March 2010

March 5, 2010
am doing good again, back almost to "normal" whatever that is lol!! just had a glitch/scare in the system again at supper so Will rushed me into emerg. they did a broncoscopy to push down the piece stuck, i got in right away but everything takes forever or so it felt, so we only got home i think 10:30 ish. they had three docs in emerg. and including the new surgeon, so hey don't know what they would have done without him. Dr. Price just said he'd had a case like me once and he wasn't touching me, but he did explain that in the throat one has a muscle that tightens and relaxes as food goes down, and he said radiation and then chemo on top made that muscle not work, so mine tightened up but would not relax so the food just got stuck and wouldn't get out. Jodiene's friend is a nurse and she was here for supper and tried the hymplec on me, but that didn't work, as i could still breathe somewhat so that didn't do the trick, she said i had really good gag reflexes, hm... we don't want to go there, its almost supper time lol!! i was not in the talking mood so i didn't ask Dr. Price if it would ever get back to normal, so anyway, watch what ya eat, and chew till the cows come home. i told Will well i guess i'm suposed to just eat veggies, and no meat lol!! Anyway, everythings good again, hugs to you, love, diane
March 19, 2010

hi! many of you have been wondering how i'm doing and well lets see its been a while since i emailed you, not a whole lot has been happening, well maybe that's not quite it, two weeks ago we had a scare, Will took me to emerg. i couldn't swallow my food, it got stuck in my throat, thankfully there was still room to breathe somewhat, so they did a broncoscopy (oops.....that should have read scope as a broncoscopy is what they call when they do a bioptsy of the lung) to push it down into my stomache, after that, i just make sure i chew chew chew, till the cows come home i say. This week though i went for a massage and decided to ask her if there was a mucle that affected swallowing she said yes, so she massaged it a bit, and she'll massage it a bit every time i come to loosen those muscles as she said they were very tight, so one never knows until one asks what they can all do for a person, who knew. My arm is at least 96% back to normal already so that's great, just gotta move it a bit farther back, but i can move it up and down and side ways up and down so it has come a long way already. I still have a high pitch ringing in my ears which i talked to doc today about so he thought it should within time go away, maybe i'll have to ask the massage therapist about that too, who knows. It is rather annoying and seems to get louder the more tired i get, so trick is to get lots of rest.
Last week, Daisy from cancer care for our area called and some how managed to rope me into agreeing to be in the cancer care fashion show, so i get to model three new outfits for the evening, this is totally out of my league, but hey!! for a good cause and she said she needed someone young,(lol) think that was the ok... well.... so here goes, i'm sure it'll be fun, just i'm sure to be extremely nervous, but first time for everything.
Janae will be spending two days with Kids can Cope in May, they will be at a farm with horses, and involves a sleep over, although i can spend the night with her so she's not missing us, so i'm sure she'll enjoy that, sounds like quite a few young kids again this time. They help the kids who have a parent who has cancer to help them understand about chemo, radiation and help them sort through feelings that they go through etc. Its an excellent program from what i hear.
This week i went to visit my friend Sharon who is waiting for her liver transplant, she's in great spirits and has faith that everything will be ok, she said to me that people quite often say well... i hope everything goes ok for you, she said she just hated that, i had never really thought about that saying, and yes, she is so right, we need to be more positive and say "You Will Be Alright". Her chances of making the surgery a success are 98. somthing percent, almost 99% success rate, so that is awesome. She got hepatitus C when she got a blood transfusion years ago, and it took doc's a long time to figure her symptoms and how to diagnose the problem. She just got the call thursday, that there was one person ahead of her & Josh's surgery . It'll be an at least 10 hr. surgery. I'll post date when i hear so we can all pray for them. She will need to stay in London for at least three weeks after surgery, and her & Josh will need to stay one week before for tests and Josh will stay one week after donating his liver to his mom, Sharon's husband will be staying at least a week or two as well.
Today i had a doc apt., we just chatted about different things, foods, oxygen therapy, i'm glad he's open to check out things and see how things could help or affect me, and i value his opinion, so i will give him more details next time i go see him and hopefully we can try something. So far i've been feeling pretty good, still dont' have any more energy, but i can make meals, do laundry, do just about everything just with rests in between, and hey!! who doesn't take rests. I went off the sleeping pills, but will keep them on hand for days/nights when i dont' sleep enough to catch up again a bit, sleep is one of those very important things to keep one healthy. I even started my pepper plants and have 32 up and next week i want to start my tomatoes, cabbage etc. so praying i'll have the energy to plant my garden and to be able to take care of it, i will probably have to learn that i cant' do everything at one time, even though i know it, its one of those thing that up till now, i just did without really thinking and well the saying is (van ol' dan ol') ( not really sure what it is in english, but i think its kinda like while your add it then go for it till its done) but i will have to do a little each day instead, so that should work out still. May be a great patience tester too. lol!!
I have learned a lot through dealing with Cancer, one is i've learned i needed to be a more careing and helpfull person to others in need, not just think about myself , the people who need me aren't always people who have health issues or people who need physical help, many are people who need prayer for whatever reason, a kind word, a hug, and if i can't do much of anything else i can pray, so i spend a lot of time praying for others, especially nights when i can't fall asleep too quickly or nights i wake up, i find myself praying for you, and that by thinking, praying and caring about others i feel happier, by trusting and relying on God. I am a work in progress. I am by all means not perfect, i still seem to faulter and fail, but God is a faithfull God and will help us get back on our feet. Truely wonderful.
Hope your having a great weekend, we as a family truely appreciate each and every one of you, without each one of you and God we would not have come so far. Thanks, diane for Will, Brenten, Jodiene & Janae
Please continue to pray for :
* my friend Helena Peters who is in Haiti now helping out wherever she can she was previously at the Galilean Children's Home - anyone wishing to go volunteer (nothing needed except for personal hygene) for 3 month or so just call 606 787 4697
*Friends of ours Abe & Pearl - in Costa Rica (missions trip with Operation Christmas Child - Samaratin's Purse)
*Mari - as she continues to fight cancer, is home from trying the hyperbaric oxygen therapy for three weeks, pray that it will continue to work for her & Linda Dyck who joined her to help relieve her pain.
*Sharon - Josh (son) is a match (donor) for her now waiting for a surgery date on the liver transplant in London, ON, she has one person ahead of her, possibly in April or May if she can continue to stay healthy enough till then, as that's when Josh is done university
*April - April had her treatment yesterday. (second time with new chemo drug), and so far is doing pretty good, pray that it will continue with one more of this treatment left, then on to another new treatment
*Isaiah Beatty. He is still in the hospital fighting infection that the doc's don't know what to do about, pray for wisdom. He has really been going through a lot lately.
*My friend Donna & Gerry - Donna's dad (David Heide) just had surgery to remove his right lung due to cancer and is starting chemo this week.
* Many friends of ours who have children who are struggling
* Two of my friends A & A who have asked for prayer support in helping them to quit smoking
If you'd like to add yourself or a friend, just let me know i'd be happy to have all my friends pray for you or your friend/family as well. You can stay annonomous if you'd like, just send a prayer request with no name attached, God knows our needs even before we ask of them.