Oct 1-31, 2009

hi!
a friend of mine emailed this to me yesterday and wow, such a wonderful, uplifting, warming message in it, and to know we know its so true, i just couldn't help putting this in. thanks Ed
Yesterday He helped me. Today He did the same. How long will this continue? Forever.... Praise His Name!
Well after today i have four radiation treatments left, next week thurs last day yahoo!! as of last friday evening i noticed my throat closing off even more, so the soups were definately on, and of course recommended was boost so i bought one case, feeling like an ol' folk, although i know its not just ol' folks drinking the stuff, to say its not the best tasting stuff either, but when i can't seem to find a way to get breakfast or lunch to down, high protein boost is the best way to get those vitamins and minerals into the body. I am getting used to chewing my food when i eat "normal food", 100 times it seems, although i did get meds that freeze the throat so i've got 20 min to get down some nutritional foods, which i still have to chew till its like baby food, i guess really that's how one's suposed to eat anyway, but who's got the time when it tastes so good right?? Wednesday i noticed the coughing starting up again more, and well last night was a tough one, waking up my poor tired hubby to make me a hot drink so i could finally quit hacking away, enough to fall back to sleep, although i think i've got a bit of a cold as well, and well with the family is struggling with colds, its not too hard to pick one up, although i believe it to be more of a fall, dust, cold thingy.
I have been so blessed by the drivers for the last two weeks while my crew is doing potatoe harvest (which they should get finished today!! yahoo!!!) to be able to chat with them, yes even cry, laugh, and get to know them better, i don't think i'd want to live anywhere else as we have such a caring, loving community and church family. I want to thank Ma, Edna, Colleen, Nita, Brenda, Shirley, Bets, my aunt Elvera for the encouragement as we traveled to wpg and back, i truly enjoyed each and every one of you. Also those who brought meals, those were some incredible dishes, some new dishes but absolutely delicious, (Judith, Sonya, Verna, Edna, Brenda, Bets, Verna, Gail, oh i hope i'm not forgetting anyone who has done something for us) Then there's my folks, slaving away at whatever they see need doing, last week they had the kids come there for suppers and took Janae after school on days i wouldn't be home on time, this week, they came here and cooked and worked, so all i've got are carrots left in my garden, they picked all my peppers, a orange box full, plus my sink is full of green sweet peppers, so i'm going to have a lot of work to do yet, plus i gave away a bunch of them already. i want them to ripen so i can make a new pepper relish, maybe they will wait till after i'm done treatments, i'm hoping. anyone need some?? There's so many families who just don't have their parents at their finger tips like i do, and come running when my sis, squeals on me, when i'm actually doing something. Oh, well, they all love me and it shows, i just hope i can repay them when they need me.
This weekend, Will's family is having Thanksgiving, so it sounds to be a cool weekend, but should be good none the less, as we haven't all been together since Christmas with everyone, so we're hoping absolutely everyone can make it this time.
Next weekend, my sis and family are coming out from SK so look forward to that as well, spending quality time with them, as its also been since around Christmas time, and not everyone could be there then either, so we have so much to be thankful for.
Someone asked me the other day if i could tell the radiation treatments were doing anything for me, and i can definitely say yes, yes, yes, i can feel the lymph nodes to have decreased a lot, in my neck. as well as those in my arms are pretty much non existent, and the raised part on my lung, i can't feel it anymore, together with my blood transfusion i have more energy, not that its great yet, but hey, it lets me at least get the laundry done and dishes and just putts around, although yes, i do spend a lot of time resting, as i still do run out of breath but not as quickly, i can do things and am so thankful.
Thanks for your continued support, and prayers,
God is so good, its just amazing to have Him in our lives and let Him carry us each step of the way, sometimes its almost hard to fathom, how He can be there for so many people at one time, but He is an awesome God who can do all those things, and each one of us can feel that He is working in our lives and carrying us through the trails, and walking with us each step of the way, just incredible. Thank You God!!
thanks Will, diane, Brenten, Jodiene & Janae
remember Darlene, still having some pain, but healing nicely
Ed, doing incredible, feeling better each passing day
Sharon, sorry i haven't gotten an update on her this week, but continue to pray for her as she waits for surgery on her liver
April, tentative surgery date Oct 20th. on her breast
Tina- waiting for a heart valve surgery
Friday Oct. 9, 2009
hi! well its probably been like a week or so since i've emailed last, i had my last treatment on thursday morning, and am so grateful as our weather has turned into a chilly, cool mix of a bit of rain then into snow, so the roads are a bit on the icy side i'm sure. On thurs when my last day was i told Will how thankful i was it was the last day, as weather around this time of year tends to get a bit on the tricky side but i think of all those people i've met that come all the way from Brandon, Minedosa to come to wpg. HSC for treatments every day, one lady i met, she actually is an Unrau gotta do the genealogy thing yet to see if my hubby and her are related but she's from Brandon and just started monday with her treatments and has a lot of treatments but wouldn't say how many, that may be ok, as one needs to almost count down, she didn't give any numbers, but most women i talked to that had breast cancer had in the 20+treatments, men most of them had 33-38 treatments, and the one is from Minedosa, what a long way to travel, the expense of travelling that far must be unreal.
I've been giving a lot of thought to the Cancer walks, runs and i do believe that research needs a lot of money cause without that, they can not find new ways to help and find cures, on the other hand i see how much money is spent into driving to wpg by individual families. and a lot of days that includes a lunch as well as expensive parking and i think, why not put that money to people who really need it, especially young families who can't afford it or people from far away, i never asked people how they were doing financially in all of this cancer, but next week the one from Brandon was staying with family in wpg. so she didn't need to travel so far each day. We are very grateful for the support that has been given to our family and the money that came in paid for our gas, and days we needed a meal, (which i might add, was cheapest we could find) and for parking. ( as for parking i need to email the govt of health or city on how unfair it is to have parking for the sick so much more expensive than to park in a reg. spot on the street anywhere not near a hospital - parking for us was as cheap as 2.75 per two hrs. and up to $18.00 was the most we'd paid. absolute ridiculous. But overall our expenses were covered so we are forever gratefull for everyone who helped out, wether it was financially or by driving me, and the prayers and warm words of encouragement all helped get us through these radiation treatments.
The radiologist told me it would take up to 10 days before i could feel more like "normal" as far as eating etc. is concerned, i've got a good "sun" burn on my neck, throat area but that too will go away, i put lots of cream on it, so that should help heal quicker and helps not to warm so much, but i really can't complain, as what i read what the treatments could do, and what it did for some people who went through the same i did i just can't complain, i at least could and can still talk as well as breath quite well, that was one of the side effects i could have had which along with not being able to eat, including swallowing water could have been difficult, as some have had all those symptoms, but they may not have had the prayers like i had from all of you to help not get all those nasty side effects, it has made me incredibly thankful for all of you, and i truely believe without your prayers, things could have been so much worse.
The staff was incredible, and i feel God gave each one of them a gift of warmth, sensitivity, comfort, and a sense of humor to each one of them they were perfect for their job. Over 300 people go in and out of those radiology stations each and every day, they have the capacity to do up to 500 if all machines were running, but that is one incredible amount of people who come there for cancer treatments each and every day. To stay upbeat and positive for them must sometimes be a challenge as well, hearing people come in and possibly complain, or probably a lot of people coming in like me, tell them of the effects i was having then they recommending things i could do to help relieve them or send me to a nurse for advice.
this weekend is Thanksgiving so there is so much to be thankful for, first off being my family, you and your prayers, and thankful my sis and family came out before the roads got snow filled and slippery. I also have to say i'm thankful for my health, although i have cancer, i do not find myself to be "ill" i still would classify myself being healthy, i do not have pain that so many people with cancers have and i do not feel "ill" so what more could a person ask for?
Well i'm gonna call it a night, had a wonderful visit with my sis and family. Wishing everyone a Thanksgiving full of Praises to Him, Warmth and Love for family, just to enjoy every goodness God has given us, there are so many.
love & prayers, diane , Will, Brenten, Jodiene & Janae
Darlene still experiencing some pain after her surgery, but recouperating well, still waiting for test results
Ed, just an amazing recovery, but continue as test results come in
Sharon - Josh is a match for her as far as i know waiting for surgery date
April - Oct. 20th. 6 -7 hr. surgery for her breast cancer, pray for Dwayne also as they go through this together as a team
Tina - waiting for heart valve surgery
a friend asked me to add: "Please pray for Gerry and Debbie's marrige. They are Christians. Debbie is completely decieved and confused, about to leave their marriage for another man, thinking it's God's path for her."
Oct 20, 2009
Well its been a while since i've emailed, sunday we made it to church again, including sunday school, and then in the afternoon, cousin April who's having surgery today came for a quick visit, too short, but that's the way things go, then we were invited to the Sommerfeld Thanksgiving meal of turkey, stuffing, spuds, veggies, meatballs, salads, buns, and well i didn't have pie, but janae says, they had every pie there, she loves her desserts, the friends and fellowship there was awesome. We have had an incredible amount of support from this church as well, and it is wonderful to see, how it doesn't matter what church you attend or others attend we can support and be there for people no matter what they are going through, its wonderful to live in a smaller community where people care about each other.
this week has been more of a challenging week, and yep its yet only begun. today i think i'll just take it easy, hopefully by tomorro energy level is back on its way up, hopefully the cough subsiding, it has now made its way into the night, not leaving hubby with a whole lot of sleep at times. I tend to find after a busy day like sunday and well perfumes don't help, i tend to take a few days to recouperate, i had thought they were not bothering me so much anymore, but maybe because i hadn't been around perfumes lately.
This friday i go for a blood test, a CBC which is the blood count, as well as an INR, which will tell us how the needles are working for me, then on tues. the 27th. i go see my doc in portage, then on wed. the 28th. i go see my chemo doc Dr. Harding ( that'll be an interesting visit i'm sure, we really liked his quickness, bubbliness, his positive attitude, i know he'll tell me, see i told you, you could give yourself needles, to which i'm going to tell him i like his oh, just 4 weeks that's all, (which i'm told i'll be on for life) he's pretty sneaky, but if he would have told me life, i wouldn't have gone for it, now i'm ok with it, but i'm hoping once my cancer is gone, needles will be as well.) for you who have come later in my emails, i give myself, yes, amazing, a needle every day in the stomach ( to which i'm thankful i've got that excess fat there lol) which stops any more blood clots from forming and is to let the ones that are there, dissolve into my body, this must actually be a really slow process to have to use for life, but it'd be better than a large clotting going through, and i've got one in each jugular vein, so that definately wouldn't be a good thing to have go through.
I finished reading the book "Hope in the Face of Cancer" written by a christian doc Amy Givler, who had breast cancer, there's also one part that i like which i'll write in my own words how i feel, when i found out i had cancer i didn't feel any different, and i tell people i'm still me, i'm the same me, a couple people have asked me how should one treat a person with an illness like cancer, well i personally think everyone is probably different, and wants to be treated differently, but for me, i want to be treated the same way as before, i don't want to be looked at or treated like i'm different, cause i'm not, i'm still the same little ol' me, i just have cancer. visiting that is full of oh, this person died of cancer, and well this one did too, oh, but this one made it etc. etc. makes me sad and not encouraged. I want people to come visit like you would anyone else, we don't even need to talk about cancer or my illness, but i know a lot of people have questions and i love to answer to the best of my knowledge about what we have learned and have gone through. I hope i can be there for anyone who needs me, i find i have not been good at being there for people who are hurting, its always been scary to me to give comfort or just to be there, i was always afraid i'd cry infront of people, well which i would anyway, but i got to face those fears and give of myself to those who are in need.
when it comes to chemo and the hair start falling out in clumps and or come out all together it's definately harder for most people to look at someone in the same way, when you go shopping, people look and especially if they don't have hair, its plain to see what people have, with radiation, one still kept the hair and no one knows you have an illness. I guess that's one of my biggest fears right now, if my hair falls out, will people treat or look at me differently?? People that have gone through cancer tell me its ok to show you have cancer, show you don't have hair, be proud of it but i'm having a very hard time with that. Jodiene & I went looking for hats, touques the other day, well she figured none of them looked good one me, we tried to make it fun, but reality sets in and its getting harder for me to think that as much as its "just hair", its more than apt to come out, but there has been quite a few people lucky enough to keep their hair, so who knows.
After my chemo doc apt. i have to wait for a CT scan before chemo can start, so now i'm thinking it could be end of Nov or poss. into Dec for all who knows before chemo starts, i just want to start tomorro already and get on my way to recovering, but ah, everything just takes time it seems now, patience, patience.
Look forward to doing some "normal" type things this week, going to my aunt Katy's for a delicious supper thurs., ( i know it already to be delicious as she's an awesome cook ) also attending a wedding on sat.
Well i think i'll call it good for this week's email, will post again by next friday (30th.) what happend next week. Let me know what's up in your families lives, i love to hear, even if you only live miles from my house, still good to catch up, i'm sorry i don't always get back to every email, but try. Thanks for your support and prayers for our family, it is so much appreciated. Which also reminds me, just how awesome God is, he knows our needs and will meet our needs, this is incredible, we have $ 3.14 cents to spare from what support came in to cover the trips for my radiation treatments, isn't that the most awesome thing. I just marvel at how He knows what our needs are and how they get filled. We have an awesome God.
Love, diane, will, brenten, jodiene & janae
Please also remember these people in prayer as they go through surgery, waiting on test results etc. If you have anyone you'd like to add, just let me know i'd be happy to add your prayer request as well, diane
Darlene recovering well, waiting for test results still from surgery, pray for good results when she sees doc on 29th.
Ed, just an amazing recovery, but continue to pray as he gets test results this week
Sharon - Josh (son) is a match (donor) for her now waiting for a surgery date on the liver transplant in Toronto
April - a 8 -10 hr. surgery today Oct. 20th. and for a sucessful surgery and good recovery,for dwayne as he waits for results,
Will's cousin Ashley had a bioptsy on friday, waiting for test results from it
Tina - having heart valve surgery tomorro Oct. 21
a friend asked me to add: "Please pray for Gerry and Debbie's marrige. They are Christians. Debbie is completely decieved and confused, about to leave their marriage for another man, thinking it's God's path for her."
Oct. 28 2009
hi! just thought i'd fill you in on doc apt. today, he seemed happy with results from radiation but without a CT scan no real knowlege is known, but he said it looked good, and yes, i'm happy with results, just wouldn't mind my throat being normal, but sounds like that could take a couple months.
I probably will start chemo week of 16th. he said two weeks well so i asked anyway to start the 16th., so i can have christmas off, gotta think ahead, hope i figured it out right. So one day eg. a mon i'd have 8 hr. treatment, next week mon i'd have 1 hr. treatment, third week off, then back to following mon 8 hr. etc. etc. for 6 segments. He changed the chemo treatments that originally was planned to a new drug together with another one he called them c & g chemo treatments. They are not as harmful or as hard on the system when it comes to nausia etc. but they do have prescripts for those treatments for any side effects. and the BONUS part is my hair will NOT fall out, well not all of it, he said it would thin out, but not all come out so i won't be bald yahoo!!!!!! just thought i'd email quickly since we got home so late, and gotta get little girl into bed, then see that i get there myself, an incredibly long day, were there at doc's office by 12:15 went to Wig room, blood work then waited and waited till around 3 i think then chatted with doc till almost 4, so yep long time waiting. chat later, will try and get email out tomorro and if not fri. diane
Oct 29, 2009
This week i listened to church on TV, the pastor spoke on healing, it was a very interesting topic. in the Bible we know God healed many, he healed the multitudes, healed the blind, with leoprosy etc. etc. and healed in so many different ways, he healed by touching someone, pouring oil on some, some by prayer, etc. So why is it that some people get healed and others don't? A very good question its not that they may not had the faith in God, or enough faith. was it just their time? and why did God choose not to heal them, and others not? so many questions, another thing he said in his sermon was and i know i've written it myself "If it is God's Will" the pastor said that if we ask for healing for a person and when we add at the end "if it is God's Will", we are contradicting His word the Bible, because time and time again God says he can heal, we need to believe he can heal, but the question is will he choose to heal in that situation for that person, or will he choose to heal us when we get to heaven rather than here on earth? If anyone wishes to comment i'd be happy to hear your thoughts. Also would make a great sermon!!
Why is it that food prepared by someone else at their house or at a wedding tastes so much better than if i cook something we enjoy at home? Possibly the fellowship of people around you? not that my family isn't great fellowship, cause i love it when we're together as a family eating, which we do pretty much every day. But food just hasn't had a great taste some days, i guess still part of radiation doing its job, but it really sucks when food that looks great, typically is great, just doesn't taste good, to top things off i think i've fogotten how to cook, today (29th.) i cooked via ACA school perogy & sausage supper fund raiser, went over very well lol, just had to bring my containers and get them filled.
We were at a wedding last week, as much as it was an absolutely beautiful wedding, my tears just came as i saw father of bride walk his daughter down isle and mother waiting to join them to give daughter away. I thought to myself am i going to be here for when my son, daughters get married? It took most of the service to get myself back to positive thinking that, yes, we can do this, i will be there for our kids' wedding and special moments.
On Friday (23 of Oct)doc called about my INR (1.17 tad low but because i'm on the needle in the stomache, he says nothing to worry about) and CBC, well my blood count is slowly going up, up to 103 now, so that's good, hopefully we can keep it on an upward trend, before blood transfusion it was 78, then with transfusion they figured it to be around 98 so yep coming up. still doesn't tell me why i'm so tired, but advice from cancer survivors is make sure you get lots of rest, i'm really trying, one thing i figured out though, not good idea when little girl is home from school and no one else at home to keep her quiet, no rest then, she's a busy little girl, singing away, sounded like hammering, not sure if hammer was found yet. she loves to sing, most evenings when Will is going to be home from work late so she asks if she could crawl into bed with me, well sure, then the little procrastinator she is says "shall i sing for you mommy", well who can decline such an offer, of course, well this goes on and on, till finally ok, we got to get some sleep, well she says i'll just sing quietly then, she was still singing when Will came home and put her into her bed. We've got her now in choir at church and she just loves that, getting ready for christmas.
Last night she came and plopped herself onto our bed, as i was going to give myself a needle, well, she pipes up "can i give you the needle mommy", ah..... NO thanks. yipes...., not the first time she's asked either she's not afraid to try things, she also plopped herself on our bed the last couple of nights and announces "Dr. Janae is here " lol . I really think she'd make a super nurse/doc, she loves seeing me get needles, she's got a caring attitude as well, but has as of this week decided she's going to be a doctor and a pet house maker, hence the hammering, and oh, anything you don't need its gone in a flash, just may come in handy for decorations for her pet houses. lol
Yesterday (27th. Oct) i went to see my doc in portage and he seemed very happy with how things were coming along, and happy with results he's seen ( swelling disapeared - lymph nodes etc.) glad i have two docs as well one doesn't get to everything like i found out today, so anyway asked doc parker about the cough and so he gave an inhaler to try and see if that would help surpress the cough, so i'm really hoping that will work, as things were really potent in cancer care today (28th) with perfumes, don't know if people don't know how to read or just plain don't care. It makes it difficult for a lot of people, the secretary said she was sensative to scents and took antihistamines to control hers as well as the man at the desk who read the notice, was glad they had it, but. It (the strong scent) unfortunately came from the other side of the wall, someone must've dumped the whole bottle on, it was incredible, you could smell it a long ways off.
Well today (28th.) we went to see the chemo doc. he seemed quite happy with how the radiation turned out acording to how i looked, well they have to tell you, "you look good" as well one just wouldn't feel that good anymore if they told you something different, they're pretty smart cookies, didn't go to school for nothin i'd say. lol. they have to do a CT scan and compare i guess to actually know how good radiation worked. And he worked out a new chemo treatment for me, which i'm very happy with there's a new drug together with another one which i'll be taking with not so harsh effects, the best part, hang onto your hats for this one, my hair will NOT fall out, well at least not all of it, it'll get thinner, i'm ok with that, i do have incredibly thick hair anyway so sounds a lot better than losing it all, as Will & I went to check out wigs today and well, it would be very difficult to fit me into a wig, as hm... not sure but she said my head is too small but she says "you have a very pretty face" they of course have to say those things too, but yes, God made me, and yep, i should feel i am pretty, he did a great job didn't he, i think he did a great job with adding hair to people !! and well to top the wig pieces my hair isn't even off yet go figure, yep, i must have a small head and well, hence the lack of memory, jk. lol.
Anyway, treatment plan is for chemo treatments in Portage and possibly starting in two weeks, with first day treatment being 8 hrs. then following week same day 1 hr. then following week time off, then back to the 8 hrs. following week etc., with a seqence like that for 6 times, i figured this would take me till march or so i think it was. I asked to start on a specific day so i can have Christmas week off, so hopefully that'll work out, at least i hope i counted it out right. Nurse figured that was pretty smart thinking, i'd like to think so, at least that part of the brain was on the ball and works lol.
Well before i get my email a mile long once again, as well i could go on about christmas, but we won't go there this week, chat later, thanks for all your prayers & support.
i don't always write how after i've written an email and sent it and how the prayers have been immediatly been answered eg. last week coughing all night, well that night, diminished a lot, and how each night was better after that, keep up those prayers, they do get answered, sometimes not immediately but he does answer our prayers, and hey you remember me rambling on about hair, well.... look my hair is only to thin, not to all fall out, that's only to fill in on a few, if i'd go back, i'd have quite a list of answers to prayers.
thanks, Will, Diane, Brenten, Jodiene & Janae
Darlene received good results on monday, with tests coming back tumor was not cancer, MRI in 6 months to keep an eye on things.
Sharon - Josh (son) is a match (donor) for her now waiting for a surgery date on the liver transplant in Toronto
April - came home the 25th., recovering slowly pray for her continued recovery ( 6 weeks) and for Dwayne as he does what he can to help in that process.
Will's cousin Ashley still waiting on results from bioptsy, apt for Jan for results,
Tina - very tired, weak, but improving after heart surgery (valve replacement)
"Please pray for Gerry and Debbie's marrige. They are Christians. Debbie is completely decieved and confused, about to leave their marriage for another man, thinking it's God's path for her
Isaiah Beatty He is a little 3 year old boy, who has issues with eating....he had the tendancy when eating to choke alot, and has had 4 surgeries in the last year to try and correct the problem. I will let you know how he is doing as I hear about it. Thanks!!
Nov 12, 2009