October 30th

Well, it's been a long time since I posted last.  So many issues have happened, so here we go!

I went for my treatment on the 21st and they wouldn't let me take it due to welps all over my hands & arms..... so we took advantage of the time off & drove home for the weekend,  YEAH!  It was wonderful to see everyone, we've missed home so bad.  We also celebrated my 60th birthday while home, that was really nice. 

Then when we got back here on Sunday, Leon was having a lot of back pain & blood in his urine again. On Monday he was in such severe pain and was admitted to the Cancer hospital for pain control & to flush the stones out. The doctor was concerned that his kidney function wasn't good, that was scary.   We're so thankful that it happened after we got back up here & not at home when I needed to be back here or even on the trip coming back.  Praise the Lord!

In the meantime, I developed 2nd degree burns on the top of my feet.  So, on Tuesday (my birthday) my doctor again said not more treatments and they were going to make lead sheilds to cover the tops of my feet so they don't get any more raditaion.  I was in pretty severe pain from that and while I waited in the room to see the doctor, all the nurses came in singing Happy Birthday to me with a birthday cake & card for me.  Then as I was leaving, my therapists brought me a Happy Birthday balloon & card. God knew that I needed some major encouragement that day, feeling so bad myself & concerned about Leon's condition.

So, I'll always remember my 60th birthday as so special, being with all of my family at home & the precious nursed & therapists (all friends) that made my day wonderful.  And to Kim, at the park we're living at, for keeping Chloe during the days so I didn't have to be worried about her being left alone so much.

Leon remained in the hospital until Thursday, unable to pass this stone.  He then had to go to another hospital to get the stone blasted on Friday, it was really big & got stuck in the uritha tube causing his kidneys not to drain. He's been in so much pain this week.   He has to return to the uroligist next week to get the stint removed and to see what we can do about the remaining stones that are still in his kidneys and what we can do to prevent them.  And also to ask if his kidneys are functioning as they should now.

All that to say, We're both feeling better now & are looking forward to a lot of well needed rest this weekend.  I've only got 2 more full body treatments that will complete the full body treatments, then they will treat the bottoms of my feet & top of my head, maybe 3 more weeks then we'll be headed home, YEAH!

Please pray that we don't have any more delays in my treatments and that Leon continues to get better.
Thanks to all for your prayers & concern........ we love you all and can't wait to have all this behind us!

October 15th

Fall is in the air & I love it!  The cool, crisp days & nights are wonderful!  We drove into Wisconsin the other day to go thru a park that was reccomended to us and it was beautiful.  We drive around anytime that I feel like it, that's our entertainment.  But what could be a better entertainment than enjoying the beautiful country that God has allowed us to live in.  It's simply breathtaking!

Today will end treatment #14, only 4 more to go, that's only 2 weeks if we don't have to discontinue treatments because of my reactions.  Then we'll have another 3 more weeks treating my feet & head, that's getting aweful close to Thanksgiving & we definately want to be home then.  My skin is more sensitive now, getting more burn areas and the itch is pretty rough, especially where it's peeling.  Not sure if the itching is from the cancer or the radiation but I'll sure be glad when it's gone.  My hands are still swelling, making it painful to do the smallest things like opening a water bottle or opening a cabinet door or typing, that's why this has taken a little longer to write again.  I pray that this doens't cause another dalay in my treatment.

We've met another wonderful Christian lady that is here alone for treatments from Oregon.  She was sitting alone in the cafeteria with no empty tables around when I asked to join her, when we began to pray, she got teary eyed and told us that she had prayed for Christians to join her, precious lady!  It would be so difficult to be here alone, her husband was tending to their farm and her mother was caring for her young son.  She seemed encouraged to share her faith with fellow believers.  Her name is Kari, she's had breast cancer & now its in her hip bone so she's very concerned, as anyone would be.

Our Nashville friends, Judy & Peggy were back this week for a check-up and received a very report!  Praise the Lord!  It was wonderful to get to see them again and they'll be back again the beginning of November, so we'll see them again before we come home!

Our friend, Mike Neeley is still in a medicated coma, it's been 8 weeks now.  His wife sounds very tired and just wants him to wake up but the doctors don't think that his lungs are strong enough yet.  They won't give her a time when he can be taken off of the machines, just that this will take a very long, long time.

Thanks so much for the cards, phone calls, emails, gifts and messages here.  We miss everyone so much and it brightens our days to hear from family & such supportive friends, so thanks again!

Praises:
***meeting friends that encourage us
***took the very blonde wig back & got another that is ashe blonde that looks a lot like my old hair, yeah!  It was a brand new wig that someone had donated, God is so good!
***Blood work is still good!

Prayer Requests:
***Mike Neeley's healing
***Safety & protection for family at home
***Burns, sores & itching to vanish
***That our Lord will be glorified thru all this
***That we will be used for His glory to share our faith

October 7th

Praise the Lord......... my hands are much better and we got back on our treatment schedule this week!  The weather is beautiful and we're enjoying seeing the changing leaves of Fall.

We had a wonderful time with Brian & Jody this past weekend.  It sure was hard to see them leave!  We're missing family, friends & home so bad.  We're probably going to be here thru the week before Thanksgiving. We really WANT to be home for the holidays so we can see all of the family.  For that to happen, we can't have any more extentions in my treatments.

Praises:
*** Jody & Brian got to come see us & had a safe trip back home
***Treatments are back on schedule
***Blood work is still normal
***Sores are leaving

Prayer Requests:
***Pray that my skin accepts the radiation treatments
***That itching would continue to get better
***That God will be glorified thru this trial
***Safety & protection for family at home
***That we can share our faith with others

October 1st, Prayer Requrest

Well, I went in for my treatment yesterday and they wouldn't give it to me because my hands are a little burnt, peeling & swollen.  I go back Monday morning to see if they've healed enough to get treatments again.  I didn't want to be sick or so tired this weekend when Brian & Jody are here, so I guess that getting 2 days off, I'm not as tired already.

Please pray that I can begin treatments again on Monday so this journey isn't delayed anymore.
Love to all..................