Wednesday Aug. 26th Chris had his 6th round of chemo. He didn't loose anymore weight this week - yeahhh!!! We also spoke with a genetic counselor about when to have our children tested, she said that we should have them tested at age 18 because that is when they think that Chris' tumor started growing, and we talked about the "what if's" with the insurance companies denying them if they have the cancer gene MLH2, she also told us that it would be wise that if Katie or Megan have the gene that after they are done having children that they should have a hysterectomy so that they then are not at risk of getting ovarian or cervical cancer (Wow! lots to take in!!) and how to help the children that have the gene to cope. Then Friday, we met with Dr. Whisenant and he said that he would like the children tested right away. He wants to make sure we catch this as soon as possible and that because while we have great insurance that will pay the $350.00 per test ($350.00x 5) we should do it. We haven't told our children yet that on September 11 they will be having their blood drawn ( I apologize for any English mistakes - I usually have Megan proofread my blog but I'm not going to on this one because we aren't going to tell them until probably Thurs of next week - no sense having them worry already so shhhhhh.... you know a secret). Dr. Whisenant does not want us to put any undo stress on the kids so we haven't decided what to do yet. Our children are very smart and I believe that if we don't tell them the results that they will worry and of course if we tell them the results and they have the gene then they'll worry and they are all too young to be worrying about death and cancer. If we decide to tell them the kids would see a counselor first and she will explain what is going to happen and will answer any questions they might have. Then they will have their blood drawn, it will be about a week before we get the results back. Then we will meet with the counselor again and whoever (hopefully none) has the mutant gene will then have some one-on-one counseling explaining to them that this does not mean that they are going to die of cancer. This is a preventative measure so that they can be proactive. The counselor told us that insurance companies would rather take care of the preventative stuff then hundreds of thousands of dollars like Chris has run up. I hope that we make the right decision:). Chris will have a CT scan on Sept. 14th. We also got the results back on the tumor marker he was at a 15 in December he is now at a 2 - so great news. Meg is doing well in cross -country she really enjoys it and Jacob and Taylor both made a touch down at their flag football game - go boys! Also everyone started school last Wednesday. I posted some pictures of the port and the bag that Chris carries around for 2 days. I had a really cool one of the port (close up) but Meg wouldn't put it on she said it was "gross" and we shouldn't "gross all of you out" Gotta listen to the teenager she knows everything:)

I just wanted to let you know that we made it after hiking 20 miles yesterday. No one got hurt, Yeahhhhh!!! Wednesday night I changed the hike to one that I found in a book from the library that a man told me about when we were hiking Tuesday. It’s called 300 Hikes in Utah. I found a hike that was closer to home, Park City it is called the Rail Trail. It goes 30 miles but we only needed 20. We had talked about walking the whole thing so that two of the boys would have another 10 miler done but we said we’d see how we felt after doing 20 miles:) Needless to say after 20 miles we were done not even the boys who needed the 10 miler wanted to go. It took us 7 ½ hours. If you get the chance go on this hike (shorter version, hee, hee) it was beautiful, there was a lot to look at. We saw a bald eagle, beaver, cows, beautiful horses, goats, sheep, lamas, streams, walked through dark tunnels, saw dead animal parts (boys loved that), lakes with tons of gross moss (which we loved throwing rocks into because the moss parted and left black gross water showing) and the best part we walked by was a compost farm! We walked for awhile with are shirts covering are noses it smelled wayyyy bad. The hike goes from Park City to Echo Lake. We hiked from Wanship to Echo Lake and then back where one of the boys mothers picked us up, she was kind enough to drive us and hang out close by encase we needed her and then drive us home (I knew I wouldn’t be up to it). My brother in-law Jim manages the Park City McDonalds and he was kind enough to feed us before we started hiking. He was also the boy’s inspiration for getting the hike done by 4 pm. Jim told the boys free food and as much as they wanted if they got done before he left, we arrived at 3:57! Thanks Jim I might still be out on the trail!!!! I told the two boys who need just one more 10 miler that we’d hike from Park City to Wanship next week before school starts. Right now 2 boys have this merit badge completed. If I take the other 2 next week than will have four completed. Two to go but they have the 20 miler to do which I don’t think I can do again. I actually feel good today except that I have big blisters on the pads of my feet. Last night I could hardly walk. Chris babied me, he got me ice packs to put on my feet, Ibuprofen, propped my feet up and then took care of the kids. What a sweetie. Megan has a busy day today she is at the Oquirrh Mountain Temple dedication right now (the first session) and then she will come home and participate in the cross country fundraiser. She will be running for 24 hours!! People donate money for every mile that she runs. It starts at noon today and goes till tomorrow at noon. It sounds like a lot of fun – go Meg! Tomorrow Jacob and Taylor have their first flag football games and Sunday the rest of us get to go to the Temple dedication at the stake center. We love you guys! Love, Ricki

An Old Lady's White Bum

I’m finally writing to update you on last week’s events (which you will all get a kick out of). Monday, Aug. 10th Megan got her DRIVERS LICENSE!!!! (I now have one potty trained and one that has her driver’s license- Yikes) Tuesday, my friend Melissa and I took five scouts on a 10 mile hike which turned out to be 12 miles and a man that we talked to on the trail said that if you laid this hike out flat it would be 15 miles. We saw a female moose; she was just about 50 feet from us. It was a beautiful hike there were a lot of wild flowers, springs and waterfalls. It was a lot of work. When they say intermediate hike that’s what they mean. Thank goodness I won’t need to do that hike again for 2 more years, until Taylor becomes a scout. It took us 7 hours. Rye fell and hurt his pinky finger and hit his head on the way down and I mooned some mountain bikers who happened to cross my path:)It’s just my luck we only passed 6 people in 7 hours and of course 2 of them pass us when I’m pulling up my pants. And yes I did go far enough off the trail they should not have seen me!! Oh, and Rye’s ok:) (hee, hee). Wednesday, Chris had his 5th chemo treatment. He lost 4 more pounds. I told the doctor about the pain that he is having in his abdomen. The doctor said Chris would be doing a CT scan again soon they have them done at the 6th treatment. We will also have a test done to see if there is anymore sign of the tumor. Chris feels horrible but makes everyone else think that he is fine, which he isn’t but he doesn’t want to worry anyone (but me of course). Thursday, I came upon an accident that had just happened 3 children and a mother were hit by a car while they were walking on the sidewalk! (Impaired driver of course) I stopped thinking that someone on the cross country team had gotten hurt (Megs in cross country and was out running) thank goodness I had my first aid kit in the car and some extra towels. The 5 year old boy was the worst they life flighted him to Primary Children’s Hospital with major head trauma and the 3yr old and 1yr old were taken in ambulances the mother was ok for the most part and she and her husband drove up to the hospital. So many wonderful people stopped and helped, it was amazing to see the cooperation and support from people who didn’t know each other working together. They took the driver off in hand cuffs and then later on the news they said that he was “impaired.” Then, Melissa, Melissa’s 3 children, 6 scouts, myself and Katie where headed to City Creek Canyon to go on another 10 mile hike. Well, I didn’t know where I was going so I was following Melissa, who has a lead foot. I didn’t want to loose her so I was speeding to keep up with her. Try to guess what happens next! I get pulled over for speeding!!!!!!! 32 in a 25! I beg the officer I tell him what a Good Samaritan I was this morning and how I’m taking all of these scouts on a hike and ohhhh please could he forgive me. He takes my license back to his car. I tell the kids “say a prayer” I just got a ticket in November and we just changed insurance companies 3 days earlier (we found a better insurance company to have 3 driver’s on) . I see him get out of his car with the clipboard and I start crying (clipboard/paperwork/ticket). He hands me my license and tells me “that today is my lucky day” NO ticket!! Melissa is up ahead of me waiting. I pull up to her and tell her the story and of course she apologizes profusely. I tell her she owes me a LARGE Dr. Pepper and a hair coloring job. So now (after a gas station stop) we are on are way to do a hike that we found that we could take a stroller on, all paved. It was a beautiful hike. Katie was a perfect angel for being gone all day. This hike only took us 5 hours and no one got hurt or tortured by seeing an old ladies white bum (hee, hee). Melissa and I have been doing these hikes to help get the boys their required Merit Badge for scouts. They have to do five 10 mile hikes and one 20 mile hike. Chris had taken them to Zions, Jordan River Parkway and the other leaders took them to Butterfield Canyon. So most of the boys needed 2 more hikes. Some need more because they didn’t go on one of the three. Friday, we rested (I think, I can’t remember). Saturday, Meg, Rye, and Chris had Youth Conference. Chris was too ill to stay for very much. Now this week yesterday (Tuesday) I took Katie and 4 boys who needed another hike to Jordan River Parkway, we hiked 10 miles. Again Katie was an angel for 4 hours of being in the sun. Tomorrow one of the scouts mothers is going to drive me and 4 scouts up to Wolfcreek Canyon and drop us off so that we can hike 20 miles. Pray I make it, I’m an old lady!!!! (and of course that I don’t moon anymore people, hee, hee). Megan and my mom are going to be in charge of keeping the fort down here. We are leaving at 6 am and I hope that we arrive home around 6 pm. Who knows. And then 4 of the 6 boys will have completed their Hiking Merit Badge and will be one step closer to Eagle. One of them being my boy:)

Chris missed chemo last week because his white blood cell count was down (worried about infection) and he had lost 7 lbs. He is now 178. The doctor told him he couldn’t afford to loose anymore weight. He had chemo just a couple of days ago he has been veeerrrryyyy sick and verrrrryyyy tired.
Chris went to scout camp and did ok. He had a lot of wonderful leaders with him that helped him. One of them drove 40 miles to a store to get Chris some gloves. It was cold up there and with the side effect of cold sensations it was hard on him. He also got to take one of the boys to the hospital to get stitches in his hand (not ours thank goodness). Overall he had fun but paid for it later – he came back with some kind of infection.
We do have some exciting news, drum roll please. . . Katie is officially POTTY TRAINED!!! No more diapers!!!! I finally decided that I could put it off no longer. Every time I went into her nursery class and saw kids younger than her potty trained I knew I’d better do my motherly duty.
Chris was released as Scoutmaster last Sunday. He is now the 1st counselor in the Young Men’s Presidency (which means he will be able to hang out with Rye which will be good for both of them) and Merit Badge counselor.
School has started for Jacob (2nd grade) and Taylor (5th grade) and Meg is running cross country. Tomorrow is Ryan’s birthday he will be turning 14!! Where has the time gone?! Sorry about taking so long to write but not much changes with poor Chris. I hate to sound like “Negative Nellie” but he is always tired (doesn’t usually go places with us anymore) and either vomiting, diarrhea or both which makes life miserable for him. It is hard for us to watch. We love him so much but can't do anything to ease his burden. We love you all and appreciate your love and support. Love, Ricki