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I have known Burt and Phyllis for many years. Because they have been associated with the Singing Christmas Tree for over 30 years, I had texted Phyllis to inquire about seating at New Hope Church where Portland's Singing Christmas Tree was performing. I wanted to surprise Joe by buying us tickets to one of the performances. It would be the first outing since his surgery. Shortly after I texted her I received the following message."Betty, each year because of our giving to the Tree Burt and I are able to bless people with tickets to a performance. This year I'd like to include you and Joe. Let me know and I'll contact the ticket office to let them know you'll be calling. You can come to any of the shows of your choice and I'll have you talk to the ticket office manager, Patty, so she can help get you priority seating on the day/evening you'd want to come. I'm not sure what the sales have been so I couldn't tell you what's available. And here's the upside. If for some reason up to the last minute Joe doesn't feel like it will work out, it's not a problem. Patty can always fill the seats. Well even though he tires easy, he wanted to go. We were treated like royal guests! It seems like more than a few knew of our story and those involved got us to exactly where we needed to go. |
Monday, November 30, 2015
We Were Blessed Beyond Measure Today
Saturday, November 28, 2015
Just One Of Those Days
Please click on pictures to enlarge
Two of Joe's cousins Dick and Dennis Tarr came for a visit yesterday. Joe was an only child, so his cousins were like brothers to him. |
More than a few of you have asked me not to take my blog down. Some mentioning that you have followed our past journeys and want to be on this one with us. Others saying they want to be there through the hard times. Well I have to tell you today was one of the hard times. Joe felt well enough to go out to the motor home and start it up and also run the generator for a while. He was out there for a long time and I thought I had better go out and check on him. I try hard not to cry around him but when I came around the corner he was sitting on a step stool in the sun and it just broke my heart. I went up and put my arms around him, laid my head on his shoulder and cried. He shed his tears too. It's so sad. He wants to be in the desert so bad. I agreed with his daughter, hoping he was sitting in the sun, building his resolve to fight his way back to the desert. Anyway, we wiped our tears and I went back in the house, and was reminded of this scripture. "The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry Psalm 34:15. The rest of our evening was one of peace and rest.
Tomorrow we are going to The Singing Christmas Tree, a gift from some dear friends. It was debatable that Joe would feel like going but it looks like its "A Go" Then Monday starts a full week. Monday he has a port placed so the chemo will be easier to take. They can also do his blood draws out of it too. Then Tuesday hopefully there will be an MRI and Wednesday is the first of his chemo treatments. Thank you in advance for your prayers and well wishes for him. |
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Getting Ready For Chemo
Thanksgiving for us this year is one of Rest and Recovery. I rest when Joe is napping. I pushed our chairs together so we can "hang on" and "hang out" |
Joe's son Rob and his fiancee' Gloria, came down from Olympia for the Day. Gloria is a coin collector so she enjoyed taking time going through all the change we save. |
I have had holiday breads in the freezer that I can take out and thaw for guests that drop by for a visit so I put these out too. |
Now for an update on Joe. He is sitting beside me in his recliner sound asleep. I'm sure he is having sweet dreams of the time we spent with Rob and Gloria today. Yesterday we spent most of the morning at the KNight Cancer Institute. Joe met Dr. Jingjing Hu, M.D. She is one of the oncologists on staff there and will be his primary chemo Dr. Until now, just by reading all his lab reports and what ever else we could read on the internet, it sounded to us like his cancer staging was four. Yesterday she gave us statistics and more answers. If he wouldn't have had surgery, or agreed to chemo, his prognosis would have been 6 months or less. By agreeing to do Chemo, he added about 28 months or so. If later, the tumor shrinks enough to where they would be able to do surgery, statistically it would add even more time, up to five years or so. Dr. Hu told us she is placing it at a moderate stage 3. She is cautiously optimistic, giving about a 30% chance for him that the chemo being used can shrink the tumor on his liver to where they MAY be able to operate to remove some of that cancerous tumor giving him even more time. After 2-3 months they will check to see the amount of shrinkage then check with the liver surgeon. If it happens at all, surgery won't be until sometime next year.
Monday, he is having a port put in to get ready for his first treatment on Wednesday Dec. 2nd. For any of you who have had chemo for colon cancer, his chemo is Fairfax. A combination of two medicines. They give it to him by IV then he goes home with a pump that will allow the medicine to run continuously through the 2nd day. Then on the third day, he goes back, they remove the pump and no more chemo for two weeks. In a few weeks another medicine called Avastin will be added, but they have to wait a while after surgery. Avastin helps prevent blood vessels from reaching the tumor. This could starve the tumor and is very tolerable. He will be on a two week routine. The only symptoms he may have will be extreme fatigue for two or three days. Then we have a good week to take off in the motor home. But the doctor prefers he goes no further than a hundred and fifty miles in any direction. That means we could enjoy both TT Seaside and TT Bend/Sunriver. Plus his kids and my sister. (Sorry Blanche, for now Lynden is too far away) Dr. also said he may or may not loose some or all of his hair.
Well, there you have it...Lots of numbers, "what if's", "maybe's and maybe nots", But Joe and I still agree we serve an all knowing, Sovereign God. WE also believe He can totally heal Joe if it is His will. Only He knows the number of our days and we give thanks for each of those days.
For those of you who care to pray specifically, we ask prayers for
Monday, he is having a port put in to get ready for his first treatment on Wednesday Dec. 2nd. For any of you who have had chemo for colon cancer, his chemo is Fairfax. A combination of two medicines. They give it to him by IV then he goes home with a pump that will allow the medicine to run continuously through the 2nd day. Then on the third day, he goes back, they remove the pump and no more chemo for two weeks. In a few weeks another medicine called Avastin will be added, but they have to wait a while after surgery. Avastin helps prevent blood vessels from reaching the tumor. This could starve the tumor and is very tolerable. He will be on a two week routine. The only symptoms he may have will be extreme fatigue for two or three days. Then we have a good week to take off in the motor home. But the doctor prefers he goes no further than a hundred and fifty miles in any direction. That means we could enjoy both TT Seaside and TT Bend/Sunriver. Plus his kids and my sister. (Sorry Blanche, for now Lynden is too far away) Dr. also said he may or may not loose some or all of his hair.
Well, there you have it...Lots of numbers, "what if's", "maybe's and maybe nots", But Joe and I still agree we serve an all knowing, Sovereign God. WE also believe He can totally heal Joe if it is His will. Only He knows the number of our days and we give thanks for each of those days.
For those of you who care to pray specifically, we ask prayers for
- Total and complete healing for Joe
- for treatment tolerance
- for health for Sept and his son Rob's wedding. (Joe is to be the best man. Rob was his best man at our wedding)
- And that chemo shrinks the liver tumor so it becomes operative.
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Visits from Family and Friends
Today Joe had a nice visit with his Aunt Marlene who lives here and his cousin Cindy and her daughter Tammy who drove down from Centrailia, Wash. |
Monday, November 23, 2015
Subtle Changes
Saturday, November 21, 2015
I Just Giggle Sometimes At The Lord's Goodness And Perfect Timing
Today was a very good day. He's eating and drinking better and we even got a "once around the park" walk in. It will be good when he feels like doing it three times a day. |
Friday, November 20, 2015
Day By Day
I realize I just posted a very long post, but in reply to someone's response, I thought of this Hymn I have sang since I was a child. And now, more than ever it's message is very real to me.
Day by day and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,
I've no cause for worry or for fear.
He whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best--
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,
I've no cause for worry or for fear.
He whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best--
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.
2 Ev'ry day the Lord Himself is near me
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,
He whose name is Counselor and Pow'r.
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
"As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,"
This the pledge to me He made.
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,
He whose name is Counselor and Pow'r.
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
"As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,"
This the pledge to me He made.
3 Help me then in eve'ry tribulation
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith's sweet consolation
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E'er to take, as from a father's hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till I reach the promised land.
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith's sweet consolation
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E'er to take, as from a father's hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till I reach the promised land.
Baptist Hymnal, 1991
Saying Goodbye To Some Of the Day Shift Care Givers
Please Click to Enlarge Pictures.
Well, here we are, end of this particular journey and getting ready to start the next one . Next Wednesday, November 25, Joe has his first appointment at The Knight Cancer Institute located in the Pavilion which is connected to Portland Adventist Hospital. At this appointment, Joe will meet his oncology Dr., Dr. Jingjing Hu, (pronounced Who), ![]() I borrowed this picture from the Internet. When I went to pick up the paper work today, Nicole gave me a short tour of where Joe will be getting his chemo treatments. For the next few days, we are resting while Joe continues to heal from the surgery. They took his incision staples out today before he left the hospital. He is already eating better. He says it's the home cooked food. He rarely takes the pain pills ordered for him not because he's trying to be strong and brave, but because he has little or no pain. For that we thank the Lord. And on that note, the Lord is answering our prayers. We have peace, we feel His strength and comfort and we need it, He gives us the courage to meet each new challenge. Today was a good day and for that we are very grateful. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your prayers, your thoughts, your notes of encouragement and all the beautiful cards.The mantle on our fireplace has turned into a place to display all the cards. Yes, the Snowy Christmas Picture is a bit early, but I found it at a Christmas bazaar sale the Hospital Volunteers were having and I bought it for Joe to enjoy from his recliner. If any of you care to use the snail mail to send notes of encouragement directly to Joe, our mailing address is P.O. Box 68207, Oak Grove, Oregon 97268 |
Thursday, November 19, 2015
He's Been Set Free!
No more lines or tubes and he's being discharged in the morning. We are both looking forward to our recliners and our own bed. Joe will rest and continue healing for a few weeks while waiting for a phone call from the Oncology Department to schedule his first appointment . Then we'll start the next segment of this journey. But that tomorrow isn't here yet.
Maybe Tomorrow
As much as Joe wanted to go home today the doctor just couldn't let him. He is concerned that Joe' s abdomen is still pretty distended and he's not drinking enough fluid or eating enough food. It's hard to eat or drink more when your tummy feels full already. Dr. Wants him to be able to get down 1000 cc's a day of fluid which could be either water or juice. He understands the lack of food intake because taste is connected with smell and his "smeller" isn't working too good yet because of the tubes and oxygen cannula he had in his nose. It's going to take time. Joe knows he can do this. He just has to put action to the knowledge.
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Getting Closer To Going Home
The Doctor told Joe he is getting closer to going home. He still needs to take in more fluids and it's hard to eat or drink when your stomach doesn't feel like having any thing in it.
It was a nice warm morning in the hospital solarium and my solar powered man was recharging his batteries
As I said earlier Joe just isn't eating much. I mentioned to the nurses that he liked the Jello I made at home. She said Bing some in and they'd keep it in the patient fridge.Im staying at the hospital so I called our friend Ruthie at 9:30 at night and she made him some Strawberry Banana Jello and delivered it here this morning. What a dear friend! Yes he ate some and had more this evening. Thank you Ruthie. We usually wal four laps around the unit three times a day. Joe kept stopping in the same spot every time. So finally I asked him why. He said because there is a hot spot there and it gets his feet warm....
So this evening Dr ordered a low fiber supper. Chicken breast, carrots, green beans,mashed potatoes and gravy, a roll and vanilla ice cream. He only ate a few bites of chicken and potatoes and ALL of the ice cream. Our medical team said not to worry, his body was really traumatized by the surgery and it may take awhile to get his appetite back. And even at that he will need to eat small portions at a time.
We spent time with the doctor this morning and Joe was able to ask him why he couldn't remove the cancerous mass in his liver. Dr. drew a diagram of the liver and where the tumor was located and explained because of the size of it and where it is, Removing it wasn't an option. He asked questions I imagine a lot of patients ask......how long. Dr. talked about Joe's otherwise good health and strength, reminding him also about how only the Lord knows the numbers of our days. But he smiled as he gave Joe these words of encouragement...."well Joe, I can tell you, you certainly don't qualify for Hospice, And with that we chose to keep on doing what we are doing already. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow isn't here yet so we will do every thing we feel the Lord will have us do today.
And as I will be saying in every one of my blogs from now on......DO YOUR SELF A FAVOR, IF YOU HAVENT ALREADY SCHEDULE YOURSELF A COLONOSCOPY. IT MAY JUST SAVE YOUR LIFE!
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Just Hangin out and Hangin On
What a stormy day!! But Roger Beausoleil our past Lewis and Clark president, and his wife Nancy came to visit Joe. He had already did his "walk around the unit" once and before the day ended he got two more sessions in. So this evening after a hard time processing some things we decided to just hang out and hang on.
Monday, November 16, 2015
Update on my Joe
Every day gets better for Joe. Today the doctor heard bowel sounds..."gurgling" if you may. So he got to have a cup of juice. He had friends and family visit that made him laugh.
Many things about tomorrow
I don't seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand
Ev'ry step is getting brighter
As the golden stairs I climb
Ev'ry burden's getting lighter
Ev'ry cloud is silver lined
There the sun is always shining
There no tear will dim the eye
At the ending of the rainbow
Where the mountains touch the sky
Many things about tomorrow
I don't seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand
But when I snapped this picture this is what came to my mind ..........
I don't know about tomorrow
I just live for day to day
I don't borrow from the sunshine
For it's skies may turn to gray
I don't worry o'er the future
For I know what Jesus said
And today I'll walk beside Him
For He knows what lies ahead
I just live for day to day
I don't borrow from the sunshine
For it's skies may turn to gray
I don't worry o'er the future
For I know what Jesus said
And today I'll walk beside Him
For He knows what lies ahead
Many things about tomorrow
I don't seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand
Ev'ry step is getting brighter
As the golden stairs I climb
Ev'ry burden's getting lighter
Ev'ry cloud is silver lined
There the sun is always shining
There no tear will dim the eye
At the ending of the rainbow
Where the mountains touch the sky
Many things about tomorrow
I don't seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand
(Words by Ira Stanphill, 1950)
This isn't just about Joe....... It's also about me, it's about you. None of us knows about tomorrow but for me personally He is taking care of my today's and when tomorrow gets here I know He'll be right there holding my hand.
"For this I have Jesus"
Friday, November 13, 2015
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Friday Is Coming At Us Like A Freight Train
Monday, November 9, 2015
Uncharted Waters
I was going to take my blog down, but then my daughter in law reminded me it is a good way to keep family and friends updated. |
So the blog will stay for now. Thank you again for your prayers, and well wishes |
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