Just had to write and let you all know that Megan sprained her ankle yesterday running. I got a call from the principal letting me know that I needed to come and get her and take her to the doctor. When I got there they wheeled her out to the car in a wheelchair. It was really swollen (she still had her shoe on) she told me that she heard a snap when she did it so to be on the safe side I took her to InstaCare for x-rays. 2 1/2 hours later and my mom and brother taking care of the other children - Friday nights are really hard on Chris so I knew I needed some help, mostly with Katie everyone else could have fended for themselves but I figured my brother wouldn't mind letting my kids play with their cousins (thanks guys:) They took x-rays not broken, so they put a brace and ace bandage on her ankle but it will be at least 2 weeks before she can run. We were suppose to run in a 5k race today but oh well will try again another time. Also, Megan's friend found a lost kitten and brought it to our house because her family is allergic to cats. Can I just tell you how much trouble Megan is in!!!!!! I tried to take it to the humane society but it was closed so I stopped at the store and picked up cat food and litter (under protest! I dislike DISLIKE cats!!!) Katie has named it "Aladdin" I am in big trouble, anyone want a black cat?! We have a Christmas tradition that we start early each year because we have 5 children. Chris takes each child out to eat where they want to go and then Christmas shopping for each of their siblings. Chris felt OK tonight so he took Jacob. It was Jacob's turn to go first this year so he and Chris are out shopping and eating. It is a fun tradition for the kids. I've had to keep track on a calendar each year of who went first the year before to keep the fighting down because everyone wants to go first. Welp, I gotta go Katie's screaming about holding the kitten "Aladdin" May we make it through this weekend!! Ricki

Yesterday Chris had his 10th chemo session. He lost 5lbs since last session. He has two sessions left the next one will be (if his white blood count stays up) November 23rd and his last one will be December 11th - one day before this all started last year. December 12th, 2008 was the day we found out that he only had months to live, how ironic to have his last chemo December 11th! Then we will have tumor marker and other tests done to see how things are and hopefully to help Chris with the "dumping syndrome" it is very hard on him he had another difficult night last night - not much sleep. He also has his pump which is hard to sleep with not only for him but me:) It makes a buzzing noise all night and if the pump touches the mattress it vibrates, as you know I am a light sleeper so look out I'm crabby:) Chris also broke his toe about 3 days ago. During the night he hit it on the bathroom door frame it looks horrible all black and blue and crooked. Can't do anything about a broken toe except tape it to the other toe. Poor guy that's all he needs!! Chris also received an honor at work the "Pride of Service" award for the West. I tried to ask him some questions about it but he knew what I was up to so he told me "he was just doing his job" always modest but I'll at least brag a little for him:) Ryan got hurt last week playing "flag football" someone hit him in the back of the knee/thigh. He called me and asked me to come and get him at the bus stop with the car so I did and his two BIG friends were carrying him and his books. What nice friends. We babied him hoping that ice packs, heating pad and Ibuprofen would help I realllllyyyy didn't want to take him to the hospital for x-rays. He seems OK now thank goodness. Megan has been ill and Jacob is coming down with something (I'm keeping my eye on him). As I wrote already chemo is Monday, November 23rd because of Thanksgiving that week that will make it so that Chris can have his pump taken off on Wednesday. He has to work Friday so I hope that he is well enough. He is usually really sick for atleast 3 days after and then it starts to get a little better slowly each day. His finger tips and toes (which helped lessen the pain - he said) are still numb.
We love you all and are grateful for you. Love, Ricki

Chris had chemo on October 28th, his weight has stayed the same (thank goodness) but he is having a lot of intestinal trouble he is constantly in the restroom being sick so we talked to the doctor about that. The doctor believes that it is from the surgery he called it "dumping syndrome" he wants us to get through the chemo first (we have 3 sessions left) and then we will concentrate on the other problem. I told the doctor though that this is reeaalllyy hard on Chris that he hardly gets any sleep at night because he is up all night. Thank goodness he's not like me grumpy, grumpy, grumpy if I don't get enough sleep. This morning he told me that he set a record - he got 3 straight hours of sleep! Also food is not being broken down and is leaving his system in 12 hours or less from being eaten which is not good who knows how much nutrition his body is receiving in that amount of time. He is taking vitamins and the doctor suggested blending up vegetables (into baby food!) and having Chris try eating them that way. It is very hard for me to watch this it is no fun having Chris in the restroom all the time life passing him by. I admire him so much he has such integrity, he goes to work everyday and works hard even though he feels horrible it would be much easier to stay home. By how late he comes home I can tell what kind of day he had at work. Late means it was a bad day because he insists on working 8 hours a day (or more) he knows that that is what he is suppose to do so he does it even though he feels absolutely horrible. What a life, I just couldn't do it put me in the ground! But he is not one to take advantage of situations/others he always does his best.
Last week was a hard week I did a lot of crying Monday (October 26) we carved pumpkins and so that brought up the subject of "this could be the last Halloween" me having to go trick-or-treating with the kids Saturday because Chris would be to sick - I always stay home and pass out candy and Chris loves to take the kids out for hours and hours of trick-or-treating.
And we had a friend pass away that was diagnosed with cancer 3 days before Chris was. She was 3 months older than Chris and left behind 5 girls. Our children are all the same age except #5 they are a year apart (Katie is one year older). I couldn't go to the funeral it was to close to home so I stayed home and mopped, cleaned walls, dusted and cried and cried and cried not only for my selfish reasons but also for their sweet families loss. I was talking with a friend who went and she said the children seemed at peace. For now they know that it is best that their mother went because they saw her in so much pain which in a way makes it easier because no one wants to see someone they love suffering.
Halloween went OK my brother came and helped me take care of Chris (Chris had just finished chemo) and the kids. Chris walked with us for as long as he could and then my brother drove him back home and he and Megan passed out candy. I tried my best to be patient and go to EVERY house it wasn't too cold. Jacob and Katie wanted to go home earlier than Taylor so I let Taylor go with a friend and then I met up with him later. As I walked I cried thinking how different Halloween was this year and how much I miss things "the way they were" I'm sure that Chris misses it even more he just doesn't express it as much as I do. It has been a year since this all started. He did a colonoscopy last year (on Halloween) found nothing and then a couple of weeks later ended up in the ER having an endoscopy which led to putting in a stent. Which led too. . .
Onto better news (you get the point, I've been crying all week - selfishly) since Chris last wrote (I tried to get him to write again but he doesn't like to write about himself:) Megan did well at region (Thursday is her cross country award banquet), went to Homecoming, asked a boy to the Sadies dance, got a 3.8 report card and continues to run after school with her friends even though cross country is over she wants to be in shape for track in the spring. Ryan is now doing intramural flag football at school he is the captain of his team and he is performing in his school choir tomorrow night, Taylor and Jacob finished flag football and have parent teacher conferences this week and Katie is just making lottttssss of messes and seems to have forgotten that she is potty trained - 5 "accidents" yesterday!!!!
Meg put a picture of Chris and his pumpkin on. I call it "a pumpkin on chemo!" hee, hee.
We appreciate all you do for our family. I know some of you are saying "we don't do anything for your family, you won't let us" but just knowing that we could call on any of you at any time is "SOMETHING!" Save up your energy:) Love, Ricki