Sunday...January 31st...2010

Today was a busy day of packing....daughter Janine took on the library shelves with the assistance of her Mother...who sat and directed. Linda made the right decision to pare down her collection of books dramatically. Having all the books boxed up at this point puts us a day ahead of schedule. Thank you Janine....you are special.....

The proposed renter at the spec home at Brasada Ranch has failed to follow through with his agreements and all so Linda has withdrawn the offer to rent...she sees problems with him as a renter as indicated by his actions to this point......so what does that mean....cancellation of the moving truck to Portland and back to plan A of "staging"our furniture at the Brasada house and storing our boxes there also.....So this Thursday and Friday will be the actual move with sons Jim and Jeff providing the "manpower". Jeff will come Tuesday to finish the packing and getting things organized for the move.

Saturday will be the grand cleaning day with daughter Wendy and son in law Chris and daughter Janine and boyfriend Tyson arriving to do the cleaning. Saturday night we should all be done and heading to Portland. Sunday we plan on enjoying the Super Bowl together and celebrating Wendy's birthday.

Today was a small bit sad as we looked though albums of how we were once younger......better looking....more energy....not concerned about illnesses.....wild and out of control about each other....etc...etc....ps....we got over it quickly.......

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Saturday....January 30th...2010

Just a quick report...I think Linda is doing much better today...perhaps she is on her way up and out of the "punies"...we can only hope.....

We made great progress on the packing today....daughter Janine and boyfriend Tyson did all the art...and there is a lot...now all boxed up and protected...we think we are a day ahead of schedule and start on "thining" the library tomorrow and packing it up....

The big problem we are having is the "supposed" renter for the Brasada house....he wanted it..finally got what he wanted and now he seems to keep putting off a final decision....which hurts us as we stopped a loan modification on the house which would have benefited us....to rent to him....and we rented a truck to take our household goods to Portland to store rather than store and "stage" the Brasada house while we are in Florida.....

The garage sale....made $5 today....made $46 the other day....hey it's gas money to get out of town.....OK??????

Friday....January 29th...2010

IMPORTANT NOTICE.........read on...

The Woods' are having a garage sale starting yesterday and continuing until they move next weekend.....if you are within driving distance of Sisters, Oregon (you might consider flying in also)...bring your MONEY.....good stuff...well some of it anyway.... 927 E Creekside Ct...

Oh.....and Mrs. Wood is still "punie"....not much energy....and she's surviving....

Surgery plus chemo equals punies

ps....regarding the above sale, unreasonable offers might be refused....

Thursday.....January 28th...2010....760th Blog

4am ...up and at it...taking Miss Janet to the airport...groan...and having said that, it was a very small price to pay for the incredible amount of help we got.....thanks again Janet!

Linda started with a "moppy day".....but as the day went along she get "better"...still wandering through the "chemo punies"...we hope that ends pretty soon....

Lot of packing today.....finding little "stashes" here and there to pack.....

Daughter Janine comes tomorrow night....her task will be to take all the art off the walls ( and under the beds) and catalog it and protect it by putting it in cardboard.....

Wednesday....January 27th...2010

Busy day today....First, Linda and Dave went to Bend to see the surgeon for an evaluation of her surgery....she is healing nicely and the "wound" is progressing well.....no concerns....the surgeon's assistant did say that it was 3 weeks from the surgery and it usually takes up to 6 weeks to feel back to normal....

The reversal of the colostomy was discussed...she said it usually is about 6 to 9 months before an evaluation takes place...because of the scarring and all involved....anything sooner could very likely cause additional problems...she was very clear that it is "elective surgery" and actually is more complicated than the original surgery and involves hospitalization and healing time..and..and. Linda seemed satisfied with the discussion and not in a rush to have anything changed...she seems more adapted with her situation and time will tell if this is necessary for her.....

When we were leaving, the surgeon came out trying to find Linda....down the hall....it was very clear that he cared about her and wanted her to know that...it was very touching and very kind of him....

We then had to go to the outpatient portion of the hospital to visit with the ostomy nurse......we had a little time beforehand and walked down to the radiation center where Linda did her earlier treatment and also the Livestrong program...all the folks were excited to see Linda and were blown away at how good she looked for what she had been through...the visit with the nurse was very beneficial.....she reviewed what we had been doing and what we had planned for the future in terms of the various ostomy products...we agreed on a plan of action and meet again before we go to Florida to start ordering supplies.....no more home nursing is required...this nurse was very pleased with our progress.

Today was Janet's last day here in Central Oregon...to be truthful, she was running out of things to do...her fault for working so hard and efficiently.....we are very thankful for her help and for her family allowing her to come....now it's only about getting up at 4 am to get her to the airport...yawn!!!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU JANET!!!!!!

The closing is proceeding on time and without glitches...we are having problems with the potential renting of the Brasada spec house.....with the bank being the biggest obstacle....we are so fed up with the banking system in this country who took our governmental money and then are dumping houses for ridiculous prices, destroying the market further..losing millions of dollars in the process but doing well because of our money...almost makes me want to puke! We either are getting a renter or not having one because we have a construction loan and the bank wants us to sell the property with no buyers in sight..and the only closings have been bankruptcies where the bank loss a lot of money...go figure...anyway this should clear up soon...and means we store our belongings in Portland or "stage" the spec house at Brasada...we'd like to know....

Tuesday....January 26th...2010

Today Linda got up but was dragging a "big anchor".....she was having a bad bad case of the "chemo punies"...yesterday wasn't that hot either....so we decided to go to Bend and see the Oncologist for a blood test. The test was fine...Linda's blood workup was good....just a bad case of the "punies. So they sat her down for two hours and gave her infusions for hydration...which made all the difference in the world. Hopefully tomorrow she will be "out of the woods" with this .

Tomorrow Linda sees the surgeon to review the ruptured colon surgery and see how she is healing. Then it's on the the Ostomy Clinic to see what and how she is doing.

Then back home packing....we have Janet for one more day...she has done a great job and has been/is a lot of help....made a lot of difference. Janine comes Friday night for the weekend and her focus will be boxing up the art work. Jeff comes Tuesday for a couple three days and his focus will be the books....sorting and boxing....

Monday....January 25th....2010.....757th Blog

Hard day's work today.....we are making great headway......yesterday we worked into the afternoon and then "speed watched" the two football playoff games....neither of our favorites won....

Linda and Dave met with the title company today to get the closing papers in order...it looks like everything is proceeding along fine......we are actually signing on the 5th to close on the 8th so we can get a head start to Portland to store our "stuff" and get ready to fly to Florida.....we are also packing the RV so we have "stuff" we need when we come back to Oregon.

Janet continues to be a super worker...(see picture below!!!!!!)...(the picture is actually at 9 pm).....she has a good work ethic we hope our kids match when they show to help....we shall see.

Tomorrow Janet and Linda are "working" together.....with Linda sitting and pointing a lot...Dave is spending the day in the garage organizing the garage sale stuff (he has made $46 so far).

Jim and Jenn stopped by yesterday on their way home from skiing.....

Linda is in the midst of the "chemo punies"...our hope is it is not lengthy as a result of the major surgery...it usually lasts 2 to 3 days...we shall see..

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Saturday...January 23rd...20120

Still no pics...too busy!

Linda "slumped" today....duh!.....major surgery.....chemo.....not drinking enough water...not sleeping enough.....we think she's "got it".....ie ...slow down....rest....drink lots of water....

Major progress today.....Janet doing a super job.....

Tomorrow a "light day" as we plan on quiting early and watching the football playoffs.....tape delaying the first one so we can skip all the commercials.....Go Brett...Go Vikings....

Friday....January 22nd...2010

We are so "caught up" in the packing we are "blogless"..ie. we haven't taken the time to write on the blog nor take any pictures....tomorrow we will do better......maybe....

With Janet's help, we are whizzing right along.....much further along than we figured we'd be. We have a Uhaul rented on the 6th and 7th and kids coming to finish packing....cleaning...and loading the Uhaul....of course at Janet's pace so far, we might be done sooner than later.

Linda is doing well...over doing it of course but taking naps and eating good.....she had a rough night last night but will take some sleeping pills to get rested tonight...and she promises to back off a bit tomorrow.

Talked to "Lil Sis's" daughter today...she has been released from the hospital...but it appears the doctor has stopped the chemo as it is too hard on her and hospice has been called in....we hope to hear directly from her soon.

Yesterday we finished the "punch list" established by the buyer's inspection....including some outdoor filling and painting from the sun and weather.....cleaning gutters...patching a couple of roof caps...etc...etc. It was a good thing it was done yesterday as we awoke to 3 inches of new snow today....and headlines of why there was no snow in Central Oregon...yuk yuk....

Pictures tomorrow.....

Six Happiness Tips

Advice from Tal Ben-Shahar

1. Give yourself permission to be human. When we accept emotions — such as fear, sadness, or anxiety — as natural, we are more likely to overcome them. Rejecting our emotions, positive or negative, leads to frustration and unhappiness.

2. Happiness lies at the intersection between pleasure and meaning. Whether at work or at home, the goal is to engage in activities that are both personally significant and enjoyable. When this is not feasible, make sure you have happiness boosters, moments throughout the week that provide you with both pleasure and meaning.

3. Keep in mind that happiness is mostly dependent on our state of mind, not on our status or the state of our bank account. Barring extreme circumstances, our level of well being is determined by what we choose to focus on (the full or the empty part of the glass) and by our interpretation of external events. For example, do we view failure as catastrophic, or do we see it as a learning opportunity?

4. Simplify! We are, generally, too busy, trying to squeeze in more and more activities into less and less time. Quantity influences quality, and we compromise on our happiness by trying to do too much.

5. Remember the mind-body connection. What we do — or don't do — with our bodies influences our mind. Regular exercise, adequate sleep, and healthy eating habits lead to both physical and mental health.

6. Express gratitude, whenever possible. We too often take our lives for granted. Learn to appreciate and savor the wonderful things in life, from people to food, from nature to a smile

Wednesday....January 20th....2010

Linda here filling in for Dave who is wearing out.

Janet arrived here from Nebraska today, so we have been having a great time catching up. It is so good to have her here to keep me company and help out while Dave continues with the moving effort.

We are still waiting to make the decision on whether we will be renting the big house. They say they will have a decision in two days. I pray we all make the right decision.

I'm still enjoying my flowers. I daily glean them of dead blooms and occasionally put two bouquets together out of one. Thank you all for the flowers and cards which continue to come in the mail. And for all the encouraging comments to keep my spirits up. I am getting stronger every day.


Believe it or not, my shingles still bother me, but the home nurse said it is getting healed. My mid section still really hurts, but I've definitely come to terms to my new status and am feeling so much better spiritually. I think I'll survive!

Love and gratitude......Linda

Tuesday....January 19th...20010...753rd BLOG

Remember the song..."What a Difference a Day Makes"?

What a difference a day made
Twenty-four little hours
Brought the sun and the flowers
Where there used to be rain

Mrs. Wood has done an amazing "turn around.....from a crunched over invalid to an upright purpose driven individual...she thinks it is because of the steroids she is taking because of the chemo infusion today.....who knows.....but it is a welcome sight.

A busy day today with multiple appointments in town.....

The first visit was to get the remainder of the staples out from Linda's surgery...no drama there.....then on to the Oncologist who said her blood counts and vitals were excellent....he said to start the "maintenance therapy" today which included Alimta as the "preferred therapy"...new words meaning Linda is continuing on the Alimta as it has been effective in controlling the spread of the cancer.

Linda will have another Alimta infusion on February 5th and then we fly out to Florida on the 9th...the Oncologist wants a scan done down there in two or three weeks after another infusion on the three week schedule in Florida...the results will be sent to him so the two Oncologists can discuss.

We met with our attorney again today and were simply amazed at how many things we still have to do to get our trust in order....we thought we were on top of things but work needs to be done....

Linda's Aunt Margaret passed away....Linda is sad (and so is Dave) as she was a wonderful person who we got to see for the last time on our Nebraska trip last summer. We also hear that step sister Vicky is not faring well with the lung cancer (that was in her lymph, liver and brain also)....we don't have a full picture yet...but working on it....you might remember her as "Little Sis" on this BLOG......

Linda got a hair cut today....she had a bad one done in Florida...we think the gal who cut it thought she was cutting a flat top on a guy...today's cut was more "Jamie Lee Curtis" type of cut....

Some pictures of Linda today.... Dave thought the "flower" that came on a package was a cute addition.....Linda has always thought his humor was warped......

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Sunday....January 17th...2010

Linda did ok today....still healing and a bit unstable...the home nurse is coming tomorrow so we get some questions answered and Tuesday we see the Oncologist. Janet Emken is coming from Nebraska this Wednesday for 8 days....that aught to help a lot.....it's been hard attending to Linda, taking care of the daily stuff and begin the packing process....

Linda got a call from old friends last night....the annual gathering of Champ Car fans (yes they are still out there) placed a call and lots of folks talked with Linda.....wow was her spirit lifted.....it is hard to imagine...just a "short while ago" we were flying everywhere......working our "asses" off....nothing could stop us.....and we loved every minute of it....how kind of those folks to call. We hope to have a picture sent by the group soon so we can post it....and we have a surprise picture for them too....

Saturday...January 16th...2010

Linda had a bunch of small issues this morning which raised my concern but everything seems to have settled down....she actually needs almost a full time caregiver....but things will get better.....Sadie is filling in as needed....as you can see from the picture..

Grand daughter Jillian called today...and lifted Linda's spirits....it reminds her of another reason to leave this beautiful Central Oregon for that raining Portland.....

The move is "moving along"...many little projects and emails to the buyers to keep them on top of things....our main packing will be the week of the first week in February with the moving on the 4-6th and cleaning after that...we have gotten commitments from the kids to help..so we are ahead of the game....

Friday...January 15th...2010

Moving started in earnest today....one trip to Brasada to store all the Christmas tubs......another trip tomorrow with more garage stuff. Also working on a reconditioning of a family cedar chest that has been in the works for many years...time to quit procrastinating and get it done....then it goes to Wendy and Taigen.

Oh...and a trip to the dump was a highlight of the day....

Linda did much better today..took a light regimen of pain pills which made her day much easier....also getting on top of the ostomy procedures....thanks to neighbor Liz who delivered some Costco Marie Callender's chicken pot pies for Linda...too much fat but Miss Wood needs some fat....actually she has been eating well....and taking her meds....Tuesday we will see her back on chemo and all....

ps...we made it in the Wings E newsletter that went out to over 5000 homes....

Winging It! Dave Wood - "A Journey Through Cancer"

"We both learned to not live in the future as it destroys not only the future but the present. We learned to be present moment to moment." - Dave Wood

"When I first decided to write about our journey through cancer I felt at one point as if I had the complete story... and then when I tried to put the words on paper, which is normally easy for me, I found it was not possible."

By the way, I published this entire article on a previous blog date...we are already getting great comments back as a result of the above published article.

Friday....January 19th...2010

What are our plans?
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We are scheduled to have our home sale closed on February 8th....they take possession on the 11th....we fly to Florida on the 9th. We will be packing till the 5th of February.....Dave is currently cleaning and packing the garage.......the big move will be the 5th-7th of February with cleaning on the 7th and 8th...

We plan on having the Brasada Ranch house as our "residence" with the house "staged" with our furniture.......we will store our "stuff" in the large 3 car garage.

We plan on attempting to sell our Florida home while we are down there..."turn key".....that is, everything goes with the house.....dishes.....sheets....car......we only remove our personal stuff...although it can be bought too.....yuk...yuk. It will be in "move in" condition.

When we return to Oregon in early May, we will "live" in the Brasada house but spend most of our time in Portland in the motor home......if a "good deal" opens up in Portland, we will purchase and move....

We hope to have Linda's care continue under the Bend, Oregon Oncologist....

That's about it.....

Linda struggled a bit yesterday...getting used to limited mobility and all....we have a lot of medical appointments set up starting next week...
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Thursday....January 14th...2010

Mrs. Wood is adjusting to being home..not as easy or convenient but she is adjusting.....

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Dave is working on starting the move and meeting the "punch list" of things to "fix" for the buyers and taking care of Mrs. Wood He has included a picture of Mrs. Wood when she was much younger as a reminder of what a sweet lady she was/is......

Wednesday...January 13th...2010

Linda is home....resting on the couch....she says "hi" to all of you and wants you to know she is doing ok...and thanks each and every one of you for your positive energy...... a bit slow but every day she will get better....the next couple of weeks are full of doctor appointments and all.

The oncologist cleared her for her Florida trip...she starts chemo again next Tuesday....the last of her staples come out in one week and she sees the surgeon for his final blessing in two weeks. She will be working closely with the ostomy folks for the next couple of weeks.

A salute to Sisters Drug...amazing people...and so very concerned about Linda.....oftentimes they get the medication orders from the Doctors and have to wait to see what is up with Linda.....it was very heartfelt today.

A salute to the nurses and CNA's for their dedication and kindness and humor....it was fun under stressful circumstances...not that we want to repeat it...they were great .

And to Linda's doctors...Dr. Kornfeld...Oncologist .....who knows what to say at the right time.....and understands stage 4 cancer patients are humans too. And to Dr. Frei....the Surgeon.....who finally smiled and was so skilled in what he did.....and Dr. No....who made the "behind the scene decisions" on behalf of Linda..."Yes to Dr. No!!!"..

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Found this beautiful winter poem and thought it might be a comfort to you. It was sent to me and it's very well written and I hope that you enjoy it too .


' WINTER '

by Abigail Elizabeth McIntyre

Crap....It's Cold

The End

Wednesday Early....January 13th...2010

Looks like the airline reservations have been made for Florida (great price)...Southwest Airlines on February 9th...this is will be almost 5 weeks after Linda's surgery...the surgeon said tonight Linda could fly to Florida two weeks from today which would be the 27th..so this gives her plenty of time...plus it allows for the house sale closing as well as two chemo treatments.

The house closing is on the 6th of February with possession on the 9th....We plan on moving all the big stuff on the 5 thru the 7th weekend....and packing between now and then......so all those volunteers, pick your time and let Linda know...packing (now to the 5th) , loading (5th to the 7th) or cleaning (6th to the 7th)......

Linda will have half of her surgical staples removed today when she is discharged...the other half (every other one left) will be removed in one week.....she is going to continue outpatient assistance for the colostomy. We hope to have her back in chemo Friday or Monday at the latest.

She should be out of the hospital around 2 pm today.....

Tuesday....January 12th...2010....745th Blog

Linda gets out tomorrow...they are very pleased with her progress.....she is still not very excited about the colostomy and all but looks forward to 6 months from now when she can request it being reversed.

Our buyers came today and Dave spent 3 and a half hours going over things...the "fixes" will be minor and the inspection turned up very little.......
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Monday evening....January 11th...2010

Linda had a pretty good day.....I believe she will have a good night....

See the clown that stopped by her room to brighten her evening...

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Monday...January 11, 2010

A new day....another "hospital day"....Linda had a rough night because she is "sorta" "kinda" "out of phase" with her "meds"....she has not been able to take her blood pressure medication because of not being able to take solids (the medication is in solid form)....so her blood pressure keeps going up....so her pulse decreases.....setting off the alarms...hard to sleep with alarms going off.

In addition, we are discovering she might have "sleep apnea".....which causes her oxygen consumption to decrease when she goes to sleep....again setting off the alarms...

She was afraid to go to sleep because of the fears of not getting enough oxygen...blah...blah..blah....so all is being dealt with....the solid meds are being given today...etc...etc....etc....

Linda got more cards today than anyone else in the hospital......wow......

We (me and the "wound" nurse) changed the colostomy bag for the first time today...Linda was a bit freaked to see her intestine sticking outside her body....my response was to set an "intention" to have it reversed in 6 months.....much better focusing on that....

Linda is getting liquid foods...

The surgeon says she is ahead of schedule...and "smiled"...which he doesn't do.....tweaked her toe and said "it's good to see you again young lady" and smiled again....

The nurses say she is ahead of schedule and rattled off the steps in the healing process and suggested she might go home tomorrow or Wednesday....yea....

Our home inspection is tomorrow morning so great news on all that moving along....

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep.

Breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes. They often occur 5 to 30 times or more an hour. Typically, normal breathing then starts again, sometimes with a loud snort or choking sound.

Sleep apnea usually is a chronic (ongoing) condition that disrupts your sleep 3 or more nights each week. You often move out of deep sleep and into light sleep when your breathing pauses or becomes shallow.

This results in poor sleep quality that makes you tired during the day. Sleep apnea is one of the leading causes of excessive daytime sleepiness.

Overview
Sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed. Doctors usually can't detect the condition during routine office visits. Also, there are no blood tests for the condition.

Most people who have sleep apnea don't know they have it because it only occurs during sleep. A family member and/or bed partner may first notice the signs of sleep apnea.

The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea. This most often means that the airway has collapsed or is blocked during sleep. The blockage may cause shallow breathing or breathing pauses.

When you try to breathe, any air that squeezes past the blockage can cause loud snoring. Obstructive sleep apnea happens more often in people who are overweight, but it can affect anyone.

Sunday Evening....January 10th...2010

Not to take from the important message below...but to add to it...see last night's picture of Linda with Janine, Jim and Jeff and today's picture showing Linda "in a different place"...and "that's the good news"!

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For "non-wingers', that means Linda has moved from a state of dispair and depression to one of confidence and positive outlooks...and that is good news....

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Sunday....Janaury 10th...2010

Here is the "star of the day"...Miss Linda.....

Boy, what a trip! I feel like I'm coming out of my haze now (maybe it helps that I have pretty much weaned myself off the morphine).

You guys are so awesome! I honestly don't know how people go through this without the peanut gallery like I have. I just wish you could understand how much I love you all. I know I am strong, but your strength helps me so much stay empowered.

Dealing with all this new stuff is going to be a challenge, but you all know I am up for anything (p.s. don't tell God that; I've told him I've had enough!).

Love and gratitude

Linda......

ps...Dave Wood...Linda's message above is very "heartfelt"....she was sobbing while reading it back to us....wondering if it was "ok"....we all said it was "grand"!

Saturday...January 9th...2010

We have reached an agreement on selling our home in Sisters and Linda is doing much better and my battery is shot as I left my power cord at the hospital..good bye!!!!!!

Saturday...January 9th...2010...739th BLOG

This day started early.....with three calls from Linda before 8 am...it was quickly apparent she was "in the toilet".....ie....depressed.....it's about all that "thinkin' "....she was adding up the illnesses to a sense that she was "on her way out"....

Quickly I got on the road and to the hospital.....we had a good discussion....but what was really really nice was to have her Oncologist appear at just the right time....he disconnected the sequence Linda had created....he said that medical people who hear stage 4 cancer often times "write the patient off".."they are going to die anyway".....BUT this oncologist says that Linda's illnesses are NOT connected...unfortunate....but not connected...they are a sequence of unfortunate illnesses....but separate....

Linda got very teary and thanked him.,..it was "spot on" to get her out of the "hole" she had dug during the night. The Oncologist even said he saw no reason why her colostomy cannot be reversed should she be doing well....of course she liked that a lot, being the vain person she is. Again, the surgeon sees her as a stage 4 cancer patient with a limited life....the Oncologist sees her as a fighting vibrant patient full of life.

Today we will counter on our home offer..it came last night...we will make it work....

Linda has some nausea today.....

Again thanks so much for the comments....we have not had time to read last nights..but we will today....

Friday...January 8th...2010.....738th BLOG

Much better day today....Dave caught his breath (enough on him)....Linda looked 1,000% better.
She is not as drugged out as yesterday but still hard to understand at times...but getting better. Linda walked around the circuit (5th floor) 5 different times today....it was heard that her surgeon saw her and smiled and he is never known to smile.

The wound from the surgery was exposed today to aid healing....it is quite long.....her new "hole" in her from left side is called a "stoma" and the nurse who assists that with her came by today (she will stop by each weekday) and spoke to Linda about how the colostomy works and getting her comfortable with the routine. She said Linda's stoma was a "hollywood stoma", a term used to describe a stoma that is looking good..and Linda has a good one.....

Linda's spirit and determination is very very good...a "bump in the road"...as she describes it...her "vainness" is suffering a bit.....no more bikinis.....no more "skinny dipping".....the nurses say "forget that'..."be proud" and they point how that there are an incredible amount of people with colostomies......

Jim and Janine arrived from Portland and will spend the weekend taking some of the pressure off Dave...Jeff came by and spent quite a bit of quality time with his Mother today.

Linda is easing off the morphine as much as possible as we received our first offer on our home today..."good things follow bad" or something like that? Anyway it is the start of a break we are looking for. Tomorrow Linda and Dave will go over the offer and make a counter...hoping all will come together. Note that Dave cleaned the house top to bottom in preparation for the home showing that led to the offer without the supervision and advise from Linda...I wonder if that made the difference (yuk yuk).

We want to take a moment and thank each and everyone of you for your comments, cards, emails, flowers, etc., etc. However the support is given, it is much much appreciated and does help in Linda's recovery..beyond measure....keep it up...the comments for sure.....

Some pictures from today...I am skipping yesterday's as who cares about yesterday...today is today! If any guy says "hey look at the "flat hair"...spouses are to smack him...what do you expect from a hospital bed...and we've told Linda nobody cares!....

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Thursday....January 7th...2010

All the plane tickets, forwarded mail, newpapers, car rentals, etc., etc, have all be worked out.....people can really be helpful in a time of need.

Linda's chemo session scheduled for today, has been delayed for 10 days.....to allow her body to heal.

Many of the kids are coming in tomorrow....

Thursday....8 am...January 7th...2010

Linda has been in her room since about 6:15 am...not too happy...but alive.....she wants to disappear for 3 weeks and get this over with....but that's not in the cards. The morphine has her pretty groggy and much doesn't make sense...but she was very glad to see me.

A doctor came in and visited and said he had been consulting on the case since midnight.....he said her condition probably started right after her colonoscopy 5 years ago and that the cancer and chemo had blocked the signals that things had gotten bad. Piecing things back together, it seemed to Linda that she had a backache for a couple of days and that was a signal but not clear enough to get help.....sadly she ended up with a very bad situation.....but again, we will make the most of it and adjust.

More tonight......

Linda's information.....

Linda Wood Room 505
St. Charles Medical Center
2500 NE Neff Rd
Bend OR 97701

Thursday...5am .....January 7th....2010

The surgeon came out just before 5 am.....Linda did have a perforation of the sigmoid colon (last section before the rectum)...he removed about 6 inches it looked like with his spread of his hands...there was a fair amount of contamination in the abdomen which he indicated they washed out the best they could. He did put in a colostomy as he indicated he would have to.

Linda is in recovery for at least an hour and then I will be able to see her in her room....

He did say she weathered the surgery well....

Thursday...Early...3:30 am....January 7th....2010....734th Blog

Linda went into surgery at 3 am....they say surgery will last about 2 hours and then 1 hour minimum in the recovery room.....before she is sent up to her room on the 5th floor...room 505 we hear...but that might change....

Linda will be in the hospital for a week or more followed by a minimum of two weeks recovery. Her "vainness" will be tested by a major surgical scar and a colostomy bag.....but we assured each other we would fight on...not letting this new "bump" get the best of us.....I sat there tonight while she dosed in and out....wondering where she finds this strength to fight what has been put in front of her.....she is a most amazing human being...I think (I know) it is this quality that has made her special for all of her life and what attracted me to her....

We believe....

Thursday....Early....January 7th...2010

First...Happy birthday sweet Jillian...12 years old today!!!!!!!!

Bad news....Linda is going to surgery.....it is major surgery.....with a cut from the breast bone to the bottom.....they are not sure where the hole is but speculate they will cut quite a bit..again not sure till they get in there....and how many potential future perforations there are.....with Linda's condition with cancer and the medications, the chance of putting things back together is very poor....and she will most likely have a colostomy for the rest of her life.

Linda is very emotional right now....even though it is very painful...she is trying to be very still....

The surgeon speculated the perforation is what happened tonight causing the sudden pain and vomiting and all.....he is the same surgeon who did her gall bladder surgery....he is good at what he does.....but this is a big one....

She is also on the "big guns" in terms of antibiotics......because of the infections in the body from the hole....her temperature remains high which means the body is fighting....

Say a prayer.....she will need it.....thank you

Thursday....Early Early.....January 7th...2010

Linda has perforated diverticulitis....what is that????????

Diverticulitis is swelling (inflammation) of an abnormal pouch (diverticulum) in the intestinal wall. These pouches are usually found in the large intestine (colon). The presence of the pouches themselves is called diverticulosis.

Symptoms
•Abdominal pain, usually in the left lower abdomen but can be anywhere
•Chills
•Fever
•Nausea
•Vomiting
•Weight loss
Treatment

Acute diverticulitis is treated with antibiotics.

The involved portion of the colon may need to be removed with surgery if you have a hole (perforation) in the colon .

Sacs,, called diverticula, occur more often after the age of 40. When they become inflamed, the condition is known as diverticulitis. Diverticula are thought to develop as a result of high pressure or abnormal pressure in the colon. High pressure against the colon wall causes pouches of the intestinal lining to bulge outward through small defects in the colon wall that surround blood vessels.

Diverticulosis is very common. It is found in more than half of Americans over age 60. Only a small percentage of these people will develop the complication of diverticulitis.

Diverticulitis is caused by inflammation, or (sometimes) a small tear in a diverticulum. If the tear is large, stool in the colon can spill into the abdominal cavity, causing an infection (abscess) or inflammation in the abdomen.

Since her bowel has been perforated...a surgeon has been called..it actually is the same one who did her gall bladder...more than likely she will be operated on ............in a short time...the Oncologist is in the loop too.....

What now....no Florida for a while....we will find out .....we suppose...how much hospital time and how much recovery time....

So that's about what we know at the moment.....

Wednesday....Late....January 6th...2010

Well....it "ain't" stopped yet....

We are in the St. Charles Medical Center...arrival of Mrs. Wood by ambulance......

She had a good day.....busy with tax preparations and loan application documents.....followed by a good nap.....ate some scrambled eggs, pears, apples and fresh carrots......we were eating up what was left in the refrigerator as we leave tomorrow.....

We then watched a taping of The Bachelor......Jessie of Canada is a Facebook friend as well as a former Miss Grand Prix for Champ Car.

Then Linda went up stairs.......

After a while I went upstairs and found her doubled over with extreme pain and vomiting.....cramps worse than child birth she said....it didn't let up (vomiting and cramps) so an ambulance was called. She was shaking with shock.....

They have done a lower abdomen scan as she has severe abdominal pain and the scan is being read in Australia of all places...as it is day time there and no radiologists are up at this hour in Bend.

Now her pulse has elevated as well as her temperature.....more later...she is talkative and alert and has no clue why this has happened.....

Wednesday...January 6th...2010...730th Blog

Just having awaken by Linda's "gentle snoring"....a good thing which means she is resting well....I am contemplating the "bumps in the road" yesterday.....in particular...the shingles....As Linda said yesterday....something to the effect that she was ok with "being tested" but "how much more ?" . She has been subjected to a lot....I'm not sure how many could have endured as much.

Anyway, I wrote an article on "Linda's Journey" for the Wings Seminars digital newsletter recently and it will be published soon as well as placed on their website....the article sort of documents the "journey" and what we have gone through, in part.....

www.wings-seminars.com......

A Journey Through Cancer By Dave Wood (A Wings Graduate)

Note…..when I first decided to write about our journey through cancer I felt at one point as if I had the complete story…and then when I tried to put the words on paper, which is normally easy for me. I found it was not possible…little did I understand then that the journey was not ending nor stopping… and it continues to this day and will tomorrow…..it is only now that I can make sense in putting words on paper to describe what has and is occurring.

My wife Linda developed a cough in the spring of 2007…..it continued to a point where we sought medical assistance….after an x-ray of her lungs, the doctor said Linda had pneumonia and put her on antibiotics…..which did absolutely nothing….then more antibiotics followed by a visit to pulmonologist who said he was concerned and had a scan done…again we were not overly concerned but wanted to hear the results even if he had to call…..which he did and said “it’s lung cancer”…

What??????!!!!!!!!!!

Not even on our radar…not even something we considered a possibility in our lives. Immediately we went into action and soon learned that the wheels of cancer can turn slowly….as my friend John said: “Take your place in line”….

Did it get better...NO…..it seemed at each turn that the news got worse…not operable…..stage 3 cancer....and then stage 3 b…..and then…..

Chemo…..radiation….huge amounts of each….long term prognosis not good….

I became a full time care giver….giving medications…sorting out the questions and getting tube feeding ready…….time in the hospital…..were there points in this journey when we felt it was over….???

Most definitely….not good news.

One day my blood pressure in the middle of this journey…….soared …..never felt so close to a deathly feeling in my life….I knew at any moment I wasn’t going to make it…..medications upon medications …..sicker and sicker….

One day my cardiologist said I needed to to go across the street….I didn’t understand what he meant….he spoke further…..”it’s in your head”…”you are having symptoms which are anxiety based”…. “You need counseling and help we can’t provide”. I left in a quandary….went home lost….then started to sort through some papers we had been given when we first were introduced to the St. Charles medical cancer program…they had an entire support system..I recognized a name of a coordinator/facilitator in the material….Rosemary Johnson.

Rosemary had been in a small group I led in a Crossover seminar years before….a very caring and insightful individual as I remembered…..I called her at home…

The next day we were in her office….and then a quiet private room….where with her gentle words….everything spilled out….all the pent up emotions and fears. And…. came out...sobbing.

Rosemary said now we must start by learning to breathe….as we had stopped during the journey…..and we started from there….it became clear to me that much of what we were doing I had learned in Wings but my brain had disassociated itself…Rosemary made the connection for the path we were going to follow through this journey of cancer….and we are forever grateful for her being our “guide”…we learned she had been involved in bringing Wings-based programs to St. Charles hospital. These resulted in programs for all staff at St. Charles, which they hoped would positively influence the relationship-centered approach to care. Rosemary is now using what she learned to expand those concepts to the cancer community.

This is where I originally ended my story…..but there is much more..…Linda went through hell….pushed to the point of her body almost giving up in an effort to kill the cancer….. with drugs and radiation….she made it through by adopting a healthy attitude.,….not giving up…understanding that each day is a new normal….accepting it for what it is and be grateful to be alive….we both learned to not live in the future as it destroys not only the future but the present….we learned to be present moment to moment….wow another great lesson from Wings coming back to us….

What now….

Linda has stage 4 cancer…..lung cancer…..is it fair…..nope….as she never smoked…..or had been around second hand smoke. Ten percent of lung cancer patients were non smokers. It is what it is…

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We thought we were close to each other before. Now we realize we can and do get very very close….we are current with each other with no withholds..there is no future in any other way…we enjoy our lives…even though this “cancer stuff” throws a lot of curves….Linda at times seems grateful for the cancer in how it improved the life she has….we have worked with and been cared for by so many caring and loving people….we have a blog, www.linda-lou.blogspot.com that has documented our journey….are we sitting at home waiting for the worst to come….nope ….we travel a lot….stopping every three weeks for some nasty chemo to be infused into Linda’s body to control Linda’s cancer..the key word here is control…the Oncologists come up with new chemo and all to keep the cancer under control….Linda is doing her part by a positive mental attitude….fostered by that first face to face with Rosemary Johnson….and all that Wings training coming home….as Linda says: “I am grateful for my life…I am more vulnerable…..current ….no withholds….I speak my truth…..I understand why my contract taken 12 years ago in Crossover says I am an open, powerful and courageous woman….YES!”

Postscript...Linda is over two And a half years into her cancer journey….interceded by cancer surgery on her face twice….including an operation just before I wrote this…different cancer but still cancer…and then gall bladder surgery a few months ago….the oncologist said at the time even cancer patients get sick….we chuckled at that…

As we continue on this journey we are so thankful for our Wings experience to lighten and point our way….thank you for being there for us….and preparing us for our journey…..It is about me (us).

Tuesday....January 5th...2010....729th BLOG

She (Linda) has done it again!

What?

Found another illness!!!!!!!!

Follow along........

Today we had a productive morning and then went to Bend for Linda's stitches to be taken out....during the morning, Linda felt a spot on the back of her left leg......before we left, Linda felt an itching and a much bigger "splotch"......rash looking .....that was expanding up her left buttock (butt ).....by the time she got to the Dermatologist's office, the rash was starting up her back and was "blistering"....

Anyone figure this out yet?

So when the stitches came out (very nicely) and little strips applied over the surgical cuts to promote further healing, Linda asked the nurse to have the Dermatologist look at her "rash"....the Dermatologist initially hesitated because he is solely a MOHS surgeon now and his schedule was jammed with surgeries and all....but....knowing Linda, he came in and looked at her buttocks (left cheek) and all and said.......yes..you guessed it.....Shingles!!!!!!!!!!

Not having the time, he referred her over to the Urgent Care (same company) and another doctor said ....after looking at her buttocks (left butt) and all.....you have ....you guessed it....Shingles!!!!!!!

He prescribed the medications including pain medication, steroids and a medication to take on the virus. The problem was that the steroids would interfere with her chemo scheduled for Thursday...so Linda got that worked out with her Oncologist....

What now?

Supposedly Linda will have a short period of pain and all...hopefully limited to 5 days.....with the medications.....she remains in "good spirits" although this has taken a toll on her resiliency.....so keep up the comments to cheer her up...she will need it.....


What is shingles?
Shingles (herpes zoster) is a viral infection of the nerve roots. It causes pain and often causes a rash on one side of the body, the left or right. The rash appears in a band, a strip, or a small area. Shingles is most common in older adults and people who have weak immune systems because of stress, injury, certain medicines, or other reasons. Most people who get shingles will get better and will not get it again.

What causes shingles?
Shingles occurs when the virus that causes chickenpox starts up again in your body. After you get better from chickenpox, the virus "sleeps" (is dormant) in your nerve roots. In some people, it stays dormant forever. In others, the virus "wakes up" when disease, stress, or aging weakens the immune system. It is not clear why this happens. But after the virus becomes active again, it can only cause shingles, not chickenpox.

You can't catch shingles from someone else who has shingles. But a person with a shingles rash can spread chickenpox to another person who hasn't had chickenpox and who hasn't gotten the chickenpox vaccine.

What are the symptoms?
Shingles symptoms happen in stages. At first you may have a headache or be sensitive to light. You may also feel like you have the flu but not have a fever.

Later, you may feel itching, tingling, or pain in a certain area. That’s where a band, strip, or small area of rash may occur a few days later. The rash turns into clusters of blisters. The blisters fill with fluid and then crust over. It takes 2 to 4 weeks for the blisters to heal, and they may leave scars. Some people only get a mild rash, and some do not get a rash at all.

It’s possible that you could also feel dizzy or weak, or you could have long-term pain or a rash on your face, changes in your vision, changes in how well you can think, or a rash that spreads. If you have any of these problems from shingles, call your doctor right away.

How is shingles treated?
There is no cure for shingles, but treatment may help you get well sooner and prevent other problems. Call your doctor as soon as you think you may have shingles. The sooner you start treatment, the better it works. Treatment may include:

Antiviral medicines to help you get well sooner and feel less pain.
Medicines to help long-term pain. These include antidepressants, pain medicines, and skin creams.

Good home care can help you feel better faster. Take care of any skin sores, and keep them clean. Take your medicines as directed. And use over-the-counter pain medicines to relieve pain.

Monday....January 4th...2010....728th BLOG

I cannot figure this W--o--m--a--n out!!!!!!!!!

First she (Mrs Wood) goes to bed early...doesn't sleep well worrying about what she needs to take with her to Florida to do her Oregon and Federal taxes......then she worries about not having enough time to take down the Christmas decorations at our home in Sisters....then she wakes up with leg aches..and ...and...

What then?????????

First..no movie..she worries about having leg aches sitting that long in a theater and assures me we will see it at the IMAX theater in Tampa......

Then...she wants to see some more townhouses.....so we do that.....

I do get my way and we have lunch (gourmet) at Salem Costco....she chokes down a half a hot dog and threatens to throw up......

Then she sleeps all the way to Sisters.....good news/bad news.......

Then we get home and Bam...she is on the Christmas decorations like a banshee...and guess what....they are all done...put away...finished.....and she worried about it.

What now.....sleep....rest.....nope...she is upstairs watching the many "Days of Our Lives she missed last week.....

Tomorrow.....Linda's stitches come out.....

ps....our friend Kim from Land O Lakes, Florida emailed today confirming it is a bit cold down there....

Sunday....January 3rd....2010

What are we reading.......

Medusa.....Clive Cussler
Outliers.....Malcolm Gladwell
The Lost Symbol.....Dan Brown
Pursuit Of Honor .......Vince Flynn

Today....Miss Claudia went with us on a far reaching condo/townhouse search with little success....actually none. We went as far as the State of Washington...across from Portland to look. Claudia offered her advice which was consistent with ours in "what were they thinking....when they built these?????".

This is Linda's "good week"....the third week in a chemo cycle....this is the week she has the most energy.

Tomorrow we are going to try to get into the IMAX 3D theater in the morning for AVATAR before going back over the mountains to pack and put away the Christmas decorations before coming back to Portland to fly to Florida....

Saturday...January 2nd...2010...726th Blog

Today Miss Linda had a lot of energy.....until about 3 om...and she ran out of gas...but a nap took care of that.....we spent most of the day looking for townhomes again....on the remote possibility a buyer for our home in Sisters comes along...
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Tomorrow we will visit with son Jim and daughter in law Jenn.....maybe friend Claudia although she wasn't around today. We also want to visit a few more townhouse locations and then call it good.

Monday we plan on seeing Avatar in IMAX 3D and then head home to pack and return Thursday to Portland for the trip to Florida.....

We had a nice time visiting with daughter Janine's boyfriend Tyson...he is a very nice young man....everyone spent this evening reading.....on a Saturday night...

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Friday....January 1st...2010...725th BLOG

Today feels a lot like yesterday....and it's 2010...enough on that....

Oregon lost in the Rose Bowl...enough on that....

Linda is doing well.....enough on that....