Best News Ever!

  I just saw the tumor marker result from today’s bloodwork. 425!!! Down 335 from last month’s 755. That means Taxol is working to shrink those dang tumors! That doesn’t mean I’m out of the woods yet but it’s great news!

I started my 4 week cycle on Taxol today. I also saw Dr. Buys who is so supportive and caring! She thinks the tumors are shrinking because my abdomen isn’t so swollen and I’ve quietly thought the same thing. She said her entire team has been so worried about me. I have so much support coming from all sides, I’m so grateful! I just needed that “magic bullet” that would get things back in control.

We sold our travel trailer that was such a blessing to us after my diagnosis. We got to go on those long trips all over the country and into Canada twice. We determined that our days for far away road trips was over. This last trip to California showed me that, even flying to get there was so stressful for me. We’ll do an occasional one-nighter closer to home. I decided we have to go to more local plays and musicals too, more fun things close to home.

Maddie is getting married in a month, which we are thrilled about! She had her final dress fitting today. We went down to see it on her. I offered her my Moms wedding dress because it was handed down to me (by default-none of my sisters wanted it) My Mom was 5 ft 10 in and skinny as a rail when she wore it. Maddie is 5 ft 1 in, so some adjustments had to be made. She’s very happy with the finished product - it’s beautiful on her! I guess Mat took all the pictures, or I would post one here.

Cali!!

 Mat and I are in Cali while Brooklyn and McK hold down the fort. I think they are so silly for wanting to stay home because we have a great time! They’re missing out! We’re at my favorite beach north of San Luis Obispo. We were here two years ago, the beach has changed with all the water/flooding they’ve had. We’ve had some funny conversations because we don’t remember things the same way! The beach has totally changed appearance, the terrain, the rock piles, and the spot where I spent hours sifting through the rocks to find the perfect ones, is underwater now. But there are still a gazillion rocks to be explored. That’s tomorrow’s project. This “lake” that’s now sand/land locked wasn’t there two years ago.

I was nervous about going on a trip when a week ago I felt so rotten from anemia. Turns out your body does need food to function properly! Between no appetite, taste distortion, and mouth sores, I just wasn’t getting enough food or water for everything to run smoothly!

I start my third (or fourth?) 3 week cycle of Taxol on Friday, my next scans are the end of October. I just passed my 6 year anniversary since my stage 4 diagnosis. That’s pretty good! Their “average” for me was 4-5 years. I’ll take all the weeks and months I can! I’m still working on histories, legacy stuff and hope to make fast progress on what’s left to do. Mat keeps a list of “things to do” relating to all of this, some things we can do together, some things I have to do myself. We’re going to walk through the yard and make a video for maintenance, weed control, and plant ID. The garden and yard is my thing. Cooking also! Modifying recipes for 1 or two people, instead of the 5 or 6 I’m used to. More after we get home!

Good God!

Just a quick update: it's been a low key week, not many side effects to worry about, but we've had some fun visitors. Really, if anyone wants to come by, please feel free! The length of the stay may vary based on how I'm doing at any given time, but I love to have people come and shower us with love!

We're keeping it all pretty low key, trip to cali beaches in about 1 ½ weeks, a handful of christmas concerts, and whatever else we can find in the not too distant future. Maddies wedding the end of October, we also hit everyones birthdays before the end of the year (except me and McK who have summer birthdays). My goal is to keep as much as we can do to keep the "future" calendar full.

We went to the storytelling festival at Thanksgiving Point this weekend and had a blast! Even McKinley's head popped up off the wet grass and I heard her start to giggle about halfway through the night (be more open to being with us). By the last story, we were in stitches! I love the time I get with family when it's not too complicated to get us all together. I need to get Maddies wedding info on here soon. I will!

 Last night as we drove to the Festival in Lehi on i-15 through Salt Lake, we drove through an absolute downpour with slow traffic, wipers working triple time, and we wondered how they would manage an outdoor event with several hundreds or thousands of spectators . The equipment would have to be dismantled and protected from the rain. We were coming down the hill into the waterfall amphitheater when we heard over the loud speakers, a message from a lady that works full time for the festival. She said that every possible news network, weather app and station was consulted, and there would be a deluge of rain right over the amphitheater between 6:00 and 7:00. Then she said in the most diplomatic and professional way, something like, "There are a lot of people here tonight, from every imaginable religion. I'm going to ask for one minute of silence, and ask you to pray to your God and ask him to hold this storm off until ... the show is over ..." In a show of solidarity, a silence came over those hundreds or thousands who began to pray silently. After that, I felt one raindrop. I kept my eyes on the sky and watched those rain clouds slowly move northeast over the next hour, around our location. God, in every religion, is a good, loving God!