Chris lost 2 lbs. He didn't end up having chemo because his white blood cell count was .05!!!!!!!!!!! So basically, he doesn't have an immune system. So please, if you are ill or think you are getting a cold please just wave to Chris from a distance. The doctor told him to wear a mask but of course Chris won't (I wouldn't either:). We are trying to be very diligent in keeping things clean around the house and not go out.
Last week was soooo busy that I am very excited about this week. We will have Thanksgiving here at our house but everyone pitches in and brings things - especially the items that I won't cook (sweet potatoes with marshmallows, gravy, shrimp cocktail, stuffing, and cranberries - Yuck!!) don't worry Chris doesn't like any of those things either and so of course our children don't like them either:) Makes the meal much easier to prepare. Then we will go and see Tangled by Disney, can't wait. Friday, my family (the women) and I will brave the sales. 3 am here we come. Hopefully, there isn't anything I need.
Today has been strange. I have been moving summer clothing from the closet. Felt weird wondering what next year will bring. Will I have the whole closet to myself?? And Chris called and asked if there were any certain days next year that he should take off. How far do you plan?? And with Chris being "somewhat healthy" at this moment he is more himself. The outgoing, always talking, giving his opinion guy. We just go through ups and downs. Right now life feels "normal" so I will enjoy it while it lasts (Dec. 2 is chemo). I have a whole list of projects for him. Number one is Ryan's science fair project (Ahhhh).
Ohh, I have to brag Meg got a 4.0 last quarter. Scholarships here we come. She has been applying for some. Rye did well also. Meg did well on her talk in church and has been wearing her medallion. The primary/young men's presidency did a great job presenting the Priesthood Preview. Can't believe how fast time is flying!
If you live here bundle up, make sure you have food for a couple of days, and gas in your tank. I'm hoping for a snow day. "Let it snow!!" It would be fun to just stay home and play outside. The last one we had was on my birthday-January 11, 1993. I got to stay home from work - best birthday ever!! Travel safe and have a Happy Turkey Day!
Love ya, Ricki
Monday, November 22, 2010
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Chris gained 4 lbs. Yeah!!:) Spoke with doctor he said that growth was bigger than May scan. It hasn't spread to anywhere else-thank goodness!! Doctor gave us options to think about. He isn't sure if the chemo is working anymore. Chris wants to keep going on this chemo regiment until January. Then in January they will do another PET scan. Doctor said that there is one more chemo that Chris could try but it has verrryyy bad side effects inside and outside the body. Chris would loose his hair and have a reallyyy bad rash-like acne all over and of course be sicker and more tired. Chris asked dr. how much longer this chemo would give him. Doctor couldn't give any definite answer. Chris also asked him, "if he stopped taking chemo how long would he have?" Doctor said about 4 months. Everyone is different. So we will continue to plug along not knowing what the future holds:) Chris is sick today (thrown up way to much) and very tired.
I went and spoke with the funeral director yesterday. Went alright. I can't believe how much money it costs!! I am going to do what they call a "double deep" plot. They will put Chris' casket down further in the ground and then when I die my casket will be placed on top of his. Saves money:) I asked Chris if he wanted to be involved but he doesn't want to which I totally understand. Since this is a new cemetery I have a lot of plots to pick from (of course each area cost different amounts). The casket we picked out is from Costco. Much cheaper than funeral homes, and it's nice it is white and gold. Funeral director gave me a booklet which will be helpful to work out all the details.
Rye went to Turkey Shoot last night he had tonnsss of fun. Chris to ill to go. Today Meg is doing Sadie's. Tomorrow she receives her Young Woman's Medallion in Sacrament and then she gets to speak:) Tuesday is Young Women in Excellence and scouts. Wednesday Tay has Priesthood Preview - hard to believe he is going to be turning twelve soon and receiving the priesthood!! On the 18th is chemo and. . . . Mickey Mouse's Birthday!!!:) Friday I feed the teachers for parent teacher conference (D track) and Saturday we feed the missionaries (lucky them - hee, hee).
And of course all the usual homework, science fair projects, indian boy project, reading etc., etc. etc. :):) Not toooo crazy a week, hee, hee.
Love ya all, Ricki
I went and spoke with the funeral director yesterday. Went alright. I can't believe how much money it costs!! I am going to do what they call a "double deep" plot. They will put Chris' casket down further in the ground and then when I die my casket will be placed on top of his. Saves money:) I asked Chris if he wanted to be involved but he doesn't want to which I totally understand. Since this is a new cemetery I have a lot of plots to pick from (of course each area cost different amounts). The casket we picked out is from Costco. Much cheaper than funeral homes, and it's nice it is white and gold. Funeral director gave me a booklet which will be helpful to work out all the details.
Rye went to Turkey Shoot last night he had tonnsss of fun. Chris to ill to go. Today Meg is doing Sadie's. Tomorrow she receives her Young Woman's Medallion in Sacrament and then she gets to speak:) Tuesday is Young Women in Excellence and scouts. Wednesday Tay has Priesthood Preview - hard to believe he is going to be turning twelve soon and receiving the priesthood!! On the 18th is chemo and. . . . Mickey Mouse's Birthday!!!:) Friday I feed the teachers for parent teacher conference (D track) and Saturday we feed the missionaries (lucky them - hee, hee).
And of course all the usual homework, science fair projects, indian boy project, reading etc., etc. etc. :):) Not toooo crazy a week, hee, hee.
Love ya all, Ricki
Sunday, November 7, 2010
So, I need a secretary!!!!!:)
We have been very busy since last I wrote. During UEA break Chris took us to Arches National Park, Mesa Verde and Chaco National Park (in New Mexico!). It was an off chemo week for him and he has always wanted to take us to these places. We had a great time. Chris was veerryyy tired but did a wonderful job. Halloween day was crazy we cleaned the church, had primary program practice and fed the missionaries. Then we "did" Halloween. Tay dressed up as a UofU fan and Jacob drew black lines on himself (who knows what he was) and of course Katie was a princess - Bell. It rained, no down-poured. Chris was to ill to go out trick-or-treating so I went. I usually stay home and pass out candy. Meg stayed home and passed out candy. Rye went to a party. When Katie was cold and wet enough and didn't want to trick-or-treat anymore I let Jacob, Taylor and their friends go out together. It was a sad Halloween. I was glad it was raining so that no one knew I was crying. Last year was are last Halloween with Chris:(
Chris lost 3 lbs one week and 4 lbs the next. The doctor changed the doses of chemo both times because of low white blood cell counts and upped the anti nausea medicine. We also got to talk to the social worker to see how we are doing. Chris has a PET scan tomorrow (Nov. 8th) and then we meet with the doctor Thursday to find out results and have chemo.
This past week we voted, I fed the teachers for parent teacher conference and had parent teacher conferences for Jacob and Taylor, cross country banquet where Meg and Rye received awards.
Saturday, we started are annual tradition of Chris taking a child out to dinner where they want and then Christmas shopping for the family. Because it was a no chemo week Chris was feeling "a little" better. He took Katie out. She picked Chick-fil-a and then went shopping. Poor Chris came home exhausted, but hey a four year old can do that to anyone. Hee, hee. Chris will take out Jacob on Tuesday. We need to fit in as many as we can during his off weeks. He only has two between now and Christmas. He has to take out 5 kids:) One is Thanksgiving day and the other is December 16th. Not a lot of time until Christmas.
Chris is still working. He has been given a new position. I am very grateful to his boss. Chris hopes to continue working until at least January 1st (beyond if he can). Then he will have earned his bonus (which they give out in March). He keeps saying he has to make it. That we will need the money. We were in the process of filling out paperwork to get half of Chris' life insurance money out so that he could pay off the house but company Chris works for is changing from Metlife to Prudential life insurance as of Jan. 1st. So we stopped the process because we found out that Prudential will pay us $13,000 more than Metlife would have. What a blessing that we hadn't turned in paperwork yet.
Yesterday, I went and looked at cemeteries. I found the one that I believe will be good for our family. It has a duck pond, lots of baby trees (it's a new one), farm land all around it and it's in a quiet area (for now:). I will call and talk with them sometime this week about prices etc. Not a fun thing to do but, as I keep telling people I have been blessed to have time to do these things before he dies so that when he dies, instead of having to make decisions and run all around I can lay in my bed, eat chocolate and cry.
During this past week I have cried a lot having to do things that I have never done before (always made Chris do them). Change the light bulbs outside, put away the outside Halloween decorations, change the batteries in the fire alarms, and handle the bills/budget. Chris is becoming to ill to worry about finances. I have always just let him do these things because I already felt to busy and I wanted him to "feel included in the family" Hee, hee. He tells me all the time he is "sorry" but I always start to cry telling him that he is making the biggest sacrifice for our family by continually going to work each day. He doesn't/shouldn't need to worry about anything else. When he comes home from work he is sooo tired. Kids will sometimes say that they want their old dad back. I remind them gently of the love/sacrifice that Chris is making for them. He wants us to have money when he is gone.
Katie does the cutiest thing. Every morning I get up and pick up atleast 3 bowls from around the house. Why? Because Katie has taken a bowl to Chris wherever he goes so that if he needs to throw up he has a bowl. Cutiest thing!!!!
This week Tay is on safety patrol, Chris has PET scan and chemo, scouts, YM/YW, dentist, parent meeting discussing the race that Meg is going to with her cross country team in California in December (FootLocker), Jacob has a special program at school celebrating Veteran's Day (I have seen it in the past by other 3rd graders and it is beautiful - can't wait). He even has a speaking part. It is Thursday night so I hope that Chris is well enough to come. Friday, Taylor and Ryan have a scout camp out, the annual Turkey Shoot campout. Chris made it for a little while last year but I don't know if he will be able to make it to any of it this year. Will see. Hope so. Saturday, Meg has Sadies (dance-girls ask guys) and Sunday, Meg gets to speak in Sacrament Meeting. A big Yahoo goes to Meg she completed the young women's program and will receive her medallion next Tuesday at the Young Women's in Excellence program and be recognized Sunday in Sacrament. Way to go Megara!!!!!!!!!!!
We want to thank our ward. They have taken on the Thursday pizza night for our family. I was talking with a lady in our ward about it and the next thing I know there is a sign up sheet going around for people to sign up to bring us pizza (I didn't see it, they didn't pass it to me- hee, hee). WOW!! Thank you, thank you. That is one less burden on my mom (or myself). My mom usually is trying to juggle kids and pizza so this will be nice for all of us. Thanks again.
I hope to write Friday to let you know what the results of the PET scan were. But just know that no news doesn't necessarily mean bad news. It just might mean that the mother of 5 doesn't have time:)
Love ya, Ricki
We have been very busy since last I wrote. During UEA break Chris took us to Arches National Park, Mesa Verde and Chaco National Park (in New Mexico!). It was an off chemo week for him and he has always wanted to take us to these places. We had a great time. Chris was veerryyy tired but did a wonderful job. Halloween day was crazy we cleaned the church, had primary program practice and fed the missionaries. Then we "did" Halloween. Tay dressed up as a UofU fan and Jacob drew black lines on himself (who knows what he was) and of course Katie was a princess - Bell. It rained, no down-poured. Chris was to ill to go out trick-or-treating so I went. I usually stay home and pass out candy. Meg stayed home and passed out candy. Rye went to a party. When Katie was cold and wet enough and didn't want to trick-or-treat anymore I let Jacob, Taylor and their friends go out together. It was a sad Halloween. I was glad it was raining so that no one knew I was crying. Last year was are last Halloween with Chris:(
Chris lost 3 lbs one week and 4 lbs the next. The doctor changed the doses of chemo both times because of low white blood cell counts and upped the anti nausea medicine. We also got to talk to the social worker to see how we are doing. Chris has a PET scan tomorrow (Nov. 8th) and then we meet with the doctor Thursday to find out results and have chemo.
This past week we voted, I fed the teachers for parent teacher conference and had parent teacher conferences for Jacob and Taylor, cross country banquet where Meg and Rye received awards.
Saturday, we started are annual tradition of Chris taking a child out to dinner where they want and then Christmas shopping for the family. Because it was a no chemo week Chris was feeling "a little" better. He took Katie out. She picked Chick-fil-a and then went shopping. Poor Chris came home exhausted, but hey a four year old can do that to anyone. Hee, hee. Chris will take out Jacob on Tuesday. We need to fit in as many as we can during his off weeks. He only has two between now and Christmas. He has to take out 5 kids:) One is Thanksgiving day and the other is December 16th. Not a lot of time until Christmas.
Chris is still working. He has been given a new position. I am very grateful to his boss. Chris hopes to continue working until at least January 1st (beyond if he can). Then he will have earned his bonus (which they give out in March). He keeps saying he has to make it. That we will need the money. We were in the process of filling out paperwork to get half of Chris' life insurance money out so that he could pay off the house but company Chris works for is changing from Metlife to Prudential life insurance as of Jan. 1st. So we stopped the process because we found out that Prudential will pay us $13,000 more than Metlife would have. What a blessing that we hadn't turned in paperwork yet.
Yesterday, I went and looked at cemeteries. I found the one that I believe will be good for our family. It has a duck pond, lots of baby trees (it's a new one), farm land all around it and it's in a quiet area (for now:). I will call and talk with them sometime this week about prices etc. Not a fun thing to do but, as I keep telling people I have been blessed to have time to do these things before he dies so that when he dies, instead of having to make decisions and run all around I can lay in my bed, eat chocolate and cry.
During this past week I have cried a lot having to do things that I have never done before (always made Chris do them). Change the light bulbs outside, put away the outside Halloween decorations, change the batteries in the fire alarms, and handle the bills/budget. Chris is becoming to ill to worry about finances. I have always just let him do these things because I already felt to busy and I wanted him to "feel included in the family" Hee, hee. He tells me all the time he is "sorry" but I always start to cry telling him that he is making the biggest sacrifice for our family by continually going to work each day. He doesn't/shouldn't need to worry about anything else. When he comes home from work he is sooo tired. Kids will sometimes say that they want their old dad back. I remind them gently of the love/sacrifice that Chris is making for them. He wants us to have money when he is gone.
Katie does the cutiest thing. Every morning I get up and pick up atleast 3 bowls from around the house. Why? Because Katie has taken a bowl to Chris wherever he goes so that if he needs to throw up he has a bowl. Cutiest thing!!!!
This week Tay is on safety patrol, Chris has PET scan and chemo, scouts, YM/YW, dentist, parent meeting discussing the race that Meg is going to with her cross country team in California in December (FootLocker), Jacob has a special program at school celebrating Veteran's Day (I have seen it in the past by other 3rd graders and it is beautiful - can't wait). He even has a speaking part. It is Thursday night so I hope that Chris is well enough to come. Friday, Taylor and Ryan have a scout camp out, the annual Turkey Shoot campout. Chris made it for a little while last year but I don't know if he will be able to make it to any of it this year. Will see. Hope so. Saturday, Meg has Sadies (dance-girls ask guys) and Sunday, Meg gets to speak in Sacrament Meeting. A big Yahoo goes to Meg she completed the young women's program and will receive her medallion next Tuesday at the Young Women's in Excellence program and be recognized Sunday in Sacrament. Way to go Megara!!!!!!!!!!!
We want to thank our ward. They have taken on the Thursday pizza night for our family. I was talking with a lady in our ward about it and the next thing I know there is a sign up sheet going around for people to sign up to bring us pizza (I didn't see it, they didn't pass it to me- hee, hee). WOW!! Thank you, thank you. That is one less burden on my mom (or myself). My mom usually is trying to juggle kids and pizza so this will be nice for all of us. Thanks again.
I hope to write Friday to let you know what the results of the PET scan were. But just know that no news doesn't necessarily mean bad news. It just might mean that the mother of 5 doesn't have time:)
Love ya, Ricki
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