Hello, hello!
We're a couple of days out from treatment and wondering if we can determine some kind of pattern here. Perhaps - and perhaps some of you that have had chemo can confirm what we're finding, though it may really just depend on the specific chemo drugs themselves.

The pattern we're seeing is a little nausea (very manageable...hardly worth mentioning), exhaustion, and "out of breath" after chemo. I hadn't realized how good I was feeling just before this second round - until now we're home and done. Whew! It's hard to even raise my arms to hold the newspaper. The "out of breath" does NOT seem to be related to the cancer in the lungs. That is great news!!! The doctors believe it is related to the chemo. I think they are correct. The one doctor said the spots in the lungs are too small to cause shortness of breath - that is fabulous!!

So, a week or two or three to "climb back up the mountain" recovering along the way and then be ready to withstand the treatment...we can do this! With God's help!! Will each cycle be more difficult to climb up out of? Don't know that...we're not going to invite trouble; it's going to have to come uninvited!!

We're looking forward to a wonderful 4th of July...not doing much, but it's a holiday and even though plans aren't many, it's still a "holiday" feel! Hope each one of us will offer thanks to God for our freedom here in these United States of America - and to those who have fought and sacrificed for our freedom.

And - just a "shout out" to our Minnesota family...a big celebration is planned for the 4th marking the 125th anniversary of the church there and then the Anderson Family Reunion on the 5th. Oh, how we wanted to be there celebrating with you all! You know Don is just crazy about Minnesota and his MN family - he's just a Minnesota kid at heart and is missing terribly being there, though he would never let on. One time, he even drove up just to play Rook with his cousins! So we send our love and hope that the celebrations are just wonderful!!

Oh, one more thing...in today's Rockford newspaper, on the "national" page, (page 3A, I think) there is an article about the oil spill in Florida and a picture of a woman, a young man, and a little girl. You will never believe this...that is my cousin Susan (we were born on the same day, same year here in Rockford) her son, Karl, and Sue's granddaughter, Abigail. I haven't seen her in years - we've lost track of one another over time. My mom called my attention to the picture (she's always reading the fine print!) and sure enough! Of all the things...go figure.

Well, I've rambled enough...thanks for listening!

Happy 4th of July,
Love,
Deb