Mrs. Wood is struggling a bit with these "hairballs"......she's not sure if it's the antibiotics or the mucus thinner but it's giving her the "fritz". Today we did the "dentist trip"...each of us had two sessions...so we are "dentist'd up" till May....
Tomorrow we clean the place up and leave for Salem to celebrate new year's with friends.....we haven't told them we have not stayed up for the midnight hour for quite a few years....
We then visit some dear friends in Portland ...catch a Blazer game...see our kids...etc...etc..and then fly out late the 6th for Florida.
Thanks much for the notes of encouragement on the Blog....and the emails from those afraid to leave messages on the Blog. ...Linda "thrives" on the notes.... We are set to install software that identifies everyone who visits the Blog and records their names and emails.....then if no message is left, a threatening follow up email is automatically sent (I made all of this up). Leave messages when visiting....it's like "transfusions" for Miss Linda.
I have more to write but I've got 45 pages left in a Clive Cussler novel which has to be returned to the library tomorrow before departure.....
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
Monday...December 29th...2008
The doctor saga today.....
Linda got up promptly before 8 am and started her calls....she couldn't get the medical oncologist so she did get the radiation oncologist nurses...they indicated no help there (their expertise is radiation)....we then got hold of the nurses in the medical oncologist office....when they heard "heart" concerns, they said "Immediate Care"....
The "gold" was in a call to Linda's regular physician...an internist....a 4:20 pm office visit was quickly scheduled.
The visit...Linda's doctor is a "hoot"....no hand holding....just the bare facts....but transmitted in a way that we can handle and act on it (that's all we wanted....what is going on and how do we deal with it). Anyway the doctor first said no pity for the face cancer as that was too common but some pity for the lung cancer....it seems harsh on paper but was actually very funny.
To sum it all up....she said no heart problems....no bone problems....the heart was impacted by the coughing and lung problem in a way because of the location of all of this in the chest area....and the pain in the arm was a result of this.....so no bone cancer....no heart problems.
She described Linda's lung as full of "dirt" (from the radiation killing cancer cells in the lung, etc.)....she also said it was like having "hair balls in the plumbing". So it seems the lung, with all of this, cannot easily rid itself of the bronchitis/pneumonia ....so what Linda is experiencing is an extended version of what a normal individual can get rid of in a week or two....and we all know this round of bronchitis is lasting as long as three weeks. Linda is finishing her 5th week.
What now....Linda got a big nasty shot of antibiotics....half in the right cheek and the other half in the other cheek....and "them ain't" the facial cheeks. Tomorrow she starts on another round of antibiotics by pill form....she also is taking medication to break up the "plugs". The doctor wants her to continue with the coughing to rid herself of the mucus.
Linda feels much better knowing all this....it was clear her level of concern was increasing....as she said tonight, " I didn't go through all of that stuff last year to die of something else this year".
Tomorrow the dentist checkups and then dental cleanings and Wednesday.....on to Portland for a few days prior to a flight to warmer weather.
Thanks for your good energy to assist Linda through the past couple of days.
Linda got up promptly before 8 am and started her calls....she couldn't get the medical oncologist so she did get the radiation oncologist nurses...they indicated no help there (their expertise is radiation)....we then got hold of the nurses in the medical oncologist office....when they heard "heart" concerns, they said "Immediate Care"....
The "gold" was in a call to Linda's regular physician...an internist....a 4:20 pm office visit was quickly scheduled.
The visit...Linda's doctor is a "hoot"....no hand holding....just the bare facts....but transmitted in a way that we can handle and act on it (that's all we wanted....what is going on and how do we deal with it). Anyway the doctor first said no pity for the face cancer as that was too common but some pity for the lung cancer....it seems harsh on paper but was actually very funny.
To sum it all up....she said no heart problems....no bone problems....the heart was impacted by the coughing and lung problem in a way because of the location of all of this in the chest area....and the pain in the arm was a result of this.....so no bone cancer....no heart problems.
She described Linda's lung as full of "dirt" (from the radiation killing cancer cells in the lung, etc.)....she also said it was like having "hair balls in the plumbing". So it seems the lung, with all of this, cannot easily rid itself of the bronchitis/pneumonia ....so what Linda is experiencing is an extended version of what a normal individual can get rid of in a week or two....and we all know this round of bronchitis is lasting as long as three weeks. Linda is finishing her 5th week.
What now....Linda got a big nasty shot of antibiotics....half in the right cheek and the other half in the other cheek....and "them ain't" the facial cheeks. Tomorrow she starts on another round of antibiotics by pill form....she also is taking medication to break up the "plugs". The doctor wants her to continue with the coughing to rid herself of the mucus.
Linda feels much better knowing all this....it was clear her level of concern was increasing....as she said tonight, " I didn't go through all of that stuff last year to die of something else this year".
Tomorrow the dentist checkups and then dental cleanings and Wednesday.....on to Portland for a few days prior to a flight to warmer weather.
Thanks for your good energy to assist Linda through the past couple of days.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Saturday...December 27th...2008
Linda's left arm to starting to hurt....of course she then worries about the "signs" the doctor warned about....ie..has the cancer metastasized....bones are a prime location....it hurts her, particularly when she coughs..anyway she lost sleep last night worrying about it....Monday morning she is calling her oncologist....for that and also to see if she can get referred to a pulmonologist to check on the persistent cough....
So beam a lot of positive energy Linda's way....
So beam a lot of positive energy Linda's way....
Friday, December 26, 2008
Friday...December 26th...2008
All company has left..just the two of us to run around the house (ok, limp). today we went to bend to visit a deal friend of Linda's, Deb, who is doing chemo in the same place Linda did hers...it was good to see nurses and Susie, nurse practitioner, who took so good care of Linda.Mrs. Wood got her new hearing aid turned down a bit by COSTCO, where she bought it, as it was getting too much noise (go figure..I have the same issue...too much information for the brain, through noise).
We plan on 4 or 5 days of quiet time before traveling to Portland for a few days prior to our flight back to sunny (and warm!) Florida.
Linda's surgery is healing up....her cough persists.
.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Thursday...December 25th...2008
Merry Christmas everyone!
We had our Christmas two days ago when the family could be here....Janine is the only one left...to keep her mom company for a few days.
We have never seen so much snow here..it doesn't seem to stop...keeps the ski areas happy.
Linda got her stitches in her face out...now she has the strips to keep all in place for a few days. Her cough continues..we are considering seeing a pulmonologist if things continue...to see if something can be done...her pulmonologist moved to Portland so she'd have to find a new one.
We had our Christmas two days ago when the family could be here....Janine is the only one left...to keep her mom company for a few days.
We have never seen so much snow here..it doesn't seem to stop...keeps the ski areas happy.
Linda got her stitches in her face out...now she has the strips to keep all in place for a few days. Her cough continues..we are considering seeing a pulmonologist if things continue...to see if something can be done...her pulmonologist moved to Portland so she'd have to find a new one.
We now wait a few days for final dental work and then travel to Portland for a week before flying back to Florida.
Enjoy your family and holidays...when the family was here, we took clear glass Christmas ornaments and filled them with colorful ribbon and plastic snow and..and..and wrote something we were greatful for on a ribbon and put it in the ornament also...it was great to hear most all say that family was what they were most greatful for. I said I was greatful to have Linda for this past year as at one time it didn't seem it would happen.
.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Monday....December 22nd...2008
Medical update...Linda's surgery is healing well...Dr. Wood is bandaging the wounds every day...Mrs. Wood is starting to feel better....one can tell.....because now she is telling Mr. Wood how to do it.... the stitches are to come out Wednesday.
Linda's bronchitis is stilling lingering...slowly going away..slowly....
Linda's shoulders are sore..she needs her acupuncture...Dave, the massage therapist (ie Me) is filling in, poorly.
Dave's dermatology biopsy was negative..so one skin cancer (Linda's) is enough excitement. His PDT(Photo dynamic Therapy) is healing well...the skin is sensitive, they said, for 6 weeks.
Dave's visit to the doctor for a cholesterol recheck was non eventful..and that's the good news. The numbers are much better than in August....so no meds needed..whew! .....another follow up in May.
We just got back from three days in Portland..which is normally a non event..but with the worst weather since 1943, it was an event...we visited friends and kids and all and traveled quite a bit even though the weather was quite miserable (Portland people just don't know what to do in snow). We bought our first set of chains in 25 years...and sad to say, we had to use them...as coming home last night , there was so much snow on the road covered by freezing rain.....a bad combination....
But the good news is we got all our visits in....as Linda said, putting everything off til next week or so would not seem like Christmas. Tomorrow the kids are to make it over.....how many will come because of the weather is unknown...Wendy, Taigen and Chris made it from Seattle to Portland today...they and Janine and Jim and Jenn are all coming (we hope) tomorrow by caravan.....we hope all make a good safe decision based on the weather. Jeff comes from Bend.
That's about it....we hope your holidays will be great ones...
Pictures....Linda decorating the graves for Christmas.....Linda and friend Nancy "no cooperate" for a picture....snow at home...and more snow since....
.
Linda's bronchitis is stilling lingering...slowly going away..slowly....
Linda's shoulders are sore..she needs her acupuncture...Dave, the massage therapist (ie Me) is filling in, poorly.
Dave's dermatology biopsy was negative..so one skin cancer (Linda's) is enough excitement. His PDT(Photo dynamic Therapy) is healing well...the skin is sensitive, they said, for 6 weeks.
Dave's visit to the doctor for a cholesterol recheck was non eventful..and that's the good news. The numbers are much better than in August....so no meds needed..whew! .....another follow up in May.
We just got back from three days in Portland..which is normally a non event..but with the worst weather since 1943, it was an event...we visited friends and kids and all and traveled quite a bit even though the weather was quite miserable (Portland people just don't know what to do in snow). We bought our first set of chains in 25 years...and sad to say, we had to use them...as coming home last night , there was so much snow on the road covered by freezing rain.....a bad combination....
But the good news is we got all our visits in....as Linda said, putting everything off til next week or so would not seem like Christmas. Tomorrow the kids are to make it over.....how many will come because of the weather is unknown...Wendy, Taigen and Chris made it from Seattle to Portland today...they and Janine and Jim and Jenn are all coming (we hope) tomorrow by caravan.....we hope all make a good safe decision based on the weather. Jeff comes from Bend.
That's about it....we hope your holidays will be great ones...
Pictures....Linda decorating the graves for Christmas.....Linda and friend Nancy "no cooperate" for a picture....snow at home...and more snow since....
.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Thursday...December 18th...2008
Where do I start..today being "medical day".....
First, I was able to practice my old ski patrol skills again, being the designee to clean, medicate and rebandage Mrs. Wood. I think I did a pretty good job. It looks to me like the doctor did a great job...although the cuts are 2 and 1/2 inches and 3/4 inch, the suturing was very good....only two small spots of any size. We clean and rebandage the wound every day and she gets the sutures out on the 24th.
I got my sutures out today..I maximized my wound...there were only two sutures...not three! The results of the biopsy are not back yet, as for whatever reason, they were sent to a different lab than Linda's.
Off we then went to the medical oncologist...to his new office complex....what a place..(but not neat enough to go through chemo again!). He examined the Xrays and all and told Linda the left lung was exhibiting a "consolidation"...ie collapsing in part..due to the impact of the radiation. He reminded her she has had massive amounts of radiation. He was unable to say absolutely that she had no cancer in the lung but he said that the lung should be the most cancer free area in her body due to the radiation. He said he has seen hundreds of Xrays just like hers and he says they always seem to be the impacts of the radiation. He said he could do a scan but was inclined not to (unless Linda wanted one). He wanted to wait until April, when we return from Florida...the net results are the same.....no loss for waiting.
We agreed to wait unless the radiation oncologist wanted to do something different....in which the two of the oncologists would "arm wrestle" and have a recommendation.
Off to Costco we went for a delicious lunch of soft ice cream, which Mrs. Wood slipped between her swollen lips.
We then met with the radiation oncologist....short version...he agreed with the medical oncologist...he saw nothing to worry about...he didn't want to see her until August.
What does this all mean....most likely cancer will not show up in the lung anyway....it most likely will show somewhere else in the body if it shows up....metastasizing is the term used....but there is no evidence of any of this. We plan on spending the next 4 months living our lives in gratitude of each day we have....we will take some exotic trips...etc..etc.
Thanks to all of you for your positive energy which was very helpful in getting us to this point. Keep it coming.....we are grateful....very grateful. When you visit the BLOG, please leave a short "atta girl" so Linda knwos you are there...it is easy to do ..follow the instructions on top of the page.
First, I was able to practice my old ski patrol skills again, being the designee to clean, medicate and rebandage Mrs. Wood. I think I did a pretty good job. It looks to me like the doctor did a great job...although the cuts are 2 and 1/2 inches and 3/4 inch, the suturing was very good....only two small spots of any size. We clean and rebandage the wound every day and she gets the sutures out on the 24th.
I got my sutures out today..I maximized my wound...there were only two sutures...not three! The results of the biopsy are not back yet, as for whatever reason, they were sent to a different lab than Linda's.
Off we then went to the medical oncologist...to his new office complex....what a place..(but not neat enough to go through chemo again!). He examined the Xrays and all and told Linda the left lung was exhibiting a "consolidation"...ie collapsing in part..due to the impact of the radiation. He reminded her she has had massive amounts of radiation. He was unable to say absolutely that she had no cancer in the lung but he said that the lung should be the most cancer free area in her body due to the radiation. He said he has seen hundreds of Xrays just like hers and he says they always seem to be the impacts of the radiation. He said he could do a scan but was inclined not to (unless Linda wanted one). He wanted to wait until April, when we return from Florida...the net results are the same.....no loss for waiting.
We agreed to wait unless the radiation oncologist wanted to do something different....in which the two of the oncologists would "arm wrestle" and have a recommendation.
Off to Costco we went for a delicious lunch of soft ice cream, which Mrs. Wood slipped between her swollen lips.
We then met with the radiation oncologist....short version...he agreed with the medical oncologist...he saw nothing to worry about...he didn't want to see her until August.
What does this all mean....most likely cancer will not show up in the lung anyway....it most likely will show somewhere else in the body if it shows up....metastasizing is the term used....but there is no evidence of any of this. We plan on spending the next 4 months living our lives in gratitude of each day we have....we will take some exotic trips...etc..etc.
Thanks to all of you for your positive energy which was very helpful in getting us to this point. Keep it coming.....we are grateful....very grateful. When you visit the BLOG, please leave a short "atta girl" so Linda knwos you are there...it is easy to do ..follow the instructions on top of the page.
Although it snowed all day today, two days ago it was beautiful and cold...I leave you with some pictures of our "winter wonderland". these are the "Three Sisters"..."South"...Middle" and "North"...or as we prefer..."Faith", Hope" and "Charity".....enjoy!
Dave
Dave
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Wednesday...December 17th...2008
We're in shock......
Linda's surgery today was not what we had anticipated....it was limited to a "stage 1" surgery (thank God)...but the reconstructive followup was very extensive....much ....much more than we figured....we wish they had given us advance notice about the extensiveness of everything....but we have "move on"....
The cancer was above the left side of her mouth ..above the lip by about 3/4 of an inch. The doctor removed the cancer in his first effort (he said it was the first stage 1 surgery he had had all day..the rest were stage 2)... we are thankful for that. The reconstructive surgery (he is a plastic surgeon also) involved a long cut along the "laugh line...about 2 inches as well as a cut under her nose of about 3/4 of an inch....to bring fat and muscle up to the hole from the cancer removal. She is heavily bandaged...
What now?
Linda cannot talk or move her lips for a minimum of three days. With the oncologist meetings tomorrow, the doctor said to have me ask the questions. She also has to put ice on it for 20 minutes and then 20 off...to keep the swelling down. We have to watch for bleeding and re bandage tomorrow night. There are a total of 30 stitches and it is important not to have any stress on the stitches for a less visible scarring later on.
More later....the picture below is somewhat scary but Linda does have a good attitude in spite of all this..once again, she says it's all worth not having cancer...
Linda's surgery today was not what we had anticipated....it was limited to a "stage 1" surgery (thank God)...but the reconstructive followup was very extensive....much ....much more than we figured....we wish they had given us advance notice about the extensiveness of everything....but we have "move on"....
The cancer was above the left side of her mouth ..above the lip by about 3/4 of an inch. The doctor removed the cancer in his first effort (he said it was the first stage 1 surgery he had had all day..the rest were stage 2)... we are thankful for that. The reconstructive surgery (he is a plastic surgeon also) involved a long cut along the "laugh line...about 2 inches as well as a cut under her nose of about 3/4 of an inch....to bring fat and muscle up to the hole from the cancer removal. She is heavily bandaged...
What now?
Linda cannot talk or move her lips for a minimum of three days. With the oncologist meetings tomorrow, the doctor said to have me ask the questions. She also has to put ice on it for 20 minutes and then 20 off...to keep the swelling down. We have to watch for bleeding and re bandage tomorrow night. There are a total of 30 stitches and it is important not to have any stress on the stitches for a less visible scarring later on.
More later....the picture below is somewhat scary but Linda does have a good attitude in spite of all this..once again, she says it's all worth not having cancer...
.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Monday....December 15th...2008
Mrs. Wood continues to provide medical excitement...she got a call this morning from her dermatologist that she has a basal cell carcinoma on her face....a form of skin cancer above her lip on the left side. This is the most common form of cancer world wide. Basal cell cancer does not usually metastasize or travel in the bloodstream; rather it infiltrates the surrounding area destroying tissue. It is not melanoma.
The dermatologist is recommending a specialized technique called Mohs micrographically controlled surgery. The skin cancer is removed under local anesthesia and microscopic sections are prepared on slides . The Mohs surgeon examines the slides to determine if most of the cancer cells have been removed. If not additional layers are taken until the cancer is completely excised. The advantage of this technique is that a minimum amount of tissue is removed and all the edges of the specimen are carefully studied.
The problem is the holidays approaching...trying to find a surgeon who can schedule Linda in. The dermatologist is working on that and we should hear back soon. We shall see.
Tomorrow. I have PDT done.....PDT is Photodynamic Therapy. It is a process where precancerous cells in the face and scalp are eliminated through a process of using a chemical on the face and scalp and subjecting it to a blue light source. Then I have to avoid all sunlight for 48 hours and will have blistering and a sun burn complexion..the severity depends on the amount of damage to the skin. Sounds exciting...not really.
So that summarizes our "exciting news of the day".
UPDATE: Linda's Mohs surgery is scheduled for Wednesday...12:30...3 to 6 hours....sounds big....but they say it is under local anesthesia....with tissue taken off....checked under a microscope....then more tissue ....until clear of cancer cells.
Linda's discription..." a pimple that doesn't go away"....
They told her she'd have quite a bandage...so the Christmas pictures should be great....
The dermatologist is recommending a specialized technique called Mohs micrographically controlled surgery. The skin cancer is removed under local anesthesia and microscopic sections are prepared on slides . The Mohs surgeon examines the slides to determine if most of the cancer cells have been removed. If not additional layers are taken until the cancer is completely excised. The advantage of this technique is that a minimum amount of tissue is removed and all the edges of the specimen are carefully studied.
The problem is the holidays approaching...trying to find a surgeon who can schedule Linda in. The dermatologist is working on that and we should hear back soon. We shall see.
Tomorrow. I have PDT done.....PDT is Photodynamic Therapy. It is a process where precancerous cells in the face and scalp are eliminated through a process of using a chemical on the face and scalp and subjecting it to a blue light source. Then I have to avoid all sunlight for 48 hours and will have blistering and a sun burn complexion..the severity depends on the amount of damage to the skin. Sounds exciting...not really.
So that summarizes our "exciting news of the day".
UPDATE: Linda's Mohs surgery is scheduled for Wednesday...12:30...3 to 6 hours....sounds big....but they say it is under local anesthesia....with tissue taken off....checked under a microscope....then more tissue ....until clear of cancer cells.
Linda's discription..." a pimple that doesn't go away"....
They told her she'd have quite a bandage...so the Christmas pictures should be great....
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Saturday...December 13th...2008
Christmas shopping done....mark the time and date!
Good day for both of us...exciting to have most all Christmas decorating and shopping done...now its relax and enjoy the holidays....of course Linda will continue to bake Christmas treats again...and again...
See the attached pictures of our tree and the new snow greeting us outside...
.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Friday.....December 12th....2008
Today Linda has been a tornado...an annual event...with her doing her "30 storage container" Christmas decorating...pictures later. She is very tired right now....Linda's bronchial condition continues...they say it takes two to three weeks to calm down..mine is not as severe. She also continues to struggle with pulse rates....which seems to be tied to meds taken..not a new situation. The pneumonia seems to be in control..we shall see.
.
Tuesday I do a PDT (Photo Dynamic Therapy) with the dermatology center at Bend Memorial Clinic..it is a process to get rid of pre cancerous cells on the face and head...it uses a salve of some sort and blue light....then 48 hours in the dark ...scabbing, etc., etc.. Linda does her lung Xray that same day. Then on Thursday is her big 6 month meetings with her medical oncologist and then her radiation oncologist.
Did I say she has a hearing aid now?...she was able to fit into a cancelled appointment..and then bought the aid in the same session...it seems to help her well...as she is deaf in one ear and the other was getting less than 100%.
Tonight we are to get the start of snow..which is to continue til Monday...there is no skiing yet...hopefully this will make the difference.
.
ps..the Lightning won last night in Montreal...after 9 straight losses....Linda's man..St. Louis (number 26), got 2 goals...maybe it is the start of a winning streak?????????????????
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Thursday....... December 11th....... 2008
Our Christmas Newsletter:
Christmas 2008 Dave and Linda Wood
Merry Christmas to all….may you have peace around your family and life this Christmas.
This is truly a special Christmas for Linda and Dave. It wasn’t but a Christmas ago that we were struggling with serious health issues including lung cancer and all the chemo and radiation and fears one could humanly deal with. There was also the anxieties associated with this and the appearance of high blood pressure complicating things.
We have come a long way in this year….focusing on the present and living life more spontaneously. We have grown closer when it didn’t seem possible to be any closer. We are more real with each other and more patient and more watchful. We also understand the movement into the “60’s” as an additional set of issues all of its own.
What is the outlook down the line…we don’t know..and we have committed ourselves not to be suppressed by this unknown. We understand “it is what it is”. For a more clear understanding of our journey, catch “Linda’s Journey”, a BLOG tracking our experience since finding Linda had cancer. It is located at http://www.linda-lou.blogspot.com/ .
What have we been up to?....a lot! We have just spent two months at our home in Florida, sitting in the sun, resting, being with friends, bicycling, walking, taking cruises, etc., etc.. This past year, we finished working as fan ambassadors with Champ Car open wheel racing series. We had an impressive run, but the series merged with the Indy Racing League, the competitor just before the start of the new season. We did one last race in Long Beach and then that was it. We missed it…but realized how much work we had put into it…which turned after a period of time into wonderment about how we did manage to do it…As a side note, we are lining up to do a limited schedule of 4 races next season for the IRL being involved with a private media service associated with racing.
In May, we decided to give Hawaii a try to celebrate Linda’s great post treatment CT scan. We took a 7 day cruise to see all the islands and then spent 7 days on Maui. It was quite an experience ….. if we didn’t have other homes and a motorhome, a move there might have been an easy thing to do. We had a beautiful time and look forward to future trips there again.
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While hiding out on the MacKenzie River in a secluded B&B, we got word that grand daughter Jillian,had been seriously injured horseback riding. To make a long story short, she broke her jaw in three places…and looked like she had been in her first bar fight and lost. The doctors at the children’s hospital in Portland fixed her up good and as a grand trooper, she healed quickly.
While hiding out on the MacKenzie River in a secluded B&B, we got word that grand daughter Jillian,had been seriously injured horseback riding. To make a long story short, she broke her jaw in three places…and looked like she had been in her first bar fight and lost. The doctors at the children’s hospital in Portland fixed her up good and as a grand trooper, she healed quickly.
Linda’s cousin Ruth Ann, Came from Nebraska and spent some quality time with us…we enjoyed seeing her and showing her a little of beautiful central Oregon.
We spent a lot of time in the motorcoach this last summer including a week at the coast and then 3 weeks in California…it was very nice to get to spend time in the coach after limited use the previous year because of illness. In California, we went to a NASCAR race, Disneyland, visited Mary, Linda’s good friend, and other friends from times ago.
We did get a week in Alaska to visit brother Darron and sister in law LaVelle….a nice trip with no fishing which we missed but got to visit more which was nice.
Both of us particpated in the Wings Personal Growth seminars this year…Linda joined Dave in the Crossover Seminar after an absence of many years. Both particpated in Listening Heart, a couples seminar dearly loved. That involved another two weeks along the way in the RV..
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And…we found time to spend a week in Mexico…in Puerto Vallarta…a trip missed last year to son Jim’s wedding to Jenn because of the cancer treatments. Our airfare needed to be used so we flew down and stayed in the same place we were to stay last year….
And…we found time to spend a week in Mexico…in Puerto Vallarta…a trip missed last year to son Jim’s wedding to Jenn because of the cancer treatments. Our airfare needed to be used so we flew down and stayed in the same place we were to stay last year….
That’s about what we remember. There might be more, but folks wonder how we are always able to do so much in so little time..so we won’t try to stress folks out by listing everything.Our family is doing well. There are still two grand daughters…no new ones to report…both are smart as can be and surely will be very successful in their lives. Sons and daughters are doing well…each is focused on his/her desired professional life. We did put our Sisters home on the market, hoping to move to the Portland area when it sells to be nearer the family.
That’s about it…like we said, if you want a day by day narrative of what we did this past year, review the Linda’s Journey Blog..it is exhaustive in detail and pictures.
We finish by wishing each of you good health and loving relationships…..not knowing what tomorrow brings and recognizing life as each of us knows it can change in an instant, please live in the present, be current with your loved ones, and don’t leave anything unsaid. And as we signed off in the Blog yesterday:
Life is short. Break the rules. Forgive quickly. Kiss slowly. Love truly. Laugh uncontrollaby. Never regret anything that made you smile.
Dave and Linda
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Sunday...December 7th...2008
Sunny again today...2 days before cold Central Oregon (We fly out Tuesday)......
Linda is doing better...maybe turned the corner after a long bronchial, pneumonial (made that word up) illness. I've had the same bronchitis that has been going around but not nearly to the degree that Linda has.
Our neighbors from New York have arrived.....Dave and Mindy "shatter the calm" around here....he wants to retire from owning a tire business and move here for the winter as we do and open a hot dog stand (honest ).
Lightning lost again last night....we didn't go...went to dinner at friends (after locking the keys in the car and having to send Steve to our house to get the second set) (Duh).
Linda is doing better...maybe turned the corner after a long bronchial, pneumonial (made that word up) illness. I've had the same bronchitis that has been going around but not nearly to the degree that Linda has.
Our neighbors from New York have arrived.....Dave and Mindy "shatter the calm" around here....he wants to retire from owning a tire business and move here for the winter as we do and open a hot dog stand (honest ).
Lightning lost again last night....we didn't go...went to dinner at friends (after locking the keys in the car and having to send Steve to our house to get the second set) (Duh).
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Thursday...December 4th...2008
Actually it is after midnight here and is the 5th of December...anyway....
In the pictures below, Linda got a "Linda Feel Good " Present from her "sweetie" (ME)....for the hockey games...#26 St. Louis ...is a star player....the bad news is that Linda couldn't go to the game tonight because of the pnemonia...so I had to find a "guy" date to go...we lost! Again!
In the pictures below, Linda got a "Linda Feel Good " Present from her "sweetie" (ME)....for the hockey games...#26 St. Louis ...is a star player....the bad news is that Linda couldn't go to the game tonight because of the pnemonia...so I had to find a "guy" date to go...we lost! Again!
Today's Messages of the Day (sent by a friend):
Life is short. Break the rules. Forgive quickly. Kiss slowly. Love truly. Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.
Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should dance.
.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Wednesday...December 3rd...2008
Linda was called to go back to the doctor's today after her Xrays were reviewed by radiologists. Today was not her best day.....after feeling a bit better yesterday....so off we went.
The upshot is that pneumonia was confirmed....they were also concerned about TB...and wanted to do a scan immediately....we set that to rest quickly, having been down that route because of how the remnants of the cancer appear in the Xray.
Anyway after consulting with Florida doctors....then Oregon doctors....Linda was put back on steroids (she doesn't care much for that) and more antibiotics.....and we will return home to Oregon next Tuesday...and then do some in depth work with the Oregon doctors.....some of which was already planned as we have reached the 6 month mark since the end of Linda's cancer treatment.
So no social life ....she is grounded....I am going to the hockey game tomorrow night without her....a "guy" night....sad, as she loves hockey...but no chances.
Today our wilderness friends paid a visit:
.
The upshot is that pneumonia was confirmed....they were also concerned about TB...and wanted to do a scan immediately....we set that to rest quickly, having been down that route because of how the remnants of the cancer appear in the Xray.
Anyway after consulting with Florida doctors....then Oregon doctors....Linda was put back on steroids (she doesn't care much for that) and more antibiotics.....and we will return home to Oregon next Tuesday...and then do some in depth work with the Oregon doctors.....some of which was already planned as we have reached the 6 month mark since the end of Linda's cancer treatment.
So no social life ....she is grounded....I am going to the hockey game tomorrow night without her....a "guy" night....sad, as she loves hockey...but no chances.
Today our wilderness friends paid a visit:
.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Monday...December 1st...2008
Cough...cough...cough....hack..hack..hack....sneeze....sneeze...sneeze....isn't life grand when two have nasty colds....Sadie is practicing triage between the two of us.
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