. Stir in the collards/Swiss chard, Worcestershire sauce, and chili paste. Cook and stir until the greens are soft. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Sprinkle the lemon juice over all just before serving.

I know this sounds "weird", but the bitter greens and the "sweet" potatoes are a good combination...again, this was very good! Try it!

It's fall here in norther Illinois - trees are changing, the weather is changing...life changes, to be sure. One thing we know...our God does not change! He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. For Him, our un-changing God, we are grateful!

Love, peace, and grace to you...
Deb

Hi! Have you ever wondered what the purpose of nose hair is? I haven't much wondered, either. Until now. Don said the other night that I didn't have any nose hair. So I looked. He's right (not that I doubted him...he just got new glasses and perhaps he wasn't seeing everything). That got me to thinking exactly what do nose hairs do. They do plenty. They purify the air that you breathe - assuming you breathe through your nose. If you breathe through your mouth, your teeth may yellow quicker. Interesting. They also catch bacteria that shouldn't be in your body and do away with it (blowing your nose!). Well, now...such a tiny little part of our bodies...nose hair. But have you ever tried to pull one out? Nearly makes your eyeballs turn inside out!! Something so small, yet God has a purpose for them. Not to be gross, but think of all the "stuff" that could get into our bodies through our noses without the protection of nose hair there (never mind the "stuff" that sometimes ends up in somebody's nose even with nose hair...a remote control button and a seashell are just two of the things I've heard of!!)

Thank you, God, that You have designed our bodies to live on this earth, down to the smallest of details. You have given purpose & meaning and function to things that we don't give a thought to - most of the time. We give You praise for the ways in which You care for us and protect us by Your design and creation. We thank You so much!!

Have a great day, enjoying the clean air that you breathe thanks to your nose hairs!!

Love,
Deb

We are home from Madison - a little earlier than regular and that is good. Just had treatment today, nothing extra - no blood work (did that yesterday here in Rockford), no seeing any doctor, no other tests - just chemo. My doctor has given me some "happy pills" for my legs - the lowest dose and I only took 1/2 of 1/2 (I guess that makes it a quarter, doesn't it...see how "happy" I am!!) and my legs feel better. Finally some relief. Don is thrilled!

Love,
Deb

Morning! Just a quick note this morning before we head off to Madison. We had the "vegan" cooking class last night - oh, my. I know this is serious stuff for a lot of people, but drinking grasses? Really, now!! We had two different "green" drinks last night, "just for fun". They weren't really a part of the class - just an added bonus!! The one was 4 handfuls of spinach and one cup of frozen mango cubes whirled up in a blender. Not too terribly bad, considering what was to come. The second "drink" came near the end of class. It was a powder product and might not have been too bad until she mentioned it was "grasses" - like from your front lawn. She mixed it with orange juice - what an awful thing to do to oranges!!! It had "texture" which really was not good. Maybe they were dandelion bits (what lawn hasn't had a dandelion or two?)...

It is really, really hard not to crack up during class - but I'm trying to be "mature" about all this and not act like a junior high kid. It's fun to be with friends and try these new things!! Some of the food was good, I thought. She marinated portobello mushrooms and then steamed them, sort of. We were to pretend they were a hamburger. They were better if you just took them for what they were - mushrooms! She also made an "ambrosia" salad with pineapple tidbits, mandarin oranges, craisins and basmati rice. That was the best of the evening. Basmati rice is very good - try some if you haven't before. Oh - I think it was organic, too. We had something I'd never heard of - tempeh. It's fermented soy beans. I think you use it in place of meat...she mentioned making "bbq" with it. She did a stir-fry with it...that was good, too.

We went out for supper afterwards.

Love you,
Deb