Tomorrow we leave the woods and head to the Oregon Jamboree in Sweethome, Oregon (Tim McGraw tomorrow night)...one of our most favorite events.
Linda is doing well....she believes being at a lower altitude might be helping her breathing and heart...that would be nice...we will be spending a lot of time at lower altitudes over the next few weeks at least...so we shall see.
We enjoy living in the motorhome....it fits nicely with these short trips we have been doing and will do.
Dave has been spending a lot of time recording the past blogs....he has 2007 done and is into February of 2008....someday this will be published....the internet provides a wealth of resources to publish documents like this....
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Tuesday...July 28th...2009
We're on the road....big adventures....
AND....it almost came to a stop immediately..Dave had his second surgery on the inside of his lower lip...stitches were put in....away we went.
And then the stitches fell out!!!!!!!
So Urgent Care (not so urgent though).....to have new stitches in......lost most of a day....this doctor used material better suited for "mouth stitching" and tied multiple knots!
So now we finally are down for the night...Linda is doing well..voice a bit "croaky"....last of the bronchitis we hope....
AND....it almost came to a stop immediately..Dave had his second surgery on the inside of his lower lip...stitches were put in....away we went.
And then the stitches fell out!!!!!!!
So Urgent Care (not so urgent though).....to have new stitches in......lost most of a day....this doctor used material better suited for "mouth stitching" and tied multiple knots!
So now we finally are down for the night...Linda is doing well..voice a bit "croaky"....last of the bronchitis we hope....
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Sunday...July 26th...2009
Another tour of duty at the spec house today....lots of interest and great comments..but "SHOW ME THE MONEY"!!!!!!!!!!......hasn't happened yet.
We then took a trip into Bend to look at a couple of tour homes before everything closed up...and we ran into the Cascade Cycling Classic. The 30th annual Cascade Cycling Classic is the longest consecutively run elite stage race in the country and has attracted most of North America's top cyclists and teams over the years. Today was the 6th and last leg of the Classic. Lance Armstrong has won it before.
Linda is doing well....the cough continues.....so we hope it is the lingering bronchitis....which it should be....we don't like it when there are mixed signals....creates a bit of anxiety.
Tomorrow we rest and then off to the Valley starting Tuesday (after a small surgery) in the motorhome.....activities will include the Oregon Jamboree... a trip to the Coast with family, etc..etc..
We then took a trip into Bend to look at a couple of tour homes before everything closed up...and we ran into the Cascade Cycling Classic. The 30th annual Cascade Cycling Classic is the longest consecutively run elite stage race in the country and has attracted most of North America's top cyclists and teams over the years. Today was the 6th and last leg of the Classic. Lance Armstrong has won it before.
Linda is doing well....the cough continues.....so we hope it is the lingering bronchitis....which it should be....we don't like it when there are mixed signals....creates a bit of anxiety.
Tomorrow we rest and then off to the Valley starting Tuesday (after a small surgery) in the motorhome.....activities will include the Oregon Jamboree... a trip to the Coast with family, etc..etc..
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Saturday, July 25, 2009
Saturday.....July 25th....2009
Brasada RanchRealtor Sandy Kohlmoos
Cushman & Tebbs Sotheby's International Realty
3 Bedrooms, 3.5 Bathrooms Crook County
4,127 Square Feet
$1,295,000.00
Friday, July 24, 2009
Friday....July 24th....2009
Today we went to Brasada Ranch to set up the spec house for an open house as part of the Tour of Homes...the realtor didn't show for over two hours so we were stuck...but Linda likes to show the house to prospective buyers so it wasn't time lost.....but no buyers with money or they had a house to sell.
Linda will be doing the parts of the the next two days and then the Tour is over.
We had an issue of one of her medications having been prescribed in error for a few back months but the pharmacist assured us there was no harm done..the two medications are very close.
Other than being tired from her busy day, Linda had a good one...
Linda will be doing the parts of the the next two days and then the Tour is over.
We had an issue of one of her medications having been prescribed in error for a few back months but the pharmacist assured us there was no harm done..the two medications are very close.
Other than being tired from her busy day, Linda had a good one...
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Wednesday.....July 22nd....2009
Big medical day today...lots of information.....
First....it was another sleep-in day with the windows and door open...but having doctors' appointments got us up earlier today.....we have met with the city and other agencies and have come up with potential solutions for the neighbor conflicts....they must have been waiting for us....and we are ready to address the conflicts with concrete solutions....good for us....we shall see how it all works when they return. ps...the solutions do not including a dog barking!
Our first stop today was Dave's Surgeon to look at the surgery done and to address some concerns. The Doctor saw some inflamed tissue and shot it with steroids to reduce the area....he also saw a hard cyst at the bottom of the surgical area and described it in some detail...that went over the tops of our heads...the bottom line is more surgery to remove it in a week...not a major deal.
Linda saw her Internist today and outlined her concerns....first...low blood pressure...to which she was taken off her blood pressure medication.....second....elevated pulse...to which her medication, reducing that, was increased. Regarding her hormones...normally there might not be a need for them after 5 years...Linda is approaching 20 years....there is an increased risk of certain health issues to take these hormones....but not to take them involves quality of life issues....so a balance has to be found...so Linda will engage in a reduction program and assess the impacts. Linda's cholesterol remains high....so she is back on the reducing medication....and see how she tolerates....it would be bad to go through all this and die of a heart attack.
The Internist responded to the breathing difficulties Linda is experiencing and attributed it to her damaged lungs from the cancer compounded by the bronchitis....the solution was to put her on an inhaler....so hopefully that will help her breathe better. Finally the internist wants to do a bone density test....which will be done in three months along with a recheck of the blood and how the medications are doing.
Whewwwwwwww....lots of stuff today. We also had a chance to go over to the Cancer Center at St. Charles and visit with the Livestrong folks as we have missed much being out of town.
Tomorrow Linda has a meeting in the morning with her local cancer support group.
That's about it.....a very productive day.
First....it was another sleep-in day with the windows and door open...but having doctors' appointments got us up earlier today.....we have met with the city and other agencies and have come up with potential solutions for the neighbor conflicts....they must have been waiting for us....and we are ready to address the conflicts with concrete solutions....good for us....we shall see how it all works when they return. ps...the solutions do not including a dog barking!
Our first stop today was Dave's Surgeon to look at the surgery done and to address some concerns. The Doctor saw some inflamed tissue and shot it with steroids to reduce the area....he also saw a hard cyst at the bottom of the surgical area and described it in some detail...that went over the tops of our heads...the bottom line is more surgery to remove it in a week...not a major deal.
Linda saw her Internist today and outlined her concerns....first...low blood pressure...to which she was taken off her blood pressure medication.....second....elevated pulse...to which her medication, reducing that, was increased. Regarding her hormones...normally there might not be a need for them after 5 years...Linda is approaching 20 years....there is an increased risk of certain health issues to take these hormones....but not to take them involves quality of life issues....so a balance has to be found...so Linda will engage in a reduction program and assess the impacts. Linda's cholesterol remains high....so she is back on the reducing medication....and see how she tolerates....it would be bad to go through all this and die of a heart attack.
The Internist responded to the breathing difficulties Linda is experiencing and attributed it to her damaged lungs from the cancer compounded by the bronchitis....the solution was to put her on an inhaler....so hopefully that will help her breathe better. Finally the internist wants to do a bone density test....which will be done in three months along with a recheck of the blood and how the medications are doing.
Whewwwwwwww....lots of stuff today. We also had a chance to go over to the Cancer Center at St. Charles and visit with the Livestrong folks as we have missed much being out of town.
Tomorrow Linda has a meeting in the morning with her local cancer support group.
That's about it.....a very productive day.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Tuesday....July 21st...2009
Linda has a doctor appointment tomorrow with her primary doctor....an Internist....we want to get a handle on the blood pressure issues cropping up as well as pulse escalations...Linda is also checking on her hormones, etc..etc. Hopefully these side issues will be dealt with and then our focus can return to the cancer treatments.
Dave goes back to the surgeon tomorrow to have his mouth checked....he is looking for a followup "check off"..ie., everything ok.
Linda went to the Dentist today...we are moving forward to have her teeth bonding removed....which is quite old....and replaced with veneers. Dave had two of his done a couple of years ago and is very happy with the results. Because of insurance caps, Linda will have one veneer done along with a crown this insurance year (prior to October 1) and then the remainder done after October 1. If we get to return to Florida for October and November, Linda will have them done in December. This will definitely improve her smile...the Dentist was amazed that the bonding lasted this long.
Oh what a quiet day....no dog...no neighbors.....all of our windows and outside door to the master bedroom were thrown open....Linda got out of bed at 11 am and Dave slept until almost noon...HOW SWEET IT IS!!!!!!!!! The air was sweet and warm.....the noise of the creek was soft....we ate it up. More tomorrow......
Dave goes back to the surgeon tomorrow to have his mouth checked....he is looking for a followup "check off"..ie., everything ok.
Linda went to the Dentist today...we are moving forward to have her teeth bonding removed....which is quite old....and replaced with veneers. Dave had two of his done a couple of years ago and is very happy with the results. Because of insurance caps, Linda will have one veneer done along with a crown this insurance year (prior to October 1) and then the remainder done after October 1. If we get to return to Florida for October and November, Linda will have them done in December. This will definitely improve her smile...the Dentist was amazed that the bonding lasted this long.
Oh what a quiet day....no dog...no neighbors.....all of our windows and outside door to the master bedroom were thrown open....Linda got out of bed at 11 am and Dave slept until almost noon...HOW SWEET IT IS!!!!!!!!! The air was sweet and warm.....the noise of the creek was soft....we ate it up. More tomorrow......
Monday, July 20, 2009
Monday.....July 20th...2009
Dave and I had a successful day yesterday covering the open house at Brasada Ranch for the realtors. It was a beautiful day and we had a good turnout. Everybody loves the house, but I've yet to see anyone putting any money down. I had to come home and take a late nap as it wore me out, but I'm still determined to get this house ready this morning for an open house here this afternoon. We told our realtors for our personal home that if we're just hanging around the house, we'd put an open house sign out and see if we could attract any lookers.
I think my bronchitis is pretty much gone, but I still have some sinus infection I'm dealing with. People say it hangs on a while, so I should be patient. Patience has never been one of my virtues. I want us both well so we can do some more travelling.
I hope you're all enjoying your summer. Appreciate each day.
Love and gratitude.......Linda
I think my bronchitis is pretty much gone, but I still have some sinus infection I'm dealing with. People say it hangs on a while, so I should be patient. Patience has never been one of my virtues. I want us both well so we can do some more travelling.
I hope you're all enjoying your summer. Appreciate each day.
Love and gratitude.......Linda
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Saturday....July 18th....2009
We were skipping the BLOG as we are still sick with nothing new to report and we have to do the open house tomorrow at our "spec house" all day......BUT THEN THE NEIGHBORS DOG WOKE US.....Grrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!
We cannot have our windows or door open at night because of the barking.....
I put an ad on our Facebook for a free white untrained dog but then changed it to a free white untrained neighbor.
Now neither one of us can sleep...
Mary and Claudia....warm up....we might need you....
We cannot have our windows or door open at night because of the barking.....
I put an ad on our Facebook for a free white untrained dog but then changed it to a free white untrained neighbor.
Now neither one of us can sleep...
Mary and Claudia....warm up....we might need you....
Friday, July 17, 2009
Friday...July 17th...2009
Awful day today..both of us have a very bad case of bronchitis..."dem" Nebraska bugs are very nasty!....we both agree this is the sickest we have felt in a very long time (cancer treatments excluded)....we hope the next few days bring relief.
We had to go to our project home and prepare for the Tour of Homes in the neighborhood... hoping to draw some prospects...mowing the lawn....cutting the weeds...vacuming....cleaning toilets...etc.....about did us in... We are not very strong but it was an important task to complete.
Today our dear friend from Champ Car days...Nancy...and Gene...stopped by to visit...it was great to see them again...we felt bad we weren't able to invite them to spend the night as we didn't want this nasty bug to go any further because of us.
The dog next door has calmed down....we think they let him do what he wants when we are gone and then after we return there is a nasty short period of time followed by an effort to keep him from barking or at least on the other side of their property....of course we still have the fence issue which sucks. And we appreciate the offers to "intervene"...a couple of those ladies I wouldn't want to mess with....
.
Linda put together a hot air balloon ride with grand daughter Jillian and son Jim while Dave is in Wings in a couple of weeks...we are excited for them...
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Thursday, July 16, 2009
Thursday......July 16th...2009
Quite an eventful day in terms of medical information...not sure we understood it all.....
Linda met with her Oncologist this morning....she was concerned that her bronchitis would affect her treatment schedule but the Oncologist saw her immune system as being at a good level....so forward she went.
The discussion centered around next steps...Linda had her 2nd cycle (3 week cycle each) start today....The Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland had recommended the Avastin as a maintenance program....and she also is getting a bone builder every other cycle (so not this day) in case there is cancer in the bone...too early to tell...better safe than sorry.
Linda will do her 3rd cycle of Avastin on August 5th....then the 4th cycle on August 27th....
3 weeks after that, the Oncologist wants to do a scan...so on or about September 17th. The reason for this is to determine whether the cancer is progressing....in spite of the maintenance program. The Oncologist discussed options in case this happens....he mentioned several drugs he can use to see if they are effective including some chemos again (how does one say "loss of hair" again?).
He also mentioned Tarceva. Tarceva (erlotinib) is a pill a patient takes once a day. The recommended amount is 150 mg a day...Tarceva is a targeted cancer treatment. Tarceva is designed to block cell tumor cell growth by targeting the protein in the body called the Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 1 (HER1/ EGFR). It is a second line of treatment for non small cell lung cancer. To determine its potential effectiveness, a portion of Linda's prior biopsy will be sent off to conduct a EGFR mutational analysis as well as a KRAS mutational analysis....what does all this mean?.....we are not sure other than it will determine whether the Tarceva can be effective as a targeted treatment.
So Linda did her infusion of Avastin.....weathered it well....and over the next few weeks, time and the tests will determine where this is going.....
Linda met with her Oncologist this morning....she was concerned that her bronchitis would affect her treatment schedule but the Oncologist saw her immune system as being at a good level....so forward she went.
The discussion centered around next steps...Linda had her 2nd cycle (3 week cycle each) start today....The Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland had recommended the Avastin as a maintenance program....and she also is getting a bone builder every other cycle (so not this day) in case there is cancer in the bone...too early to tell...better safe than sorry.
Linda will do her 3rd cycle of Avastin on August 5th....then the 4th cycle on August 27th....
3 weeks after that, the Oncologist wants to do a scan...so on or about September 17th. The reason for this is to determine whether the cancer is progressing....in spite of the maintenance program. The Oncologist discussed options in case this happens....he mentioned several drugs he can use to see if they are effective including some chemos again (how does one say "loss of hair" again?).
He also mentioned Tarceva. Tarceva (erlotinib) is a pill a patient takes once a day. The recommended amount is 150 mg a day...Tarceva is a targeted cancer treatment. Tarceva is designed to block cell tumor cell growth by targeting the protein in the body called the Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 1 (HER1/ EGFR). It is a second line of treatment for non small cell lung cancer. To determine its potential effectiveness, a portion of Linda's prior biopsy will be sent off to conduct a EGFR mutational analysis as well as a KRAS mutational analysis....what does all this mean?.....we are not sure other than it will determine whether the Tarceva can be effective as a targeted treatment.
So Linda did her infusion of Avastin.....weathered it well....and over the next few weeks, time and the tests will determine where this is going.....
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Wednesday ......July 15th......2009
Tomorrow is Linda's Oncology appointment as well as scheduled infusion of Avastin.....she is very concerned about the bronchitis and sinus infection and its impact on her treatment...her heart rate has been high and raising concerns as to what it is tied to....so we need to ask about that tomorrow..and her stomach is feeling uneasy so she is not eating properly....she has gone back on the Culturelle...which we hope does the trick....
We are not that happy to be home as we had an immediate conflict with our neighbor....the dog again....as soon as we walked in front of our place the dog started barking again (old behavior)...and to our astonishment, the neighbor had extended his garden enclosure to the front part of our home..now the dog was practically in our face....it got worse...not wanting to bore you with the details...there is now a total communications breakdown...this fellow's sense of fairness and reality and the truth follows a strange path. The final blow was his dog barking at 11 pm to which the owner minimized the impact....now we cannot sleep with our windows open....the only solution at this point seems to be to tolerate the erratic behavior and hope a buyer comes by. We don't need this guy right now. Like Linda said ..."The straw that broke the camel's back finally happened".... "We always wondered if it might happen".
The good news is we have some great plans over the next few weeks and plan on getting away and enjoying life.
Tonight we saw 4 baby skunks with their mother scurrying along with their tails high in the air...wish we could have gotten a picture...but they were across the creek.
We are not that happy to be home as we had an immediate conflict with our neighbor....the dog again....as soon as we walked in front of our place the dog started barking again (old behavior)...and to our astonishment, the neighbor had extended his garden enclosure to the front part of our home..now the dog was practically in our face....it got worse...not wanting to bore you with the details...there is now a total communications breakdown...this fellow's sense of fairness and reality and the truth follows a strange path. The final blow was his dog barking at 11 pm to which the owner minimized the impact....now we cannot sleep with our windows open....the only solution at this point seems to be to tolerate the erratic behavior and hope a buyer comes by. We don't need this guy right now. Like Linda said ..."The straw that broke the camel's back finally happened".... "We always wondered if it might happen".
The good news is we have some great plans over the next few weeks and plan on getting away and enjoying life.
Tonight we saw 4 baby skunks with their mother scurrying along with their tails high in the air...wish we could have gotten a picture...but they were across the creek.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Tuesday....July 14th...2009
Day 18 of The Great Nebraskan Adventure...
339 miles and we are home today....Marlin and Joni left early this am...we are getting ready to go.
339 miles and we are home today....Marlin and Joni left early this am...we are getting ready to go.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Monday....July 13th...2009
Day 17....Back to The great Nebraskan Adventure....279 miles to Boise, Idaho
After a day "off", we've met back up with Marlin and Joni and traveled to Boise....they did a 10 hour day yesterday seeing the rest of Yellowstone and venturing into Grand Tetons National Park....while we rested...and rested...and did small chores.
Linda is feeling a bit stronger...still very sick with the bronchitis and she believes a sinus infection (not uncommon for her)....we just have to "sit" it out till the antibiotics do their thing. She is sleeping at the moment.
Tomorrow we are completing our last "leg" of the trip..back to Sisters, Oregon....the Adventure will be completed....the good news is tonight we are parked close to the Rasmussens (Marlin and Joni)....we stayed at this park on our way to Nebraska and warned the owner that we might not be speaking at the end of the trip and would need spots at opposite ends of the park...but we are still talking so no need for that.
After a day "off", we've met back up with Marlin and Joni and traveled to Boise....they did a 10 hour day yesterday seeing the rest of Yellowstone and venturing into Grand Tetons National Park....while we rested...and rested...and did small chores.
Linda is feeling a bit stronger...still very sick with the bronchitis and she believes a sinus infection (not uncommon for her)....we just have to "sit" it out till the antibiotics do their thing. She is sleeping at the moment.
Tomorrow we are completing our last "leg" of the trip..back to Sisters, Oregon....the Adventure will be completed....the good news is tonight we are parked close to the Rasmussens (Marlin and Joni)....we stayed at this park on our way to Nebraska and warned the owner that we might not be speaking at the end of the trip and would need spots at opposite ends of the park...but we are still talking so no need for that.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Sunday....July 12th...2009
Day Whatever of The Great Nebraskan Adventure.....the "early edition"....
Linda awoke at 5 am with the chills....another thing we have to watch with the chemo and all...then she threw up....twice ....and then...and then....We decided to abandon The Great Nebraskan Adventure and seek medical assistance....being totally uncomfortable with the nearest medical facility being 80 miles away.....so we "bailed", leaving Marlin and Joni to see the rest of Yellowstone National Park without us.
We ended up in Idaho Falls after a 107 mile drive and sought care at an Idaho Urgent Care Facility....good choice....they were wonderful....first...a blood test which showed Linda's immune system was normal...that was a "biggie" .....if it was compromised.....bad deal....and then the Doctor called the Oncologist in Oregon and talked to her (Linda's Oncologist partner on duty) and they agreed on a course of action, having diagnosed the problem as bronchitis....compounded by the fact that Linda was "run down".
So here we are ....strong meds for Linda....in a very nice RV park in Idaho Falls...waiting for Marlin and Joni to show up tomorrow...on the way to Boise for the night (279 miles).
A comment: Not a big deal how Linda got her "germs"....it could have happened many ways with the number of people she hugged and kissed in Nebraska....."It is what it is"....and now she is resting and medically checked out...and she gets a day off to sleep....we feel much better knowing what it is and that she is not in danger...and the good news is Marlin and Joni don't have to worry about her passing it on to them as we were going to ride around the Park together again....so "all is good"
Linda awoke at 5 am with the chills....another thing we have to watch with the chemo and all...then she threw up....twice ....and then...and then....We decided to abandon The Great Nebraskan Adventure and seek medical assistance....being totally uncomfortable with the nearest medical facility being 80 miles away.....so we "bailed", leaving Marlin and Joni to see the rest of Yellowstone National Park without us.
We ended up in Idaho Falls after a 107 mile drive and sought care at an Idaho Urgent Care Facility....good choice....they were wonderful....first...a blood test which showed Linda's immune system was normal...that was a "biggie" .....if it was compromised.....bad deal....and then the Doctor called the Oncologist in Oregon and talked to her (Linda's Oncologist partner on duty) and they agreed on a course of action, having diagnosed the problem as bronchitis....compounded by the fact that Linda was "run down".
So here we are ....strong meds for Linda....in a very nice RV park in Idaho Falls...waiting for Marlin and Joni to show up tomorrow...on the way to Boise for the night (279 miles).
A comment: Not a big deal how Linda got her "germs"....it could have happened many ways with the number of people she hugged and kissed in Nebraska....."It is what it is"....and now she is resting and medically checked out...and she gets a day off to sleep....we feel much better knowing what it is and that she is not in danger...and the good news is Marlin and Joni don't have to worry about her passing it on to them as we were going to ride around the Park together again....so "all is good"
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Saturday....July 11th...2009
Day 15 of The Great Alaskan Adventure....200 miles to Yellowstone....through the East Entrance....now camped at the West Entrance.....Part of Yellowstone including Old Faithful done by RV today....tomorrow a whole day of exploration by truck.Linda's health is precarious....the germs she picked up have given to increased temperatures twice today...100.3 and tonight it was 99.9. If her temperature reaches 100.5, a call has to be made to the Bend, Oregon clinic for the doctor on duty....which usually means a trip to the emergency room....except it is 80 miles away. So we are watching it closely....
If her temperature increases, it can mean that the germs are gaining on the immune system which can be compromised by the treatments for the cancer....
Our hope is everything stabilizes and she has a good day tomorrow...
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Friday, July 10, 2009
Friday....July 10th...2009
Day 14 of The Great Nebraskan Adventure....Marlin drove all to Mount Rushmore...then around the Needle Hiway etc., etc......then 251 miles to Sheridan, Wyoming.....tomorrow west to Yellowstone.
Linda here, thinking it was time I checked in again. It was a day full of adventure and great scenery. I hadn't been to Mt. Rushmore in about 20 years and it has really changed as far as tourist amenities. We did a lot of walking and climbing there, so I am more worn out than I have been on this trip. It was still worth the energy I spent. I didn't remember South Dakota had such beautiful areas. The trees and rock outcroppings were spectacular.
I feel sad to have left Nebraska, as I had such a wonderful time. I want to take this chance to thank all my wonderful family members that came to all the reunions to see me. I can't begin to tell you how much it meant to me to visit with you all. The memories will keep me happy and grateful for a long time. I pray that it won't be the last visit with you. Thank you again.
Love and gratitude........Linda
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ps...looks like Linda might have caught a cold like illness...it has wiped her out tonight...she thought it was being tired and the cough due to the cancer but now it looks cold like...she got warned after the fact that this might have happened....now we will monitor closely to make sure no fever or anything as we are unsure of the white blood cell counts....she went to bed early....
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Thursday, July 9, 2009
Thursday...July 9th...2009
Day 13 of The great Nebraskan Adventure....509 Miles today....Yikes!
We left Fremont Nebraska at 6 am this morning with many miles to travel before getting to our destination in Mount Rushmore.....Nebraska to Iowa (briefly) to South Dakota (almost its entire length).
We stopped at the Missouri River and got lots of info at the Visitor's Center including a recommendation to do the loop through the Badlands National Park...which proved to be simply amazing with its formations left from erosion, creek flows and glaciers.
Linda is doing extremely well....lots of energy....and excitement for each leg of the trip.
Tomorrow its Mount Rushmore and then 250 plus miles to the outside of Yellowstone National Park.
ps....tomorrow morning the RV park has all the pancakes one can eat for a dollar....they will lose money...as we like pancakes.
pss....lots of lightning....thunder....and rain tonight...
We left Fremont Nebraska at 6 am this morning with many miles to travel before getting to our destination in Mount Rushmore.....Nebraska to Iowa (briefly) to South Dakota (almost its entire length).
We stopped at the Missouri River and got lots of info at the Visitor's Center including a recommendation to do the loop through the Badlands National Park...which proved to be simply amazing with its formations left from erosion, creek flows and glaciers.
Linda is doing extremely well....lots of energy....and excitement for each leg of the trip.
Tomorrow its Mount Rushmore and then 250 plus miles to the outside of Yellowstone National Park.
ps....tomorrow morning the RV park has all the pancakes one can eat for a dollar....they will lose money...as we like pancakes.
pss....lots of lightning....thunder....and rain tonight...
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Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Wednesday....July 8th....2009
Day 11 of The Great Nebraskan Adventure....no miles today....local travel....509 miles tomorrow to Rapid City, South Dakota.....Uggggggg!....longest stretch of travel of the trip.
Low key am with Linda's Sister Karen and Niece Deb having spent their second night with us in the RV. Big storm during the night with horrific winds and lightning...followed by an incredible downpour....we dressed in case of a tornado so we would be found decently dressed. It finally passed but we lost sleep. Then we were awakened in the am by a crew wanting us to move the RV 10 feet so they could install a temporary fence....no way....10,000 feet or 1 foot...it takes a lot to move an RV with slides.....and jacks...and...and. We finally negotiated removing the bikes from the back so they could install the fence close.....but again more sleep lost.....Grrrrrrr!
Tonight was the Taylor reunion picnic (Linda's Mother's side of the family)....having done the Rasmussens (Linda's father)....and the Emkens (Linda's first husband). Linda hadn't seen many of them for years....Linda hadn't seen some of her cousins in 20 to 40 years. She was very appreciative that so many came to see her (along with her brother and sister). It was very heartfelt for Linda and reinforced for her why she had made the trip. Many childhood stories were shared....
Below are many pictures of the evening.....there are many...many more.....no room for all....
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Low key am with Linda's Sister Karen and Niece Deb having spent their second night with us in the RV. Big storm during the night with horrific winds and lightning...followed by an incredible downpour....we dressed in case of a tornado so we would be found decently dressed. It finally passed but we lost sleep. Then we were awakened in the am by a crew wanting us to move the RV 10 feet so they could install a temporary fence....no way....10,000 feet or 1 foot...it takes a lot to move an RV with slides.....and jacks...and...and. We finally negotiated removing the bikes from the back so they could install the fence close.....but again more sleep lost.....Grrrrrrr!
Tonight was the Taylor reunion picnic (Linda's Mother's side of the family)....having done the Rasmussens (Linda's father)....and the Emkens (Linda's first husband). Linda hadn't seen many of them for years....Linda hadn't seen some of her cousins in 20 to 40 years. She was very appreciative that so many came to see her (along with her brother and sister). It was very heartfelt for Linda and reinforced for her why she had made the trip. Many childhood stories were shared....
Below are many pictures of the evening.....there are many...many more.....no room for all....
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Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Tuesday....July 7th...2009
Day 11 of The Great Nebraskan Adventure.....Not much driving today...took a l-o-n-g walk....
Linda's sister Karen flew in from Oregon a day ago and got connected with her daughter Deb who lives here in Nebraska .....both spent last night with us....yes ....in the motorhome....short showers for all!
Today we took a walk in the local cemetery to see Linda's departed relatives including one from the civil war. Linda and her siblings also visited an uncle and aunt, who are in assisted living.
Tonight Karen took us to dinner and is spending the night...niece Deb shared her love of photography by showing us a web site of pictures she is featuring....one of which I purchased (Come Walk With Me...(to the right) http://ebbers.redbubble.com/works ). She has a gift that she is working to acknowledge.
Tomorrow we attend a picnic of the relations on Linda's Mother's side (the Taylors) and get the motorhome ready for "heading up the highway" as we leave very early Thursday morning.
Linda CONTINUES to be strong and energetic....she is very much enjoying and taking in fully this experience.
Linda's sister Karen flew in from Oregon a day ago and got connected with her daughter Deb who lives here in Nebraska .....both spent last night with us....yes ....in the motorhome....short showers for all!
Today we took a walk in the local cemetery to see Linda's departed relatives including one from the civil war. Linda and her siblings also visited an uncle and aunt, who are in assisted living.
Tonight Karen took us to dinner and is spending the night...niece Deb shared her love of photography by showing us a web site of pictures she is featuring....one of which I purchased (Come Walk With Me...(to the right) http://ebbers.redbubble.com/works ). She has a gift that she is working to acknowledge.Tomorrow we attend a picnic of the relations on Linda's Mother's side (the Taylors) and get the motorhome ready for "heading up the highway" as we leave very early Thursday morning.
Linda CONTINUES to be strong and energetic....she is very much enjoying and taking in fully this experience.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Monday....July 6th...2009
Day 10 of The Great Nebraskan Adventure...No Miles...rides from relatives....wonderful!
Today we had breakfast with cousin Ruth Ann...Linda put together a great breakfast. Then Linda's Brother in law Ken and Sister in law Janet came from Omaha and took us there to see some sights.....We had a great time at the Lauritzen Botanical Gardens seeing wonderful gardens and historical railroad trains (Big Boy # 4023 and Centennial #6900). We then went downtown to see the town (city) and to have dinner (outside at the Upstream Brewery). To our delight, Facebook Friends Alex and Katelynn (grand daughters of Ken and Janet) joined us for dinner.
Linda continues to amaze us with her energy....keeps up....no naps....stays up late. How long will this continue....a long time we hope. Linda has her relatives to thank...they are the "best medication" possible....she continues to be excited and loves this trip...
Today we had breakfast with cousin Ruth Ann...Linda put together a great breakfast. Then Linda's Brother in law Ken and Sister in law Janet came from Omaha and took us there to see some sights.....We had a great time at the Lauritzen Botanical Gardens seeing wonderful gardens and historical railroad trains (Big Boy # 4023 and Centennial #6900). We then went downtown to see the town (city) and to have dinner (outside at the Upstream Brewery). To our delight, Facebook Friends Alex and Katelynn (grand daughters of Ken and Janet) joined us for dinner.
Linda continues to amaze us with her energy....keeps up....no naps....stays up late. How long will this continue....a long time we hope. Linda has her relatives to thank...they are the "best medication" possible....she continues to be excited and loves this trip...
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Sunday, July 5, 2009
Sunday....July 5th....2009
Day 9 of The Great Nebraskan Adventure.....no miles....local travel.....whewwwww!
Last night we had dinner with Marlin and Joni and Pat Taylor, Linda's cousin's wife....Linda's cousin was still in the hospital recovering from surgery.....then we all went back to where our motorhome was parked, as that was where the local fireworks took place....in our face! We have never been so close to fireworks....what a show.
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Today we had lunch with the Rasmussen family across the parking lot in the meeting center here at Christianson Field.....the Rasmussens are Linda's Father's part of the family....today Linda's cousins were there....offspring of Linda's Father's brothers and Sister.
Then it was off to the Emken family get together for a picnic dinner.....the Emkens are Linda's first husband's side of the family (Linda was a widow). Linda's brothers in law and sister in law were there as many of their sons and daughters. The dinner and company was delightful. Linda's brother in law Al and his wife Barb, took us for a spin around town in his 1965 mustang convertible.
Linda continues to have high energy and is feeling good...no time for naps but she is holding up well....so well she didn't feel the need to wear her wig today....I was proud of her.
Tomorrow one of her cousins, Ruth Ann, is coming for breakfast and then her brother in law Ken and wife Janet are going to take us to Omaha for visits.....a full day ahead.
We want to take a moment and say thank you so much for these Relations meeting with Linda in this way....they/you are all special people and this means so much to Linda and her "Journey"....THANK YOU.
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Last night we had dinner with Marlin and Joni and Pat Taylor, Linda's cousin's wife....Linda's cousin was still in the hospital recovering from surgery.....then we all went back to where our motorhome was parked, as that was where the local fireworks took place....in our face! We have never been so close to fireworks....what a show.
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Today we had lunch with the Rasmussen family across the parking lot in the meeting center here at Christianson Field.....the Rasmussens are Linda's Father's part of the family....today Linda's cousins were there....offspring of Linda's Father's brothers and Sister.Then it was off to the Emken family get together for a picnic dinner.....the Emkens are Linda's first husband's side of the family (Linda was a widow). Linda's brothers in law and sister in law were there as many of their sons and daughters. The dinner and company was delightful. Linda's brother in law Al and his wife Barb, took us for a spin around town in his 1965 mustang convertible.
Linda continues to have high energy and is feeling good...no time for naps but she is holding up well....so well she didn't feel the need to wear her wig today....I was proud of her.
Tomorrow one of her cousins, Ruth Ann, is coming for breakfast and then her brother in law Ken and wife Janet are going to take us to Omaha for visits.....a full day ahead.
We want to take a moment and say thank you so much for these Relations meeting with Linda in this way....they/you are all special people and this means so much to Linda and her "Journey"....THANK YOU.
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Saturday, July 4, 2009
Saturday...July 4th...2009
Day 8 of The Great Nebraskan Adventure....43 miles....Fremont, Nebraska.....5 nights
We are at the airport/fairgrounds here in Fremont for 5 days....great RV spot for $9/day...not bad. Tonight the local fireworks are to be here too...so we will have a front row seat.
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Last night's dinner was to honor Jacob Stock....graduating from the International High School as well as South Eugene High school and heading to the University of Virginia. His Grandfather Lyle and Grandmother Margaret and Father Ron (Dr. Ron) and Mother Deb and Sister Isabelle and Uncle Darrell and Aunt Shar and Uncle David and Aunt Sharon, among others, were there to celebrate this intelligent, gentle and pleasant young man.
Pictures of all were in one or more of the pictures with Linda last night.
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Linda continues to be in "high" energy....no symptoms of any problems.....
Tonight we have dinner with Linda's Cousins John and Pat Taylor (On Linda's Mother's side).
ps....in the picture with Jacob is young Colton, second cousin, who we had a good time with last night.
We are at the airport/fairgrounds here in Fremont for 5 days....great RV spot for $9/day...not bad. Tonight the local fireworks are to be here too...so we will have a front row seat.
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Last night's dinner was to honor Jacob Stock....graduating from the International High School as well as South Eugene High school and heading to the University of Virginia. His Grandfather Lyle and Grandmother Margaret and Father Ron (Dr. Ron) and Mother Deb and Sister Isabelle and Uncle Darrell and Aunt Shar and Uncle David and Aunt Sharon, among others, were there to celebrate this intelligent, gentle and pleasant young man.
Pictures of all were in one or more of the pictures with Linda last night.
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Linda continues to be in "high" energy....no symptoms of any problems.....
Tonight we have dinner with Linda's Cousins John and Pat Taylor (On Linda's Mother's side).
ps....in the picture with Jacob is young Colton, second cousin, who we had a good time with last night.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Friday...July 3rd....2009
The Great Nebraskan Adventure...Day 7.....no miles (Marlin drove...we sat)...
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Linda here........What a day! I was lucky to have a good day health wise. My heart rate and pulse were behaving which I really appreciated and all the relatives I got to see filled me with unexpected energy. Most importantly, I got to see my Aunt Margaret and Uncle Lyle whom I love dearly and hadn't seen for a long time. I got to visit with their three sons and some of their families also.
There is nothing like revisiting great childhood memories, and I am fortunate to only have great memories. I am so blessed to have come from such a loving family. It seems like since my cancer was diagnosed, I have become so much more grateful for things I believe I just took for granted before. My emotions and my love for friends and family are much closer to the surface than ever before.
I look forward to the days ahead when I will get to see more and more of all these special people who have had such a role in my life.
Thank you all for staying so connected to me. I love you and appreciate you more than I can ever say.
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Love and Gratitude....Linda..
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