Chris had chemo yesterday. Megan went with him because I was up the canyon at Boy Scout camp with Tay and my mom babysat everyone else. I did come down the mountain to Chris' doctors appointment where they put him back on Lovenox (blood thinner) to try to prevent blood clots, and talked about putting the port back in but Chris told them he didn't want it. We also gave the doctor the scout physical paperwork to fill out - will see what he can do:)
Chris started becoming ill last night but has become even sicker today. He came home early (I wasn't here-up at camp) which isn't like him. He usually just suffers through the pain so you know he must be feeling awful. Kids told me he was throwing up alot and just plain sick. Grandma came and got them so that Chris could rest. I found him laying on the couch moaning and having the hiccups:) Also to a verryy hot house. We could tell the AC wasn't working like it should a couple of days ago so today I called the air conditioner repair man, he had me go outside and look at air conditioner. The pipes are frozen - not a good sign. He had me turn off the air conditioner so that they could de thaw so that tomorrow he could come and fix it.
I got my van back Tuesday it looks beautiful. I had my dad who knows tons about cars come with me and look at it to make sure that it was ok before I left the body shop. They put a new gate on so the automatic gate works wonderfully. Glad to give the Tahoe back cost way to much money for gas. Just about cried filling up the Tahoe to give back and then getting in my car and finding that the gas light was on! AHHH!! That hurt!
Love, Ricki
Friday, June 25, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Car went into the shop today. I cried as they wrote all over it (I'm sure with erasable marker) and then took it away. They left me with a 2010 Chevy Tahoe Suburban. Ahhhh... as I was trying to climb in I fell out!! Quite embarrassing. And I felt like I was tall before, wow now I really am. As I was driving the car I was reminded that I should stop sooner because of it being so big (thanks to the guy that hit me:) I am in love with the steering wheel - hee, hee - it has the radio controls built into it. Cool!! There is no trunk space and hardly any room in the 3rd row. We had to put Katie and Jacob back there because of no leg room.
Today was Chris' day off so we went to the golf course and hit 3 large bucket of balls. Went and got drinks and treats at the gas station and ate/drank them in the CAR!!! (a luxury - no eating or drinking in my car). Then we went for a ride to Cascade Springs then up and over the mountain (4 wheeling) to Soldier Hollow and then we went and got dinner where poor Katie got her big toe nail removed by the door. Poor girl. Oh, and while we were golfing we ran into the dermatologist who is helping us with Katie's hand. Katie was standing by the car and he called her over to check her hand - very sweet:)
They said that my car should be finished by the middle of next week. I really need the end of the week other wise I get to take my car up to camp:(
We have Disney World all scheduled. We leave Aug. 19th. Tay and Jacob will miss school (school starts July 26th - got to love year round school).
Hope all of you are doing well. Gotta a great quote from my favorite aunt: "If life gives you lemons, throw them back and ask for chocolates instead"
Love, Ricki
Today was Chris' day off so we went to the golf course and hit 3 large bucket of balls. Went and got drinks and treats at the gas station and ate/drank them in the CAR!!! (a luxury - no eating or drinking in my car). Then we went for a ride to Cascade Springs then up and over the mountain (4 wheeling) to Soldier Hollow and then we went and got dinner where poor Katie got her big toe nail removed by the door. Poor girl. Oh, and while we were golfing we ran into the dermatologist who is helping us with Katie's hand. Katie was standing by the car and he called her over to check her hand - very sweet:)
They said that my car should be finished by the middle of next week. I really need the end of the week other wise I get to take my car up to camp:(
We have Disney World all scheduled. We leave Aug. 19th. Tay and Jacob will miss school (school starts July 26th - got to love year round school).
Hope all of you are doing well. Gotta a great quote from my favorite aunt: "If life gives you lemons, throw them back and ask for chocolates instead"
Love, Ricki
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
OK, so if you don't feel like laughing or crying today than you probably shouldn't read this entry:) And NO I really don't make this stuff up!!! Here goes. . . yesterday . . . I was REAR ENDED!!!!!!!!!!!!! in my new 2010 Chrysler Town and Country minivan! Hasn't even had an oil change yet!! I told you not to read this if you didn't want to cry!! I was stopped at a light and BAM! Jacob and I had just come from having his braces and expander put in his mouth and were headed home to get Taylor so that I could take the two of them to get their scout physicals. After the man got out and swore a ton, words that were just awful. Which I actually believe kept me from falling apart because being someone who doesn't swear and hearing such horrible words shocked me. He was driving a huge truck Dodge Ram 2500. I called the police. The man wanted to do this under the table because this was his friends car (not even his - - sound familiar?!). Hey, at least he didn't try to blame me - hee, hee:) Jacob and I are fine. And I now get to work with Geico insurance. 3 different accidents in less than 6 months. I'm getting good at working with insurance agencies (I can tell you which one not to get) and filling out police reports I think I can do in my sleep:) I called Chris. I called Meg and she actually had just driven by me (she had been at the Temple) so she came back (poor girl - memories for her) and I called my mom to have her go to my house and pick up Tay so that we wouldn't be late to the doctors. Then she got everyone lunch and took Katie. Thank goodness for my mom!!! We did get to the doctors office on time where Tay got 3 shots for 7th grade. Needless to say 3 of my 5 children are in pain (Tay-shots, Katie-her hand, and Jacob-braces). After the doctors office we went to the grocery store to get Jacob soft foods to eat.
Finally around 6:00 I called Geico (accident happened around 12:30). The other drivers friend had called it in and admitted that it was his fault. Now we are waiting for the owner of the car to say that he allowed his friend to drive his car. After that insurance agent thought that Thurs. my car would be in the shop and that we would have a RENTAL hee, hee.
After I got off the phone with the insurance company I went and ran 5 miles. I run for anger management and so I can drink Dr. Pepper. Ahhh.
OK, so here is the silver lining of all of this: 1) Putting miles on a rental van to go to Manti for the pageant Friday (about 300 miles)-I say we head to Disneyland hee, hee. 2) Next week Tay and I and some other scouts go to scout camp for 3 days and it is verrryyyy dirty there (I had actually been trying to figure out how to protect my car) now I don't have to worry:) 3) Remember the scratch that "someone" put on the trunk? GONE!!:) 4) My dad has been bugging me about using my van to put some of his stuff in it to take to his new house (rotatiller, snow blower etc) and Chris and I had said "No way, new van!!"- so now he can use the rental.
So far, (as long as the insurance company cooperates) this is just another "bump" in the road. This could all go smoothly. Stinks that it happened. I think this has been harder on Chris. I asked him to put a picture of the car on the blog and he said he couldn't that it "just frustrates him" poor boy! (I'll have Meg do it). I'm not sure what we are suppose to learn from this. I know that thoughts came to my head that if this ever happens again and Chris is gone who will I call? I know that I can call any of you but it's not the same as calling your spouse/best friend and them running to you and comforting you.
But hey, we will be alright (could have been much worse) and it just makes life more interesting. You know us stay at home moms we have nothing to do during the day:)
And again NO we didn't make this up. Things just keep happening to keep my blog interesting. hee, hee
One of my new favorite scriptures right now is: Helaman 5:12 "And now my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to draw you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, this is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."
Love ya, Ricki
Finally around 6:00 I called Geico (accident happened around 12:30). The other drivers friend had called it in and admitted that it was his fault. Now we are waiting for the owner of the car to say that he allowed his friend to drive his car. After that insurance agent thought that Thurs. my car would be in the shop and that we would have a RENTAL hee, hee.
After I got off the phone with the insurance company I went and ran 5 miles. I run for anger management and so I can drink Dr. Pepper. Ahhh.
OK, so here is the silver lining of all of this: 1) Putting miles on a rental van to go to Manti for the pageant Friday (about 300 miles)-I say we head to Disneyland hee, hee. 2) Next week Tay and I and some other scouts go to scout camp for 3 days and it is verrryyyy dirty there (I had actually been trying to figure out how to protect my car) now I don't have to worry:) 3) Remember the scratch that "someone" put on the trunk? GONE!!:) 4) My dad has been bugging me about using my van to put some of his stuff in it to take to his new house (rotatiller, snow blower etc) and Chris and I had said "No way, new van!!"- so now he can use the rental.
So far, (as long as the insurance company cooperates) this is just another "bump" in the road. This could all go smoothly. Stinks that it happened. I think this has been harder on Chris. I asked him to put a picture of the car on the blog and he said he couldn't that it "just frustrates him" poor boy! (I'll have Meg do it). I'm not sure what we are suppose to learn from this. I know that thoughts came to my head that if this ever happens again and Chris is gone who will I call? I know that I can call any of you but it's not the same as calling your spouse/best friend and them running to you and comforting you.
But hey, we will be alright (could have been much worse) and it just makes life more interesting. You know us stay at home moms we have nothing to do during the day:)
And again NO we didn't make this up. Things just keep happening to keep my blog interesting. hee, hee
One of my new favorite scriptures right now is: Helaman 5:12 "And now my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to draw you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, this is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."
Love ya, Ricki
Monday, June 14, 2010
Thursday, Chris didn't have chemo because he had a blood clot in his left arm so instead he had tests run to make sure that he would be all right. He has been very exhausted and felt extremely ill (stomach? colon? who knows). Chris decided not to "make up" this chemo a different day but wait until June 24th (June 17th was a no chemo day).
Friday, was Tay and Jacobs last day of school. I now have a Senior, Freshman, 6th grader, 3rd grader and a preschooler. Ahhhh!!!
Meg enjoyed her job shadowing at BYU Friday. She learned a lot and is still interested in being a museum curator. She took the ACT test Saturday.
Ryan had blood drawn to see "why" he is in the bottom percentile of the growth chart. Will find out the results in a week. When Rye was 3 years old he had strep in his kidneys and was peeing blood. He spent 5 days in the hospital. Doc just wants to check all possibilities.
Saturday we went to an Eagle Scout presentation where Chris was given the Mentor pin and a bike pedal. Chris was his scout master for two years. The young man thanked Chris for all of his time, energy, love and devotion to teaching him. Bike pedal because Chris taught him how to ride a bike:) I knew it would be an emotional evening but it was worse than I thought. They present the mother with a pin, boy with a mentor pin to give to who he wants and then a father's pin. Immediately I started crying (I'm crying now). Then they had made a DVD of his life. Family pictures etc. by the time it was over I just couldn't stop the tears. I took pictures of each one of the boys in their scout uniform with Chris (to put in DVD presentation later). It was a wonderful program but boy did it bring a lot of emotions to the surface for me. Pain. Sadness.
Later I talked with Rye about ideas for his project and how we've got to get started. Just maybe he would be able to get it before Chris passes away. We also talked about getting his patriarchal blessing soon. I just want each of the kids to do as many things as they can with their dad while he's here. No regrets.
Today I took Katie to the dermatologist because her "eczema" was getting worse. The Doc called it a verryyy bad case of deep seeded fungal infection (never seen a worse case - had other docs come in and see). It could take as long as 4 months to cure. She is now putting cream on her hand twice a day and taking an oral medicine. Doc asked if we had a cat. Doc thinks that it's from the CAT!!!!! He asked me if I would consider getting rid of the CAT!!!!! I told him it was GONE!! (Somebody loves me!!) Then I remembered that their are 6 people who love that cat. I told him what was going on at our house and how I would have to think (pray) about getting rid of it. Loosing your dad and the cat?! Cat sleeps with different children at night and it likes to sit in Chris' lap and be petted. But obviously if it's a health threat to Katie than it has to go. I did tell the Doc that I would need it in writing because no one would believe me especially since just yesterday I threatened them with getting rid of it because no one would clean the cat box. Thought we'd talk about it tonight at FHE. Just kind of let them know what's going on. They know Katie's hand is really bad and that it hurts her. Doc told me that I'm lucky (and to watch for it) that it wasn't in her hair. If it gets in her hair she could loose her hair permanently!!!! He hopes that the hair that she has lost on her hand and arm will grow back - that's how deep the infection is. I had taken her to two doctors previously but they said it was eczema and gave me different creams. Poor Katie!
Yesterday, I made chore charts, which include chore (different everyday), exercising 20 minutes and reading 20 minutes. Today went ok. Made me realize that I need more patience. I told Chris that I was ready to send them outside and just do it myself!! Too much whining and only doing a "half job." Today, was deep cleaning- gross job like cleaning under the couches - yuck! Told them if they didn't use the couch as a trash can (found apple core) then it wouldn't be so gross. Praying for strength to keep the chores going. I know Prophets have told us to teach our children how to work, and I keep thinking about when they go on their missions that they need to know how to do things but man does it require patience on my part.:)
Tomorrow Jacob has a spreader put in his mouth and Tay and Jacob get their scout physicals. Tay is also going to get his shot for 7th grade (don't tell him - hee, hee) mine as well then I don't have to think about it later. Trying to do everything while I have wonderful insurance:) I was thinking about all the claims they are receiving from our family. I'm sure that they are ready to dump us:)
This Thursday will be nice because everyone will be home and we can do something as a family on Chris' day off (no chemo). Then Friday we are going to go to see the Manti pageant in Manti. The Manti Temple is where Chris and I were married and each year we go and eat a delicious turkey dinner and then go and sit at the bottom of the temple and watch the pageant. It's amazing! If you can-go. You won't regret it. Runs June 18-26 not on Sundays or Mondays, starts around 8-9 pm (http://www.lds.org/ for more info).
Love ya, Ricki
Friday, was Tay and Jacobs last day of school. I now have a Senior, Freshman, 6th grader, 3rd grader and a preschooler. Ahhhh!!!
Meg enjoyed her job shadowing at BYU Friday. She learned a lot and is still interested in being a museum curator. She took the ACT test Saturday.
Ryan had blood drawn to see "why" he is in the bottom percentile of the growth chart. Will find out the results in a week. When Rye was 3 years old he had strep in his kidneys and was peeing blood. He spent 5 days in the hospital. Doc just wants to check all possibilities.
Saturday we went to an Eagle Scout presentation where Chris was given the Mentor pin and a bike pedal. Chris was his scout master for two years. The young man thanked Chris for all of his time, energy, love and devotion to teaching him. Bike pedal because Chris taught him how to ride a bike:) I knew it would be an emotional evening but it was worse than I thought. They present the mother with a pin, boy with a mentor pin to give to who he wants and then a father's pin. Immediately I started crying (I'm crying now). Then they had made a DVD of his life. Family pictures etc. by the time it was over I just couldn't stop the tears. I took pictures of each one of the boys in their scout uniform with Chris (to put in DVD presentation later). It was a wonderful program but boy did it bring a lot of emotions to the surface for me. Pain. Sadness.
Later I talked with Rye about ideas for his project and how we've got to get started. Just maybe he would be able to get it before Chris passes away. We also talked about getting his patriarchal blessing soon. I just want each of the kids to do as many things as they can with their dad while he's here. No regrets.
Today I took Katie to the dermatologist because her "eczema" was getting worse. The Doc called it a verryyy bad case of deep seeded fungal infection (never seen a worse case - had other docs come in and see). It could take as long as 4 months to cure. She is now putting cream on her hand twice a day and taking an oral medicine. Doc asked if we had a cat. Doc thinks that it's from the CAT!!!!! He asked me if I would consider getting rid of the CAT!!!!! I told him it was GONE!! (Somebody loves me!!) Then I remembered that their are 6 people who love that cat. I told him what was going on at our house and how I would have to think (pray) about getting rid of it. Loosing your dad and the cat?! Cat sleeps with different children at night and it likes to sit in Chris' lap and be petted. But obviously if it's a health threat to Katie than it has to go. I did tell the Doc that I would need it in writing because no one would believe me especially since just yesterday I threatened them with getting rid of it because no one would clean the cat box. Thought we'd talk about it tonight at FHE. Just kind of let them know what's going on. They know Katie's hand is really bad and that it hurts her. Doc told me that I'm lucky (and to watch for it) that it wasn't in her hair. If it gets in her hair she could loose her hair permanently!!!! He hopes that the hair that she has lost on her hand and arm will grow back - that's how deep the infection is. I had taken her to two doctors previously but they said it was eczema and gave me different creams. Poor Katie!
Yesterday, I made chore charts, which include chore (different everyday), exercising 20 minutes and reading 20 minutes. Today went ok. Made me realize that I need more patience. I told Chris that I was ready to send them outside and just do it myself!! Too much whining and only doing a "half job." Today, was deep cleaning- gross job like cleaning under the couches - yuck! Told them if they didn't use the couch as a trash can (found apple core) then it wouldn't be so gross. Praying for strength to keep the chores going. I know Prophets have told us to teach our children how to work, and I keep thinking about when they go on their missions that they need to know how to do things but man does it require patience on my part.:)
Tomorrow Jacob has a spreader put in his mouth and Tay and Jacob get their scout physicals. Tay is also going to get his shot for 7th grade (don't tell him - hee, hee) mine as well then I don't have to think about it later. Trying to do everything while I have wonderful insurance:) I was thinking about all the claims they are receiving from our family. I'm sure that they are ready to dump us:)
This Thursday will be nice because everyone will be home and we can do something as a family on Chris' day off (no chemo). Then Friday we are going to go to see the Manti pageant in Manti. The Manti Temple is where Chris and I were married and each year we go and eat a delicious turkey dinner and then go and sit at the bottom of the temple and watch the pageant. It's amazing! If you can-go. You won't regret it. Runs June 18-26 not on Sundays or Mondays, starts around 8-9 pm (http://www.lds.org/ for more info).
Love ya, Ricki
Monday, June 7, 2010
Well, my car has been officially "broken in." "Someone" put a 1 inch scratch on the trunk of the car. "Someone" (not me!!) closed the garage door while the trunk was still up, which caused the garage door and trunk to become stuck. To get them apart we had to push the garage door out with our feet which caused the scratch. All I can say is thank goodness it was the end of the day and I was exhausted or "Someone" might have lost his life:) Then two days later Katie and I are in the car waiting outside the school for the boys when Katie starts screaming and then proceeds to pee all over the seat and floor of the van!!!!!! Again all I can say is thank goodness for the rubber floor mats that I had just purchased a few days earlier and thank goodness for scotch guard which allowed it to stay on the top of the upholstery until I could wipe it up. Yes, everyone is still alive!!:)
I mentioned the other story first because I don't want to cry already today but last Saturday was AMAZING!!! We had so much fun seeing all of you, some of you we haven't seen for years (some of you have changed:) and it was fun being able to meet some of Chris' co-workers. The Cross Country Team and adults who helped did an AMAZING, FANTASTIC, OUT OF THIS WORLD job. It was so well organized and executed. We had a DJ there and Star Wars fighters and even Spider Man came. Chris and I want to thank EVERYONE who helped. We were even able to use the bathrooms at the high school - someone had to be there with a key. Thank you, thank you. We will NEVER forget this event in our lives. Words can not express how we feel. I can only say how grateful Chris and I are to know each of you and feel of your love and concern for our family. It's all Chris, he's wonderful!!:) I have now learned how it feels to be on the receiving end of something big and not have the words to express how I feel because I am so overwhelmed with gratitude and love. Again, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We are planning on going to Disney World in August. To make more memories thanks to all of you!
After the 5K Chris went home and slept. Then he had a craving for ice cream so we went to Leatherby's. If you've ever been there you know it's yummy. Big scoops of ice cream. I am happy to help Chris out whenever he has a craving.:)
Monday, (Memorial Day) we drove to Ogden and played at the Dinosaur Park then we ate at a place that our family ate at when Chris and I were celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary. We had tons of fun. You eat in a covered wagon. It's dark with twinkling stars, and a campfire for light and tons of real/stuffed animals and snakes and dirt as the floor. Kids loved it. Katie just wanted to look around. She got a kick out of the bathroom faucet. It was a water pump just like in the old days. She told the hostess of the restaurant that "she had a beautiful bathroom" hee, hee.
I had to take Meg to the doctor and then to the hospital for an x-ray. She had a lump on her wrist that was really hurting her. She said it was hard to drive and write. Thank goodness nothing serious. They call it a gangling cyst. The doctor told us that in the olden days they would take a Bible and hit it until it was gone. Yikes!! Doc said it would be better just to let it go away on its own:) Ice packs and Ibuprofen. And we just returned from the Dentist because poor Rye has been in a lot of pain due a sore in his mouth. I looked at it last night and it looked like two of his teeth were black and his gums looked weird. I think I must have been really tired. Dentist said he has a canker sore and that I should feed him pineapple and oranges and . . . just kidding! For any of you that have had one you know how badly they hurt and you shouldn't be eating those foods. Dentist said BRAT (no he's not a brat:) diet (banana, rice, applesauce and toast), it'll take about 2 weeks to go away and that they are caused by STRESS!! Poor Rye.
Thursday morning Chris helped pass out yearbooks at the middle school and then he went and had chemo. He lost 10 lbs since last chemo weigh-in. Doctor says that cancer is responding well to chemo. Lump in shoulder is smaller. In fact he and the social worker talked and decided that Hospice can wait for awhile longer. Yeah!!! We spoke with social worker for about an hour. She told Chris that it was a good idea to write letters and do DVDs for us. Chris said he would do it when he got sick and couldn't work. I told him that that is not how I wanted to remember him. Talked about kids and support groups for them. She also gave us paperwork to fill out about what Chris' last wishes are. Chris told her that I already knew them but she said that they need it in writing and that it will be a lot easier on us because we will already be a mess. Ahhh, paperwork:) It was a very long day. Thursdays have now been dubbed as "Pizza Night" at our house. Pizza is ordered from one of our favorite places and delivered to our house. Makes my life easier. It is amazing how exhausted one can feel after sitting in a chair for 4 hours!
Chris has been very ill. A lot of throwing up. And very exhausted. I took the kids swimming Friday to give Chris some rest. Saturday we went to a Brazilian party at a friends house. It was soo fun, lots of great food. Brazilians know how to party:) Chris was ill, threw up on the way to the party but couldn't refuse to eat (he went to Brazil on his mission). The hostess did a lot of work, so much food.
Sunday was church. Again I was ok until we started practicing our father's day song. Chris was again very exhausted so he slept a lot. He was also telling me how his hip hurt and his stomach was killing him. He slept horribly last night. Lots of tossing and turning and wandering around the house.
Today Meg and Rye started cross country. It starts at 7 am everyday. (Yuck) and they both ran 6 1/2 miles. Way to go! Soon we will be on our way to get Meg and Rye their physicals for cross country and Rye also for scout camp. Chris and I were laughing because Chris has to have a physical so that he can go on the Grand Teton High Adventure Camp with Rye this summer. Think he'll pass?! Doctor told us to bring paperwork next visit and he'll do what he can:):):) I know what your thinking but Chris has wanted to take the boys to this camp for years, he had signed up to go before we knew that he had a third cancer. I'm sure he'll do great. I am tempted to follow him up and stay in a hotel like I did last year when he went to Zions. Then if he needs anything I'm right there. (separation anxiety:)
This is a busy week for us. Tomorrow I go on a field trip with Jacob and Jacob will get spacers put in so that next week he can get a spreader put in the top of his mouth (poor boy). Wednesday is Field Day. I look forward to making snow cones all day. I will be on a sugar high due to Blue raspberry snow cones and making my famous Dr. Pepper snow cone. Yum! (I really only help out for selfish reasons:) Thursday, Chris has chemo and I have a doctors appointment to do more tests. Friday, is Tay and Jacobs last day of school and Meg gets to job shadow a lady at BYU in the art museum. How exciting. Life is crazy, hope all of yours are a little quieter (doubt it, it's the end of the school year/summer:)
Love ya, Ricki
I mentioned the other story first because I don't want to cry already today but last Saturday was AMAZING!!! We had so much fun seeing all of you, some of you we haven't seen for years (some of you have changed:) and it was fun being able to meet some of Chris' co-workers. The Cross Country Team and adults who helped did an AMAZING, FANTASTIC, OUT OF THIS WORLD job. It was so well organized and executed. We had a DJ there and Star Wars fighters and even Spider Man came. Chris and I want to thank EVERYONE who helped. We were even able to use the bathrooms at the high school - someone had to be there with a key. Thank you, thank you. We will NEVER forget this event in our lives. Words can not express how we feel. I can only say how grateful Chris and I are to know each of you and feel of your love and concern for our family. It's all Chris, he's wonderful!!:) I have now learned how it feels to be on the receiving end of something big and not have the words to express how I feel because I am so overwhelmed with gratitude and love. Again, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We are planning on going to Disney World in August. To make more memories thanks to all of you!
After the 5K Chris went home and slept. Then he had a craving for ice cream so we went to Leatherby's. If you've ever been there you know it's yummy. Big scoops of ice cream. I am happy to help Chris out whenever he has a craving.:)
Monday, (Memorial Day) we drove to Ogden and played at the Dinosaur Park then we ate at a place that our family ate at when Chris and I were celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary. We had tons of fun. You eat in a covered wagon. It's dark with twinkling stars, and a campfire for light and tons of real/stuffed animals and snakes and dirt as the floor. Kids loved it. Katie just wanted to look around. She got a kick out of the bathroom faucet. It was a water pump just like in the old days. She told the hostess of the restaurant that "she had a beautiful bathroom" hee, hee.
I had to take Meg to the doctor and then to the hospital for an x-ray. She had a lump on her wrist that was really hurting her. She said it was hard to drive and write. Thank goodness nothing serious. They call it a gangling cyst. The doctor told us that in the olden days they would take a Bible and hit it until it was gone. Yikes!! Doc said it would be better just to let it go away on its own:) Ice packs and Ibuprofen. And we just returned from the Dentist because poor Rye has been in a lot of pain due a sore in his mouth. I looked at it last night and it looked like two of his teeth were black and his gums looked weird. I think I must have been really tired. Dentist said he has a canker sore and that I should feed him pineapple and oranges and . . . just kidding! For any of you that have had one you know how badly they hurt and you shouldn't be eating those foods. Dentist said BRAT (no he's not a brat:) diet (banana, rice, applesauce and toast), it'll take about 2 weeks to go away and that they are caused by STRESS!! Poor Rye.
Thursday morning Chris helped pass out yearbooks at the middle school and then he went and had chemo. He lost 10 lbs since last chemo weigh-in. Doctor says that cancer is responding well to chemo. Lump in shoulder is smaller. In fact he and the social worker talked and decided that Hospice can wait for awhile longer. Yeah!!! We spoke with social worker for about an hour. She told Chris that it was a good idea to write letters and do DVDs for us. Chris said he would do it when he got sick and couldn't work. I told him that that is not how I wanted to remember him. Talked about kids and support groups for them. She also gave us paperwork to fill out about what Chris' last wishes are. Chris told her that I already knew them but she said that they need it in writing and that it will be a lot easier on us because we will already be a mess. Ahhh, paperwork:) It was a very long day. Thursdays have now been dubbed as "Pizza Night" at our house. Pizza is ordered from one of our favorite places and delivered to our house. Makes my life easier. It is amazing how exhausted one can feel after sitting in a chair for 4 hours!
Chris has been very ill. A lot of throwing up. And very exhausted. I took the kids swimming Friday to give Chris some rest. Saturday we went to a Brazilian party at a friends house. It was soo fun, lots of great food. Brazilians know how to party:) Chris was ill, threw up on the way to the party but couldn't refuse to eat (he went to Brazil on his mission). The hostess did a lot of work, so much food.
Sunday was church. Again I was ok until we started practicing our father's day song. Chris was again very exhausted so he slept a lot. He was also telling me how his hip hurt and his stomach was killing him. He slept horribly last night. Lots of tossing and turning and wandering around the house.
Today Meg and Rye started cross country. It starts at 7 am everyday. (Yuck) and they both ran 6 1/2 miles. Way to go! Soon we will be on our way to get Meg and Rye their physicals for cross country and Rye also for scout camp. Chris and I were laughing because Chris has to have a physical so that he can go on the Grand Teton High Adventure Camp with Rye this summer. Think he'll pass?! Doctor told us to bring paperwork next visit and he'll do what he can:):):) I know what your thinking but Chris has wanted to take the boys to this camp for years, he had signed up to go before we knew that he had a third cancer. I'm sure he'll do great. I am tempted to follow him up and stay in a hotel like I did last year when he went to Zions. Then if he needs anything I'm right there. (separation anxiety:)
This is a busy week for us. Tomorrow I go on a field trip with Jacob and Jacob will get spacers put in so that next week he can get a spreader put in the top of his mouth (poor boy). Wednesday is Field Day. I look forward to making snow cones all day. I will be on a sugar high due to Blue raspberry snow cones and making my famous Dr. Pepper snow cone. Yum! (I really only help out for selfish reasons:) Thursday, Chris has chemo and I have a doctors appointment to do more tests. Friday, is Tay and Jacobs last day of school and Meg gets to job shadow a lady at BYU in the art museum. How exciting. Life is crazy, hope all of yours are a little quieter (doubt it, it's the end of the school year/summer:)
Love ya, Ricki
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