Thursday.....December 31st.....2009....724th BLOG

Happy New Year everyone! We read in one Facebook friend's comments that she was glad 2009 was behind her.....we wish to take a different approach and are thankful for each day of 2009 we had ...each was special in its own way....and we look forward to each day of the new year...may they be enjoyed by us to the fullest...and for each of you too.....

Today was our day to travel over the mountain pass and to the valley to see friends and family...but...the weather prediction for the pass was the worst we had seen...a major snow storm was in effect....but..we decided to go anyway and packed extra food and clothing in case we got stuck...what we got was a major rain storm...unbelievable...all the way across the mountains...all the way into Salem.

We stopped at Costco for a snack and made sure we thanked all the University of Oregon Duck fans...who play in the Rose Bowl tomorrow...for the rain they created (Ducks...rain..get it???).

We visited friends Dan and Maureen at their new town home in Salem.....very nice....if it were closer to Portland we'd buy one too.....we then went on to a new year's party at our old Salem neighbors and friends...who have moved to new neighborhoods...not planned but we had a great time visiting with wonderful people...Terry and Patti and Kathy (who's hubby Dave was ill and didn't make it)....and Dan and Maureen who used to live in our Salem neighborhood also....

Linda was so energized by seeing these "old" friends and neighbors....she could have stayed all night but we continued on to Portland to stay with daughter Janine.....

Pictures of some great neighbors and friends.........Maureen and Linda...then Maureen, Kathy, Linda, Patti, Terry and Dan....

Wednesday....December 30th...2009...723rd BLOG

Busy day today and Mrs. Wood weathered it well.....

First the lawyer's office to discuss our trust documents....done....got all our questions answered and changes made.....

Second to the dentist for teeth cleaning..always fun..but with good brushing, flossing and the water pick, there isn't much the hygienist can pick on...yuk...yuk...

Then to lunch....Dave is off Diet Coke....so no Costco today...a Mexican restaurant across from our broker....who we saw in his office window on the 4th floor across the street...and he came down to share our chicken nacho with us...he had a Diet Coke....Dave had water but "eye balled" the Coke the entire time....

Then upstairs to discuss the market and investments.....

Then...then...then...small stuff...voted in the upcoming election as we are leaving town...etc...etc.

Then home to rest...

Tomorrow we go to Portland for 4 days...back to Sisters on Monday...Linda's stitches out on Tuesday....pack and clean on Wednesday.....back to Portland on Thursday....fly out Friday....sit by the pool on Saturday....in warm weather we hope!!!!!!!!

Tuesday....December 29th...2009....722nd BLOG

Things have been a bit calmer today....we did not go to the Doctor today as the bleeding had stopped and the weather has been quite snowy. The wound looks pretty good (in context) with multiple cuts and a lot of stitches.....I cleaned it up tonight and adjusted the bandaging so it doesn't look so ghastly.

Mrs. Wood is feeling better after spending a lot of time sacked out this am....what can I say having gotten up at 1:30 pm (please remember the night of drama from you know who).

Tomorrow is a busy day so sleep tonight is very important...Linda has decided not to take the "woo woo" pills....thank you very much...another night like last night would be dastardly. And I forgot to mention a systolic pressure of 184...yikes!!!!!!! I'm back down today....128....

Linda is almost done with "The Lost Symbol" and enjoying it very much...

We are still on track to leave for Florida on January 8th.....and will be going to Portland this coming Thursday or Friday depending on the weather....snow....snow and more snow in the forecast. We have to be back to Bend on January the 5th (Tuesday) to get the stitches out.

The folks who looked at our home yesterday loved it...loved Linda's Christmas decorating.....loved the creek....loved it all....of course they have a home in California to sell....but may try to make it work before that....we shall see....of course if we don't get as much as we want, Claudia's stable might become our home...but she knows we have that big motorhome.....

Tuesday...December 29th...2009

Mrs. Wood is recovering......I am not....

Last night after what appeared to be a lot of bleeding, we called the doctor per instructions.....

The bleeding was just pooled blood which made things look worse after the direct pressure applied....but we were told to go back in today to see the doctor to make sure all is ok. The bandage also had to be changed last night...usually we wait 24 hours......

Then.....

Then....

Mrs. Wood went to bed...had to sleep in an elevated position for 4 nights......so she took a sleeping pill....

And....

And...

Linda went into a psychedelic trance..."the curtains were swaying"....(yeah right)....."my toes feel funny".....(yeah right)....."the clock is stuck on 2:38"....(yeah right)....."I can't find the wall"....(yeah right).....

Linda would have made a bad "pot head" in the 60's and 70's......

Things seem to have settled down this am....I lost a lot of sleep keeping an eye on this "zone out" creature......the doctor just called...we might not go in unless things go south...which we do not anticipate.

Monday...December 28th...2009...720th BLOG

Where do I start......

I suppose we should have been prepared for anything today.....but we weren't....

Linda's MOHS surgery on her basal cancer on her right nostril on her nose was not a "walk in the park" as we had anticipated....as during the biopsy, the Dermatologist indicated he thought they had caught it early....so we had a false sense of security.

The surgery required "two scoops".....one has to understand MOHS surgery to get what that means....which is they "keep digging" till they get it all....between each scoop they analyze the cells under the microscope until no more cancer is seen.

After the first "scoop", the Dermatologist (AKA the MOHS surgeon) indicated a worse case scenario where they would have to do the rebuilding of tissue in stages which would put off our return to Florida. After the second "scoop" he indicated the good news was that the cancer had gone upward (north) instead of down to the edge of the nostril (south) so the reconstruction could be done today....

He presented three options including closing the wound thereby eliminating the crease between the nostril and the cheek (wouldn't that look funny).....he said they could also take skin from behind the ear and create new tissue in the area but it would look different (dido..wouldn't that look funny)....and then Linda said.."do to me what you would recommend to your wife"...and there we all agreed to option three....which was involving extensive cutting of the face in the creases (remember last year plus a bit more) ......making a flap with skin and curing the end to make up for the part of the nostril missing.....

So a total of almost 6 hours in total...a room that looked like a war had taken place...etc...etc.....Mrs. Wood survived and we are home....

The bad news is she has to be very careful for 3 days and not bend over....which might rupture the blood vessels in the surgery and create a BIG problem...including major surgery...etc...etc....

She will get the stitches....we lost count of the number of stitches...they are many..."enough to do the job" the surgeon said.....Linda thinks 40 plus!.....out next Tuesday....

What now.....lay low for a few days....we have a lot of meetings (attorneys, brokers, bankers, etc..) Wednesday which she will attend if she feels up to it....then on to Portland for the weekend..again if she is up to it....which she should....

Pictures below...first..after the first "scoop"....second..home after the surgery......not a "happy camper".......

Sunday...December 27th...2009

Not much new to report...another quiet day with Linda catching up on all that energy she spent when company was here.....of course tonight she is possessed....doing her bank book balances and all.

Tomorrow Linda has her MOHS cancer surgery...so another bandage covering her face...so I have demanded to go to Costco before the surgery as she will most likely want to go right home after being "under the knife".....

Friday....December 25th...2009...718th BLOG

Dave: "Linda....how are you feeling?"

Linda: "I'm feeling just fine.....taking a small nap during the Blazer (Portland Professional Basketball on TV) game helped me see the whole game". "I'm not feeling that normal depression that comes after this chemo."

Dave: "Good night...sweetie pie."

Thursday....December 24th...2009...717 BLOGS

Merry Christmas to all you beautiful people! I couldn't let this day pass without letting you all know how much you mean to me, not just today, but every day of the year. My heart is so full with the gifts that you give to me in your support and love. How can I be more blessed?

I just spent an incredible evening with my family, sharing our traditional meal of oyster stew and clam chowder; then sharing gifts in front of the tree. Thanks for all your Christmas greetings and letters. It wasn't a white Christmas here, but I was grateful the weather allowed everyone to traverse the mountain without difficulty.

May your Christmas be blessed with peace and love, and God grant us all a healthful and prosperous New Year. I love you all more than you can possibly know...

Love and Gratitude....Linda

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Wednesday....December 23rd....2009....716th BLOG

The masses are amassing!.....at the Wood home.....

Janine and boyfriend Tyson arrived yesterday.....

Wendy, Chris and Taigen arrived today.....

Jeff arrived today.....

Tomorrow it's Jim, Jenn and Jillian.....

Linda is doing well....yesterday she was a bit run down...today much better....although it was hard to keep her out of the "work".

We had a delightful dinner followed by cards (Apples and Apples) which Linda won twice...
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Monday....December 21st....2009....715th BLOG

We are home!

We are enjoying a quiet evening after a busy three days seeing friends and family and before the onslaught of kids and spouses and grandkids....

Linda really enjoyed each and every visit with each friend and relative....great great energy for her in her journey through cancer.....thanks to each of you.

Tiring for Linda but well worth it....

Sunday visits with friends Nancy, Jim, Gene and Jim and Nancy's father...followed by a visit with Claudia....then dinner and an evening with Nancy (the camera wore out before the evening)...

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Saturday...December 19th....2009....714th BLOG

Missy Wood had a big big day today....and she wore out as it ended....a good sleep tonight as tomorrow is another big day.....

We had a good breakfast at Roman and Judy's and headed off to decorate the graves.....then up to West Linn to see son Jim and daughter in law Jenn....then off to St. Paul to see her brothers Marlin and Norman and sister Karen.....along with brother in law Ray and sister in law Joni...

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Whew.....I'm tired thinking about it....

It was important for Linda to mix with her siblings....she has been looking forward to it...her brother Norman has been a missionary in Africa and just got back....

Although she wore out today and tomorrow is another big day, all these visits are important to Linda...they are all by her choice and she will rest up......her spirit is being fed...

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Looking through the pictures of Linda decorating the graves and helping fix spinach calzone for dinner...and she did sneak in a nap....with brother Normand and then going through some things from their ancestors...Linda, Marlin, Normand and Karen....

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Friday...December 18th...2009

In the valley....easy drive over the mountain pass....never got less than 39 degrees....hopefully it will be that way when all the kids come across the pass next week.

Linda had 2 hours of infusions today....a bit unusual but they gave her Zometa (bone builder) in addition to the Alimta (chemo)......plus a vitamin B12 shot and saline solution for hydration....steroids and nausea meds and she was done.....

Tonight it was dinner and a night with friends Judy and Roman....a great dinner and an evening of gifts and music and talk....pictures below...with Roman doing the dishes!

Tomorrow it is on to the graves of our youngest son and Linda's first husband for decoration and reflection....then on to dinner with Linda's brothers and sister...

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Thursday....December 17th....2009....712th BLOG

Would someone send me an anchor to slow this woman down!!!!!!!.....she wrapped presents ....wrapped candy and cookies....distributed them around town....including her favorite pharmacists...mailed a bunch...etc...etc....and then tomorrow....there is more...as we head to the valley (west over the mountains to the wet side of Oregon for you foreigners who say Ore-e-gone rather than Ore-e-gun or also the Willamette Valley which foreigners pronounce as Will-ah-met or opposed to the proper pronunciation of Will-a-met).

We got the "murse" (man's purse) with the camera back today (duh...forgot it and the pictures last night).....and took a picture of "Miss Liz" with Linda....Jack was off teaching chess , we figured...he donates a lot of time teaching chess to young kids in the schools.....what a guy!.

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Wednesday...December 16...2009...711th Blog

Linda worked inside today....Dave worked outside....and we got along really great! (just kidding....we get along most all the time).

Mrs. Wood is about done with the baking....pumpkin breads tomorrow and that's it.....maybe a day of slowing down....we shall see.....as Friday is a busy day with chemo and a trip to the valley for three days to see friends.....

We had a delightful dinner with the "Weeks across the Creeks" tonight...actually it is the "Weeks" but only one "Creek" but it rhymes better with more than one creek. Liz and Jack are fun to have dinner with and talk with....we seem to chat forever and still have more to talk about. Where's the picture? Duh...the camera is still on the counter at their place....unopened....

We hope all are getting ready for the holidays and the anticipation is building...it is for Linda as Christmas is her favorite holiday and she is looking forward to family and friends....

Tuesday....December 15th....2009....710th BLOG

May your troubles be less, May your blessings be more, May nothing but happiness come through your door!

"We wish you a peaceful world. We encourage you to seek out those you love and help make each day a day to remember."

Two emails (in part) we received today....plus an E card (in part) above...we agree and as we shared to others in church last Sunday..."And may peace be with you".

ps...Miss Energy is still at it...I think she is up to 14 different cookie types baked...and no end in sight....

Dave's Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor today was "blown away" when he found Linda had stage 4 cancer....he deals with particular cancers all the time and was amazed at her well being....she smiled as she always does and affirmed her commitment to life......

pss....the same Doctor told Dave he has been experiencing a series of strep infections tied to the tonsils (ie tonsillitis).....the plan is to medicate with antibiotics as the symptoms arise until we return from Florida at the end of April and review the situation....Question....does a 62 year old still get ice cream if the tonsils come out?????????

Monday....December 14th....2009....709th BLOG

Miss Energy herself has been a "buzz".....cooking treats....decorating....no naps....staying up late....when will she slow down!

Linda loves the Christmas season and her energies have been high.....the house looks grand and she has made 11 types of cookies and candies....with more to come....3 she says....we will see......

The Christmas shopping is done....

Tomorrow we go to Bend for Dave's visit with the Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor and Linda gets a teeth cleaning at the dentist. Wednesday dinner at the Weeks across the creek....Thursday Sadie gets a grooming (for the holidays) and Friday it's off to the valley to see friends and family after Linda gets her 4th chemo cycle started....including shots for vitamin B12 and Zomita (bone builder).....

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Sunday....December 13th....2009....708th Post

Attitude of Gratitude

We came upon a piece from our Defeat Cancer program and wish to share it during this holiday season...we have "lifted" from the piece to fit what message we wish to convey to the world (you being the world).

Developing an "attitude of gratitude" is an excellent tool to take care of one's self. It helps relax our bodies and strengthens our immune system. As Linda would say..."your glass is half full instead of half empty....using positive words instead of negative words".....

As she was saying to one of our sons the other day..."be outfocused.....on other people.... give them joy and you will be joyful yourself during this holiday period".

Track your gratitude....

Awaken in the morning...setting an intention..."Today I will notice 3 people or things that touch my life in a special way".

Write them down....each day...so you can track them over time....

Take a bit of time...from time to time....reflecting on the things that have touched you....reflecting on the abundance of gratitude and appreciation you have in your life.

Notice how having that intention each day of seeing gratitude will bring awareness of a sense of inner peace and well being.....

Remember.....our attitudes towards our experiences in life are a direct reflection of what we focus on.....what you notice and focus on will grow. In Wings, they say "what you focus on is what you get".

It's time to fill the glass!

PS.....I used to have a friend (used to because he has since passed away)....he kept a journal of 3 things he would do to help other people each day...big or small......another way to creat gratitude...

Saturday....December 12th....2009....707th Post

Alan Jackson - Remember When

Remember when I was young and so were you
and time stood still and love was all we knew
You were the first, so was I
We made love and then you cried
Remember when

Remember when we vowed the vows
and walked the walk
Gave our hearts, made the start, it was hard
We lived and learned, life threw curves
There was joy, there was hurt
Remember when

Remember when old ones died and new were born
And life was changed, disassembled, rearranged
We came together, fell apart
And broke each other's hearts
Remember when

Remember when the sound of little feet
was the music
We danced to week to week
Brought back the love, we found trust
Vowed we'd never give it up
Remember when

Remember when thirty seemed so old
Now lookn' back it's just a steppin' stone
To where we are,
Where we've been
Said we'd do it all again
Remember when
Remember when we said when we turned gray
When the children grow up and move away
We won't be sad, we'll be glad
For all the life we've had
And we'll remember when

Friday....December 11th....2009

Another "medical" day....three in a row.....now we have a break until Tuesday....then another "medical" day.

Linda was diagnosed with another basal cancer growth on her face...remember the last one...30 stitches after "Mohs surgery"......just before Christmas last year! Anyway, this one is on the left side of the nose down on the nostril....her surgery is scheduled for the 28th. The doctor believes this one is in its early stages so it most likely will not be as difficult as last year....and....yes...she did protect her face this past year....

Son Jeff came over last night and helped Linda with the Christmas tree.....most decorating is done...and tonight we are finishing the Christmas newsletter.....

Tomorrow we ......sleep in....take a nap....go to bed early.......ooppsss....Linda just informed me we have to go our to our spec home at Brasada Ranch and decorate it for the holidays....

Our Christmas shopping is all done with the exception of one son and one daughter in law.....the ones getting a thank you note from the Salvation Army......thank you Costco and Amazon!

Thursday....December 10th....2009

Scan today.....

Report: Looks good.....stable.....the Alimta is doing its job...maintaining .....Linda is doing fine.

Linda was set to be given bad news having read a copy of the CT Chest Scan before the doctor came in....she was looking for improvement....whereas the doctor was looking for "maintenance" and that is what it is....

The words of the report: "stable"..."No definite new..."......"unchanged in appearance" ...."documented earlier"...."noted earlier"..."documented previously"...."No new...is evident"....

To the Oncologist these are "good" words......and Linda is doing fine.

What now....Linda will remain on the Alimta program for 3 or 4 more months at least unless there are some obvious changes noted. We are going to "play it by ear".....in other words unless unless something shows up, it's business as usual.

Linda will receive her 4th cycle of Alimta on December 18th and then her 5th on January 8th...we then plan on returning to Florida shortly thereafter. A scan will be scheduled in Florida to check on progress...in 3 or 4 months.

We plan on staying in Florida till the latter part of April this year....

The Oncologist endorsed Linda taking 10 mg of Steroids every other day with the present 5 mg on the alternate days..Linda has been experimenting with this and finds her appetite improved....she actually gets hungry...

So good news today when we understand "stability" is the key word....and that was achieved.

Wednesday...December 9th...2009

Linda got her teeth done today...rather than putting veneers on the front 4 teeth, we went with renewing the bonding....we only have a $2000 cap on dental per year so putting out an extra $2000 didn't seem like a good investment as they didn't want to do 2 teeth at a time. Anyway it looks good....it looks like she also needs some tissue surgery on one tooth...it never stops....

We are about done with Christmas shopping except for Jim and Jenn...he promised to call tonight...we shall see....perhaps a donation to the Salvation Army with a thank you note will suffice....we shall see.

Tomorrow is Linda's scan...they are only doing the chest area as opposed to the entire trunk...so she doesn't have to drink the awful stuff prior to the scan...they do infuse contrast though. We meet with Dr. Kornfeld later in the day to review the results. This is a very important scan as it tells him if the Alimta is working...by doing the lung area, he gets the information he needs to make that determination. If it is not working he has to resort to a different cancer medication..most likely Tarceva, which is taken by pill form. The not so good news is that it will mean moving to another line of defense..and there are only so many lines...and although Tarceva has shown promise in many cases, it cases severe rashing, etc....

Again, tomorrow will tell....

It was cold today but clear...we actually liked it...that "Christmasy feeling"....it should warm up oin a couple of days....Dave hopes to get a day or two of skiing in soon...

Pictures below..Linda in the Wilderness Lodge where we live....our last hockey game before returning to Oregon...and the long layover in Kansas City......
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Wednesday....December 9th...2009

It's December 9th....barely.....we just got home to Sisters, Oregon.....after a 3 hour drive from the Portland Airport....and a 2 hour delay in Kansas City.....

It's minus 13 degrees here!!!!!!!!

Linda has done well.....high spirits......good attitude all day....

Our tempurpedic mattress feels like a brick....when it gets cold....it stiffens up.....like a brick.....

Linda has dental work in the am so not much rest tonight......

Tuesday...December 8th...2009

We are in Kansas City...on a layover...colder than a #^$!&*$!!!!!!!!

Linda is doing quite well....we hope she holds up all the way home...it will be late by the time we drive to Sisters after landing in Portland.....the pass over the mountains doesn't look too bad....good!!!

Yesterday the woman (ie Linda) was possessed....she decided to do everything she had been putting off....in one day...including regrouting the kitchen counters...and she did.....Dave had to rehang the garage cabinets which fell off the wall the day before (too much stuff in them????)....he saw his life flash before his eyes as the cabinet fell...in fact he closed those eyes......

The house looks very neat and clean for our return trip in January....

Sunday....December 6th....2009

Linda is well today....two naps! She's resting up for the flight home!

We received pictures today about what our home looks like....from Liz and Jack...see below....and when we arrive home it will be back to sunshine and 80 plus degrees at our Florida home....(sob!)

Our cruise companions....Frank, Grace and Joe...came over tonight for cards and dessert....we're supposed to have a last evening dinner with Ernie and Kim tomorrow but if Ernie is still sick...ain't no way...

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Saturday....December 5th....2009

Lightning win 4 to 0....we sat in row 11....center ice...(that's good....the seats and the score).

Linda is doing well....too well....her brain is working overtime....for what reason we have no clue....she calmed down a bit tonight but it was "nutz"!......she has no clue why she has moved from a depressed state to an overactive state....

Two more Florida days...hopefully the weather will be a it better for us to enjoy the last couple days....

Taylor Swift made a comment during an interview today on TV we liked...."When I go to sleep at night I get to know I have been myself that day and I have been myself for all the days before that and I am just thankful I've been able to do that".

Other news...we are "bagging" the "smart phone" and have bought a mini computer for a ridiculous price of $29 from Verizon.... Internet anywhere...either free WIFI where available or by cell tower through Verizon....

Friday...December 4th...2009

Today is Friday...a few more days and we are back in Oregon......

Linda has felt very down and depressed the last couple/three days..it has been not so good....her blood test yesterday was good...best so far...and a surprise based on how she was feeling...we guess it was the "chemo punnies"....she wasn't sleeping well...didn't want to eat....was very mopey and on the edge of depression.....not good.

Today...She's back!!!!!

We visited a new clinic we are considering using after the holidays..changing from the one we have now...the oncologist here is great but we have a long way to travel and we feel the nurses have been less than helpful and seem not to have an understanding with cancer patients and caregivers..it hasn't been anything big but little things add up and having little things add up is not what we want to deal with....example..the nurse refuses to allow Linda to have her blood drawn through her port....in spite of the fact she...has a port...has bad veins..has had a long experience with bad blood draws...too bad it's inconvenient to the nurse. She also refuse to allow me to accompany Linda back to have her blood drawn..in spite of the fact I am her caregiver...supporter....attentive to the needed information..etc. This bothered others facing the same situation too.

So it's time for a change....

Linda had a good visit at the new place today and we just have a few loose ends to put together to make it work...and the good news is we have time to do this ahead of time....

Hockey tomorrow night after the Lightning lost three on the road..which we saw on TV each time...

Oregon beat Dave's graduate school ala mater (Oregon State 37-33 ) and heads to the Rose Bowl..good luck Ducks....it rained like hell here all day today...unbelievable..have never seen anything like it..must have been in honor of the Oregon Ducks.

Linda wants her hair to be cut like Halee Berry.....not a bad idea....
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Tuesday....December 1st....2009

Linda slept hard..still a bit worn down....a nap this afternoon....no blood pressure issues so far...which is new...good news...some insomnia...some weird dreams....

Crappy hockey last night...ie. we lost...but Linda got pictures taken with the "Lightning Girls" and the mascot "Thunderbug"......

Movie and dinner at our house tonight with friends....