Sunday, November 29, 2015

Great Support Group

This will just be a short post to thank the people who came to our house yesterday and put up our Christmas Decorations. The Girls helped Vicki with the tree, it looks beautiful by the way, and the boys did the outside.

I supervised and did a little on both the inside and outside, but really the Kids, the 
Grand kid, and our ex son-in-law did all the work. 

So here's thanks to Jamie, Damien, Chris and Brianna for all their help yesterday.

Thanks and thanks some more,

RT

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Thanksgiving 2015

Before starting this post I was reading an article on gratitude. A couple of scientists and researchers found that people who have gratitude for their lives, events, circumstance or whatever, tend to  be happy people or at least happier people.

OK, I can go along with that. Which makes me think those first settlers were smart to create a Thanksgiving Day. Maybe we would all be a little happier if we had a Thanksgiving  moment every day. Anyway I know that I have a lot of things for which to be thankful.

The number one thing I am thankful for is Vicki's results from her 5-year MRI. We got the results from her oncologist yesterday. She is not just cancer free, she in now considered cured. It was a great thing to hear.

I am also very thankful for all the family I saw today at our Thanksgiving Outing. My oldest daughter got us a Ramada at Skyline Park out in Mesa. I got to see 8 of our 14 grand kids and lots of nieces, nephews, kids, and cousins. I walked down through the park and marveled at all the different folks celebrating the holiday. It felt good to see people out having fun with their families. That's something some people never get to experience, all Thanksgiving Dinner nightmares aside.

I am thankful as well for the treatment I am receiving and the support from  friends and family. I am also very thankful for the support I get from people at work. That's another thing right there; I am thankful to still be able to work. 

When you think about it there will be a whole lot of things to be thankful for, that deserve your gratitude.  

I won't bore you with any more of mine, there really isn't room on the page. I have had countless blessings in this life and I am grateful for every one. Take a minute and contemplate all the wonderful things in your life.

RT

 

Saturday, November 21, 2015

"Hold on a Minute"

Turns out that yesterday was my 5th Chemo treatment and not my 6th as my last post erroneously stated. Even so, this one got me more than any so far.

I didn't go to bed till 3 AM this morning. It took me that long and multiple pills to get the nausea under control enough to attempt sleep. It also helped that by that time of the morning I was pretty damn tired as well.

My daughter Bridgette just came by and picked up Vicki to go get her 5 year MRI at St. Judes in Phoenix. If she gets another clean MRI she we be declared cured, not just cancer free. 

I am sitting in the easy chair, watching Antiques Roadshow, and blogging. The don't call me Mr. Excitement for nothing.

Looking forward to Thanksgiving. We are having a family outing at a Park in Mesa. I should get to see a bunch of folks I haven't seen in ages. 

Have a great Thanksgiving day.

RT

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Waiting on 6

I'm watching the Cards tonight and resting up for work tomorrow. Side effects have been manageable this weekend. I haven't had a lot of energy, but what energy I have I believe I've put to good use. 

Vicki came down with a kidney infection on Thursday, which we had confirmed on Saturday when she went to the urgent care a few blocks from our house. I cooked dinner on Friday night and did some minor chores on Saturday. Sunday I had enough energy to do the ironing for both of us, so I feel pretty good about that.

How I will feel in the morning is a whole nother deal. (excuse my hillybillyism)

I have my 6th treatment this coming Friday and I wonder how much it will wear me down. Each treatment has made me more and more tired. It's getting to the point where even 3 days a week will be more than I can go to work. Right now I'm scheduled for 4 days a week, but I haven't made more than 3 days for the past month. 

I'm hoping we can get Vicki healed up by my next treatment. We'll just have to wait and see. 

It just started raining again. We had the roof done last week and I'm hopeful it's holding up. This has been a very wet fall for us here in Phoenix. Climate change?

Hope things are going well for you.

RT



Sunday, November 8, 2015

I take the 5th

I had my 5th chemo in this round of treatment  yesterday. I am handling the chemo better this time around than on the previous two rounds. There is still nausea and a couple of other minor side effects, but I keep them under control with meds. 

My biggest concern right now is my wife Vicki's health. She has been sick with nausea since Thursday. We think it may be stress related.  She's been through a tough year. Her Mom died on Christmas Eve last year and her Dad passed seven months later. In addition she has her last MRI coming up. This one is for her 5th year checkup. If her MRI is clean she will officially be cured of her cancer. Her work place moved a couple of months ago to a more difficult commute and a huge warehouse like space with 3,000 people in one open floor plan. And of course my treatment is more than half way into it's second year. I don't doubt I am getting to be a drag.

So... I am hoping that the treatment I am taking is killing my cancer. I also hope that we can determine what's going with Vicki and how to fix it.

The weather is beautiful this weekend. We are blessed to live in Phoenix in the winter.

Hope have a great weekend.

RT