How Dee Doo Dee

So sorry that I have been absent lately...its nothing personal..its me, not you. Hardee har har.
Just playing...the real reason that I haven't been blogging it up is very very simple. I have nothing to say really...my mom is doing supremely, her blood tests have been becoming much less frequent, shes feeling great, looking great and her hair is even starting to sprout. So, I guess that's not really "nothing"...that's pretty big actually.
Okay...also I must say that I lied...hopefully I wont be struck down...My mom has had CT Scan since I last blogged! Egads! Sorry people, sorry. It was on Wednesday, as in two days ago. She will get the test results on Monday when we go for the pre-chemo visit, which is now known as "The Last Chemo Day" also known as "The Celebration Day".
My mom is scheduled to start chemo this coming Monday, I mean Tuesday, but chances are she wont. Her cycle was scheduled for 21 days, but generally her counts are too low to start, so she goes for the 28 day regimen.
And, no, we don't have the results for the MRI either, maybe we will get them on Monday...who knows.
Well, friends...I hope you enjoy your weekend!

loads and loads of hugs
xx

I've got two side notes here:
I learned last night of the passing of my dear Canadian friend, Carrie Belair. If you are all are so inclined, please send out some healing light to her husband and 6 boys. I think they need it.
She was a special, special lady and my life is that much better for having known her.
xxoo

and on a happier note:
Do you all remember a few months back when I mentioned that a good family friend was having a baby? Well, they just found out that they are having a girl! Congrats to Matt (Bubba) and Katie Foss! Please send some healing vibes out to him...and maybe some money...hes gonna need it for the pony that she'll want for her fourth birthday!
xx
"When I open my eyes and look at the wide world, I become great; when I close my eyes and look within, I become greater still. "

— Hazrat Inayat Khan

The Road That Unfolds Before Us

We just finished watching the swearing in and the speech of the 44th President of the United States of America! Wow, we are inspired!
Today, for the first time in a long time, we are so proud to be American and see the future in a new and different shining light...we are so excited about the changes to come as this new road unfolds before us.
Our nation is grave trouble, with states going bankrupt, men and women losing their jobs and homes, financial institutions folding... it is up to us to embrace the
new promise that lays before us and it is our responsibility to help make the change.


"That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness."...

"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it)."

"America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations."

Medi-Port, Port of Call, Port-a Vallerta?

So, we just finished day two of chemo cycle 8. Everything is on the up and up...my mom is doing good, feeling good, looking good...all of the girls at chemo just raved about how spectacular she looked yesterday.
The Medi-port is holding strong and working like a champ...
here is a photo of a fully loaded port.



On the days during chemo, they leave the needle in so they don't have to re-poke her everyday. they cover it all up with tape and whatnot and send her on her way. However, on any other day, it lays flat and you cant even see it.
Pretty cool.
Alright, my mom is just antsy pansty to get to Target. Now you know she is feelin just fine.
We will try to check in again with ya'll tomorrow.

On a side note: We found out this afternoon that our friend, Chemo Mike passed away just before Christmas. Apparently his PICC line had gotten infected, which led to a blood infection, which led to kidney failure and other organ failure.
We are, to say the least, devastated.
We miss you, Mike.



hugs
xx

When I open my eyes and look at the wide world, I become great; when I close my eyes and look within, I become greater still.

— Hazrat Inayat Khan

Feliz Ano Neuvo!

Hello friends....here we are one week into the new year and feeling fine. Life is good!
Life is so good...I hope that you all enjoyed yourselves during the holidays and didn't overcelebrate yourselves into the new year. And well, if you did, i hope that drank a few or three for us!
Alright, so as most of you know, my mom got some new hair for Christmas!



Don't she just look like smokin aces?! She thinks she looks real cute too!

Half of the people that we've been seeing for months on end, don't even recognize her anymore! I really think the wig has done wonders for her self esteem as well as her mental state...shes even more rockin now than ever before!
And speaking of rockin...check this out...
today we went for the pre-chemo visit. A quick refresher, pre-chemo visit is the doctors appointment the day BEFORE the start of of chemo. This is when Dr. Paroly tells my mom how the blood is doing, how the organs are doing and so and so forth. Unfortunately, there will be no chemo tomorrow. Boo. But that's okay, she will do chemo next week...and anyway, the news that we got today cancels out the bad news of no chemo.
Get ready my friends, hang onto your hats, glasses and wigs....first of all, ( and honestly, according to my mom, the best news) Dr. Paroly gave her the A-OK to go to New Zealand AS SOON as she finishes her last chemo! She can even go for two whole months! Once her told her this, i think she just shut off the rest of her listening ears and started daydreaming of clean, fresh, warm air, fishing, big wide open skies, Bryce's famous Thai food, and laughing with all of the great friends that she has in good ol NZ! She is now counting down the days until she can get on the plane and take a break! I cant say that I blame her. This is the ONE thing that she has been really praying for since her diagnosis...to be able to get back to the place the she and my dad love most in the world.
So, this is really great news, right? Well, hang on there because what I'm about to tell you is going to rock your world!
My mom asked Dr. P about the whole lung aeration thing that he had mentioned during the last visit. If you all recall, he told my mom that her lung had reaerrated itself, popped back up and she sound clear as a whistle. So, today, I think she just wanted some confirmation that this was still the truth. He told her that not only had her lung aerated and plumped back up, but when they looked at the CT Scan, there wasn't any sign of the tumor or canser!
I will kindly repeat that for you:
He said that there wasn't any sign of the tumor or canser!
Pull out your party hats and bull horns! Feel free to shout it out from the rooftops!
Isn't that just the most amazing news ever?! I don't think its quite registered with my mom just yet, as I said above, she is just so excited with he news of going to New Zealand...that this news just blew right over her wig..er, head.
Okay, my cup has runeth over...I am overjoyed...I'm welling up with emotion...I am so freakin excited and I just want to get off this dang ol blog so that you can all read the good news!
I would absolutely LOVE it if all you who read this leave a note for my mom so that I can pass it along to her!
Thanks for all that you do and for being who you are!

hugs
xx

"Nothing is too small to know, and nothing too big to attempt."
-Sir William Van Horne